Chapter Eight
A thump sounded in the corridor and Louisa sat up in her bed. The events of the previous evening swamped her. She stood and pressed her palm to her cheek where Thornbrook had touched her. The jolt of awareness that had shot through her at his touch still lingered. But what did it mean? Though she could admit to herself that there was an attraction between them, she couldn’t ignore the opportunity to have Walsley as her own. Thornbrook had his own entailed estate, which meant he would likely be unwilling to live here with her. Of course she would be drawn to someone who was handsome, wealthy, dashing, helpful, stylish…oh dear. Her mind was conjuring rather too many adjectives to describe Thornbrook, but no matter how hard she tried, her decision came down to either Walsley or him. She couldn’t have both.
Louisa glanced at the clock. Perhaps she would seek Isa’s counsel this afternoon, but it was much too early for her to be up. Moving quickly, she pulled on a riding habit and headed for the stables. There was nothing like a strenuous morning ride to clear her head. Nubbles hadn’t been in her bedchamber, so one of the maids must have taken him out for his morning walk. Since she was looking forward to a good gallop, it would be better to leave him in the house anyway.
“Good morning, Lady Louisa.”
She smiled back. “Good morning, James.”
“May I saddle your horse for you, my lady?”
“No, thank you. You know I prefer to do it myself.” Papa had insisted that they all learn how to take care of the horses so they’d be prepared in an emergency. She had never minded it since she enjoyed spending the time with her mare.
He winked at her. “I do, but I’m afraid you’ll put me out of a job. It won’t do for His Grace to see me lounging about with no work to do.”
“Nonsense. There’s much more to your duties than saddling my horse.”
“Don’t I know it.” He grinned. “Who will be accompanying you on this fine morning?”
Everyone who worked in the stables knew that Papa did not allow her to ride alone, although her younger brothers could, which never ceased to irk her. She was far more responsible than either of them.
She couldn’t lie to James. “I’m afraid I’ll be going out alone this morning. I’ll stay near the stable yard.”
“His Grace will have my head if anything happens to you.”
“Not to worry. I’ll be fine.”
He frowned at her, but even as the head groom, he couldn’t forbid her from leaving on her own, at least not when her parents weren’t here to intercede.
Charlotte nickered when she saw her, anticipating the lump of sugar Louisa always gave her before a ride. Grabbing a brush from nearby, she whisked it over her coat to remove any dirt or debris, then put the saddle and bridle on her and led her into the courtyard.
“My lady, will you at least allow me to help you mount?” James asked.
She nodded and he lifted her onto her horse’s back in one swift motion.
“Be careful,” he called as she walked away. Papa had also taught all of them the proper way to handle the horses, which included giving them a few minutes to stretch their legs before allowing them to gallop. She also didn’t want to rouse any suspicion about her intention to go beyond the stable yard to gallop where no one could see her.
Once they were far enough away that they couldn’t be seen, she moved her horse into a trot and then a slow canter. A few moments later, her mare whinnied plaintively and she glanced around, spotting another rider coming rapidly toward her. The figure drew closer and a thrill shot through her. It was Thornbrook. She hadn’t had nearly enough time to gather her thoughts about him. She slowed her horse down to a walk and waited for him to catch up to her. It was odd to see him out so early. The last time he had visited Walsley to attend Edward’s party, he had generally risen well into the afternoon. Perhaps he had been as shaken by their encounter last night as she was.
“Good morning,” he called, slowing to a walk when his mount drew up beside them. “I didn’t expect to see you so early.”
“I could say the same for you.”
“Ah, I admit I used to prefer to rise a bit later in the day, but over the last few months, I’ve found I greatly enjoy the tranquility of the morning.”
Surprised by his admission, she found herself at a loss for words.
He met her eyes. “I’ve been thinking.”
“A dangerous prospect indeed.”
“Yes, well, I’m puzzled by the second part of the clue you read last night. ‘Very close, yet worlds away, it is no place for the meek.’ ‘Worlds away’ and ‘no place for the meek’ don’t seem to reference the picture over the fireplace.”
She thought for a moment. “Perhaps ‘worlds away’ was the clue that was supposed to point them to the novel the grille was made for. Novels do tend to create new worlds, and Isa was clever enough to figure out that the background of the painting was from a book, so they had no need to analyze the clue further.”
Thornbrook pointed upward. “Or, what if ‘no place for the meek’ refers to the well?”
She grinned at him. “I think you might be right.”
He grinned back. “Hallelujah. I’ve been waiting for months to hear those words come out of your mouth.” His smile dropped. “But it doesn’t give me as much pleasure as I thought it would because we’re back to square one again, with no idea how to find the other jewelry if it even still exists.”
“We’re not far from the well where Edward found the tiara. Shall we ride over that way and take a quick look around? Just to see if we might have missed something?”
“I suppose it couldn’t hurt. I’m game as long as you don’t expect me to climb into the well.”
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of him hanging by a rope over the well. It had been bad enough when Edward did it, but she couldn’t imagine having to watch Thornbrook—oh dear. She was in trouble if she was more worried about Thornbrook’s safety than her own brother.
“Rest assured you have nothing to worry about. We lack the proper equipment for such an adventure.” Louisa raised a brow, then gave the horse her head and gently guided her toward the maze. After her parents discovered what Edward had done, Mama had ordered the entire area to be repaired. The maze was fully restored, and a path was made directly to the well.
As soon as the entrance came into sight, she slowed her mare.
Thornbrook came up next to her and glanced around. “This certainly looks different.”
“It’s a good thing, too, or we wouldn’t be able to explore without someone to hold the horses.” She encouraged Charlotte to follow the path that led to the maze. Once there, she slipped off and peered into the well.
“It’s so dark. We need a lantern to see anything.”
Thornbrook came up next to her, careful to keep the stallion a safe distance away. “‘Where the green cloak grows, light permeates the dark and deep.’ I doubt there’s anything more to be found here.”
“Perhaps not. Let’s remount and take a good look around.”
He nodded and followed her away from the maze, then gently lifted her onto her saddle. His hand lingered on her thigh, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to imagine how it would feel to have him touch her in other places. Heat suffused her neck and face.
Thornbrook met her eyes. “Is something amiss? Are you ill?”
She shook her head and turned away. “We need to hurry. James will worry if we don’t return soon.”
They walked the perimeter of the maze, then ventured through a wooded area that led to the back edge of Walsley. “This is it. The end of our property.”
Thornbrook pointed toward the woods. “Do you know who owns that property?”
“I’m not sure, but we should be able to find out easily enough. Why?”
“It looks like there used to be path through the woods here, which means this could have been the place where your great-great-grandmother met with her, err, paramour.”
She glanced around and wrinkled her nose. “Where, exactly, would they have held their assignations here?”
“You’d be surprised what people will do when they’re desperate for—um, I mean, it’s not an ideal place for them to meet, but maybe there was a building here at one time.”
“I suppose it’s possible. Or, if this is a path, maybe it led to another part of the property. We may never know.”
“Perhaps not, but we should be able to determine who owns the property that adjoins Walsley along this border.”
“I think there’s a diagram of Walsley somewhere in the library.”
“I suppose it’s too much to ask that it will reveal that the Bukov family lives back there.”
She grinned. “I expect so, but perhaps we’ll find more clues tonight when we read the journal.” Her face flushed at the thought of being alone with him again. Would he try to kiss her, or had he given up?
“Yes, about that—”
Her heart thumped against her ribs. “If you’re about to apologize for last night, don’t. We both got caught up in the moment. It’s already forgotten.”
For a split second, he looked devastated, but he recovered quickly. “Actually, I was going to suggest that we plan to meet earlier today so we’ll have more time to read.”
“Oh. Of course.” What a goose she was. How had it become so awkward so quickly between them? They were usually able to converse about anything, or even nothing. Words had always come easily between them before. Had she offended him by saying she’d already forgotten their…interlude last night? She hadn’t, of course, but she had thought saying it would put him at ease.
“Shall we head back now?” he asked.
“Yes.” They turned back toward the stables. Hoping to avoid more listless conversation, she asked, “Do you want to race?”
He gestured toward his horse. “I don’t think it would be a very fair match.”
His mount was one of Papa’s stallions, and she and her mare had no chance of beating them if they played fairly. Louisa kicked her mare into a gallop and called over her shoulder. “It is now.”
“You little minx!” he called after her.
Louisa was certain the advantage of her early start would give her the victory until the thump of the stallion’s hooves reached her ears. Pushing her mount to the limit, she managed to reach the stable yard just as Thornbrook caught up.
“No fair. You had a great advantage in weight, not to mention a fresh horse.”
“But you had the larger, stronger steed,” she countered.
He raised a brow. “Call it even?”
“I suppose.” She removed her leg from the pommel and hopped off her mare, handing the reins to James. “I’ll meet you in the library in half an hour,” she said to Thornbrook, patting his mount on the way by.
Nearly an hour later, Thornbrook finally joined her in the library.
“My apologies for making you wait on me, my lady. It took longer than expected to receive bathwater.”
His damp hair curled enticingly over his ears. She had always liked the fact that he wore it a bit longer than was fashionable. Her hand moved of its own accord to test a lock, and he raised his brows at her before she managed to snatch it back. Touching him was a very bad idea. She hardly knew where the impulse had come from.
Clearing the thickness from her throat, she asked, “Would you like to read, or shall I?”
“I believe it’s my turn.” He went to fetch the journal from the shelf and settled onto the sofa. When she failed to sit, he patted the cushion next to him and batted his eyelashes at her. She laughed and complied.
“Let’s see. Where were we?” He moved his finger down the marked page, then pulled at his collar. “Ah, now I remember.”
“‘He took me into his arms and I was awash in exquisite sensation as he showed me the depth of his love.’ Your great-great-grandmother ought to have been a poet.”
Louisa let out a giggle. Her stomach tightened as she anticipated what inappropriate thing would happen next.
He turned the page. “‘Our lust sated, his love surrounded me and my heart beat only for him.’ Ha. I don’t think love had anything to do with it.”
“What do you mean?”
He shifted farther away from her. “Err…I think their relationship was more about, umm…lust.”
“So they were…”
“Yes.”
She nodded, certain her face was the color of a ripe beet.
“You needn’t be embarrassed. You’re not the one…misbehaving.”
“But she’s my relative. I feel responsible.”
“Family guilt.”
“Yes, that.”
“I think you might be taking it a bit too far.”
Louisa had ordered tea to be served in the library. Thornbrook picked up a biscuit and popped it into his mouth, perhaps to delay reading more awkward passages. She contemplated doing the same.
“Is love really any different from lust?”
He coughed, and she thought for a moment she might have to pound on his back to free the obstruction. She poured tea into a cup and handed it to him. Nodding his thanks, he took a large gulp. Luckily it had been steeping for some time, so it hadn’t been too hot.
“I think this is an inappropriate conversation that would cause your father to throw me out of the house if he caught wind of it.”
She raised a brow. “But he’s not here.”
He glared at her. “Let’s just stick to the clues and ignore everything else.”
Louisa snorted. “Certainly, because that will be easy.”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Behave.”
She shivered at his warm breath tingling across the shell of her ear.
After settling back into his spot, he picked up the journal again. “Didn’t the woman have any hobbies? Household responsibilities maybe?” He pulled out his handkerchief and mopped his brow. “I think I miss the boring recitations of the household accounts.”
Louisa narrowed her eyes. “Just read the next passage.”
He sighed dramatically. “‘He kissed his way down my neck. Liquid heat pooled between my legs, and when his hand slid up between my legs and touched my—’ I cannot read the rest to you.”
Louisa opened her mouth to speak. He jumped up and clamped his hand over the entire lower part of her face.
“Don’t. Say. A. Word. Not one.”
“But I don’t understand.”
Thornbrook made a strange, squeaky sound, then fell facedown onto the sofa. His body shook. “I should hope not,” he said, his voice muffled by the cushion.
Her stomach dropped. “Are you laughing at me?” It wasn’t her fault she didn’t have any knowledge of these sorts of things. Ladies weren’t supposed to, were they? Her confidence shattered, she turned away from him.
He popped up and pushed his hair back from his face, then took her hand. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the absurdity of our situation, with me reading the wildly inappropriate musings of your granny to you, a proper lady and the daughter of a duke. If they knew, your entire family would be lined up, each awaiting their turn to fillet me.”
She refused to meet his eyes. “No one seemed to mind when Isa read the journal.” She sounded like a petulant child, even to her own ears, but she couldn’t help it.
He brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “That’s different. She wasn’t family yet. I suspect her father and brother would have minded very much if they had known.”
“Her father died several years ago.”
“Yes, well, your father is very much alive and won’t hesitate to kill me.”
“Stop being so dramatic. If you don’t want to keep reading, I’ll do it.” She hardly recognized the harsh tone of her voice. What was the matter with her?
He nodded and handed her the journal, but kept her left hand ensconced in his. The warmth of his hand continued to spread through her, and she relaxed against him and began reading. At first, it was all about issues with the vegetable garden and more dinner menus, but then the next entry went back to talking about hiding her jewelry from her husband.
She glanced down a few lines and sat up straight, pulling her hand from Thornbrook’s and pointing to the page. “‘Your beauty is eternal, but may remain unknown.’”
He shook his head. “That’s not a new clue.”
“I know, but read it.”
He read it and glanced back at her and shrugged.
She sighed. “Don’t you see? Isa and Edward never figured out what this clue meant. She’d already hidden the tiara by this point, so I think this might refer to the necklace and earrings. She’s never mentioned them directly, so maybe that’s why she says ‘may remain unknown.’”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess it could be, but it’s not exactly a clue. It’s more like she’s taunting us, making us wonder if there’s more treasure to be found.”
“That’s already been accomplished, or we wouldn’t be here, searching for something that may or may not exist.”
“All right. I’ll add it to the other clues.” He copied it quickly, then glanced at the mantel clock and handed her the journal. “We have more time before we have to dress for dinner. Read.”
Though she didn’t fancy accepting orders from him, the sooner they finished reading, the sooner they could start searching, so she would read now and put him in his place later.
She read a few sentences, and a thought suddenly came to her. “Where do you think they met to hold their…assignations?”
“Here? Or at his house? The inn in town?”
“Neither house would be a good idea. Servants talk, and what if her husband or his wife found them? And the inn is out as well. Someone might have seen them together and jumped to conclusions.”
Thornbrook stood and strode to the window. “Are there any distant outbuildings at Walsley?”
“None that are still intact.”
“Ruins, then?”
“You know, I’m not certain. There didn’t seem to be any around the maze and the well.”
“Then perhaps we need to go for another ride.”
“I agree, but I think it’s more important to finish reading the journal before everyone else returns from London. If we ride out early in the morning, we might be able to search for ruins even after my family and the guests arrive.”
He nodded. “We could also discreetly scout out the other properties that are close by. Perhaps we’ll be able to spot some outbuildings.”
“Yes, I suppose so, but remember Walsley is a large estate. There aren’t many properties close enough for them to have been within easy distance for a rendezvous.”
“There must be some way to find out where Bukov lived. It’s a simple matter of looking for the landowner on record. Is there a solicitor in the village?”
“Yes, but I can hardly call on him to inquire. The first thing he would do is contact my father for permission to help me, and the last thing we need is him storming home to find out what we’re up to.”
“I could call on him.”
She shook her head. “No. Nunefield is small and I suspect the results would be the same. He would contact Papa, who would then discover that we’ve been searching together.”
“You know as well as I do that he’s going to find out at some point.”
“Yes, but it’s an entirely different prospect if he doesn’t know what we’re about. Lady Concord and Isa will vouch for you, and Edward and Mother will be with him.”
Thornbrook paced back and forth across the library. “I’ll send a missive to my own solicitor, then. It may be weeks before we receive an answer, but it seems to be the only course of action available to us.”
Lousia nodded and picked up the book. “For now, let’s get back to the journal. We’re close to the end. You can give your missive to Phillips when you go down for dinner.” A few moments later, she read a passage that ruined their plans. “Oh no.” She slumped against the back of the sofa. “‘My lover will soon leave me to return home.’ So he didn’t live here, he was just visiting someone.”
He sighed. “Then there’s no point in writing to my solicitor. For all we know, he could have been on a visit from Russia.”
“True, but maybe there’s something in these last few pages that will help us.” Louisa continued reading. “She spoke of plans to go to London, but her husband’s financial situation had become worse, and he refused to let her go. ‘I fear he will sell everything of value to pay his gambling debts. I must hide that which is most precious to me, and give him my other possessions to appease him.’”
Thornbrook met her eyes. “We have to assume she’s referring to hiding the necklace and earrings. Even if that’s not the case, whatever she hid must be valuable or there would be no need for the subterfuge, so it’s still worth pursuing.”
“I agree.”
“We could start our search by further exploring the area around the well where she hid the tiara.”
“It’s definitely worth looking into,” she agreed. “There are only a few more pages in the journal.” She skimmed the words as Thornbrook leaned over her shoulder.
“Look. The last entry is a poem.”
Your sweet voice sings to me
Like music upon the swelling tide
Whilst nymphs dance upon the water
Harboring secrets in the deep
Rivers join whom they did first divide
Under the cold, translucent waves
We remain steadfast
“Is it a clue?” she asked.
“I don’t know. She might just be expressing her sorrow, though it seems a bit self-serving.”
“Maybe he recited that poem to her before he left.” She bit her lip. “It would be so romantic.”
Thornbrook gave her a sideways glance, but declined to comment. “If that’s the case, it definitely isn’t a clue.”
Louisa checked the time. “We must go dress for dinner. Shall we meet here later?”
He nodded.
The lines of the poem flitted through her mind as they walked to their bedchambers, but try as she might, she didn’t see how it could be a clue. It sounded more like a poem a man wrote for the woman he loved. The sort of poem someone like her would never receive.
They reached her bedchamber and she shot him a smile and slipped inside, leaning back against the closed door. Despite how badly she wanted to find the jewelry and impress her family, she was more excited about spending time with Thornbrook. That alone should have been some sort of warning, but she chose to ignore it for now. There was no way to reconcile her desire to live at Walsley with her ever-increasing feelings for Thornbrook.