“What is it you’re trying to say?” he asked cautiously.
She took a deep breath. “When I’m the duchess, may I change the rules? May I allow people to eat in their rooms and visit the kitchens if they want? May I allow talking at meals?”
Harry laughed, but in a guarded way. “Of course. When you’re the duchess you may do whatever you like. It will be your house.”
“May I rebuild the west wing?”
Harry was silent for a moment. “What do you know of the west wing?” When she lowered her chin and didn’t answer, he stopped, put his fingertips under her chin, and lifted her face to look at him. “Have you seen Trevelyan again?”
He smiled at her look of astonishment. “I told you that I know what goes on. You mustn’t tell anyone about Trevelyan. No one but the two of us is to know he’s here,” he said firmly.
“Why?”
“He has his reasons. Did you spend the afternoon with him, is that why you missed both luncheon and tea?”
“I was reading in his room.” Her eyes brightened. “In the prince’s room.”
“Do you like Trevelyan?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “He’s an odd duck, isn’t he?”
Harry laughed at that. “More odd than you can imagine. Trevelyan didn’t touch you, did he?”
Claire looked horrified. “Not in the way you mean. He was a perfect gentleman. Well, not perfect. He makes me very angry sometimes, but he has some interesting books.”
“I imagine he does,” Harry said sarcastically, frowning into the darkness. He was in a dilemma. He couldn’t very well forbid Claire to see Trevelyan. She’d want to know why, and if Harry didn’t give her an answer, Trevelyan might. Harry wouldn’t put it past his brother to say, “My little brother is afraid you’ll find out he isn’t a duke.” Harry stopped and turned back toward the house. “We have to go in. I have to leave early tomorrow and I won’t be back for a couple of days.”
“Oh Harry, couldn’t we spend a day together? Couldn’t you take even one day off from your work? Maybe I could go with you.”
“Not this time. This time I leave very early in the morning, long before you wake up.” He touched the tip of his finger to her nose. “But maybe the next time you can go with me. And I promise that after I return we’ll spend some time together.” As Harry said these words, he frowned. He thought he’d finished with courting, but now, thanks to Trevelyan, he saw he was going to have to do more. He smiled down at her. “How about a kiss?” He leaned forward to press his lips to hers but, instead, Claire exuberantly flung her arms around his neck and pressed her closed lips against his. He found her kiss very unsatisfactory; he didn’t like virgins and had no desire to teach one what to do. He liked women who could teach him.
When Harry pulled her away from him, she still had her eyes closed and her lips puckered. He was frowning. “I’m almost afraid to allow you out of my sight. I think I should talk to Mother about setting a wedding date.”
Claire smiled at him, but she remembered the book she’d read, and all the stories of never-ending passion. Where was the passion between her and Harry? The bells and sirens? But perhaps one needed to know how to kiss before one felt passion.
She lowered her arms from Harry’s neck and sedately tucked her hand under his arm as they walked back to the house.
When Claire awoke the next morning, it was four o’clock and she wondered if Harry had already left on his journey. Quietly, so as not to disturb Miss Rogers, who slept in the dressing room, she got out of bed and went to the window. It was still dark outside and she could see little. For a moment, she put her elbows on the sill and looked out toward the lake in the distance. As she looked she thought she saw a shadow moving. Maybe it was a deer, she thought, but then she saw it was a man.
“Trevelyan,” she said, knowing that it could only be him. She dressed in her walking clothes as quickly and as quietly as she could. Even as she dressed, she told herself she shouldn’t run after the man, any man for that matter, but Trevelyan especially. But then she thought of spending the day alone and her fear of loneliness won over common sense. Besides, it wasn’t as though Harry didn’t know she was spending time with Trevelyan. He knew and he hadn’t objected. Pinning her hat on as she left the room, she fled down the stairs. Once outside, she ran around the house and started her search for Trevelyan.
After twenty minutes she was beginning to despair. He was nowhere to be seen. She couldn’t call for him, because someone might hear.
She turned around, intending to go back to the house, then nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw him standing utterly still not eight inches away. “You gave me the fright of my life,” she snapped. “What are you doing skulking about in the bushes?”
“I had the idea you were looking for me,” he said, one eyebrow lifted. “Excuse my presumption.” He started to walk away.
Claire was sure he knew she was looking for him, but she tried to keep up the pretense that she hadn’t been. “I was merely out for a stroll. Such a lovely morning,” she said, looking at the still-dark sky. “I find the cool air so invigorating.”
“Good morning, then,” Trevelyan said and turned away from her.
Claire cursed under her breath. The infuriating man wasn’t going to invite her inside. “In a way I was looking for you.”
He turned back to her. “Oh? And what did you want of me? More books? Did you think of a new complaint about Captain Baker?”
“I saw you from my window and I thought perhaps I might walk with you. I thought you might like a companion. I know you’re here in secret so I thought you might like some company. I was only trying to do my duty as the future duchess. I mean, it will someday be my responsibility to see that all my guests are taken care of and—”
“If I were to stand here for the next six hours, would you continue to make excuses?”