Her mouth dropped open at this.
“There is? I … I don’t suppose…. Faith, it is so rare for private estates to have an organ in their chapel.”
Kenneth stepped from one foot to the other. “My mother thought it would give Goldclaw Manor a certain reputation, that we take our worship so seriously as to have our own organ. It was one of the projects she took an interest in and then abandoned. I’m afraid the instrument is quite out of tune.”
“That is not a problem. I can tune it.” Noticing his surprise at the statement, she added. “I have learned it from watching my music teacher tuning mine.”
He blinked. “That is impressive, I must say. I will gladly take you to the chapel so you may see and play it if you manage to tune it. Along with your sister and father, of course. Should they not be willing to go, I will gladly arrange for a chaperone.”
She swallowed and her eyes widened at this suggestion.
Kenneth ran a hand through his hair. Was he being too forward? Too eager in his attempts to make her feel welcome and comfortable? For these were his intentions, after all. Before he could say anything else, she took a step away from him.
“I will speak to my father and sister. I thank you for the suggestion. Now, I’m sure I’ve kept you long enough.”
He shook his head. “I was on my way to call on my cousin, Lord Cragshade. He is the one who arrived last night, ending the night early.”
“Is he well? I heard he had an accident.”
Kenneth sighed more heavily than intended.
“He did. There was an accident on his estate earlier in the day, resulting in the unfortunate passing of a servant. The poor soul fell out of a window and when my cousin went to inspect it, he foolishly fell out the very same window.”
Lady Ruth gasped and slapped a hand in front of her face.
“How ghastly! Is he terribly hurt?”
Kenneth had to suppress a grin. “Not at all. Unlike the unfortunate servant, my cousin fell much more softly. Into a rose bush, which broke his fall. Unfortunately, there were quite a lot of thorns and…” In spite of his best intentions, a grin materialized on his face and he looked away, not wanting her to think badly of him. However, the memory of his cousin, red-faced, and with his hind quarters full of rose thorns, caused him much amusement. “I apologize. He will recover soon enough. The physician tended to his scrapes and he has a twisted ankle. Thus, he will reside here until he is fully healed.”
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. He still didn’t quite understand why his cousin had to convalesce at Goldclaw Manor. His injuries were less serious than previously indicated.
“Send him my best regards and wishes for a speedy recovery,” Lady Ruth said, her voice full of sincerity. “I know well what it is to be injured and not know when one might be able to fully recover.”
Kenneth took in the young woman’s visage, touched by how good a soul she seemed to be and how much compassion she had, even for a man she didn’t know at all. He wondered what her life was like, immediately after the fire. How she recovered as well as she did. The treatments, he was certain, had to be painful. He wanted to ask her about that time but reminded himself that this was the very first civil conversation the two of them had. The first time he’d managed to speak to her without making a fool of himself.
She struck him as a highly intelligent woman, confident when it came to her abilities in music, although uncomfortable at sharing them.
She is not at all how I thought she’d be. From our time at dinner and the few conversations between us I assumed she would be shy, and timid. Unable or unwilling to converse with me at all. And yet, she is a lady. A true lady with more accomplishments than I would have expected, and a true talent. If not for the scar, then….
“Kenneth”
His cousin’s voice boomed from down the hall and he turned, a knot forming in his stomach already.
“Lawrence. Should you not be in your bed as the physician ordered?”
His cousin walked toward him in a limping fashion, balancing on a crutch. He was, to Kenneth’s surprise, dressed as if ready for a day out.
“I would be. Alas, it seems the bell in my chamber is broken, for I have rung and rung, and nobody has tended to my needs. Thus, I had to dress myself and...”
Lawrence stared at Lady Ruth in an outrageous way, even if it wasn’t for the obvious reason – her scar. To look at a lady in such a manner was entirely unacceptable. But then again, Lawrence was not known to be tactful or concerned with social customs. Another reason the Duchess did not care for her nephew.
Usually, Kenneth was none too bothered by his cousin’s poor manners one way or the other, but today it vexed him greatly, as he could tell how uneasy his leering made her.
“Lawrence, allow me to introduce our honored guest, Lady Ruth Glowbrand. She, her sister, and her father - the Duke of Twilightfare - are staying the summer at Goldclaw Manor.”
Lawrence took another limping step forward and tilted his head to one side, examining her scar with such unabashed gall Kenneth could not help but be appalled.
“I know all about Lady Ruth. You are talked about in society. In fact, I was quite surprised my cousin here did not know of your story. The famed Lady of the Flames herself. What good fortune to meet you in person. My, what a story you have, Lady Ruth. And the scars to prove it.”
