it had been his mouth, instead of his cook’s excellent confections. As such thoughts would lead to others that would quickly disarray his tailoring, he tried to get back to the subject of treasure hunting.
“Lady Verity, you were telling me about Miss Herriot’s ideas on talbots?”
“Yes, Mary thought the fabulous beast part might be a dragon, griffin, cockatrice, or something heraldic of that type. She recalled seeing a shield somewhere, some years back with a griffin at the top over three black dogs. It is not your family crest, but she wondered if it might be something, she saw in the old chapel…”
“I don’t recall seeing it, but it is some years since I last visited the old chapel, which is part of the old abbey ruins. The chapel is the only building still really standing because my great-great-grandfather had it repaired and used it for some years. Great-uncle Frederick did not use it much because it is damp, draughty and made his bones ache. He would take the carriage to the new parish church, which is more comfortable rather than walk over a mile to the abbey ruins.” He glanced through the windows, where the garden was being lashed by a deluge of sleeting rain.
“I would have suggested taking a stroll there together, but the weather has changed, and we would both be soaked. It is not an easy path to climb when the weather is this inclement, it is over a mile, and the path will be very overgrown and slippery.”
“Perhaps we could go tomorrow if the weather is fine?” she suggested.
“I will look forward to it, but for now perhaps we should explore the house further to see if Farrant and myself missed anything and you could tell me a little about yourself while we wait for the weather to clear…”
Knowing that Verity had walked from her house and had entered through the walled garden, which was now left unlocked. He was anticipating spending some time getting to know her and that prospect was even more attractive than actually discovering any treasure…
Damn silly of him to be thinking so when the treasure was so important.
He would of course offer to send her home in his carriage, or escort her home, should the freezing rain decide to let up. It did not look likely that it would stop soon, and he prayed that it would continue for some considerable time.
Chapter 6
Verity took a discreet peek at Rupert as he went through a few boxes they had dragged from the attic. Though he and his man Farrant already searched through the items, he hadn’t groused or complained that she wasted time going over them again.
He is patient. And she liked that about him immensely. Over an hour had passed, and their search through the tomes, scrolls, and books which had been hidden away revealed no clues and no jewellery or valuables.
“Why do you think your Uncle Frederick did not leave this treasure in his will and with his bankers?” she asked, putting back some leather-bound books which looked incredibly old in a box. Her fingers itched to explore the pages further and Verity hoped she could procure an invitation to explore this library and its books.
“I have no idea, but will ask Farrant if he can give any insight into his late master’s thinking.”
Rupert who had been sitting on the carpet, glanced up, a shock of hair falling over his forehead and almost into his eyes. His masculine beauty stole her breath again for precious seconds and she glanced away briefly into the fire. It was such reckless madness that she was here with him in this exceptionally large manor and alone in the palatial library. And it was more than that he had truly promised fifteen percent of whatever trove they found. That money would help her greatly and allow her a financial freedom which had only been thought of in her wildest imaginations.
He had claimed he wanted to woo her…that he might steal kisses again and yet she hadn’t been able to resist the desire to help him. Worse, she hadn’t been able to deny that she liked him. It had felt so improbable. She hadn’t been able to answer him for in truth she did not understand her alarming reaction to him, especially that it went beyond a physical feeling.
It had been more than that; she wanted to know this man and understand the complicated feelings he aroused in her.
Not even with her dear Richard had