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now," Antoinette answered. "But perhaps later..."
    "Oh, there you are," a voice interrupted as they walked past the open door of the library. Lord Royce emerged from the dim depths of the room, like Merlin exiting his cave, and gave them all a polite smile. "You were certainly on your tour a long while."
    "There is much to see in the castle, dear," his mother said. "As you would know, if you did not spend all your time in just this one room."
    He laughed. "Well, Mother, you will be glad to know I am going to remedy that. I was just going down to the stables, and wanted to see if Miss Richards would care to accompany me, now that your tour is finished." He turned his lingering smile onto Cassie.
    Cassie examined him carefully, his smile and his coolly polite eyes. So, the Doubting Thomas wanted to be hospitable now, did he?
    Well, no one could accuse Cassandra Richards of forgetting the lessons her mother had taught her about not being a rude houseguest. She nodded and gave him a smile of her own.
    "Thank you, Lord Royce," she said. "I would be happy to come."

 
     
     
    Chapter 8

     
    Cassie followed Lord Royce down the pathway that led to the stables. He was very quiet on their walk, and so was she; she wasn't exactly sure what to say to him.
    She wondered if he felt like his mother was forcing him into taking her riding, and it made her feel rather awkward.
    Awkwardness had been an unaccustomed feeling until she came here. At home, in Jamaica, she had had her share of admirers. Her dance card was always full, and she never seemed to lack for conversation. And even at Aunt Chat's house in Bath, where she often felt shy and strange, she enjoyed the company of the card parties and concerts.
    Why did she always feel so tongue-tied and awkward around Lord Royce in particular? He was just a scoffing scholar.
    Albeit a handsome one.
    Then they turned a bend in the path, and she lost any awkward feeling at the surprise of the beautiful view.
    They were at a lower level here than they were at the castle, nearer to the sea. A low stone wall lined the edge of the pathway, where it veered closer to the cliff. Cassie went to lean on the crumbling stone, wide-eyed, as she looked at the vista.
    From the castle, the sea was undeniably lovely, but here it was more elemental. She could hear the rush of the waves as they hit the pebbly shore and then receded.
    "Beautiful, isn't it?" Lord Royce said, coming to stand beside her at the wall.
    Cassie smiled up at him, bringing her hand up to shield her eyes from the afternoon sun. "Very beautiful," she answered. At least that they could agree on.
    "You sound rather surprised," he said amiably, propping his hip against the wall so that he was half-turned to face her. "I don't spend all my time immured in the library, you know. I do get out once in a while to breathe fresh air."
    "And go riding along the cliffs," Cassie murmured. She remembered her vision of him from this morning, galloping along like a wild pirate.
    "Yes. Of course." He turned his gaze away from her, back to the sea. "Miss Richards, my mother looks very sweet and harmless, but she can be quite ruthless when she wants something. And she is not above using someone's politeness as a guest to further her own ends. If you really don't want to go riding with me, I will understand. We could tell her you did not find a horse to your liking. I am sure you would prefer to be looking for your ghosts rather than spending time with me."
    Cassie turned to him, surprised. "Oh, no! I would like to go riding with you. Unless..." Her voice faltered as a thought struck her. Was he trying to get rid of her? "Unless you have work you must be doing. I would hate to keep you from it."
    He gave her a startlingly charming smile. "Nonsense. No one in their right mind would rather be inside working than out in the sunshine with such a lovely companion. The Peloponnesian War can wait until later."
    She smiled at him tentatively in return. "Why, Lord Royce.