Page 10 of The Dare Before Christmas

Torie stared at Louis. Her expression must have been a picture because he gave a snort of laughter. “Do you want a shovel, my lady? I shall speak to the head gardener.”

Torie was so entranced by the story she did not even protest at his teasing.

“Treasure?” she whispered in awe. “Hidden by the lady who fought off Cromwell’s men?”

“Well, now you’ve done it,” Jules said, shaking his head. “I hope you don’t mind company, for you’ll not get rid of her now. Not until she’s poked about in every corner, opened every door, looked under every floorboard. A dog with a bone is our Torie once she gets an idea in her head.”

Torie glared at him. “Just because you don’t have a romantic bone in your body, Jules. Oh, but just imagine it. The lady desperately hiding the things she held most dear whilst the enemy gathered outside the walls, determined to destroy her home and take anything of value. However did she do it, I wonder? Can’t you imagine her taking up arms with her daughters beside her? It’s… It’s inspirational,” she said, feeling quite emotional.

Louis nodded. “I quite agree, Cromwell’s men were fools to underestimate her. In my experience, there is no more formidable sight than a woman intent on keeping those she loves safe. I can imagine Lady Balderston in such a role, with no difficulty whatsoever.”

Barnaby’s aunt grew a little pink at the compliment but inclined her head. “Thank you, Louis, and I believe you are correct. I should have no difficulty in shooting anyone with the temerity of believing they could breach my walls,” she said coolly, skewering Axton with a look no one had any difficulty interpreting.

Louis’ lips twitched, and he moved them hurriedly on, but Torie lingered, moving to stare out of the window, her imagination running riot as she conjured the vision of Mrs Payne standing in this exact spot, spying the lines of soldiers in the distance, and steeling herself to do battle.

After dinner, everyone lingered in the parlour Evie and Louis had adopted as their favourite place in the house. In daylight hours it was a large, sunny parlour, but of an evening, once the curtains were drawn and the fire blazed merrily in the hearth, it was cosy and intimate, with lots of comfortable furniture and footstools, soft cushions and cashmere throws for anyone feeling a chill. A peaceful atmosphere reigned as the guests chatted, played cards, or read, as was their preference. Barnaby was not in the mood for cards and had settled himself down with a book, though so far he’d read the same page three times and still didn’t have the foggiest idea what it had said.

Behind him, Aggie and Fred were talking, though the conversation—which they clearly did not know he could hear—was becoming somewhat heated.

“She is an idiot,” Fred said firmly. “I never heard of such a hare-brained thing in all my life.”

“How is it hare-brained for her to go off alone, and not for you?” Aggie demanded.

There was an impatient tut from Fred. “For one, I’m a man.”

Aggie greeted this comment with a sceptical noise unlikely to endear her to her friend. Sure enough, Fred’s voice was terse as he carried on.

“For another, I was not setting off merely to amuse myself, but in order to keep a good friend from behaving like a lunatic.”

“I was not behaving like a lunatic, and you know as well as I do that I have far more experience of being alone in dangerous places than you do,” Aggie countered furiously.

There was a taut silence before Fred spoke again. “You have no idea how much I wish that were not true, Aggie,” he said softly. “But that was a lifetime ago now. You’re a lady, remember, with people that love you, and you must not put yourself in such danger again. Promise me?”

Aggie sighed, her anger dissipating. “I’ll try not to give anyone who cares for me such a fright again, Fred. I promise, but I do think you are a little hard on Cat. She only wanted an adventure of her own and she was awfully unlucky.”

Fred snorted. “She could have been a deal unluckier, and that we have Kilbane to thank for getting her home safely beggars belief.”

“Well, Cat insists he’s not as awful as everyone says. Perhaps she has a point.”

There was a choked sound and Barnaby could well imagine Fred fighting to bite back a scathing comment.

“No. She does not,” he said succinctly. “And don’t you go imagining otherwise. Now, are you playing this wretched game, or aren’t you?”

“Yes, but it’s your turn,” Aggie retorted. “Do pay attention.”

Barnaby hid a smile and, despite his best intentions, his gaze drifted to the other side of the room. Lady Victoria was poring over an enormous book which was propped on her knees and Mr Felix Knight, sitting close beside her, was doing likewise. Their dark heads were close together, the two of them whispering. Felix lifted his head and laughed, his green eyes sparkling with amusement as Torie grinned at him.

Barnaby smothered a surge of irritation, reminding himself they were cousins and more like brother and sister, before scolding himself soundly for even caring. Lady Victoria would marry someone else, not him, and so he had no business getting all possessive and jealous when she would never be his. That idea only made him increasingly irritable, and so he got up and paced to the window. He tugged the curtain aside and looked out.

“The wind has dropped,” Louis observed as he came to stand beside Barnaby, holding out a glass of cognac.

“Thank you,” Barnaby replied. “Yes, a calmer day tomorrow, I think.”

Louis moved closer and lowered his voice. “Alors, what do you know about your aunt and Axton? I think there is history there, n'est-ce pas?”

Barnaby nodded. “That’s right. Though Aunt Hester never speaks of it. Mother told me, though. They were close once, when they were young, I mean. Everyone thought she’d be his duchess. Even Hester, if my mother is to be believed. Mind, she’s jealous of Hester, if you ask me, so I can’t be certain it wasn’t said out of spite.”

“Perhaps it was, but I suspected as much,” Louis replied with a thoughtful nod. “What happened?”