"How wonderful you both appear," commented the earl, as we came to stand before him and curtseyed.
"You are too kind, Lord Derby." I rose, and then turned and curtseyed to his son and heir, who was breaking from an embrace with Susan. "Viscount Neith..."tis wonderful to see you again."
"Miss Granville." He bowed dutifully, then laughed to break the formality of the moment and embraced me as a close relative would. "Dearest sister, how I have missed your company and intrigues."
Thus was the Cavandishs" affection for me; I had always been regarded as part of the family. "I hear that congratulations are in order for your impending marriage, lord?"
"Yes indeed." Simon smiled broadly, obviously delighted with the arrangement. "I can hardly wait for you both to meet Lady Catherine Devere of Berwick. I expect her to be arriving with her two older brothers in the next few days, who are very eligible bachelors themselves. I have taken the liberty of telling them all about my charming sisters." He winked at us both, whereby Susan giggled.
"I have heard that the Earl of Oxford and his brother are very handsome." Susan was delighted by the news and I forced a pleasant smile, so as not to appear a bad sport. "What if we both caught the heart of one of the brothers" Devere, then we really would be sisters!" Susan"s imagination immediately went off the deep end.
"My thoughts exactly," agreed Simon, as he offered me his arm to lead me into the grand manor house. "Why not keep the entire family fortune in the family, if at all possible?"
As the weather was far more accommodating in Derby than it had been for my last few days in Scotland, I rose early to take a stroll before I took breakfast with the family.
A bl.u.s.tery wind swept across the craggy peaks of the gra.s.sy terrain, stinging my nose with its chill, although after ten years in Dumfries I was no stranger to the cold. I delighted in the wild atmosphere, electric with the promise of a storm, as I headed toward one of the numerous streams that flowed through the estate. My eyes were glued to the ground in search of the amulet I needed for my experiment.
The nature spirits of the earth were far fewer in number here than they had been in the rich woods of Dumfries, or in the lovely cared-for gardens of the estate through which I"d pa.s.sed to reach the wilds. The sylphs of the air, however, were in full force and seemed to be urging my speed toward the babbling brook that hosted a few scattered trees and bushes along its banks.
There were stones aplenty washed up along the watercourse and I searched for some time for my prize, in vain. "Surely there is one stone the like of which I seek," I grumbled, close to giving up and returning to the house. I didn"t wish to offend my hosts by being late for the morning meal. What"s more, I was hungry and the chilly wind had seeped through my layers of clothes and into my bones.
Just as I"d decided to relinquish the hunt, the turbulent clouds above parted, allowing the sun"s rays to fall upon the water and illuminate the rocky bed of the stream. As I admired the fish in the crystal clear water, I spied a round stone that was very dark in the centre. I strained my eyes to make out whether the dark patch was indeed a hole, or just a darker colour in the rock that gave the illusion of a hole.
"There"s only one way I shall know," I decided, as I dispensed with my gloves to unlace and remove my muddy boots. The water only looked a foot or so deep, so I hoisted up my chemise and frock and gathered them into the firm hold of my left hand to spare them from a drenching.
No sooner had my toes. .h.i.t the water than they recoiled just as quickly-it was absolutely freezing. "All in the name of research!" I steadied myself against the shock, and as my feet entered the water it felt as though nature was using them as pincushions. I made for the stone as quickly as my freezing appendages would allow, and upon holding it in my hand I was thrilled to discover I had struck it lucky. "Oh, thank you, Great Mother!" I said in joy, my eyes raised to the clouds, that had again closed over to conceal the sun. A gust of wind suddenly swept my loosely-tied bonnet from my head and off across the fields. The impulse to grab for my bonnet caused me to lose hold of my skirts, which became soaked to the knees. "Oh no," I whined, wading my way back to the edge, whereupon it came to my attention that there was a gentleman on horseback atop a nearby rise, watching my predicament with some amus.e.m.e.nt.
"Might I be of some a.s.sistance?" he asked in a jovial tone.
I was too embarra.s.sed to reply, and as I had not been introduced to the gentleman, it was hardly proper that I respond. I forgot my wayward bonnet and grabbing up my boots and gloves, I raced as fast as I was able back to the house.
I employed the servants" entrance and stairs at the back of the house to avoid being seen by the family in my wretched state.
"Mistress!" Nanny exclaimed in shock as I entered my room with dripping skirts, although I had attempted to wring them out before entering the house.
"Look what I found." I showed my treasure, which did not impress her greatly. She was far more worried about my muddy attire.
"Quickly." She motioned me closer. "Out of those wet things before you catch your death." She began to unb.u.t.ton my frock. "Miss Cavandish has been looking for you, as has-"
"I saw footprints." Susan entered and was immediately perturbed by my appearance. "Oh, Ashlee, what have you been doing? Oh, never mind." She waved away a response and broke into a huge smile. "The Earl of Oxford and his party have arrived early and shall be on our doorstep at any moment!"
"For joy," I replied, clearly not as thrilled as she. Now that I had an amulet, I planned to spend the afternoon trying my summons, but I would be expected to stay with the family and entertain their guests.
"I really do not understand you at times." Susan placed both hands on her hips, while I shimmied into clean, dry clothing. "Why are you not excited? I realise that only the eldest brother is t.i.tled, but the younger, Mr Devere, still receives the mighty sum of ten thousand pounds a year, which is hardly anything to be scoffed at."
"Yes, yes." I drolly accepted her point. "I"ll be down as soon as I am presentable."
"And you will be charming," Susan stated, making me promise before exiting.
"Of course," I a.s.sured her.
"And you will give me your otherworldly summation of the whole family? I must be sure that Miss Devere will be a good wife to my dear brother."
"You may count on a full report." Susan clapped her hands, blew me a kiss and urged me to hurry as she departed.
I had missed the grand entrance of the Earl of Oxford and his company. By the time I made it downstairs the steward informed me that the family and their guests were in the drawing room, and that breakfast would be served in the dining room presently.
"Ah, there you are, Miss Granville." Simon came forward as soon as I arrived to lead me into the drawing room and introduce me to his guests. "May I present Lord Devere..." He began with the earl, who was tall, dark, slender and handsome, and from all appearances an appealing fellow. His smile was dazzling, as were his eyes of deep blue.
"Miss Granville." He bowed his head in greeting. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet the ladies we have constantly heard our dear friend speak of with such high regard."
"The pleasure is all mine, Lord Devere." I curtseyed politely.
Next, Simon introduced me to his bride-to-be, who was stunningly fair in comparison to her eldest brother, but the lovely blue eyes and slender, tall form were the same.
"And last, but by no means least, I present to you Mr Devere." Simon led me in the gentleman"s direction.
The man in question had been at the window admiring the view when I entered, but upon closer inspection I realised that this was the gentleman I had shamed myself in front of this morning. I caught my gasp of surprise in my throat and curtseyed to him, praying that he did not expose my earlier indiscretion.
"A delight it is to meet you, Miss Granville." His smile disclosed his knowledge to me only.
Like his sister, Mr Devere was very fair and his hair was combed neatly back from his face, where it sat in tight natural curls at the nape of his neck. His eyes were of a paler shade of blue than his relatives", but they sparkled just as brightly.
"Mr Devere rode down on horseback," Simon informed me, "and has just been telling us how beautiful he found the wilds beyond the manor on approach."
"Indeed." I tried not to blush as panic rose from my heart into my throat. "Hartsford Manor is truly blessed by its breathtaking surrounds."
"Yes," the fellow agreed, "breathtaking is just the word to describe the scenery, despite the chill I detected in the air this morning. Still, I trust that with the spring the atmosphere will be far more accommodating."
I understood his implication well enough.
"The hunting is very fine too," Simon said, thankfully sparing me from having to respond. "Miss Granville is quite a fine shot herself, although she refuses to aim at anything living."
The gentlemen had a laugh at my expense.
"It is a woman"s nature to create and not destroy, is it not?" I piped up in my own defence.
"Then why learn to shoot at all?" Lord Devere inquired, curious as to my motive.
"One never knows when one might be faced with an animal that can shoot back," I replied winningly. "Better to have some skill with a gun or a bow and arrow than to leave oneself defenceless and in need of saving."
"What an extraordinary viewpoint you have, Miss Granville," Lord Devere commented.
"Well," Lord Derby intervened on my behalf, "I dare say that our Miss Granville is a rather extraordinary lady."
"I believe that she is," Mr Devere commented, his pleasant smile showing some cheek, as I could see this morning"s encounter playing on his mind.
"What woman could pride herself on being ordinary?" I asked.
"Far too many, unfortunately," Mr Devere said with glee, as the steward entered to inform us that breakfast was served. "Miss Granville?" The fair young lord offered me his arm to escort me to the dining room.
As Simon was escorting his bride-to-be, Lord Derby was escorting Lady Cavandish, and Lord Devere had offered Susan his arm, I had little choice but to smile and graciously accept.
After breakfast the men decided upon a little game shooting and although I was invited to join them I declined, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to escape into the gardens and try out my summons. Miss Devere was exhausted from her journey and had gone to her quarters to rest for a while.
"So...tell me all." Susan trailed me through the garden. "What did you see? Is Lord Devere not very fine indeed?"
"Yes. The entire family is very fine," I a.s.serted. "They are all in fine health and good spirits, and have no ill will to speak of."
Susan clapped her hands at this. "And do you think I made a good first impression on Lord Devere?"
My pace slowed at the question for I did find it rather amusing. "I did note that his heart centre had a rather rosy pink glow to it, but..." I spoke up over her pending excited outburst, "as I did not see him before you made his acquaintance, I cannot say for sure if you inspired this excess of goodwill."
"Oooooh," she pouted, my answer not quite what she wanted. "Do you think that another might have already stolen his heart? Did you pick up on some thought to that effect?"
"Susan, you know that I have been trained to protect myself from the thoughts of others by Lady Charlotte, lest I go mad in society."
"But you can still do it if you want to," she suggested gamely. "Will you?"
My perturbed look was not the response that Susan had been fishing for.
"As a very special favour to me." She clasped both hands together and used her big blue eyes to try and enlist me to her cause.
"And what shall you do for me in return?" I teased, knowing full well I would never hear the end of it until I agreed.
"What can I do?" she appealed, keen to strike a deal.
As we had reached the large patch of lawn amid the gardens which I felt to be perfect for my purpose, I halted and turned Susan back to face the house. "You can keep watch for me and make sure that I am not interrupted."
"Why?" Susan was immediately intrigued and a little worried. "What are you going to do?"
"Ah, no questions," I bargained. "Do we have a deal or not?"
"I suppose." Susan was reluctant. "Will this take long?"
"Not long." I searched for a stick and moving onto the patch of lawn I carefully drew a large unbroken circle around me.
"Is this some kind of witchcraft?" Susan queried, keeping her voice as low as she could; the idea obviously distressed her.
"You"re supposed to be watching that way." I pointed to the house, whereupon Susan gave a heavy sigh and complied with my instructions.
I knelt in the centre of my protected s.p.a.ce and pulled out my treasure stone. Focusing my intent upon it, I began to recite in a low tone the incantation that I had memorised.
Spirit of good omen, Who art come to aid me, Believe I have great need of thee.
Spirit of the Red Gnome Come to aid me in my time of need.
I beg of thee, do not abandon me, But attach now to this stone, That on my person, I may carry thee.
And so when anything is needed by me, I can call unto thee, be what it may, Do not abandon me by night or day.
And what should be my reward for such service?
Upon raising my eyes from the stone, the presence that met my eyes was not at all what I had expected.
Before me stood a full-grown man, not a ghost or a shade but a l.u.s.trous spirit being. He was dressed in the mail of a mediaeval knight and over his armour he wore a white tunic that bore a red cross.
"Oh my." I stood so that I might have some chance of looking the rather tall fellow in the eye.
"What"s wrong?" Susan queried, unable to see what I perceived.
"Nothing, all is well," I called back to her. "Keep watch." Rolling her eyes, Susan turned back to face the house.
There is no need to speak aloud and alarm others. I can hear your thoughts as well as your words. The handsome knight smiled. The handsome knight smiled.
In fact, he was very handsome and exotic in appearance. His eyes and straight hair were very dark, and his skin had a Mediterranean glow. Had he been living, I might have found him a man worth pursuing.
But who are you? I asked, truly baffled. I asked, truly baffled.
Did you not ask for the a.s.sistance of a spirit of the Red Gnome? he replied. he replied.
Well, yes...
I am one of the breed that you seek.
But...I thought you"d be... I held my hand lower to the ground to indicate small. I held my hand lower to the ground to indicate small.
Ah! He seemed to comprehend the misunderstanding. He seemed to comprehend the misunderstanding. You were seeking the aid of an earth elemental. You were seeking the aid of an earth elemental.