Bride by Contract by Margaret Rome

Author:Margaret Rome [Rome, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780373026944
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1984-03-14T18:30:00+00:00

The builders had finished. All traces of their occupation had been removed from luxurious bathrooms, from a modernised kitchen fitted with every conceivable appliance designed to increase efficiency and ease of management, and from rooms and corridors made draught proof and warm by a super-efficient heating and ventilating system. Yet on the surface nothing seemed changed, Morva decided as she wandered through ground-floor rooms checking work carried out by newly employed cleaning ladies who had rushed to respond to advertisements posted throughout neighbouring villages. Extra outside staff had also been enrolled, gardeners, gamekeepers, and farmworkers whose job it would be to ensure that a plentiful supply of home-cured bacon, fresh eggs, butter, cream and vegetables could be included in daily menus.

Troy seemed as pleased as a child with a new toy, she smiled, stooping to examine ancient brocade curtains whose bald patches had been expertly darned with gold and silver thread. No expense had been spared, no luxury omitted from the castle whose linen-room shelves were freshly stocked with sheets, pillowcases, napkins and towels; whose cellars were lined with bottles of choice vintage wines from many different countries to appease many different palates; whose servants’ quarters were shortly due to be filled to capacity with resident chambermaids, housemaids and footmen—with every grade of helper, in fact, that had been employed in the days when Ravenscrag had been noted among the nobility as a place in which to enjoy generous hospitality, glittering balls, and delicious dinners to round off days spent hunting, shooting and fishing, or simply relaxing in peaceful, comfortable surroundings.

‘Morva, honey!’ Aunt Cassie’s bustling figure intruded into her reverie. ‘You did say that it would be all right for Lynda to move into the Rose Boudoir? The girl’s taken such a shine to that room! If you’ve no objection, I’d like to move her things in there before she gets back from London. When is she coming back, by the way? I must say, I was very surprised when Troy raised no objection to your brother’s plan to show Lynda the sights of the capital during this breathing space before the Grand Opening. I’m really looking forward to it, aren’t you?’ She clasped both hands together in an excess of excited anticipation. ‘It’s such a thrill feeling useful again. I’m not cut out for a life of leisure. My doctor declares he’s never seen so much energy contained in one small body. He keeps telling me to slow down, to act my age, but I like to act the way I feel which, at this moment, is rejuvenated by Troy’s surrender to my plea to be allowed to stay and help get this show on the road. I’m so grateful to him—and to you, too, honey,’ she hastened to add. ‘I keep forgetting that Ravenscrag has been home to your family for decades. Are you very upset at the thought of it being turned into a very grand, up-market hotel?’

Morva waited for a break in the old lady’s barrage of questions.

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