a shake of his head and a single barked laugh, he said, “No.”
We’d reached the highest level of the castle and, when we stepped outside, I realized that, aside from defense, there was another reason why that spot had been chosen as the build site. The countryside could be seen for miles around, on all sides. I turned in a circle thinking each new view was more stunning than the last.
“You should come up here with me after dark. The stars seem close enough to touch.”
“Stars,” I whispered. It had been a long time since I’d been able to enjoy the night sky as it can only be appreciated in darkness. Light pollution had robbed us of a view to the stars. With a small internal shake, I said, “You’re far enough away from the big towns to see the night sky?”
He grinned. “A deity owed me a favor. She erected curtains that block human-made light.”
“A deity,” I repeated. “What did you do for her?”
He just laughed. “Let’s go have tea. Then I’ll put on what you Yanks call a dog and pony show.”
Shrugging in agreement, I took one last look, and said, “Okay.”
The converted gatehouse was one large square room, half living room, half bedroom, with a galley kitchen in a corner. It looked like Ralph Lauren had personally decorated it for a British bachelor. Deep lush greens. Deep lush reds. Dark polished wood paneling. Old distressed wood floors. Riding boots by the door. And, as mentioned, museum-quality tapestries on the wall. It could easily be the cover of Architectural Digest. Or, sans riding boots, the set of Home Alone.
It was also as seductive as a nocturnal fantasy. And the fact that the bed was the focal point of the room did nothing to keep my mind above my elastic waistband.
A table for two was set by the fireplace replete with goodies that made my mouth water. I imagined it fit for the queen. The, um, human queen. Beautiful to look at, scrumptious to the taste. It also meant the day of jeggings reckoning receded further into the future. Oh well.
“This is lovely, Keir. Do all the new magistrates get treated to tea?”
“No one other than myself has ever enjoyed tea here. Until today.”
“In that case, I’m honored. And, in that case, why me?”
“I’ve already declared my interest. Why are you not hearing me?”
That was a good question. One I decided to set aside.
While Keir turned on the fire under the kettle, I said, “Should I be anxious about the dog and pony show?”
“No. You’re afraid that I’m gruesome in my altered form? An ogre perhaps? Bent on consuming the flesh of small children?”
“Ew. I hadn’t thought of it, but now that image is in my head. If your intention was to assuage my worry, you missed the target. Big time.” My eyes returned to the riding boots by the door. “Did Thomasin Cobb make your boots?”
Keir glanced in that direction. “Yes. Did you have an unpleasant encounter with him?”
“You could say that.”
He smirked. “It’s part of the service. He’s like the soup Nazi of goblin cobblers.”
I looked at Keir with a new appreciation. “You’re a fan of Seinfeld?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t like Seinfeld?”
“I don’t see a TV.”
He picked up a remote and pointed it at a nine-hundred-year-old tapestry, which immediately responded by drawing to one side like a heavy curtain. An immense flatscreen TV was revealed, mounted on the wall behind.
“Wow.”
“Nice, huh?” he said. “Humans are not all bad.”
“Thank you?” He laughed. “Put it back. My illusion of days gone by was just smashed.”
He closed the tapestry over the TV just as the kettle whistled. “Here we are.”
“So, he doesn’t give you that same treatment, I take it?”
“He wouldn’t dare.” He looked over at me. “If you want me to adjust his attitude, I’ll be happy to do it.”
I set aside any pretense of dieting to enjoy strawberries with heavy clotted cream on shortbread, making yummy noises all the while. The lunch tapas had been marvelous, but that was five hours ago and felt like ten.
“I have a secret. This is my first real tea, but I can’t imagine that there’s any lovelier or tastier anywhere.”
“A gracious compliment. I accept.” He smiled. “It’s a day of firsts. First ruin. First tea. What else can we add to the list?”
Seeing that his smile had turned sultry, and allowing myself to think he might be flirting with me in earnest, I decided the smart thing would be to find a