Taking Honoria’s advice, Diana had bundled herself up in her warmest wool day dress, a sturdy pair of boots and a fur cape she borrowed from the castle. Cecilia had insisted that the fur would be necessary as the temperatures had dropped.
Mrs. Fallcraft met them in a small, perfectly manicured garden at the other side of the castle. The shrubs were bare but made a low maze around an empty fountain. In the summer it would be a lovely place.
“How do you do?” Mrs. Fallcraft was perhaps an inch taller than Honoria and half as wide.
Diana couldn’t help the amusement she kept bottled up at the thought of all those large men on the other side of the castle being afraid of this tiny woman. “So nice to meet you, madam.”
They all curtsied.
Mrs. Fallcraft gave each of them a long look before smiling. “It is rare for the boys to bring anyone back to Buckrose. I have to admit, I’ve been curious to meet you both. It was very kind of you to send a note and call on me.”
“I could not resist meeting the lady who manages to keep all those grown men on their toes.” Honoria giggled. “You should hear how they speak of you.”
Jessica Fallcraft had keen eyes the color of a stormy sea. Her gray hair had been pulled into a loose bun and tucked under a black cap with white lace at the edge. “Shall we walk?”
A path through the garden had been cleared of snow. Larger cedars, surrounding the little haven, blocked the biting wind, making a stroll pleasant after she’d been tucked away in houses, carriages and castles. Diana took a deep gulp of crisp air. “Lady Chervil is correct, madam. The gentlemen are quite in awe of you.”
Her eyes flashed with joy. “They were students or the children of students. I suppose to a young boy who has been tossed from other schools or bullied because he does not have the discipline for Eton, I am a welcome relief and a bit of a tyrant.”
A child laughed somewhere on the other side of the trees. Diana wished she had listened to her mother and had married. By now she would have a few children filling her days with laughter. “Is that what this place is, a school for boys who had trouble elsewhere?”
Turning to the right, Mrs. Fallcraft pulled her dark gray cloak tighter. “I take on young men who are bright and spirited. Let’s use Middleton as an example. Of course, I’m speaking of the late duke. Preston Knowles never had any problems at school. His father had been to three before being sent to me. He arrived with a valet and a note from the Duke of Middleton. I shall never forget that note: ‘My son is incorrigible and cannot be taught. You, madam, are our last hope to get some knowledge into him. My wife can bear no more children, so he is the next duke of Middleton regardless of my wishes.’”
It was a horrible notion to imagine a father writing such a thing about his own son. Diana wished the old duke was still alive, so she could give him a proper dressing down. “What on earth did you do?”
Mrs. Fallcraft grinned and shrugged. “I brought the young lord into Buckrose without a word about his other schools. I see no sense in berating a boy for his past. When they come to my school, they get a fresh start. They are told the rules, which are quite strict, and given a lot of time between studies to run around and burn off excess energy. Their days are scheduled to the minute, and by the end of one, they are tired enough to sleep. I am proud to say I have lost very few of my Buckrose students.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but does a curriculum filled with running about compare to an education at Eton?” Diana should have kept the question to herself, but she wanted to know.
Never missing a step, Mrs. Fallcraft navigated them around the fountain. “When a young man leaves here, they are ready for the world. Most continue to university. It is a long day, keeping my boys busy from breakfast to supper. After supper we usually have time for reading, and often one of the older students will read aloud.”
Honoria said, “You must be very proud of this school and all you have done.”
“I have to admit, I am pleased that I could help and continue to help young boys become good men, many of whom run our government.”
“How much longer will you continue?” Honoria was of an age where she said what she thought, regardless of its appropriateness for a first meeting.
Mrs. Fallcraft was undaunted. “I am getting on in years. Like Middleton, many of my students have gone to their final resting place, and I am still here.” She pulled a long sigh. “I don’t have anyone to follow in my footsteps as yet, but I have hopes that one of my Horsemen might like to take on the challenge after he’s finished hopping about the world for the greater good.”
It was impossible to imagine any of the four men Diana had met being tame enough to run the Buckrose School, but Mrs. Fallcraft was in earnest. “I’m not certain any of the Horsemen are of a temperament to teach.”
Raising her eyebrows, Mrs. Fallcraft gave a wicked grin. “You would be surprised at the many sides of the Horsemen.”
“I mean no disrespect. They are the reason I am here and not tucked away on some French ship.”
They approached the back side of the castle. “Will you ladies join me for some tea in my private parlor?”
The temperature had dropped several degrees since they began their walk. Clouds made their way across the sky and the bite in the air spoke of snow. Diana shivered. “That would be very nice. Thank you.”
Inside, the school portion of the castle was buzzing with students who were curious about them. It appeared Buckrose School did not get a lot of visitors and perhaps never ladies. Several boys tripped over each other when they caught sight of Diana.
Mrs. Fallcraft frowned. “That will do, Mr. Crane, Mr. Wallace. Don’t you two have somewhere to be?”
One of the wide-eyed boys, perhaps sixteen, stopped staring long enough to respond. “History class, ma’am.”
“You had better stop loitering and get on, then. We do not wish our guests to think you lax in your studies.” How she managed not to grin or laugh was a mystery.
Crane and Wallace bowed, and all arms and legs, ran down the hall with their black coats flapping behind them.
Diana hid a giggle behind her hand. “They are quite curious.”
“We do not get many female visitors here, Miss MacLeod. Please accept my apologies for the boys.” Mrs. Fallcraft opened the door to her left and they stepped into a room that might have been transported from a fairy tale.
Where the hallway had been stone, this room had been covered in a light blue damask wallpaper with an elegant rose pattern. It was feminine, but not so much that a man would be uncomfortable in the room. The sturdy overstuffed furniture would bring comfort to any soul needing a soft place to rest, and the light scent of fruity tobacco reminded Diana of Lord Rupert Everton and the way Everton House had given her comfort. Large windows overlooked the garden they’d just left, and books lined one wall. A small writing desk sat in the corner, but the bulk of the room was taken up by a pianoforte and seating for conversation. Diana waved off the apology. “This is lovely.”
“My sanctuary away from boys and men. Once a week, I invite two or three of the students to have tea with me. It’s become a tradition and strangely, they all covet the invitation. The rest of the time, I can come in here to write letters, play the pianoforte, and relax before bed, and the sound of rambunctious boys is left outside.” She settled into a large chair as if it were a throne.
Diana and Honoria sat adjacent to her on a deep couch. Diana toyed with a gold fringe at the edge of the dark blue fabric. “I imagine a small refuge is needed with so much energy around you all the time.”
Honoria clapped her hands and laughed. “If it were me, I would never leave this room. I can’t imagine how you run such a large school on your own.”
A maid arrived with tea and Diana wondered how she had known to bring it. They had not seen Mrs. Fallcraft call for refreshments. The woman was fascinating.
“I have help from five teachers employed by the school. Occasionally, I ask a former student to help, depending on the problems that arise. I have been raising and teaching boys for so many years, it is all I know.” She poured the tea and handed each of them a cup and saucer.
The tea service was all white without painted flowers or vines. It was perfectly practical for a lady who ran a boarding school, and the rich tea warmed Diana’s insides. “May I ask you something that is none of my business, madam?”
“Are you in love with one of the Horsemen?” Excitement flashed in Mrs. Fallcraft’s eyes.
Honoria laughed. “I think I could fall in love with all four of them.”
Trying to give Honoria a scathing look, Diana was so amused, it probably looked more comical than scolding. “No. Not a Horseman. I was wondering what you would be willing to divulge about Mr. Laurent.”
The fire eased from Mrs. Fallcraft’s eyes, but her smile remained. “I see. Well, Jacques was never a student here. He did visit each summer with his parents when they were in England. He was a lighthearted youth who thought his father the beginning and the end of all things. He and Middleton have been friends since birth, as their fathers met here at Buckrose. I have only seen him a handful of times as an adult, but whenever he is in this area, he makes a point to visit. I’m sorry, I don’t know what you want to know.”
Diana put her tea down. “I’m not sure myself. I suppose I need to know if he’s a good man or just charming. He wants to help me, but perhaps he just has some need to assign himself to a lost cause.”
Tapping the edge of her teacup with her index finger, Mrs. Fallcraft watched Diana over the cup’s rim. “I would not wish to gossip, but I can see you are in earnest, Miss MacLeod. Jacques’s adoration for the women in his life nearly landed his head in a basket in front of the Bastille. He is not given to random affairs, as far as I am aware. I have never heard of any untoward news or behavior about him. He is charming, that is true. He has a way of making everyone in the room more comfortable, but I believe he is genuine in his desire to help those around him. And he does like to find a lost cause and repair the damage. It is why he and Middleton have gotten on so well; they are so different.”
“I don’t understand.” Diana had not noticed a large difference between the two friends. Middleton was a duke, so naturally he had a higher sense of importance. Though for a man of power, Middleton was fairly humble.
“Preston Knowles is as serious a man as I have ever known. He has a set idea of how things should be. If he sees something wrong, he fixes it, with authority. He would not know how to have fun were it not for his friendship with Jacques Laurent. And for his part, Jacques would not have such a deep need to right every wrong. I cannot tell you if Jacques is in love with you, but he is a man of honor.”
“I didn’t mean to question his honor. Forgive me. I suppose I am afraid of being hurt.” Diana picked her tea up off the table and sipped, using the china as a shield.
Mrs. Fallcraft nodded. “I understand, my dear, but love is always a risk.”
“Hear, hear!” said Honoria.
“It seems as though I shall never find a safe haven such as this.” Diana couldn’t stop the low sigh that pushed from her chest.
“Pish. Safety is boring.” Honoria sipped the last of her tea and put her cup down with a snap.
Laughing, Mrs. Fallcraft put her cup down as well. “Her ladyship is correct. When I came here, I was barely twenty and already widowed. My parents planned to wait out my mourning period and marry me off to some rich old man. I couldn’t bear the idea, so I ran with what fortune was left to me. Bad weather forced me off the road to this abandoned castle, where I found two young boys who had also run away. They were twelve years old and had come all the way from Eton. Together we built this school with the help of the earl who’d left the property vacant. The Earl of Buckrose had to do quite a lot of legal work to change his entailment and give this place to the school. It has not always been easy, but here it still stands. It has been quite the adventure. I know that if you are under my Horsemen’s protection, you have been through a lot. Take the advice of an old woman. Do not let the bad that has befallen you close you off to the good that awaits.”
It was perhaps the sagest advice Diana would ever receive. “I hope I can take your advice and have as wondrous a life as you, ma’am.
* * * *
Diana dressed in a yellow gown for dinner. Its low-cut neckline was far more revealing than she was used to, but she admired herself in the glass before she went down, and thought how nice it was to look like a real lady.
The way Jacques looked up at her from the bottom of the stairs made any momentary worry over her gown disappear. His admiration sucked all the air out of the room, and Diana had to remind herself to breathe.
“You are stunning,” he said, offering his arm for escort into dinner. “Why did you not join us in the parlor before dinner?”
“It took longer to dress than I expected.” It was a half-truth. Diana was still leery of socializing with the Horsemen. However, her meeting with Mrs. Fallcraft had changed her opinion of them more than she’d expected, and eased her mind.
As soon as Jacques had finished helping her to her seat, Sebastian asked, “What did you think of our Mrs. Fallcraft, Miss MacLeod?”
Diana took a sip of the wine. “She is a remarkable lady.”
“We had a lovely time.” Honoria had already drunk more than half her glass and the footman refilled it. “We heard much about the school and not nearly enough about the four of you.”
Even Alex smiled at that. “I’m glad to hear we are not completely exposed by the headmistress.”
Dove was served as a first course. Diana’s stomach grumbled. “Mrs. Fallcraft only divulged that she was very fond of each of you and that perhaps one of you might take over for her when she retires.”
Alex’s smile faltered. “I suppose it is inevitable that one day she will not be able to continue.”
“She is getting on in years and it’s a rigorous schedule,” Oliver said.
Nathaniel looked at Oliver. “What do you say, Oli? Ready to take the reins?”
“What makes you think she was referring to me? I’m no teacher.” Oliver stabbed his poor dove brutally and it was a good thing the bird was already dead.
“Oliver is too short-tempered to be a headmaster at Buckrose. He’d do better as the headmaster at Eton.” Sebastian laughed and ate his food without looking up.
“There is no need to be insulting.” The dove slid across Oliver’s plate. Finally, he gave up on the utensils and tore into his food with his fingers.
Sebastian continued without lifting his gaze. “Can you imagine the thugs that would come out of Buckrose with you in charge?”
Waving his dove as a pointer, Oliver said, “I could do it. I just have no desire to. I’m certainly smarter than the three of you.”
“That is certain.”
Diana was both amused and surprised by Alex’s agreement and the nods from the other two Horsemen.”
Honoria asked, “Exactly how smart are you, Mr. Graham?”
“I don’t know how to answer that, my lady.” He’d devoured his dove and wiped his hands on the napkin.
A footman came with a bowl of warm water and placed it on the table beside Oliver. It must have been quite normal for him to eat with his hands. Diana kept her giggling behind her hand as he washed and dried his fingers.
Undaunted, Honoria put her fork down. “Well, for example, are you as smart as Miss MacLeod?”
Putting his index finger to the side of his head, Oliver stared at Diana. “Can you do complex calculations in your head, Miss MacLeod?”
“Is that important?” Diana leaned back while the footman cleared her plate and brought soup. Spices filled the dining room, and she struggled to wait for everyone to be served before taking a taste.
Jacques cocked his head. “I think Miss MacLeod is embarrassed by your directness.”
“I apologize. I don’t mean to put you on the spot, miss. I just wondered how your mind works. Some people must do all things on paper. Some do it all in their head. I have often struggled with putting my work to paper, but I am quite adept at giving a complex calculation its final result.”
Everyone focused on Diana. The thought of crawling under the table appealed to her. “If I answer, can we change the subject?”
Oliver smiled. “It will depend on your answer, I should think.”
All gazes remained focused on her. “Oh, for pity’s sake. I can do calculations of a complex nature both in my head and on paper. I can tell you every discovered element and all the known and some unknown properties of each. I have not written any papers because women are not taken seriously in the scientific field. Further, I am adept at most forms of mathematics, physics and alchemy.”
“There’s no need to brag,” Oliver quipped, and everyone at the table laughed, including Diana. He turned back to Honoria. “Miss MacLeod might be smarter than me, my lady.”
Nathaniel put his spoon down. “Oli writes poetry as well as prose.”
Grinning, Diana said, “I have no talent for words, Mr. Graham. Perhaps we may call it a draw.”
He raised his glass to her. “You are a good sport, miss.”
Jacques’s admiring gaze landed on Diana and sent a warm wave through her. In her experience before they were taken to France, men did not care for women who were smarter than them. With the two men who had courted her, Mother had been very specific about not talking science. She had tried, but as soon as one of them mentioned her father’s work, she’d expounded on his experiments. Of course, Mother had been right. They ceased courting after that.
When he finally pulled his gaze away, Jacques looked at Alex. “Before we came in for supper, I noticed it has started snowing again. This will delay finding Caron, I assume.”
Alex pushed his plate back before propping his elbows on the table. “It is damned inconvenient. The only good thing is that if we can’t get around to find him, he can’t be moving much either. You are safe for the time being, Miss MacLeod.”
“That is something.” Diana didn’t feel safe. The only time she had any sense of security was in Jacques’s arms. She quickly pushed those thoughts down before her blush gave her away.
Honoria slapped the table. “If there is no danger imminent, I suggest we see if this old castle has a good bottle of whiskey in it.”
Sebastian laughed at his dining partner. “Are you a great admirer of a fine whiskey, my lady?”
“Well, I have taken the trouble to marry three times, and I like whiskey more than men.” Honoria winked at him.
The table erupted in laughter.
Alex called the butler. “Mr. Bates, will you bring a Scotch and an Irish to the parlor?”
Mr. Bates bowed and left through the servants’ door.
Jacques held Diana’s chair as they all exited. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “What about you, Diana? Do you enjoy a good whiskey?”
His breath on her skin sent a thrill of delight through her that settled low in her belly, and she longed for privacy. Wondering whether he would come to her after the others had gone to bed was a delicious morsel that she would savor. “I have never tasted whiskey.”
“Well then, you shall either love it or hate it, my sweet. Very few people are ambiguous about a fine whiskey.”
Turning put her only inches from his chest. She could lift on her toes and press a quick kiss on his lips. The dining room was empty save for them. The wicked thought simmered so violently, she followed through. His mouth was both soft and strong as he recovered from his shock and kissed her back.
His hand settled on her hip.
Having been a captive, she should have hated the possessive touch. Yet his touch was as welcome as coming home. She relaxed back on steady feet, but it took a moment for the world to stop spinning. “Do you love or hate whiskey, Jacques?”
Chest rising and falling quickly, he gave a fast glance around the empty room. “At the moment, I could completely forget what whiskey is and just remain drunk on you for a lifetime.”
She may have gone and fallen in love. It was foolish and she should regret it, but she couldn’t, not even for a second. “And normally?”
“Normally, I am a great admirer of a good whiskey.” His gaze drifted to her lips.
If she could will him to kiss her, she would.
Honoria called out from the parlor across the hall. “Diana, my dear. Where are you?”
Jacques smiled and dotted a quick kiss on her nose. “Shall we join the others?”
Her breath shuddered more than she would have liked. “I suppose we have little choice.”
He stared at her a long moment, his eyes holding a question he did not voice. Offering his arm, he said, “We had better go before I do something extremely foolish.”
The parlor, like the study, was very large and filled with books, though these were less diverse and leaned toward legal matters. Diana tried the Irish whiskey; it was sharp on her tongue and burned its way down her chest. She could see why some people didn’t care for the strong spirit, but she liked it. However, by the time she finished the small glass, the world seemed to tip in a silly way. “I think I shall retire for the evening. I will see you all in the morning.”
Honoria followed her out, and they climbed the stairs. “We must strengthen your constitution, Diana.”
“You may stay and enjoy the whiskey with the men.”
“My purpose is to keep you safe.” Honoria’s serious tone was out of character, but comforting.
“Thank you, my lady. You are too good to me.” Diana kissed Honoria’s cheek and stepped inside her room, where she collapsed on the bed.
At some point Cecilia came in and put her in her bedclothes, but it was a foggy memory.