Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss

Author:Jenny Bayliss [Bayliss, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-09-27T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

The moon and stars were covered over with cloud as Isaac walked her back to the castle. The sky and landscape one dark mass, as if someone had scribbled out the world with a black marker.

“Will you be helping out on the hack tomorrow? You seem to get roped into all sorts of non-gardening events.”

“I’ll be there to help get you all saddled up and then I’ll go back to my actual job. I don’t normally have to get involved in castle matters, but we’re short-staffed and the marquis wants to make a good impression on your party. We get plenty of weekend parties throughout the summer, and weddings, of course. But not normally a weeklong house party plus wedding. Three or four gigs like yours a year would bring in some much-needed cash.”

“The castle does all right, doesn’t it?”

“The castle is a money pit. The maintenance alone would make your eyes water, and that’s before any improvements are made. So, it’s all hands on deck to impress the toffs in the hopes that they’ll tell their toff friends, and then maybe I’ll finally get a budget for the lost garden.”

Nory tried not to be offended on her friends’ behalf by the way he kept saying toffs and instead inquired: “The lost garden?”

“There’s an old walled garden—one of several, actually—just before you reach the dower house. It’s been a dumping ground for as long as I’ve lived here. The Dower House is central operations for the castle office staff. I’ve been saying to the marquis for years that he should build the staff their own place; out past the east wing where it would be out of sight but close enough to be practical. Then turn the old Dower House into a holiday rental and let me work my magic on the old garden.”

“It sounds like you’ve got it all worked out.”

“I have a lot of time to think when I’m working.”

“And what does the marquis think of your grand ideas?”

“He agrees with me. All he needs is a spare half a million to get things started.”

“Yikes! No wonder he wants this week to go well. Can you take me there? To the lost garden, I mean?”

“Come find me when you get back from your ride tomorrow afternoon, and if it’s not too dark, I’ll take you on my tea break.”

Nory couldn’t help doing an inner yip at the idea of being taken by Isaac on his tea break.

“The marquis obviously thinks a lot of you if he takes your advice on how to run his castle,” said Nory.

Isaac laughed. “I was born here, remember? I’m the only person who knows the castle the way he does. We’re both a part of this place in our own way, and we both want what’s best for it.”

“But isn’t he a toff?” Nory teased. “I thought you looked down your nose at toffs.”

“But the marquis is different.”

Nory opened her mouth to protest, but Isaac held his hands up.

“I know, I know, double standards.

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