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She flushed. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
“You’re very transparent. Everything you think and feel is there on your face.”
“How mortifying.”
“I find it rather refreshing knowing what someone is thinking, rather than wondering where things stand.”
“My brothers used to tell me to stop talking, because men like mystery.”
Alec smiled. “Perhaps when men are young and all about the chase.”
“You’re still young,” she said.
“I haven’t been young for a very long time,” he answered, leaving the road and pulling off onto the shoulder. “Come, let’s stretch our legs and take a quick photo. We’re at the top of the pass and the view is spectacular.”
He was right. The view from the peak of Winnats Pass was beautiful, and the limestone rocks glittered with frost. A dusting of white covered the hills giving the landscape an almost mystical look. She took pictures even as she shivered at the gusts of wind and then they were racing back to the warmth of the car, and Cara shivered as she fastened her seat belt.
“Gorgeous,” she said, “and I’m glad we drove here today but wouldn’t want to be out there hiking. What do you think the temperature is right now?”
“I can tell you in a moment,” he said, glancing down at his dashboard. “It is cold,” he added. “Minus two. Below freezing and, with the wind chill, it probably is colder than that.”
She turned on the heater in her seat and Cara relaxed against the firm leather as Alec continued the drive, heading east to Hope, and then south to Great Hucklow, completing the loop, bringing them to the outskirts of Ashford in the Water. All in all, it had almost been an hour and a half since they’d left Bakewell and it had been a lovely outing but she wasn’t ready to call it a day and was strategizing which of the great houses she could still see before Christmas.
“Since it’s just a little after noon now, would you mind dropping me off in Bakewell and I’ll take the bus to Haddon Hall? Or, if you’re feeling particularly generous, you could take me all the way to the hall? Or, you could even join me for a tour?”
“That’s a lot of ors.”
“I believe in options.”
“It seems so, and since you were disappointed that Old Hall Hotel yesterday wasn’t asoldas you’d hoped, I think you’ll like Haddon Hall. It’s retained much of its medieval appearance, unlike Langley which lost a great deal of its history during the Georgian era.”
“But Langley is beautiful, and it’s your home. I’m just sorry tonight’s tour is sold out because I would have loved to be part of it.”
He shot her an incredulous look. “It’s a tour in my home. You can join in.”
“They’ve sold tickets for the tour. It’s a fundraiser—”
“In my home. You can certainly follow along.”
“Miss Fletcher might not approve.”
“Miss Fletcher will not be there. Thankfully, but no, she wouldn’t approve if she knew. She likes to manage things, all things, from staff to tours.”
“And you?” Cara asked.
Alec smiled grimly. “She very much wants to help me, but that’s where I draw the line. But since she’ll still be at the house when I get there, doing whatever she does in that ticket office building without a Trimble or Johnson or Booth to help keep her from bothering me, I suggest we visit Haddon Hall and then have a late lunch or afternoon tea in their restaurant which is housed in a converted stable.”
Alec knew back roads and private entrances that few outside family, and Mr. Trimble, knew about, so it was easy skirting Bakewell and reaching Haddon Hall relatively quickly.
Alec glanced at Cara who was looking out the window, watching the passing scenery with interest. This was a landscape he’d seen every day as a boy, but for her it was all new, and he wished he could see it with fresh eyes, through her eyes,because next to her, he did feel old, and jaded. Derbyshire was full of beautiful scenery and architectural treasures, but he was almost numb to it, his schedule making it impossible to relax and actually enjoy the trips home, and then when he came home for Christmas, there were all the memories and the grief, which he had to cope with while hiding his emptiness from those that visited Langley, seeking connection. He wondered what it would be like to have a Christmas where he actually felt something other than emptiness and dread.
As they pulled into Haddon Hall’s car park, he spotted two older women in their winter coats standing in front of their car, the car bonnet propped open. One of the ladies was talking while the other stared helplessly at the engine.
“I think they are having issues,” Cara said, pointing to the pair. “I wonder if should try to help them.”
Alec checked his smile. “Are you good with cars, Roberts?”
“I’m good at asking if people need help,” she said. “Are you mechanically minded? You certainly like cars.”
