The Virgin Bride of Northcliffe Hall - Catherine Coulter Page 0,2

room was warm, the air smelling of cinnamon. Grayson felt very good indeed. He hadn’t seen his aunt and uncle in too long a time, and in his youth, Northcliffe had been his second home. They spoke of his father, Ryder Sherbrooke, who’d rescued children since he’d been a very young man. Douglas said, “In Ryder’s last letter, he said there are now fourteen children living at Brandon House, the newest addition a little boy, around five years old, Ryder thinks. Max is his name. He prevented the boy’s sale to a brothel.”

The countess cocked her head. “Goodness, why a brothel? What would a little boy do in a brothel? Run errands? Clean boots?”

Douglas cleared his throat, opened and shut his mouth. Grayson said immediately, “Yes, he would be a boot boy,” and he took the last bite of his first nutty bun. “What do you suggest I do with the children today?”

As a distraction, it served. Alex said, “Take them to see the white cliffs at Eastbourne and go down to the beach. I know the water is always cold—”

Douglas said, “It’s cold enough to freeze your parts off, Grayson. The children? They’ll scream and splash each other and have a magnificent time. If you remember, all you boys always did. And they’ll try to drown you, so be on your guard.”

“Oh, I remember. When Mr. Ramsey brings them down after their breakfast”—Grayson checked his pocket watch—“in about fifteen minutes, I’ll ask them. Thank you, sir, for letting the children ride the twins’ ponies. Should I ask Mr. Ramsey to come with us? He seemed to like P.C. especially, said something about having a little girl around was a pleasure after noisy little boys, and P.C. told him smartly she was just as noisy. I’m only sorry James and Corrie and the twins are in London. He scrawled me a quick note, told me he’d been invited to speak at the Royal Astronomical Society. He said it was possible Prince Albert would be there. He was very excited.”

Alex nodded. “Yes, he’s presenting his paper on one of the rings of Saturn. As for Corrie, she promised the twins a visit to the Tower. I believe she hired a guide to tell them all the bloodthirsty details of all the royal beheadings over the centuries. I was surprised when the twins’ tutor, Mr. Ramsey, asked to remain here at Northcliffe. He said he didn’t like London, said it made him physically ill. He did not elaborate, so there’s a question. He then offered to look after the children we told him you were bringing with you. James and Corrie are planning on coming home next Wednesday to see you and Pip. Then, my dear, you’re going to be dragged around to visit every single relative in the area. The last count, I believe, is about twenty.”

Grayson took another bite of his nutty bun as he listened to Aunt Alex talk about her gardens, how people still stopped to look and explore. Uncle Douglas grunted. “One of these days I’m going to look out the window and see a face staring back at me.”

Alex laughed. “I’ve been wondering if we should charge an admission fee. What do you think, Grayson?”

Grayson shook his head. “Let people bless you for allowing them to see the splendor of your gardens without lightening their pockets. Your beneficence will spread far and wide.”

“That will mean we’ll have hoards of visitors coming here,” Uncle Douglas said. “Of course, the twins would love that. I can see them offering to guide people around—for a small fee.” They spoke about James and Corrie’s twin boys, Douglas and Everett, brilliant, both of them, naturally.

When Alex paused to chew another bite of nutty bun, Grayson said, “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went walking around your beautiful gardens, Aunt Alex. I saw a magnificent black stallion come out of the home wood to drink out of your ornamental pond. Is he one of your horses? A neighbor’s?”

His uncle Douglas frowned. “A black stallion, you say, here on Northcliffe property? At the ornamental pond? I have two blacks, but they’re not let loose at night, too dangerous. A pity Corrie isn’t here—she knows every animal within five miles of Northcliffe.”

Only one nutty bun left. Three hands went toward the basket. Alex was the fastest. She laughed, paused. “You are our guest, Grayson, but—” She took a big bite. “Sorry. Tell us more about the stallion.”

Grayson took a sip of strong black