Miss Charlotte and the Duke (Those Very Bad Fairbanks Book 11) by Alyssa Clarke

Author:Alyssa Clarke [Clarke, Alyssa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Darkan Press Inc.
Published: 2024-06-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Acouple of days later, Emma knocked on the door of a very imposing but very beautiful manor in Hampshire. A wide drive curved toward Benbow Hall, and her nervousness had climbed as her carriage rattled closer to the viscount’s home. David’s manor consisted of three floors and was constructed from pale pink stone, with the windows of the two lower floors outlined in cream Bath stone. The roof was red-tiled and had a pronounced slope. The central portion of the main house was set forward from the two side wings. The front door was modest without an ornate portico, but the house was set in immaculately tended lawns with beautiful landscaping, lovely trees, and picturesque gardens. Her maid, Martha, unloaded the small valise and cast Emma a curious stare; however, she held her counsel. Finally, the impressive oak door opened, and a gentleman wearing spectacles perched on his nose peered down at her.

“I am here to visit, Viscount Barlow,” Emma said with crisp authority and confidence. “Please inform him that Miss Emma Fairbanks has come to call.”

The butler blinked his surprise and stepped back to open the door for her.

“Welcome to Benbow Hall, Miss Fairbanks. I shall inform my lord right away of your visit.”

She nodded her head regally and swept inside, admiring the splendor of the hallway. A quick glance behind her showed a footman rushing to Martha to collect their valises and presumably leading her to the servants’ entrance. The butler led her down the prodigious hallway to a small, tastefully furnished sitting room. Emma couldn’t help noticing how bare the walls were of paintings and portraits.

A shout of laughter came from somewhere in the house, startling her. She looked around but noted the butler was no longer there, and the door stood ajar. Emma went out of the room and peered down the hallway. It was curiosity that pushed her from the room to explore the manor. The door leading down to the servants’ staircase was open, and the sound of laughter and merriment floated up to her.

She discerned a smooth, masculine tone; from the swirl of heat dropping in her belly, she knew it to be the viscount. Emma went down the steps, her slippers echoing on the stone stairwell. She rounded a corner and paused to see the elder butler shuffling over to a pair of large wooden benches that seated at least seven people. Emma was overwhelmed by the warmth of the kitchens and the delicious aromas that floated in the air. For a working kitchen, everything was pristine, polished, and in its correct place. Despite the careful organization and cleanliness, it was a welcoming room and made her feel at once at home. It was a much larger space than the kitchens at Penporth, but it reminded her of sneaking into the kitchen when she was a child to be cosseted and spoilt by their cook and kitchen maid.

One of those gathered around the long wooden table was Lord Barlow. Nervous energy skirted down her back as she noted the viscount’s state of dishabille.

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