Page 46 of The Mistletoe Countess
From all accounts, this meeting with Lady Moriah was bound to be unpleasant. Nasty, even. Grace offered him a tremulous smile. “I prefer to get unpleasant things over with as soon as possible, so we might as well do it now.”
His lips pinched as if to control a smile, and then he covered her hand on his arm before turning back to Brandon. “We’ll see her straightaway.” Frederick began to pass but paused. “Mrs. Powell, would you please have tea brought to Lady Astley’s room. I’m certain, after our adventure, she’s not only tired and cold, but hungry.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Powell.” Grace hoped for a softening expression, but the woman wore somber like a proud hat.
“Don’t worry.” Frederick bent his head in her direction as they passed through the doors. “She’s much kinder on the inside.”
Grace’s frown unfolded into a chuckle. “I hope underneath all of those frowns everyone here proves to be as charming as you.”
He squeezed her hand and leaned close. “Hold that thought tight in your head, because your good heart is about to be duly challenged.”
With that, he led her through the doors into a large hallway with magnificent arched ceilings and red carpet over stone floors. Two white sculptures stood as sentries on either side of the archway, and Grace stifled another frown. Not even the statues looked happy to see her. She pulled the edge of her glove into a twist.Be brave, Grace.
At the end of the hallway, another arched stone entry opened into a massive room, and Grace dropped the hold on her glove. Beautiful chandeliers hung high above her from a wooden ceiling and splayed soft light into the three-storied atrium of the house. A large fireplace served as the centerpiece in the room, complete with two dark red chairs on either side and evergreen walls framed in oak. Tall archways met the room on all four sides, leading away to other portions of the house, and the main feature of the space was the expansive staircase that wrapped the length of the room, climbing around and around up two levels to a ceiling framed with elaborately designed wooden molding. She couldn’t help but stare.
“The Great Hall,” she breathed, pulling away from him to step to the center of the room. Frederick had praised this particular part of Havensbrooke when he’d told her about the house during their numerous conversations, but his descriptions failed to do it justice. “Itismagnificent.”
“I wouldn’t exaggerate such a truth, my dear Lady Astley.” His smooth voice brushed away some of the fear the stone-faced servants left behind.
“But you haven’t decorated for Christmas at all.”
“We still have a few weeks left before Christmas.” He scanned the room and then looked at her as if digesting her sentence. “So there’s ample time for your handiwork.”
“My handiwork?” Grace brought her hands together, spinning about as she took another look at the massive room. “Imagine all the garland, and how glorious a tree would look right here in the middle of the room.”
“I happily give you free rein to decorate as you wish.” He smiled down at her. “Would you enjoy that?”
“More than I can say.” She rushed back to him and placed a kiss to his cheek. “Mistletoe in every doorway so you can’t escape my kisses.”
“I should never wish to escape your kisses.”
Her smile unfurled at the very idea of Lord Astley’s roguish kissing abilities as she surveyed the room again with a more Christmassy mind-set. Oh, they definitely needed an ample supply of mistletoe. “Is the ceiling oak paneled with…with arched windows?”
“It is and will appear much better with sunlight streaming through.” He stepped to her side and pointed upward. “You see the balcony overlooking us from the highest spot?”
“Yes.”
“I believe that particular room will be your favorite.”
She slid her arm through his, drawing near. “Can we see it tonight?”
“Alas, it’s much too late, and the room upstairs”—one brow rose in a teasing way—“I must unveil by sunlight. Particularly for you.”
He turned their steps toward the stairs.
“How do you propose I sleep now?” She squinted to try and make out the place of which he spoke. “I might very well venture off to find it myself, just because of your teasing.”
His palm slammed against his chest, feigning a wound. “And strip the pleasure from me, darling?”
She exaggerated her sigh. “Well, since you called me darling, I acquiesce.”
“Most valiant of you.”
“It sounds as though I’ll need all my strength for the battle ahead, anyway. Why should I waste it bickering with you?” She pulled them to a stop and gazed at the myriad of portraits laddering the walls of the stairway. “Are these your family? Ancestors?”
“Yes, and if I can’t detail all of them, my mother will proudly equip you with enough knowledge and depressing stories to create an entire library of romances.”
