Page 3 of Marquess of Stone

Marian’s pulse reached new speeds as she peered at him. He was mind-bogglingly handsome with a tall, sturdy frame, dark hair, and even darker blue eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled. And his smile — that alone was enough to make any young lady forget her bearings altogether.. “Was I wrong to do so, My Lord?”

He inclined his head, his expression unreadable. “I have not been called a gentleman by many, but for your sake, My Lady, I shall resolve myself to behave. Just for tonight.”

For a moment, the world seemed oddly still. His dark blue eyes held hers with an intensity that she was not prepared for. She retreated slightly, her blood thumping in her ears, the gap between them seemingly too large and too close all at the same time. She was both disturbed and fascinated by his intense stare and the slight smile that played at the corners of his mouth. She paused, her interest aroused even despite the warning bells in her mind.

“Why for my sake?” she asked, just a whisper against the night. The words tumbled from her lips before she could think to stop them.

His smile softened slightly. “Aren’t you an intriguing one? You should take greater care about what your words suggest, My Lady… or you might find yourself in the midst of… unwanted attention.”

Her pulse raced as she smoothed her skirt once again. “Well,” she said briskly, breaking the spell, “I should return…”

“A gentleman would offer to escort you back inside, but then again…” he teased, a playful smile playing upon his striking features. Marian noticed that his dark hair was slightly tousled. Before she could think to pull her hand away, he seized her hand, bringing it to his lips before saying, “This should leave a more lasting impression than a safe escort ever could.” Good night, My Lady.”

With that, he turned on his heel and vanished, leaving Marian alone with her breath racing and her mind whirling in curiosity and uncertainty. She rushed back inside, their conversation playing on a loop in her thoughts as she climbed the stairs of the inn. Who was the strange man? He certainly had the look of nobility about him. Why did he affect her so much? She shook her head, urging herself to calm down as she reached the door of their bedchamber.

“I have found your glove,” Marian proclaimed, raising it as she walked into the room. “I hope this means that we can put at least one of your arguments to rest.”

Jane’s expression brightened with relief. “Thank goodness! I thought I would never see it again.”

Diana smiled slightly at her older sister. “I am please you have returned safely, Marian. I was concerned. Did anything happen?”

Marian gave her a comforting smile, but remained silent, and instead headed over to the small desk in the corner. She pulled a piece of parchment from inside her sleeve, her fingers shaking slightly as she dipped the quill into the ink. She hesitated for the briefest of moments before saying, “Notnhing of consequence,” though the words tasted strange in her mouth. Her movements were deliberate as she opened the parchment, its edges already worn from many re-readings. Her gaze fell on her list,

1. Have a romantic moment with a stranger.

2. Swim in a lake, or the ocean.

3. Go on an adventure.

4. Gamble, smoke, or drink.

5. Read Mary Wollstonecraft’s ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Women’.

6. Fall in loKiss someone.

She only hesitated for a fraction of a second before deciding to cross the first item off her list.

The moment outsaid had been intoxicating and fleeting — though not as grand as she had hoped — but it washers.

Her sisters watched her curiously as she carefully folded up the paper again. “What are you writing?” Diana asked, leaning forward.

Marian shook her head, a faint smile playing at her lips. “Nothing. Just… jotting down something I wanted to remember.”

Curiosity burned bright in Diana’s eyes, but Marian slipped the list back into her sleeve and turned toward the bed. “It is late,” she said. “I will get us something to eat, and then we should all get some rest.”

Though Jane groaned in protest and Diana looked unconvinced, Marian was already heading back toward the common room.

CHAPTER 2

“Just look at it… The gardens are even more magnificent than I imagined!” Jane practically launched herself toward the window, her curls escaping their careful arrangement and bouncing gleefully in her enthusiasm. Her gloved hands pressed against the glass like an eager child at a confectioner’s window. “The roses surely must be in full bloom by now… Oh, look! I can see them from here, all pink and white like a fairy kingdom!”

“Let me see!” Diana’s voice rang out like a bell chiming in a cathedral, her excitement barely contained as their carriage turned onto the sweeping driveway of the Fyre estate. Ancient oaks lined the path like silent guardians, their branches creating an elaborate canopy that filtered the mid-morning sun into delicate golden patterns across the carriage’s seats.

The ancestral seat of the Blacknight family rose before them like a vision from a romantic tale, its Palladian façade a masterwork of architectural refinement. Rising sunlight caught the honey-colored stones while tall windows glittered like jewels against the aged walls. Guarding the entrance were two enormous stone lions whose noble faces had been worn smooth by years of weather and appreciative touches.

Marian allowed herself to have a quiet moment, considering what it might have been like to grow up there. How many summers had her sister’s husband spent racing through these very gardens? She imagined childish laughter bouncing off the ancient stones and carefree adventures spent in the box hedges that seemed like towering mazes.

“Magnificent,” Lady Prudence murmured, her voice tinged with approval.

---