Quite the opposite, he’d yearned for their approval, had wished so hard for their forgiveness as a child. He’d died a little inside each time they’d withheld it. But no more. That part of his life was over and would no longer haunt him. He now had Dillie’s love and would work hard to earn that gift.
The air turned cool as Ian approached Leeds. Night was falling and a stiff breeze cut straight through him. He drew his cloak securely about his shoulders, but it did little to help. Prometheus had been traveling at full gallop, but Ian now held him back to a canter. These northern roads were still a dangerous mix of mud and ice.
Giving in to darkness and fatigue, he stopped in Leeds for the night, determined to catch only a few hours of rest and resume his journey at daybreak. He kept to his schedule and was off at the rooster’s first crow. Once again, the sun shone brightly throughout the day. In truth, he hadn’t seen this beautiful a stretch of days in years. Broad patches of blue dominated the sky, as though some force above was watching over him, assuring him of a brighter future. No swirls of gray in sight. “What do you think?” he muttered to Prometheus. “Is our luck changing?”
The hours passed quickly and before he knew it, the dark stone walls of his hunting lodge came into view. Swineshead was a sturdily built structure, erected centuries ago by one of the earlier dukes of Edgeware. Its simple, rough-hewn exterior had been designed to blend in with the natural forest surroundings, and for this reason Ian felt more comfortable here than at his much grander ducal estate at Edgeware.
The roof was made of a sturdy, dark slate. Vibrant green ivy covered the outer walls. The lodge hadn’t changed much in almost a hundred years, and Ian was determined to keep it that way. Despite the recent improvements to its interior, necessary to accommodate Felicity and her caretakers, he’d ordered the exterior to remain untouched.
He’d also authorized some changes to the rear garden, ordering a stone wall built to separate the garden from the stream that ran along its northern perimeter. He couldn’t have Felicity toddling too close and falling—
He changed the direction of his thoughts. No, one death by drowning in the family was quite enough.
“Yer Grace! Welcome home.” His groomsman, a stocky, bow-legged Irishman by the name of Quinn, hastened from the stable toward him with a big smile on his face. “Oh, ’tis good to see ye. Will ye be stayin’ a while?”
Ian dismounted, handed the reins to Quinn, and then patted him on the shoulder in greeting. “Nice to see you, too. How are things? Quiet?”
The old man rolled his eyes, and then shook his head, all the while laughing. “Not since Miss Felicity arrived. She has a set of lungs on her, that’s fer sure, but other than her occasional outburst, all has been well.”
Ian strode with him toward the stable. “No strangers lurking about?”
Quinn halted in his tracks and regarded him quizzically. “None. Are ye still concerned about ’em not so friendly visitors?”
“I hope not, but one can never be too careful.” Four assailants were now in the magistrate’s custody, and there was no telling if his family had hired others. Homer Barrow would find out, but his investigation could take weeks.
“We’ve been vigilant, Yer Grace, but if it’ll help matters,” Quinn said, his brow furrowing, “I have a few friends nearby who might be willin’ to visit for a spell. Can’t hurt to have a little extra protection around, and we’ve plenty of rooms above the stable to house them. They’ll help me out in exchange for a warm bed and a few square meals.”
Ian nodded, liking the idea. “Send for them today. I can’t stay long this trip, and I’d like them here before I leave.”
Quinn patted Prometheus’ neck. “I’ll tend to this fine beast first, and then head off to fetch them. Will that suit Yer Grace?”
Ian thanked him and then strode to the lodge, eager to set eyes on Felicity. He’d walked no more than two steps in the door before he saw Miss Poole, the thirtyish woman he’d engaged to care for the child, scurrying toward him with a welcoming smile on her face. She was a plain-looking woman, but that smile on her face spoke volumes. “Your Grace, I’m so glad you’re here. Felicity will be delighted to see you. Be prepared to cover your ears, for she can be quite expressive at times.”
He laughed softly. “So I’ve been warned by Quinn.”
“Her Highness is sleeping now, but she’ll soon wake from her nap and demand to be fed. I was just on my way to the kitchen to collect her supper.”
“Then I’ll not delay you.” He glanced around. “I’ll take a quick look in on Felicity and then inspect the changes made to the lodge.”