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Perhaps Giulia had. She’d come to his room at such an early hour and in such disarray it was evident that she had not slept at all. Her braided crown was less braid and more frizz, her clothes were rumpled and the circles under her eyes had revealed her sleeplessness.
Nick avoided the turnoff that would lead to Giulia’s room and continued straight. He planned to knock on her door like a gentleman. When he slid open the stone door that led into the room beside hers, however, he was surprised to find Giulia standing there waiting for him. She had smoothed her gown and fixed her hair, but she looked no more beautiful than she had before. He thought she looked brilliant either way.
“How did you know I would come this way?” he asked.
She lifted one delicate shoulder. “I just assumed.”
“Follow me.” He turned around and went back into the wall, Giulia on his heels. He led her through the maze that made up the inner workings of the castle’s secret passageways and up a set of rickety wooden stairs before coming to a short rounded hatch in the ceiling. He pushed it open and stepped aside to allow Giulia to pass through.
Cool air bit at his nose and he watched her face as she entered the top floor of the east tower. He was not disappointed by her reaction. She appeared to be awe struck. The floor they stood on was a perfect circle, with rivets that lined the top of the tower and an open expanse that showed the land for miles and miles. He picked up her hand and led her to the edge of the tower, reveling in the squeeze from her fingers as they neared the edge and looked out from the highest point on the castle.
“This is breathtaking.”
“I quite agree.” He smiled. “It has been a favorite place of mine since the dowager showed it to me.”
“My grandmother?”
Nick was equal parts saddened and pleased by the hopeful expression in her eyes. “Yes, your grandmother. This was her favorite place in the castle, actually. She had an adventurous spirit.”
“Is that why the doorway is hidden within the secret passageways?”
“No, that is because this tower is for the private use of the earl of the castle. We are not sure why they had it built that way, but the staircase leads directly into the doorway to the earl’s bedchamber.”
Giulia looked up to Nick nervously. “Will he be upset that we are up here?”
“No.” Nick waved a hand dismissively. “He doesn’t come up here.”
“This is extraordinary.” She chuckled, turning wind-chapped, pink cheeks on him. “Does every single bedroom have a secret entryway into the bowels of the castle?”
“No, actually. Most rooms do not.” He smiled at her as she looked across the land. The sun was peeking over the edge of the earth, changing the light from pale to bright. Her face lit up and she grabbed his arm.
“Look!” she pointed over the top of a rivet. “That is Hattie’s barn, is it not?”
“Yes, I believe it is. The Green’s property begins there and stretches as far out as you can see. Next to Halstead, they are the largest landowners in the county. Now.” He turned toward her and looked into her rich, sad eyes. “What is so urgent that you needed to speak to me before the servants themselves awoke?”
Giulia sobered quickly. He could see the light fade from her being as if whatever she was thinking about seeped energy from her. She let out a long, soft sigh and turned away from the view. Leaning against the wall, she lifted the journal and offered him a pitiful smile. “I have solved our mystery.”
He raised his eyebrows. Had it really been that easy? Perhaps he should have just muscled through the whole journal in one shot. But that would have been a lot of reading.
Giulia opened the leather-bound journal and flipped it open near the end. She turned pages until she found what she was searching for and handed him the book, pointing to the middle of the left page. Nick read the passage, then read it again, at a loss for words; at least if he continued to read he would not have to say anything to her just yet.
Nick turned to the next page and asked, “Is there anything else?”
She looked away. “No. I skimmed the last few entries, but this is the only place he mentions my mother.”
Nick nodded. “This explains a lot. Do you know what he means when he says that ‘she would have held on for all of Halstead’?”
“No.” Giulia shook her head. “I assume he is referring to his inheriting it in some way. He eludes to that enough. But I do not understand the context. My uncle would have had to die without heirs for that to happen.”
Exactly.The woman sounded—in Patrick’s viewpoint—as though money mattered to her above all else. “It is irrelevant anyway, I suppose.”
“Perhaps not as irrelevant as you might think,” Giulia whispered. Worry lines formed on her forehead as she thought, and he wanted to take a finger and smooth away the wrinkles.
“At least we understand why he was banished from Halstead.” Nick let out a low whistle. Stealing his brother’s sweetheart? That was cold.
“Perhaps.” Giulia shook her head, training her gaze on Nick with firm resolution. He could see in the way she set in her shoulders and straightened her spine that she was preparing for something. A little feeling within his gut told him to prepare himself as well, for he had the odd inclination that she was about to deliver a blow. He moved to reach for her fingers, to squeeze them in an offer of encouragement. But he dropped his hand, realizing that she didn’t need it. She was courageous, brave, and strong, just like her father had described in his journal.
“Nick,” she said, drawing out his name, “I do not want you to overreact, so you must promise me you will hear me out fully.”
