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London.
Whom shall we visit? Lord Westcliff would be perfectly
No.
All right, then, Lottie continued, unruffled. The Cannons are in residence at Silverhill
God, no. I m not spending a fortnight under the same roof as my brother-in-law.
We could go to Worcestershire, Lottie suggested. Sophia says that the restoration of the Sydney
estate is nearly complete. She has made no secret of the fact that she wants you to view the results of her
efforts.
He shook his head instantly. I have no desire to see that accursed place.
Your sister has gone to great effort you wouldn t want to hurt her feelings, would you?
No one asked her to do all that. Sophia took it upon herself, and I ll be damned if I have to shower her
with gratitude for it.
I ve heard that Worcestershire is quite beautiful. Lottie let a wistful note enter her voice. The air
would be so much nicer there London in summer is dreadful. And someday I would like to see the
place where you were born. If you do not wish to go now, I understand, but
There are no servants, he pointed out triumphantly.
We could travel with a skeleton staff. Wouldn t it be pleasant to stay in the country at our own home,
rather than visit someone else? Just for a fortnight?
Nick was silent, his eyes narrowing. Lottie sensed the conflict in him, the desire to please her warring
with his fierce reluctance to return to the place he had left all those years ago. To confront those
memories and recall the pain of being orphaned so suddenly would not be pleasant for him.
Lottie lowered her gaze before he could see the compassion that he would surely misread. I will tell
Sophia that we will accept her invitation some other time. She will understand
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I ll go, he said brusquely.
Lottie looked at him in surprise. He was visibly tense, clad in invisible armor. It isn t necessary, she
said. We ll go somewhere else, if you prefer.
He shook his head, his mouth twisting sardonically. First you want to stay in Worcestershire, then you
don t. Damn, but women are perverse.
I m not being perverse, she protested. It s just that I don t want you to go and then be vexed with me
for the entire stay.
I m not vexed. Men don t get vexed.
Annoyed? Exasperated? Irked? She offered him a tender smile, wishing that she could protect him
from nightmares and memories and the demons inside himself.
Nick began to reply, but as he stared at her, he seemed to forget what word he would have chosen.
Reaching for her, he suddenly checked the movement. As Lottie watched him, he stood from the settee
and left the parlor with startling swiftness.
The journey to Worcestershire would normally last a full day, long enough that most travelers of
reasonable means would elect to travel for part of one day, stay overnight at a tavern, and arrive later in
the morning. However, Nick insisted that they make the trip virtually without stopping, except to change
horses and obtain a few refreshments.
Although Lottie tried to take the arrangement in stride, she found it difficult to maintain a cheerful facade.
The carriage ride was arduous, the roads were of uneven quality, and the constant rattling and swaying of
the vehicle made her slightly nauseous. As Nick saw her discomfort, his expression became grim and
resolute, and the atmosphere disintegrated into silence.
A skeleton staff had been sent the day before their arrival, to stock the kitchen and ready the rooms. As
had been previously agreed, the Cannons would visit the estate the following morning. Conveniently, Sir
Ross s country seat at Silverhill was only an hour away.
The last faint glow of the setting sun was retreating from the sky by the time the carriage reached
Worcestershire. From what Lottie could see, the county was fertile and prosperous. Rich green
meadows and tidily groomed farms covered the level earth, occasionally giving way to verdant hills
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