The parents were smart, well dressed and looked wealthy as was only to be expected. He defied even the pickiest person to separate them from any members of the ton by their appearance. He sat up straighter when he saw Miss Watson step lightly onto the raked turning circle. Both her name and her appearance were out of the ordinary. Half a head taller than most young ladies, a glorious head of russet curls and she too was beautifully gowned.

  From his vantage point he was too far away to see her features clearly but he was definitely intrigued. Her lack of pedigree was no obstacle. She, he thought, was a definite contender for the honour of marrying the seventh Earl of Stonham and then, in return, he father would fill his empty coffers.

  He smiled at his nonsense. He hoped the next four were as interesting – but he doubted this would be the case. He'd disregarded the Thompson girl as he'd rather be evicted than repair the damage done by his father with funds gained by selling human beings into slavery.

  So fascinated was he by the first arrivals that he abandoned his post and strolled down to the drawing room to meet the girl in person. The family rooms were to the right of the central gallery and the guests were on the left. The extra servants would be accommodated in the attics along with his own staff.

  He was crossing the gallery when his eye was caught by a fleeting glimpse of the red-headed girl vanishing into a bedchamber on the left. He paused and to his amusement she emerged and dashed into the next suite of rooms. This was repeated until she'd visited all the chambers prepared for the influx of guests. What the devil was she doing?

  Forgetting he'd been spying on her, he walked over to the passageway and hailed her. 'Miss Watson, would you care to enlighten me as to exactly what you're about?'

  She actually left the floor so great was her shock at being accosted. He did an unforgivable thing – he laughed. The girl spun and then, instead of doing what he'd expected and running away to hide her embarrassment, she stormed to meet him.

  'Well, my lord, I might have guessed you'd get your entertainment laughing at others. It's what I'd expect of a person who is prepared to accommodate guests in the awful rooms my family has.' She stared belligerently at him her magnificent emerald green eyes flashing dangerously. He opened his mouth to speak but she continued to berate him. This was no longer acceptable or amusing.

  'My governess had better rooms than I do, sir…'

  'Enough. No one speaks to me as you have done… ' His expression was glacial, his tone icy.

  To his bewilderment she laughed. 'That's a non sequitur, my lord, as I've just done so.'

  His anger evaporated and he found himself laughing with her. 'Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am the Earl of Stonham and your host for the next few weeks.'

  Her smile was impish as she curtsied. What impertinence was she about to come out with next?

  'I am Thea Watson, your reluctant guest for the next few weeks.'

  'I thought all young ladies with a fortune and no pedigree want nothing more than to marry into the aristocracy.'

  'Possibly some of them. I think you might find, my lord, that it's the parents that are more invested in such a scheme. As a dutiful and obedient daughter I'm here to parade in front of you like a broodmare at Tattersalls.'

  This was an outrageous thing to say but instead of being offended he was amused by her candour. 'That, Miss Watson, is a Banbury tale. Anyone less dutiful one would be hard to find.'

  She acknowledged his remark but didn't reply to that but changed the subject. 'I suggest that you inspect my bedchamber and come to a decision about its suitability for yourself.'

  She swept away, head held high, and he'd no option but to follow. He was indeed shocked to the core when she walked past all the guest suites, went through a door at the end of the passageway into a mean corridor with several doors leading from it. These rooms were for upper servants, governesses, valets, dressers – not guests.

  'Miss Watson, you've no need to proceed as there has been serious breach of good manners. I'll go downstairs immediately and rectify matters. I can assure you that you and your parents will be transferred to chambers appropriate to your station as honoured guests of mine.'

  Her smile lit the dark space. 'Then my work is done here. Pray excuse me, my lord, I'll bear the good tidings to my parents.'

  He was most displeased at this blatant insult to the family. He accosted his mother in the drawing room. 'Ma'am, what bee has got into your bonnet to put the Watson family in servants' quarters? Have them moved to the our side at once.'

  Her mouth dropped open. 'They've been put where? I left the arrangements to our staff. How absolutely dreadful – what must they think of us? I'll put right the error immediately.'

  She pulled the bell-strap and Foster appeared almost immediately. He watched with some amusement and considerable admiration as the butler was put firmly in his place and threatened with dismissal if he did anything so heinous again.

  The man apologised then, red-faced, backed from the room and Benedict was in no doubt the Watson family would be transferred immediately. His intention had been to remain away from the guests until dinner but he was interested to meet the parents of this unusual young lady.

  A few minutes later Miss Watson and her parents arrived. His mother ignored formality and rushed across and took Mrs Watson's hands in hers. 'I am so sorry for the horrible welcome you received. I assure you it wasn't my intention to insult you all. Foster, our butler, was behind this and if he so much as drops a fork in front of you then he'll be dismissed without reference.'

  'I own that we were somewhat surprised at our accommodation but thought it might be because the house was full. Thank you, my lady, for your apology and for putting things right so speedily.'

  Mr Watson didn't bow, but offered his hand to shake. Benedict took it willingly. 'Mr Watson, Mrs Watson, I'm delighted to welcome you to Harcourt House and hope that your initial impressions of our negligent hospitality will soon be dispelled.'

  'Forget it, sir, no harm done. Although I'm at a loss to know how this error was discovered so soon.'

  'Miss Watson brought it to my attention. We met by chance in the gallery when she was exploring.' There were no curtsies and no bows on either side and the family went up in his estimation.

  His mother slipped her arm through that of Mrs Watson and drew her over to the arrangement of chairs set nearest to one of the roaring fires. 'Please, my dear Mrs Watson, be seated and we can get to know each other. Refreshments are on their way. Did you have a tedious journey here?'

  Miss Watson caught his eye, raised a delicate eyebrow slightly, and then followed the two ladies and sat down primly in a chair opposite them. If she thought she was demonstrating her obedience by doing so he wasn't fooled for a moment.

  'Mr Watson, I admire your team. You have a good eye for a horse.'

  'No, I ride them and drive them but could scarcely tell a thoroughbred from a nag; it's my daughter who knows about equines.' He chuckled and looked fondly at the girl. 'She thinks I don't know that she's having her stallion and dogs brought here. They will be arriving tomorrow sometime.'

  'Thank you for the warning, sir, but I must admit I'm shocked to hear your daughter rides a stallion.'

  'Then I'll shock you even more, my boy, as she rides him astride in breeches on my land. Best seat in the county if I say so myself.'

  Benedict was indeed shocked. The idea of a young lady riding a stallion in men's attire appalled him. He looked across at the lively girl he'd instantly taken an interest in and mentally crossed her off the list.

  *

  Thea paid little attention to what her mother and the Dowager Countess were saying. She reviewed what she'd learnt about their host. It was obvious to anyone that he was a handsome man, two yards tall in his stockings, broad-shouldered and with no need of padding around his calves. He had hair the colour of summer corn and eyes like spring violets.

  That he was also authoritative, arrogant and intelligent couldn't be denied. There was, however, something she didn't like about him and that was the fact he was prepared to marry without love in order to restore his fortunes.

  With her head lowered she raised her eyes knowing her long lashes would disguise the fact she was looking at him. Her fists, arranged neatly on her lap as they should be, clenched. He was staring at her in a most disagreeable and speculative way. What had Pa just told him about her to make him look at her with such disgust?

  Tant pis! If he intended to look elsewhere for his heiress then she could experience the pleasure of being away from home for a while. Apart from visits to London, and staying in their smart town house in Hanover Square, she rarely went anywhere and certainly had never travelled as far as Suffolk before.

  'Dora, pay attention,' her mother said sharply. 'I asked you to fetch me a bowl of tea and some of the dainty sandwiches and pastries that have been set out in the table over there.'

  'I beg your pardon, Mama, I'll do so at once. My lady, can I fetch you something first?'

  She spent the next twenty minutes ferrying plates of food to each person as if she was a member of their staff and not a guest. They had sufficient servants so why hadn't a footman remained in the room to do this task?

  The tea was now unpalatable but at least she was able to fill her plate and then take it to a table as far away from the others as it was possible to be without drawing attention to herself. She was scarcely halfway through her sandwiches, had not even tasted the pastries, when her mother stood up indicating they were to leave.

  They'd been in the drawing room for less than an hour so it was impossible for their new accommodation to be available – where were they supposed to go meanwhile? It was the middle of winter, and although sunny, it was barely above freezing and they could hardly wander around in the park pretending to enjoy the non-existent flowers.

  Obediently she followed her parents hoping they knew where they were to spend the next hour or so. She wasn't to be left in ignorance for long as not one, but two footmen were there to guide them to a pretty sitting room facing the gardens.

  'This is delightful, Joseph, and we are to have its use exclusively. Her ladyship assured me that none of the other guests will have access to it. How fortuitous that we were placed in the wrong accommodation as if that hadn't happened then I doubt we'd be in the favourable position that we now are in.'

  'I liked the young man, Beth, but I need to know more about him before I give my permission for our girl to marry him.'

  Thea couldn't remain silent another moment. 'Good grief, I've only spoken a few words to him and here you are talking as if he's going to offer for me. He's handsome, I can't deny that, but I need more than that to persuade me to accept an offer from him. Anyway, I think it highly unlikely that I'm top of his list.'

  'A point well made, my dear, let's not be counting chickens too soon. It's a pity we can't see the front of the house from here as I'd be interested to view the arrival of the other guests.'

  'As would I, Pa – I beg your pardon, Papa. Lady Harcourt is going to be awash with tea and sandwiches before the afternoon is over. Did you wonder why the butler chose us to be put in those horrible rooms?'

  Her father answered, her mother was unusually quiet. 'It did occur to me there must have been a reason for it. As we've know notion who the other families are it's impossible to say but, dear girl, I intend to make it my business to find out.'

  She carefully avoided any mention of the earl as to have conversed so freely with him without a chaperone and, horror of horrors, have suggested that he looked into her bedchamber would scandalise not only her more sensitive mother, but also her father.

  'I'd really like to explore the rest of the house but that might be inadvisable at present. Do you think they might be going to escort all of us around as they did at Pemberley when we visited that magnificent estate belonging to Mr Darcy, Joseph?'

  Her parents had travelled to Derbyshire together when she was still in the schoolroom. It was somewhere she'd dearly like to go and, if she had the opportunity, would also like to venture as far north as Scotland and see the mountains for herself.

  'I remember that occasion well. The housekeeper was a pleasant woman but I'm sure Mr Darcy would have been irate if he realised his home had become a tourist attraction and that his housekeeper and butler were making money from these tours.' Pa chuckled and continued. 'There's no danger of anyone wishing to admire this house as it's in a sorry state of repair. Admittedly it's been spruced up for this occasion but someone with a good eye notices the disrepair.'

  'Well, Joseph, I hardly think any of us would be here to try and secure his hand for our daughters if it were otherwise. Remind me again, how did the family come to lose their wealth?'

  'Not gambling – well, not gambling in the sense that you might understand it. However, as far as I'm concerned, to put one's entire fortune into a risky investment is an even worse flaw in a man's character.' He raised a hand and smiled lovingly at her mother. 'Don't get het up, my love, I did check and it was the previous holder of the title who made such catastrophic financial errors.'

  Thea had sat silent for too long. 'What about the son? Do we know anything about his probity?'

  'Good heavens, Dora, that sort of thing is not a lady's concern.'

  'Mama, forgive me, but it's more my concern than yours as you wish me to marry him. I've absolutely no intention of doing so if he's either a gambler, womaniser or has a bad reputation of any sort.'

  Her father shrugged. 'She's right, my love. I did keep something I learned from you both. His lordship has spent the past three years junketing about the place – he had his grand tour when he came down from Oxford – but continued to do all the things you mentioned, Dora, until his father perished in the riding accident. You can be very certain that he wouldn't be looking for a wife if his father hadn't died so suddenly leaving the family almost destitute.'

  Her mother was upset for a few minutes but then decided that, on balance, an earl of any sort was preferable to none at all.

  They'd been chatting of this and that for what seemed like hours when there was a polite tap on the door. A footman announced that the new accommodation was ready and he was to conduct them to it.

  This was exactly what Thea had been waiting for. If Madame Fortune smiled on them they might get a glimpse of another family being entertained to tea and cakes. Well, maybe not cakes but just almond biscuits as it was now only an hour to dinner.

  When they reached the gallery, instead of going left they were led into the right-hand passageway where the rooms for family and relatives were situated. Her garrulous mother was silent at this unexpected happening.

  This passageway was sumptuously carpeted, numerous ancestors hung in depressing portraits on the wall, and everywhere was immaculate. This side of the house had been well maintained.

  The footman stopped at an open door, her father's valet was standing there beaming. 'This is your apartment, sir.' He continued to another door. 'This is your apartment, madam.'

  Her parents vanished into their respective chambers and he continued and stopped next to what was presumably her domain. This was confirmed by Annie opening the door and dipping in a formal curtsy.

  Thea hid her smile as her maid rarely curtsied at all and certainly not so low as this. 'Before you go, at what time is dinner served here?'

  'We keep country hours as her ladyship prefers that. Dinner will be in a quarter of an hour, Miss Watson.'

  He smirked as he turned away knowing they'd been left no time to change if they didn't want to be tardy. The Dowager Countess's threat of dismissal had obviously not deterred the obnoxious butler and his staff from making things as difficult as possible for them.

  'Annie, go at once to my parents and tell them we have ten minutes to change.'

  'I've got your evening gown laid out. It won't take you a minute to step into it, miss.'

  Her maid rushed off to convey this information leaving her to find her way about this new apartment. First, she admired, very briefly, the sitting room which one walked through to the bedchamber. This was spacious, luxurious, as was the bedroom, and there was a separate box room for Annie to sleep in so she'd be on call when needed.

  In less than five minutes she was dressed in a pretty buttercup-yellow gown with a demi-train, and golden embroidery around the hem and neckline. When Annie returned she already had on her fresh stockings and was putting her feet into the matching evening slippers.

  'I stayed a few minutes to help madam, she'd got more to take off and put on than Mary could manage on her own. I just need to tidy your hair and help you on with your gloves and you're ready.'

  Thea paused for a minute to glance at her reflection in the long mirror and was satisfied she looked her best. Her lips curved at the thought of the shock the colour of her gown might have on her host. Debutantes were expected to wear pale, pastel colours but her mother had indulged her wish to have something brighter that suited her unusual colouring better.

  With the elbow-length gloves smoothed over her arms, the loop that held her train from beneath her feet over her wrist, she was ready to depart.

  She stepped into the passageway at the same time as her parents. Her mother looked far younger than her years, her dark hair had not a fleck of grey, her gown of peach silk was the height of fashion and suited her perfectly. No turban festooned with feathers on her head – a fashion the entire family abhorred.

  'You look quite beautiful, Mama, and, Papa, you look handsome and authoritative as always.'

  'Thank you, child, and although I don't quite like the colour of your gown you too are looking lovely,' her mother said with a proud smile.

  They headed for the gallery, not hurrying but certainly walking more briskly than was usual. The sound of gay chatter in the drawing room meant they were not embarrassingly tardy.

  Chapter Four

  Benedict greeted all the guests and had already forgotten most of their names. They were, apart from one group, exactly what he'd expected and feared. The girls were silly, simpering young ladies with not a sensible thought in their heads and their mothers over-eager to impress. The Hoskins, however, were different. The daughter, was a pretty, golden-haired girl who'd smiled sweetly at him and answered his questions without hesitation.