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.Radcliffe s work when theyfirst met in Shropshire, and Kyle had to confess that he haddeveloped a voracious appetite for them.They were something hisfather would have never allowed in his house, and reading them hadbeen a delicious sort of rebellion for him at the time.As Kyle continued into the room, however, Warren looked upand smiled that warm smile that seemed to touch him everywhere atonce, and the illusion was dispelled.This was no tortured, broodingvillain, and his home was certainly no haunted ruin. You re down much earlier than I expected, Kyle.Was yourroom to your liking? Lord Warren asked. Oh yes, thank you, my lord, Kyle answered. My room iswonderful.I simply wasn t very tired and was eager to see the rest ofthe house. He bit his lip then, wishing he hadn t said that.He didn twant to seem too eager.Always the little bumpkin.Victor s voice echoed inside hishead.But Warren only smiled in pleasure at his eagerness.Victorwould have laughed at him.But Warren is not Victor.Victor is not here, and he won tbe if you stop thinking about him!Warren must have seen a change in his expression, for heasked, Is everything all right, Kyle? He didn t seem convinced at Kyle s nod, but he continued anyway. As we are here already, I suppose we can start your tourwith the library, if that meets with your approval? Again Kylenodded, trying to bring a smile back to his face.Warren stood and gestured about the room. This room was aproject begun by my grandfather, the third Viscount Sudbury, and inthe intervening years, both my father and I have continued to add toit.If it weren t for my sister s influence, these would probably be theonly improvements made to Kentwood in my lifetime.I fear I love theold place too much as it is to think about expanding drawing roomsand adding ballrooms and the like.As you ve probably guessed, Idon t entertain often unless my family is visiting. Warren continued to detail some of the work that had beendone, then took a moment to assure Kyle that he was welcome toread anything he chose before he glanced out the windows and said, Well, perhaps we should move outdoors so you can get a feel forthe place before the sun abandons us completely. Warren led him through the hall, back down the stairs into thecourtyard, and around the east wing of the house.Kyle couldn t helpbut notice the change in the man s manner after only a few hours inhis home.He seemed so much more relaxed and happy than he hadin London.Unfortunately for Kyle, the change in him only served toenhance his already undeniable appeal, and he was hard-pressed tokeep his mind from wandering down avenues it should not bewandering.As he was led through the flower gardens and across thesprawling lawns, Kyle also couldn t help but note the similaritiesbetween the lord and his home.It seemed to Kyle to be a livingextension of the man.The open lawns, neatly laid gardens, and simply shaped trees and shrubs had an air of quiet elegance that remindedhim of their lord.There was nothing overly ornate or garish, no riotsof colors or fantastical shapes, just nature simply arranged and neatlykept.The size and grandeur of the house were a little intimidating, aswas the man himself, but not in any calculated fashion.It was more anair of harnessed power and quiet confidence that drew Kyle at thesame time that it made him feel completely out of his depth.When Warren determined that the sun had gone too far belowthe horizon for Kyle to see properly, he led him back to the house tocontinue their tour indoors.He was shown through the great hall withits plastered walls, rich tapestries, and minstrel s gallery to a well-appointed dining room in the modern style with white-trimmed brightlemon walls, gleaming delicate furniture, and brocade-covered seatcushions.As they walked, it felt a little like traveling through time, asthe styles changed sometimes drastically from room to room.When Warren noticed Kyle s reaction to the mix of periods, hestopped his speech on the history of the house and chuckled. Imentioned my sister s influence? Well&. He waved his handaround. While there are some rooms I won t let her touch, I need togive in every once in a while, else I ll never hear the end of it. Kyle smiled at his jesting tone and said, It s wonderful, mylord, and he meant it.It had a character the pristine homes he d seenin London lacked, a sense of history that drew him and made himwish for years to explore every nook and cranny.Letting his pleasure show openly on his face, he turned to findthe lord of the house staring at him with a very odd look.As Kylewatched, the older man took a single step toward him, then halted,opening his mouth, but before he could say whatever it was he was going to say, Ellis entered through the doors at the far end of theroom. My lord, dinner is prepared.May I serve? he asked.With another somewhat breathless chuckle, Warren said, Ellis,your timing is impeccable, as always.Well, Mr.Allen, as we arealready in the dining room, are you prepared to dine? Yes, my lord, I am quite prepared, Kyle said with a laugh ofhis own.He wondered what had prompted the odd look on the otherman s face and what he had been about to say, but it seemed themoment had passed, and he didn t want to let it interfere with hisenjoyment of their banter.He knew he was perhaps being too familiarwith Warren, teasing the way he was, but he couldn t seem to helphimself.From the moment they d entered the Hall, Warren had goneout of his way to make Kyle feel welcome and relaxed, and hecouldn t help but allow it to happen.The stress of his days in Londonand the worry about his situation were fading in a dream of fragrantgardens and tapestry-covered walls.He was losing himself in thepleasant fantasy of a kind, handsome lord in his charming red brickcastle as if he belonged there.He knew, deep down, that all too soon he would receive areply to the letter he had sent before they left London, and the dreamwould be over.He also knew he d done nothing to deserve thisholiday.But for now, he would accept it and cherish it as the gift itwas, knowing it would likely be a very long time before he wouldhave another, and certainly none so grand as this. As they ate, Warren told him more of the history of the houseand the neighboring villages, and Kyle was content simply to let thatdeep voice wash over him.They ended the evening by returning tothe library and drinking port over a game of billiards, which of courseKyle lost, as he had very little experience with the game.The lightbanter they d exchanged throughout dinner continued over the table,and as Kyle sipped his way through a second glass of port, he wasfeeling quite warm and content.When Warren sat down by the fireplace to finish his port, Kylehappily moved to join him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Radcliffe s work when theyfirst met in Shropshire, and Kyle had to confess that he haddeveloped a voracious appetite for them.They were something hisfather would have never allowed in his house, and reading them hadbeen a delicious sort of rebellion for him at the time.As Kyle continued into the room, however, Warren looked upand smiled that warm smile that seemed to touch him everywhere atonce, and the illusion was dispelled.This was no tortured, broodingvillain, and his home was certainly no haunted ruin. You re down much earlier than I expected, Kyle.Was yourroom to your liking? Lord Warren asked. Oh yes, thank you, my lord, Kyle answered. My room iswonderful.I simply wasn t very tired and was eager to see the rest ofthe house. He bit his lip then, wishing he hadn t said that.He didn twant to seem too eager.Always the little bumpkin.Victor s voice echoed inside hishead.But Warren only smiled in pleasure at his eagerness.Victorwould have laughed at him.But Warren is not Victor.Victor is not here, and he won tbe if you stop thinking about him!Warren must have seen a change in his expression, for heasked, Is everything all right, Kyle? He didn t seem convinced at Kyle s nod, but he continued anyway. As we are here already, I suppose we can start your tourwith the library, if that meets with your approval? Again Kylenodded, trying to bring a smile back to his face.Warren stood and gestured about the room. This room was aproject begun by my grandfather, the third Viscount Sudbury, and inthe intervening years, both my father and I have continued to add toit.If it weren t for my sister s influence, these would probably be theonly improvements made to Kentwood in my lifetime.I fear I love theold place too much as it is to think about expanding drawing roomsand adding ballrooms and the like.As you ve probably guessed, Idon t entertain often unless my family is visiting. Warren continued to detail some of the work that had beendone, then took a moment to assure Kyle that he was welcome toread anything he chose before he glanced out the windows and said, Well, perhaps we should move outdoors so you can get a feel forthe place before the sun abandons us completely. Warren led him through the hall, back down the stairs into thecourtyard, and around the east wing of the house.Kyle couldn t helpbut notice the change in the man s manner after only a few hours inhis home.He seemed so much more relaxed and happy than he hadin London.Unfortunately for Kyle, the change in him only served toenhance his already undeniable appeal, and he was hard-pressed tokeep his mind from wandering down avenues it should not bewandering.As he was led through the flower gardens and across thesprawling lawns, Kyle also couldn t help but note the similaritiesbetween the lord and his home.It seemed to Kyle to be a livingextension of the man.The open lawns, neatly laid gardens, and simply shaped trees and shrubs had an air of quiet elegance that remindedhim of their lord.There was nothing overly ornate or garish, no riotsof colors or fantastical shapes, just nature simply arranged and neatlykept.The size and grandeur of the house were a little intimidating, aswas the man himself, but not in any calculated fashion.It was more anair of harnessed power and quiet confidence that drew Kyle at thesame time that it made him feel completely out of his depth.When Warren determined that the sun had gone too far belowthe horizon for Kyle to see properly, he led him back to the house tocontinue their tour indoors.He was shown through the great hall withits plastered walls, rich tapestries, and minstrel s gallery to a well-appointed dining room in the modern style with white-trimmed brightlemon walls, gleaming delicate furniture, and brocade-covered seatcushions.As they walked, it felt a little like traveling through time, asthe styles changed sometimes drastically from room to room.When Warren noticed Kyle s reaction to the mix of periods, hestopped his speech on the history of the house and chuckled. Imentioned my sister s influence? Well&. He waved his handaround. While there are some rooms I won t let her touch, I need togive in every once in a while, else I ll never hear the end of it. Kyle smiled at his jesting tone and said, It s wonderful, mylord, and he meant it.It had a character the pristine homes he d seenin London lacked, a sense of history that drew him and made himwish for years to explore every nook and cranny.Letting his pleasure show openly on his face, he turned to findthe lord of the house staring at him with a very odd look.As Kylewatched, the older man took a single step toward him, then halted,opening his mouth, but before he could say whatever it was he was going to say, Ellis entered through the doors at the far end of theroom. My lord, dinner is prepared.May I serve? he asked.With another somewhat breathless chuckle, Warren said, Ellis,your timing is impeccable, as always.Well, Mr.Allen, as we arealready in the dining room, are you prepared to dine? Yes, my lord, I am quite prepared, Kyle said with a laugh ofhis own.He wondered what had prompted the odd look on the otherman s face and what he had been about to say, but it seemed themoment had passed, and he didn t want to let it interfere with hisenjoyment of their banter.He knew he was perhaps being too familiarwith Warren, teasing the way he was, but he couldn t seem to helphimself.From the moment they d entered the Hall, Warren had goneout of his way to make Kyle feel welcome and relaxed, and hecouldn t help but allow it to happen.The stress of his days in Londonand the worry about his situation were fading in a dream of fragrantgardens and tapestry-covered walls.He was losing himself in thepleasant fantasy of a kind, handsome lord in his charming red brickcastle as if he belonged there.He knew, deep down, that all too soon he would receive areply to the letter he had sent before they left London, and the dreamwould be over.He also knew he d done nothing to deserve thisholiday.But for now, he would accept it and cherish it as the gift itwas, knowing it would likely be a very long time before he wouldhave another, and certainly none so grand as this. As they ate, Warren told him more of the history of the houseand the neighboring villages, and Kyle was content simply to let thatdeep voice wash over him.They ended the evening by returning tothe library and drinking port over a game of billiards, which of courseKyle lost, as he had very little experience with the game.The lightbanter they d exchanged throughout dinner continued over the table,and as Kyle sipped his way through a second glass of port, he wasfeeling quite warm and content.When Warren sat down by the fireplace to finish his port, Kylehappily moved to join him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]