Page 46 of The Duke of Ruin
“You look lovely.” Perhaps he shouldn’t have said it, but the words had tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them.
She flicked a glance in his direction. “You’re too kind.Truly.” The last word carried a hint of humor, and he was glad for it. The air between them had been so heavy and dark, whereas the time at The Happy Cat before they’d been recognized had been full of light and charm. He’d remember that snow for as long as he was blessed to breathe.
They crested the hill and passed through a gatehouse. The coach rumbled to a stop, and a moment later, Tinley opened the door. Another man, the gatekeeper, apparently, stood a few feet away.
Simon climbed down. “Good afternoon, we’re here to see Her Grace, the Duchess of Blackburn.”
“I’m her cousin.”
Simon looked back to see Diana poking her head through the door.
“I remember you, Miss Kingman. You and Her Grace always did look more like sisters than cousins.” The gatekeeper shot a look toward Simon, and his brow furrowed. “I beg your pardon, perhaps you are no longer Miss Kingman.”
Simon would let her handle that however she saw fit. They were in her world now, and he meant to let her take the lead. She smiled warmly, and Simon felt a visceral pull toward her.
“It’s fine. May we continue up to the house?” An excellent diversion.
“Of course. Welcome to Beaumont Tower.”
“Thank you.” Simon climbed back into the coach, and they were quickly on their way. The sound of a bell tolling from the gatehouse chased them up the drive.
Simon rubbed his palms together before plucking his gloves from the opposite seat and drawing them over his cold hands.
Diana reached for her hat, which was also on the opposite seat. The coach hit a bump, and she pitched forward. Simon reached for her, clasping her waist and drawing her back. She landed half on him and half on the seat.
“Sorry, I didn’t want you to fall.” He released her almost immediately.
She slipped from his thigh and moved away from him as she smoothed her hand over her skirt. “Thank you.”
He grabbed her hat and handed it to her, then did the same with her gloves.
The coach passed through the inner gatehouse and stopped in a cobbled courtyard. Through the coach window on Diana’s side, Simon saw a liveried footman rush forward to open her door. He pulled down the step and helped Diana alight. Simon followed her out.
“This way,” the footman said, leading them up a short flight of stone stairs. They passed through a gateway in a low stone wall and were greeted with a lawn and garden. Everything was a dull green or brown, ready to suffer the cold winter months ahead. Even so, Simon imagined it was a beautiful place to pass the time in finer weather.
The path cut straight down the middle of the garden until they met a second, longer set of stairs. At the top, they continued forward through another gatehouse into the inner courtyard of the castle.
“Are we going to the drawing room?” Diana asked.
“Yes, miss,” the footman replied.
She gestured in front of them toward the upper floor. “It’s up there. We’ll go in and take the stairs.”
They walked into a grand receiving room with a staircase to their immediate right.
“This is the King’s Hall,” Diana said.
Itwasfit for a king and quite medieval, heavy with wood and tapestries. “I’m afraid I’ve nothing that compares to this at Lyndhurst.” He wanted to explore the room, but there’d be time later. He trailed Diana up the stairs.
She looked back at him. “And this is nothing compared to the Great Hall.” Her eyes held a sparkle that had been absent the past two days. In fact, he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen them quite so animated.
The reason for that became apparent as soon as they entered the drawing room to the right at the top of the stairs.
“Diana!” A taller version of Diana rushed forward. Simon blinked. They could indeed be sisters.
They wrapped each other in a fierce hug that lasted long enough for Simon to see the affection between them. He shifted his weight, feeling as though he were intruding.
When they broke apart, they continued to hold hands. Diana looked radiant. Happy. She deserved to look like that every day for the rest of her life.
