“It is quite large,” he conceded.
“I hardly see how you can bear to leave.”
“London has its appeal as well.” He smiled, and she hardly needed to know what appeal London had—the kind of appeal she had so nearly offered him.
The kind of appeal she half wanted to offer him again. It was a foolish thought, but one she couldn’t quite banish.
“You see, it’s perfectly possible that Constance may have taken refuge somewhere on the estate,” he said. “Our old nurse lives in the village, and she was always very fond of Constance.”
“Then we shall do what we can to find her.”
His eyes searched hers, no doubt looking for a reason to doubt her sincerity, but in this she was utterly sincere. The carriage came to a stop outside the grand front entrance, and Aaron handed her down, his hand lingering around hers before he recollected himself and released her.
“I hope you shall be comfortable here,” he said as a butler, staid and old as indeed all butlers seemed to be, came forward to greet them. His balding head was so well polished that the sunlight seemed almost to reflect from it.
“Welcome back, Your Grace,” he said.
“This is Lady Charlotte,” Aaron said, taking her hand once again and holding it in both of his. This time, however, was different; it was a show, specifically for the butler. “As I’m sure you know, she is my special guest and is to be treated as such.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” The butler bowed. “My Lady.” Charlotte half wanted to demand everyone relax their formidable formality, but before she could do more than form the thought, they were inside, and she could do no more than gape at the interior.
Once, no doubt, it had been a very traditional home, dark and gloomy as all these places were, but the Hexhams were not short on wealth, and it was clear some enterprising soul had utterly refitted it. The rooms were modern, airy and neoclassical, the marbled stone reflecting that era and style to perfection.
“My mother redecorated it some twenty years ago,” Aaron said as he led her through the large hallway into an equally large drawing room, which had been outfitted with a pianoforte—one larger than she’d ever seen in her life. “As you can see, she had a taste for the grand.”
“It’s very magnificent,” Charlotte managed, gazing around.
“Yes, quite so.” His tone implied he didn’t enjoy its magnificence, nor did he entirely celebrate the modernity that surrounded them. His mother had been a woman of fashion. “She was determined to bring this house up to scratch, you see.”
“And yet it is still deemed aPlace.”
“Hexham Place has a certain ring to it,” he said, “but more importantly than that, the surrounding area has known it to be a Place since its conception, most likely, and a petition to change was not met kindly.”
Charlotte laughed. Here, in opulence he didn’t enjoy yet was familiar with, he seemed a little more relaxed, a little more open. “And so, Hexham Place it remains,” she said.
“It does, however ill-fitting.” He glanced around. “My favorite place in the house is my father’s apartments. From what I could tell, he allowed my mother free rein except for one wing which he insisted was kept as the original.” Aaron offered her his arm, and she took it. “When my aunt and Lady Lowood arrive, pray offer them refreshments and tell them we shall be down shortly,” he instructed as they left the room.
“It’s so very grand,” Charlotte said. “I half don’t feel as though I belong here.”
He sent her a sharp look. “Nonsense. You are lovely, and no one could doubt your suitability.”
“To be your wife?” She gave him a wry smile. “I think there are several who would dispute that—my family being some.”
“Your mother seems amenable to the match.”
“Being my mother, she has always had high hopes for me which I have failed to fulfill.” Charlotte peered down from the stairs, split left and right, back down into the hallway. “Seeing me in a place such as this is likely to send her into the hysterics.”
He half smiled. “Is she prone to hysterics?”
“Not usually,” Charlotte admitted. “Only when offered provocation such as this.”
“I had heard that your father’s estate was equally great,” Aaron said with the air of confessing something delicate.
“Oh, it was large, to be sure.” Charlotte waved a dismissive hand, though she could remember her father’s grief at having to sell pieces of land, at having to purge everything valuable from the house until it was just a shell. Until that, too, had to be sold. “But size does not equal wealth, as you well know.”
“Ah, and it is my wealth your mother wants for her daughter.” Aaron looked down at her, daring her to laugh, and she gave a wan smile.
“Your wealth and your influence. Don’t forget you’re a Duke, and thus must hold sway over society.”
