Page 37 of Ever After

“Treasures?” Blue says, looking as excited as if Johnny Depp is going to pop up with a pirate hello.

Lord St Claire waves his hand at some glass cases. “Family heirlooms. First editions and so on.”

“Oh,” Blue says, not quite managing to hide his disappointment. “Books.”

I bite my lip to hold in my smile and step next to one of the cases. In it is a huge leatherbound book, the edges cracked and worn. It’s open and on the yellowing pages is a slanting handwriting that’s bold even though the ink has faded.

Lord St Claire steps next to me. “One of my ancestor’s estate books,” he says.

“Really? That’s fascinating.”

“Supposedly.”

“You haven’t read it?”

He shakes his head. “God, no. I doubt he spent much time at work anyway. Apparently, he had a scandalous affair in his day with the mistress of a king.” He wrinkles his nose. “Personally, I prefer reading Horse and Hound.”

He moves away, saying something about an antechamber and a hidden staircase. Blue follows him, but I edge close to the ledger. Something about it fascinates me. I love books from the past that offer glimpses into people’s real lives and the social history of the times. Much more fascinating than dry old history tomes.

“He’s not wrong, you know. Remy did always favour pretty eyes and a pert bottom. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of that in estate planning.”

I jump and spin around, holding my hand to my chest. “Oh my god, you startled me. I didn’t see you there.”

A man is sitting in one of the wingbacked chairs, his feet propped on an embroidered ottoman. I hadn’t spotted him because the shadows are growing long in the room and the light is low.

“Ah, I am very easy to overlook.”

His voice is posh and very pleasant with an edge of laughter along the words that makes it charming.

“I doubt that,” I say slowly, realising that he’s in period dress—blue silky breeches, a white shirt with an intricately tied cravat, and a richly embroidered waistcoat and coat. He’s very handsome—slim, with long, wavy, blond hair and very blue eyes.

He follows my gaze down at his outfit. “Oh, this old thing.”

“I saw you yesterday,” I say in sudden realisation.

“Oh, yes?”

I nod. “You were at the window. Were you doing a tour?”

He stares at me. “Tour?”

I nod and gesture at his outfit. “You’re a tour guide, yes?”

His lip quirks. “Of a sort, yes.”

I get the feeling he’s laughing at me, but it doesn’t make me bristle. He has a very kind manner.

I hesitate and then look at the door where I can hear the distant voices of Blue and Lord St Claire. They’re moving farther away from me. I look back at him. “I should go.”

He makes a moue of disappointment. “But you only just got here.”

I smile. “Nevertheless, I have to go. It was very nice to meet you erm⁠—?”

“Lysander,” he supplies

“That’s a nice name. Rather unusual.”

“Ah, it was a family name. You may call me Xander. That is what my friends knew me as. Well, it was nice to meet you, Levi.”