Page 90 of The Jewels of Halstead Manor (Ladies of Devon 1)

She took stock of her emotions and a smile spread across her lips. “I am well. I truly am.” She spun again in a slow circle, pausing when she reached the window above a low-sitting bookcase. “Nick, this must be what caused that odd shimmer I saw outside. It is stained glass.”

They both raised their candles to reveal a beautiful stained-glass window depicting a sun shining over hills and valleys of green earth. The window boasted every color of the rainbow and would undoubtedly shine beautifully in the daylight.

“Come.” Nick pulled her arm away from the window. “Let us return tomorrow when it is easier to see.”

Giulia allowed Nick to lead her from the tower. She breathed contentment. The ballroom preparations were finished, the tower mystery was solved, and she was well on her way to healing Lord Hart’s scars.

Now, if only she could figure out what to do about her mother and the wretched, nonexistent key, she would not have a care in the world. Well, none that didn’t involve the future earl of Hart, at least.

* * *

Nick was overjoyed. Not for the ball that was going to take place that evening, of course, but for the tower. The tower was better than he could have hoped. There was about as much dust as he expected to find, that was for certain, but the contents of the room were far more valuable than he could have guessed. Not in monetary terms, of course, but to Giulia they were even more precious. She got to glimpse her father’s childhood.

It was no wonder the earl had locked away that particular room. For a moment, Nick had worried they were crossing an invisible barrier that would evoke the anger of the earl, but then he decided it did not matter—this was just as much Giulia’s history. Particularly when her time at Halstead was quickly drawing to a close.

The morning after they had finally unveiled what was hiding behind the padlocked door, Nick had returned to the tower early to find Giulia reverently scanning the books that lined the walls. He’d watched her for some time before slipping away quietly, leaving her to grieve her father and remember him in peace.

He intercepted Ames later in the morning and explained what they’d found in the tower room. He was grateful when the man agreed that Giulia should be left alone. The only problem he came up against was directly before dinner when Robert had asked where Giulia had gone off to, for she had skipped their afternoon tea. Nick explained that she was doing her best to research more on her father’s past belongings.

No doubt Robert interpreted this as research about the key, but Nick did not elaborate. They went through the evening in companionable silence, but Giulia’s lack was felt acutely by both of the Pepper men.

He’d almost convinced himself to beg Giulia to stay at Halstead, but better sense prevailed. If she chose to remain at Halstead, Nick wanted it to be her choice and not the result of guilt. She knew how he felt. She must, if their chemistry had anything to say for him.

The local dressmaker, Madame Chastain, spent the morning with Giulia in the parlor delivering the ballgown the earl had commissioned for Giulia and slinging requests for more clothing orders—if Nick had to guess. That woman could be ruthless. But, when Nick had first arrived in town, Madam Chastain and her horde of little ones had made him feel at home and welcomed. She was a gossip, but he didn’t mind. The woman was as warm and nurturing as she was ruthless in her sales.

Nick made his way downstairs for luncheon and wondered if he would find Giulia there today. According to Jack, who’d heard from Tilly, Giulia had only eaten the day before when the maid brought a tray to the tower. It was the only break she had taken from the tower the day before and he had been glad, for he had feared she would forgo food for the entire day in favor of her father’s old playroom.

He arrived at the luncheon room to find Robert and Ames eating from their overfilled plates. He turned around directly and made his way toward the tower. If she was not going to come down to eat, then perhaps he needed to remind her to take a break.

* * *

Giulia was overwhelmed as she flitted back and forth between joy and grief. Going through her father’s old books and journals was equally rewarding and painful. Mostly rewarding. She found stories he had written dating back to when her father was only twelve, many themes within them ones he had later repeated in his periodical. She was not surprised to find that the only women featured in his youthful stories were the maternal figures.

As she scanned the book titles lining the wall, she noted a distinct range in themes and levels of reading. What likely began as a child’s playroom had grown with the boys as Robert and Patrick added to their collection. An entire section on one shelf was dedicated to India; Giulia assumed it was their research done in preparation for the trip they took as young men prior to meeting Lily. She found many books about countries on the Continent, but only one Italian language sampler. Frowning, she returned it to the shelf and continued to browse.

“Ahem.”

Giulia spun around to find Nick leaning in the doorway, his arms casually folded over his chest.

“Good day,” she greeted him before turning back to the books.

“I have come to escort you downstairs. You must eat, Jules.”

“I am not hungry,” she said over her shoulder, promptly returning her attention to the spine of the Italian language sampler.

“Be that as it may” —Nick’s voice grew softer as he drew closer— “you must eat, Giulia. You cannot hide here all day.”

“I can,” she argued, “and I will. Besides, I have spent the morning with Madame Chastain and have only just recently come up.”

“Are you pleased with your gown?”

“I am.” She was surprised by his change in tactics. “And I am quite grateful to the earl for supplying it. To be honest,” she confided, pivoting to face him and plucking at the skirt of her dress, “I am quite thrilled to be rid of this dratted gray.”

Nick chuckled beside her, leaning against the bookcase. “Is this room everything you hoped it would be?”

“That, and more.” She smiled back. This was it; her opportunity to explain. Leaning her shoulder against the bookcase, she crossed her arms over her chest in a mirror of Nick. She lowered her gaze, licking her lips. “Listen, I must tell you something.”

She searched for the words to tell him she was leaving Halstead but did not know how to explain. She was equally frightened to tell the earl, particularly after their recently budding relationship and the man’s admittance that he considered her family, but she knew she must. When the swans had come by the day before to visit and Mabel had offered Giulia a place to stay, she had instantly accepted. She needed to get away from Nick but knew that returning to London with Ames was not the answer.

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