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“Ah. Mrs. Wellington! Always a pleasure.” The groundskeeper paused as they approached. Several steps and beats of silence passed before he spoke again. “Mr. Wellington, I see you have emerged from your library.” The way he said the wordemergedgrated on Percy.
“It is difficult to deny this lady any of her requests,” Percy replied flatly. “I understand you have been keeping the property in fine condition.”
“Indeed. I hope it is to your liking. Your lovely wife certainly enjoys it.”
Fanny laughed softly beside him.
Percy scowled. “If it is to Fanny’s liking then it is to mine.” He was already prepared to turn and end the conversation. How did Fanny find pleasure in conversing with this man? There was something about him that irked Percy to no end.
“I think there is much to be found out here that is to Fanny’s liking.” Mr. Gregory’s voice was flooded with fliration, and Percy had no doubt he had directed the words at Fanny instead of him. Fanny’s laughter was all the confirmation Percy needed.
“Did she give you permission to use her Christian name?” he snapped. “To you—our servant—she is Mrs. Wellington. Good day, Mr. Gregory.”
Then Percy turned, pulling Fanny with him on his arm, leaving that scoundrel Mr. Gregory standing alone on his perfectly trimmed grass.
Percy’s teeth clenched shut, and he held his breath to stop the anger rolling through him. He couldn’t let Fanny see it. An idea struck him and served to calm his spirits. He knew the perfect thing to win her favor, if only to claim victory over his groundskeeper and what affections of Fanny’s he might have secured. The thought of him having securedanyof her affections bristled over his skin.
If nothing more, Percy planned to make Fanny forget Mr. Gregory and his unabashed flirting entirely.
Perhaps Percy would have to be a little more flirtatious himself.
CHAPTER8
“Where are we going?” Fanny asked as she guided Percy to the back door at his request. She was perplexed, and rather relieved, to find that he was acting cheerful again. Cheerful for Percy, anyway. He had smiled on many occasions that day, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with their time, however brief, spent together.
“I’m looking for something very dear to me. I was searching for it in that fourth floor room just a fortnight ago, in fact.” Percy turned his head toward her. She stared back at his eyes, glinting blue in the sunlight. “My grandfather’s harp,” he said.
“You are telling me what brought you to that room?” Fanny’s heart dropped. “You can’t!”
Percy looked amused. “Well, I already did. Why shouldn’t I have?”
“Because now I will be forced to tell you of my misfortunes, don’t you remember?” She most definitely didn’t wish to reveal anything more that he might mock her for. She would be perfectly content if he imagined her flawless and not riddled with secrets and a painful past. Her heart pounded as memories flooded her mind.
“I didn’t remember, but you just very willingly reminded me.”
“Drat it all,” Fanny muttered.
“You must tell me every last one. We had an agreement.”
Fanny checked Percy’s face for any sign that he might concede. She found none. “Very well,” she mused. “My misfortunes…well, I am married to a man who takes great pleasure in tormenting me.” She bit back a laugh. “AndI am forced at this very moment to hold his shapely arm and look upon his handsome face.”
She spied a little grin on Percy’s lips. “How do you bear it?”
“With great difficulty, I assure you.”
They were stepping through the door of the house now, and Fanny felt herself shrink beneath the lofty ceiling as she walked across the marble floors. Before he could ask for the real answer about her misfortunes, she changed the subject. “So, where is this harp of your grandfather’s?” The thought of Percy treasuring a harp was confusing at the same time that it was endearing. “And what do you want with this harp?”
Percy smiled down at her again and her heart gave a distinct leap.That smile.
“I would like to play it,” he said. “If you will listen.”
Fanny looked at the house all around her, the tall paintings and fine trim of the walls, trying to seem nonchalant. “I never imagined you would actually choose to spend an afternoon with me. Would you not rather play your harp alone?”
For a moment, she saw his face flicker, his gruff, scowling facade returning. But quicker than she could draw a breath, it was gone, replaced by a soft confession. “No.”
Fanny bit her lip and smiled, as if sharing a secret with herself. Percy’s cheeks flooded a subtle shade of pink.
After Fanny lit a candle, they climbed the stairs to the fourth floor. Fanny searched all the rooms for a harp, any harp, but found nothing. After a quarter hour, they found themselves on the ground level once again, without success.
