Chapter 16

CHAPTER16

Nancy did her best to concentrate on everything Adam was saying as he guided her through the veritable labyrinth of Stapleton Court, but her mind was still back in his study. She could not rid her mind of his bare skin, nor his soft, bewitching voice as he had said, “I will see only you, be with only you, and care for only you.”

For a sweet moment, she had believed she might be as lucky as her sister, falling hopelessly in love with the gentleman she had been forced to marry. Then, just as quickly, she had remembered that Adam was not Edwin. Adam had not been a hermit for a decade, shunning everyone.

Adam had been quite the opposite, and Nancy had no doubt that she was not the first to hear such sweetly spoken words from his equally sweet lips.

But I am the first to come here.

“And this is the former banqueting hall, where almost every monarch has feasted for as long as this manor has been standing,” Adam said, opening the grand double doors to an empty room twice as large as any ballroom Nancy had ever danced in. “As you can see, it is somewhat depressing now. We used to store furniture here, but even that has gone. Now, it is merely a feasting ground for the mice and the spiders.”

Nancy stared wide-eyed at the beautiful room. The entire far wall was made up of windows that looked out on the incredible gardens. She could imagine noblemen and noblewomen from all across the country gathered together in their finery, spoiled for choice as they picked from the feast that would have been displayed, drinking their fill of good wine and joyful company. And when they had feasted enough, she pictured them all stepping out onto the terrace to enjoy a warm evening.

“Do not speak of spiders,” she said, realizing what he had said. “I cannot abide them.”

He chuckled. “Then I fear you will not favor this manor much. They are everywhere, though mostly friendly.” He gestured upward. “There is a particularly large one in my bedchamber. I call him Big Franklin. He is harmless enough.”

She shuddered. “As if I needed any other reason not to join you in your bedchamber.”

“I could ask him to allow us some privacy,” Adam teased, and Nancy’s heart jumped.

She was in two minds about telling him to cease with his improper remarks, for they made her blush furiously and left her tongue-tied. Yet, they also sparked something in her that she had never experienced before—little flutters of pleasure that tingled within. And though she knew he should not be saying such things to her, there was a part of her that did not want him to stop. A part of her that was beginning to scare her.

“I shall never make sense of this manor,” she said, refusing to bite. “I am quite certain that I will get lost every single day that I reside here.”

Adam smiled. “You will soon know it well, I promise.”

He closed the double doors and led her down a cavernous hallway, opening up another set of double doors a short distance away. “This is the Royal Ballroom. I have no notion of why it is called that when no royals live here, but I suppose it speaks for itself.”

He stepped aside to let Nancy see, and as she poked her head around the door, a gasp slipped past her lips. If she had thought the banqueting hall was beautiful, it was nothing compared to this. Every wall was adorned with gilt mirrors that gleamed from floor to ceiling, with cream and gold silk wallpaper in between. Some of the mirrors were showing signs of age, beginning to bubble and tarnish, but the essence of their former glory remained.

“Goodness,” she whispered, tiptoeing further inside. “I imagine your ancestors were favorites of the Royal Court.”

Adam laughed. “Or they knew a lot of royal secrets.”

“I have never seen anything like it.”

She gazed up at the five huge, ornate chandeliers that must have held at least a hundred candles each, though the sconces were now empty, like the rest of the room.

The glint of so much gold drew her deeper into the old ballroom, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet as she made her way to the center. There, she spun in a slow circle, looking at each one of her countless reflections. And once she had started, she found she could not stop, turning around and around until her skirts whirled about her legs and the room became a blur of gold and silver and bygone balls that must have been the talk of the country.

So, it came as quite a shock when a hand caught hers, and she found herself spinning into the solid chest of her husband. His arm slipped around her waist, a grin on his tempting lips as he began to move around the ballroom with her, guiding her in a dance she did not know. All she could do was cling on, feeling as if she might trip over his feet at any moment. They were so close to one another.

“What are you doing?” she asked, breathless, as she grew accustomed to the whirling motion of the dance.

“Is it not obvious?”

She shook her head, moving with him as she called upon the ghosts of every ball that had ever taken place there.

“We are waltzing, dear Nancy,” he told her, bringing his lips close to her ear as he whispered the words. “And you are doing very well, I must say. Is this not your first time?”

At the sound of the word waltz, she stepped away from him, removing herself from his embrace. “I have never waltzed, nor would I. It is a vulgar dance.”

Adam chuckled. “Only because it allows two people to be close to one another. Is that such a terrible thing?” He paused. “I could show you how to waltz properly if you would allow me. I think you might find it enjoyable.”

“I was enjoying myself,” she shot back, flustered, “until you cut in.”

All of a sudden, his mischievous demeanor vanished, replaced with something akin to concern. “I have upset you,” he said. “I did not mean to. Truly, I just saw you twirling there, and I wanted to join you. I cannot recall the last time anyone danced in this ballroom, and I forgot myself. Please, come to me. I am sorry.”

He held out his hand, and though Nancy knew she should not accept, she found herself reaching for him in return.

“No waltzing.”

He nodded. “No waltzing. I shall add that to the list of things I must not do.”

“It is becoming quite an extensive list,” Nancy said, struggling to hide the breathlessness in her voice.

She wished she could say it was just from the twirling, but that would have been a lie.

With her hand resting more appropriately on his, Adam escorted her out of the ballroom, but she suspected that the memory of it would linger longer.

How often did a lady get to waltz with an extraordinarily handsome gentleman in a ballroom that looked as if it had been plucked from the pages of a fairytale?

I must not desire it. I shall not sully myself by becoming uncouth, simply because I am in the company of a rake.

But as Adam showed her the rest of the manor, explaining the purpose—or former purpose—of each dusty study and empty room, Nancy began to long for the ballroom again. There was no room quite as marvelous in the entire manor nor as magical.

But why should I not make use of it while I am here? There is no one to see me. No one would know, and it is not exactly breaking the rules of our arrangement.

However, she could not deny that those fluttering sparks had riled themselves into a frenzy when Adam had held her like that, whirling her around the room, his arm securely wrapped around her waist to stop her from falling.

“Are you well?” he asked as they paused to observe the Dining Hall. “You have been rather quiet.”

Nancy blinked. “I am quite well. Just trying to remember it all.”

“It is not so difficult,” he assured. “I did not mention it before, but these days, we only really make use of the northern and eastern wings. The western and southern wings are more for show when the manor is open to visitors.”

“Visitors?”

He smiled wryly. “People are, by nature, inquisitive. And they cannot resist a manor such as this one when they happen to be passing by, though there are plenty who come here specifically to pry. That is why we only let them see the wings we do not use.”

“Goodness! Do you think we shall be inundated once news of our marriage reaches Society?” Nancy joked while a very real shiver of trepidation crept down her spine.

She did not want to be gawped and gawked at like an animal in someone’s menagerie.

Adam laughed. “If they come, we shall bar the doors and really give them something to gossip about.” He hesitated. “Or perhaps we could have a ball to show everyone that our marriage is not a farce. We could put on a performance of being the most smitten couple in the whole of the ton, to guard our privacy for years to come.”

Would we waltz? Would we be the envy of everyone present? Would ladies swoon at the sight of us, wishing they were in my place? Would he proudly present me, keeping to his promise of not even looking at another woman?

“I think not,” Nancy said quietly, feeling suddenly shy.

Before he could make any other outlandish suggestions that would surely make the butterflies in her stomach grow ever wilder, footsteps clattered down the hallway, coming toward the pair at a swift pace. Nancy turned to find Mrs. Holloway hurrying along, her chatelaine clinking at her waist.

“She is coming!” the housekeeper said, skidding to a halt on the worn floors smoothed by countless feet.

Adam canted his head. “Who?”

“Who do you think, Your Grace?” Mrs. Holloway rolled her eyes. “The Dowager Duchess has decided to take tea in the ballroom courtyard, for reasons beyond my comprehension, and she knows you are here, which is also beyond my comprehension, considering she has been in her bedchamber since yesterday. She wants to see you, Your Grace, so I suggest you have the details of your marriage in order.”

All the color suddenly drained from Adam’s face. “Might you—”

“No, Your Grace, I shall not pretend that you have ventured out for the evening, and I shall not hide Her Grace from her,” the housekeeper interjected, looking harried as she turned her attention to Nancy. “Dearie, I apologize for being so abrupt. There is nothing to fear. The Dowager Duchess is a lovely woman. It is only His Grace who ought to be worried.”

Nancy glanced at Adam. “Why is that?”

“Because I promised I would return a fortnight ago, and I did not,” Adam replied, huffing out a breath. “Still, I am sure she will forgive me once she meets you, dearest Nancy.”

Every time he said that, every time he put “dear” or “dearest” in front of her name, Nancy’s heart trembled. Of course, she knew it was just his way of teasing her, but that did not stop it from affecting her, especially as her mind seemed determined to cling to its long-held fantasy of romance.

“The ballroom courtyard,” Mrs. Holloway insisted. “Now.”

Adam waved a dismissive hand. “Very well, but might you ensure that something more substantial is brought with the tea? My wife and I have not eaten since luncheon.”

“Now you tell me!” Mrs. Holloway swept a hand across her silvery hair, which was pulled back in a tight bun. “Of course, I shall bring sandwiches and whatever else I can muster, though the cook will not be pleased. She relishes her rest, and I’m going to have to wake her up.”

Adam flashed her a grin, but it did not reach his eyes. “Give her my apologies.”

“I will, though much good it’ll do me.” The housekeeper groaned. “It’ll be me who gets it in the neck.”

She marched off without another word, heading back the way she had come, while Adam quickly caught hold of Nancy’s arm and steered her through the maze of hallways to the ballroom she had not ceased thinking about.

“There is time for a waltz if you would indulge me?” he offered, with a lopsided smile, as they entered the astonishing room together.

“The only thing I wish to indulge is my stomach when those sandwiches arrive,” Nancy replied, catching her reflection in the multitude of mirrors.

She was not a vain woman and rarely looked at herself unless she was making final adjustments before a ball, but with Adam standing at her side, she could not help staring. Even though he was wearing only his shirt and trousers and hessian boots, and she was wearing the white muslin dress that she had traveled in, her hair somewhat messy, there was no denying they made a handsome pair. Indeed, in the reflection of so many mirrors, they did not look real. They looked as if they had been painted.

What a pity. Indeed, what a waste.

For if his character had matched his beauty and his amusing wit, she was quite certain that she would have been the envy of Society. And she was even more certain that she would have fallen hopelessly in love with him.