the stains. I appreciate her warm welcome.
Lucy is the first person from the village
whom I have had a chance to meet, except
for our housekeeper, misses Sneath. Speaking
of which, is there any chance your older
daughter or one of her friends might be
interested in a job in the kitchens? We are
in desperate need of staff. I cannot imagine
how stone vale has managed to function at
all with so few people working there."
A job?" The woman's face went blank
in open astonishment. A real job at the
big house, yer ladyship? Why, we'd be ever
so grateful. My husband ain't worked in
ages and neither as a lot o" other men
around here."
It is Lord stone vale and myself who will
be grateful, I assure you." Victoria glanced
around the ring of curious faces that was
starting to gather near the carriage. In
fact, we shall be needing a number
of people. If anyone is interested in
working in the gardens or the stables
or the kitchens, please present yourselves
tomorrow morning. You shall be taken on
immediately. Now, if you will excuse me,
I thought I would do a little shopping in
your charming village."
When Victoria started forward with Nan
at her heels, the crowd parted magically.
She could still hear Lucy's squeals about
the Amber Lady as she stepped over the
threshold of the small shop.
Two hours later Victoria sailed into
stone vale's main hall. Do you by any
chance know the whereabouts of his
lordship, Griggs? I must see him at
once."
I believe he is in the library with Mister
Satherwaite, madam. His lordship expressly
requested that he not be disturbed while he
was in conference with his new steward."
I am certain he will make an exception
in my case and I am particularly delighted
to catch him with Satherwaite. Very
convenient." Victoria smiled and started
briskly for the closed door of the library,
stripping off one of her fine kid gloves as
she went forward.
Griggs sprang for the door. Forgive
me, madam, but his lordship was most
particular about his request."
Don't fret, Griggs. I shall deal with
him."
Begging your pardon, madam, but I
have been privileged to be in his lordship's
employ for several months now and I pride
myself on having learned his preferences. I
can assure you he has a strong preference
for being obeyed."
Victoria smiled grimly. Believe me, I
understand better than most that stone vale
has a few difficult quirks in his nature. Be
so good as to open the door, Griggs. Rest
assured I shall take full responsibility for
any mayhem which may ensue."
Looking doubtful, but unwilling to
contradict his mistress, Griggs opened
the door with an expression of deep
foreboding.
Thank you, Griggs." Victoria peeled off
her second glove as she went into the
room. She saw Lucas glance up, scowling.
But the scowl changed to an expression of
surprise as he saw who it was who had
interrupted him.
Good afternoon, madam." Lucas rose
politely to his feet. I thought you had
gone into the village."
I did. Now I am returned, as you can
plainly see. How fortunate to find you
together with your steward." She smiled at
Mister Satherwaite, an earnest-looking young
man seated on the other side of stone vale's
desk. The steward dropped the journal he
had been holding and sprang to his feet,
bowing deeply.
Your servant, your ladyship."
Lucas eyed Victoria somewhat cautiously.
How can I be of service, my
dear?"
I just wanted to apprise you of a few
minor details. I have let it be known
in the village that we will be taking on
staff. Those who are interested, which I
gather will be a sizable number, have
been instructed to present themselves in
the morning. Mister Satherwaite can handle
them, I am certain. I will be consulting
with Griggs and misses Sneath as to the
exact number of people we shall require
in the house proper. Since I am certain
you are busy enough with the tenants'
problems, I shall also attend to the staffing
of the gardens."
I see," Lucas said.
In addition, I should mention that I
have made a number of purchases in the
village. The tradesmen will be delivering
most of them tomorrow morning. Please
arrange to have their bills paid at once. It
is quite obvious they cannot afford to wait
upon our convenience, as is customary."
Anything else, madam?" Lucas asked
dryly.
Yes, I met the vicar's wife, misses Worth,
while I was in the village and have invited
her and her husband to tea tomorrow
afternoon. We will be discussing the various
charity needs of the village. Kindly arrange
your schedule so that you may join us."
Lucas inclined his head in grave acknowledgment
of the command. I will consult
my schedule to see if I am free. Will that
be all?"
Not quite. We really must do something
about that terrible road into the village.
Most uncomfortable."
Lucas nodded. I shall put it on my list
of items needing repair."
Do that, my lord. I think that will
be all for now." Victoria smiled warmly
again at Mister Satherwaite, who was looking
dumbfounded, turned on her heel, and
headed for the door. She paused on
the threshold and glanced back over her
shoulder at Lucas. There was one other
thing, my lord."
Somehow I am not surprised," Lucas
said. Pray, continue. You have my full
attention, madam."
What is this nonsense about an Amber
Lady?"
Lucas's eyes flicked briefly to the
pendant she wore. Where did you hear
the phrase?"
One of the children in the village called
me by that odd title. I simply wondered if
you were familiar with it. Apparently it is
some sort of local legend."
Lucas glanced at Satherwaite. I will tell
you what little I know of the story later."
Victoria shrugged. As you wish, my
lord." She swept back out of the library
and Griggs hastily closed the door behind
her. The butler regarded her with an air
of acute concern
Have no fear, Griggs," Victoria said,
grinning with unabashed triumph at her
small, successful assault on the sanctity
of the library. My lord has teeth but
it takes considerably more than a minor<
br />
interruption from his wife to make him
bite."
I shall remember that, madam."
In the library Lucas sat down again
and reached for the next aging ledger.
He realized Satherwaite was watching him
with an expression of deep curiosity.
My wife, as you can see, will be taking
an active interest in the estate," Lucas
remarked.
Yes, my lord. She appears to have a
rather keen interest in local matters."
Lucas smiled complacently. Lady Stone
vale is a woman of great energy and
enthusiasm. She has been needing an
interesting challenge to occupy her full
attention."
Shopping in our poor village was
certainly an act of gracious mercy on
her part. I cannot imagine a lady of her
excellent taste finding anything she truly
desired in the local shops."
I believe the point was to do something
for the local economy," Lucas mused. And
I am grateful to her. It will take both of us
to save stone vale. As I said, we are facing
a challenge." Satherwaite looked at the stack of
journals and ledgers that stood on the
desk. No offense, sir, but rescuing these
lands presents enough of a challenge to
occupy a regiment." He looked back at
his employer with a hint of the sort of
hero worship a young man often feels for
an older male who has seen combat. Of
course, you have had some experience with
military matters, sir."
Just between you and me, Satherwaite,
I don't mind telling you that I find the
challenge of making this land productive
again infinitely more appealing than the
business of war."
Satherwaite, who clearly did not see how
anything could be more exciting than the
business of war, wisely kept his mouth shut
and opened the journal in front of him.
Later that evening Lucas leaned back in
his chair, stretched his feet out toward the
fire, and indulged himself in the purely
masculine pleasure of watching his wife
pour after-dinner tea in the drawing room.
It was a small thing, this matter of
pouring the tea, but it seemed to symbolize
so much. He was not so foolish as to think
Victoria had surrendered to the inevitable
yet, but he saw the distinctly wifely act as
a definite step in that direction.
He suddenly realized that in common
with most of his sex, he was not given
to a great deal of idle reflection on all
the small routines that turned a household
into a home. At least, he had not been
particularly conscious of them until recently
when, having gotten himself a wife, he had
discovered he had not automatically gotten
all the little niceties that were supposed to
come along with one.
For the past three days he had been
living in a state of armed truce, a truce
that was only an inch away from open
warfare. Nothing in the household had
been seen to beyond such minimal matters
as producing meals and emptying chamber
pots. Griggs had been getting desperate.
misses Sneath had threatened to quit because
of overwork.
But as of the moment of Victoria's return
from the village, things had begun to
change. Lucas realized he thirsted mightily
for each small sip of the honey of domestic
harmony. Having his tea poured for him
by Victoria was one such golden drop. It
was the first he'd tasted since he'd taken
his wedding vows.
About the legend of the Amber Lady,
my lord," Victoria said coolly as she handed
him his cup and saucer. I would like to
hear the details now, if you please."
I confess I do not know all of the
tale." Lucas stirred his tea, trying to think
of ways to stretch out the conversation.
Victoria was in the habit of rushing off
to bed early lately. My uncle mentioned
the matter shortly before he died. It was in
conjunction with the pendant he gave me."
He frowned, wishing he had not called her
attention to the amber around her throat.
Victoria appeared totally oblivious of the
fact that she wore it twenty-four hours a
day. I asked for the story, but you must
realize my uncle was a bitter, ill-tempered
man. To top it off, when I saw him, he
was on his deathbed and not particularly
inclined to humor me or anyone else."
What did he tell you?"
Just that the pendant had been handed
down through the family for several
generations. It apparently belonged to
the first lord of stone vale. My uncle said
I might get more information from the
villagers. I asked misses Sneath about it. As
you know, she was about the only member
of the staff left when the old bastard died.
He had turned off everyone else."
Go on, what did misses Sneath say?"
Lucas looked at her and saw the bright
curiosity shining in her beautiful eyes.
Having met misses Sneath, you must know
she is not the talkative sort. But she did tell
me that the villagers tell an old children's
story about the first lord of stone vale and
his lady. The man had been dubbed the
Amber Knight because of the colors he
wore into battle."
So he was a warrior, too," Victoria
murmured, staring into the fire.
Most men who acquired estates the
size of stone vale were," Lucas pointed
out dryly.
They called his wife the Amber Lady?"
Lucas nodded. According to the legend,
the lord and his lady were very much in
love and devoted to the land and the
people on it. stone vale grew prosperous
under their guidance. Several generations
of happily married men succeeded the first
and the lands flourished. People began to
say that the well-being of the estate and
its surrounding lands was contingent on
the happiness of the lord and lady who
lived in the great house."
Victoria frowned. A rather precarious
thing on which to hang the welfare of this
entire region."
It is just a superstition, Vicky."
I know, but"
Lucas interrupted her swiftly. According
to misses Sneath, it became a saying in
the village that the Earls of stone vale
must marry for love or the lands would
suffer. Given the wealth of the estate, it
was very convenient for each succeeding
earl to make a love match rather than a
business match."
Very convenient. There was no need
to marry for money until the present
generation, I take it?"
Lucas hurried on, anxious to skirt the
quicksand he sensed waiting for him in that
direction. At any rate, three generations
back, the Earl of stone vale fell in love
with a young woman who, it seemed,
had already given her heart to another."
Lucas paused. Not only her heart, but
everything else, apparently. Her family
rushed her into the marriage knowing
she was carrying another man's babe, the
child of a penniless second son who left
for America when he found out she had
married the Earl of stone vale."
That poor girl. How sad for her to be
forced to marry a man she did not love.
But her family was not about to lose
the opportunity of having their daughter
become a countess, I suppose," Victoria
murmured with a touch of bitterness.
Probably not," Lucas agreed. But as
long as you are overflowing with sympathy
for the young lady, you might spare some
for my ancestor who found himself tied to
a woman who was not exactly a virgin on
her wedding night."
Victoria's gaze turned even more frosty.
So? I did not come to this marriage a
virgin, either, if you will recall."
It is hardly the same thing, given the
fact that I was the one and only man
you slept with before the wedding. In
any event," Lucas added, feeling a little
dangerous now himself, we haven't even
had a wedding night, so your point is
irrelevant, to say the least."
Do you know, Lucas, I do not see why
your ancestor or you or any other man
has any right to expect his wife to be a
virgin. You men certainly do not bother to
remain in a chaste state until your wedding
nights."
There is the little matter of attempting
to ensure one's children are one's own."
Victoria shrugged. Aunt Cleo once told
me that women have been inventing ways
to feign virginity for as long as men have
been so arrogant as to insist upon it. Even
if one is certain one's wife is a virgin at
marriage, that still does not ensure her
children are not the footman's by-blows,
does it?"
Victoria ."
No, it would seem to me, my lord,
that the only way a man can be relatively
certain his children are his own is if
he truly trusts his wife and knows he
can believe her when she tells him they
are his."
I trust you, Victoria," Lucas said softly.
Well, as you said, tis all irrelevant as
far as we are concerned, is it not?"
Not entirely," he muttered. Victoria,
could we please get on with the legend?"
She blinked and occupied herself with
the teapot. Yes, of course. Kindly continue
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