He took it from her and held it over her head. “Because I may wish to do this.” Then he placed his lips against hers. In an instant, Fanella melted into him and her hands anchored upon his shoulders as if she needed support.

  He should not have kissed her. They were alone and he wanted to keep kissing her. He wanted to do more than kiss her and if he didn’t stop right now, that is what he’d be doing.

  With those thoughts he broke away. “Goodnight, Fanella.” He handed the mistletoe back to her.

  She offered a small smile. “Good night, Ethan,” and then she was gone, leaving him quite frustrated and alone.

  Just as he was about to exit, she popped back in the room. “Could ye do me a favor?”

  “Anything.”

  At that she hitched a brow as if daring him. But there was nothing that she could request that we wouldn’t provide.

  “Will ye bring me some of yer whisky so that I can try it?”

  Except that. “A miss should not be drinking whiskey.”

  “I drink it at home.”

  “But you are a guest in the castle and not in your home. It’s not proper, as you know.”

  Fanella pulled the mistletoe from her sleeve and studied it. “Then I might not be needin’ this anymore either.”

  Would she seriously deny further kissing if he didn’t bring her whiskey? “That’s blackmail,” he ground out.

  “I consider it bargainin’.” She smiled, then glided out of the music room as if she were quite certain of herself.

  Chapter 14

  The following afternoon Fanella was still quite put out. How dare Ethan decide if she could taste the Copeland whiskey or not. He wasn’t her father, brother or even courting her. He was simply someone she enjoyed spending time with and kissing. Except, there would be no more kissing. She’d been quite serious when she told him that the mistletoe would not be needed.

  “Have you visited the guard tower?” Ethan asked as he came across Fanella at the foot of the stairs.

  It had been her intention to take a walk within the bailey, alone. “No, I have not.” Her words were crisp, short and without warmth.

  “Very little has changed, other than it is not used any longer,” he offered. “We could visit it now and then you can decide what you wish to see next.”

  “I doona believe I wish to explore the castle further but thank ye.” Fanella tried to move past him but Ethan blocked her path.

  “Is this because of the whiskey?”

  She notched her chin but didn’t answer. She shouldn’t need to offer an explanation.

  “Fanella, I cannot share whiskey with you. It isn’t right and your brothers would likely have my head.”

  “They would not,” she insisted.

  “I would rather not risk it, if you don’t mind.”

  “I do mind,” Fanella sniffed.

  Ethan placed fisted hands on his hips. “Are you always this stubborn?”

  “Aye, when it’s important, or someone is tryin’ to tell me what I can or canna do.”

  “Is the whiskey so important?”

  “Not as important as ye tellin’ me what I canna do.”

  He nodded. “I believe we are at an impasse.”

  “I suppose we are. Good day Mr. Copeland.” With that, Fanella walked around him and made her way to the outer door. Once she enjoyed a brisk walk, she’d feel much better. Of that she was certain.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t wish to spend time alone with Ethan, she simply feared that she’d not be able to hold onto her convictions of not kissing him.

  Oh, she so enjoyed kissing Ethan, but that didn’t matter. As long as he insisted on making decisions for her, she’d not give him any further time.

  However, the problem with convictions was that they could be rather cold, especially when kissing could make a body so very warm.

  By the time she returned inside, Fenella’s face was numb, as were her fingers, even though she’d worn gloves and all she wanted was a hot cup of tea. Of course, Ethan’s lips could warm her just as well, but that was no longer an option and she must cease thinking about kissing, at least until he relented and let her taste his whiskey.

  Aye, she was a stubborn lass, which she well knew, and it had gotten her into trouble in the past and usually only left her with regrets. However, it wasn’t so much that tasting the whiskey was so important and if he would have offered a reasonable explanation of why he couldn’t share any with her, Fanella might have been placated. The fact that he’d decided that she simply couldn’t taste it because of her gender is what had angered her and the very reason she’d not let go over her vow until she’d won.

  Raised voices drew Fanella toward the parlor, though she couldn’t yet hear what all the excitement was about. When she stepped inside, the three maiden aunts were twittering with excitement, as was Her Grace, while Ethan stood there, his fists once again anchored on his hips while he stared down his older brother.

  “I knew it was a very bad idea to bring those parrots to England,” Darius argued. “You could have left them at home.”

  “No, I couldn’t have. They are my pets and they stay with me.”

  “Then you won’t be leaving until they can all go with you,” Darius insisted.

  “Oh, I don’t think so,” Her Grace interrupted. “Ethan has promised me one of the chicks.”

  Fanella blinked at Ethan. Chicks? Had the parrots laid eggs?

  Well, apparently they had or they wouldn’t be discussing chicks.

  “You know how I feel about those da…birds,” Darius reminded Ethan, who simply grinned.

  “Yes, you’ve made your dislike for them well-known, several times over, but as you are not yet in charge of Chatwell Castle, you have no say over any promise I’ve made to Her Grace. In fact, I intend to leave all the chicks with her when I return home with Rogue and Lady.”

  His eyes widened. “All of the chicks? How many eggs are there?”

  “At last count, two, but we are hoping for more,” Lady Joanna clapped her hands excitedly.

  “What will you do with two or more parrots, Your Grace?” Darius asked. “They need fresh fruit, nuts, and require proper care and water.”

  “They have all of that and more in the conservatory, she assured it. “It is a perfect habitat for the chicks to thrive.”

  “We promise to help take care of them,” Lady Priscilla offered to which Darius’ eyes grew wider.

  “How will you do that?”

  “Oh, didn’t you know? We are to take up residence and remain here. Our nephew worries about us traveling, and we are getting on in years, and Her Grace wished for our company, especially now that Claresta will be gone,” Lady Esther explained.

  “You will be living here for good?”

  Fanella got the distinct impression that Darius was not happy with this change in circumstances, but as he was not yet the duke, there was little he could do and he certainly had no say.

  “Parrot chicks and maddening maidens, that is what I came to England for?”

  Her Grace laughed. “No, you came to England to be a duke. You simply have the added bonus of maddening maidens and parrots.”

  Did they actually just call the three sisters maddening maidens? Rogue may have called them such but Fanella never dreamed the rest of the family did as well. How very rude and insulting, yet the three appeared unfazed and certainly not offended.

  “Magnificent maidens,” Lady Priscilla corrected.

  “Yes, of course,” Darius offered dryly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “As long as the parrots stay in the conservatory, I promise to stay out.” On those words he marched across the room and exited the parlor.

  “Oh dear, he still hasn’t gotten over the incident, has he,” Lady Esther proclaimed.

  “No, he has not and I doubt he ever will,” Ethan laughed.

  “Miss Fanella, please join us for tea,” Lady Joanna offered when she noted Fanella standing just within the room.

  “Yes, please join us,” Her Grace insisted, “And Ethan can tell us what Rogue and Lady did to offend Darius.”

  “Thank you.” Fanella found an empty seat and accepted the cup of tea as everyone’s attention turned to Ethan.

  “While these three were visiting a few years ago, Darius was also attempting to court a young woman. Unfortunately, Rogue had picked up on a few of the unpleasant names I may have called my brother when angry with him. However, he’d also seen Darius kiss someone who was not the woman he was attempting to court. As Darius and this young woman were visiting one after noon, Rogue flew by and settled upon a tree above them and proceeded to call him a number of foul names, proclaiming that he had kissed another woman, and then he defecated on Darius’ head.”

  “It was horrifying and delightful at the same time,” Lady Pricilla added.

  “We were so lucky to have witnessed it as nobody would have believed the story otherwise,” Lady Esther insisted

  “Why were you there?” Her Grace asked.

  “Why, chaperoning, of course,” Lady Joanna answered. “It’s what we do best.”

  Fanella nearly choked on her tea since they weren’t very good chaperones at all. At least they hadn’t been for her and Ethan. Not that it mattered as he hadn’t attempted to kiss her yet, and it wouldn’t matter in the future because she had no intention of allowing him to do so unless he realized his error.

  “They are certainly my favorite chaperones,” Ethan grinned before he took a sip of tea.

  Of course he’d think so. Those three would probably let him get away with anything, and he probably did. Oh, he was a rogue just as much as his parrot, but she’d not fall for his flattery or lips again.

  “Well, I must return to my duties. We are having a wedding in a few days,” Her Grace announced.

  “You go on, dear,” Lady Pricilla said. “We’ll chaperone these two, we promise.”

  Her Grace chuckled. “I’m certain they don’t need to be watched too closely.” She stood and shook out her skirts. “However, I’d like to know where my daughter has disappeared to, as she needs to make preparations as well, and given Donovan often is missing when she is, perhaps they are the two who need a chaperone.”

  “They marry in a sennight,” Lady Joanna dismissed. “Let them be.”

  Ethan wished people would let him be so that he could be alone with Fanella, except he was fully certain that she didn’t wish to be alone with him. There must be some way that he could win her back over so that they could continue to come to know the other that didn’t involve him providing whiskey for her to partake.

  It wasn’t that he was against women drinking whiskey. His sisters had sipped a glass or two at home, but on rare occasions, and in the privacy of their home. It wasn’t something a woman should do in polite Society, or at a house party such as this. Certainly, Fanella realized as much.

  Except, he’d thought nothing of sharing a bottle and a half of wine with her in the cell that first evening.

  But wine was different. It was acceptable for women to drink wine.

  Except, it wasn’t acceptable for a woman to drink as much wine as Fanella had.

  Bloody hell, this argument inside his head wasn’t getting him anywhere because he could see the point of each side of the argument.

  However, it would be wrong for him to provide her whiskey and that was a conviction he must stand by.

  “Is the wall movin’?” Fanella asked with concern.

  Ethan glanced over as a panel near the back corner slowly opened. “I didn’t realize one of the passages ended here.”

  “Passages?” Fanella asked with interest.

  Was this how he could win her back? He could offer to guide her through the labyrinth within the stone walls, which would also give them privacy as well.

  “Oh, I’d quite forgotten about those,” Lady Priscilla answered. “The castle is full of secret passages.”

  “They are as old as the castle and put in place when the keep was designed,” Lady Esther offered with authority. “In the event the castle was overtaken by the enemy, those within could hide and make an escape.”

  Fanella’s eyes widened and the grey depths sparked with interest.

  A moment later Claresta peeked out from behind the panel a bit sheepishly. “Oh, hello.”

  “Hello dear,” Lady Joanna greeted. “Did you have a lovely time and is that devilishly handsome betrothed with you?”

  “Um, ah, yes. I was, um, showing him about,” Claresta answered as she stepped into the parlor, Donovan close behind. The two looked rather disheveled and Ethan couldn’t help but wonder if it was the secret passages these two ran off to when nobody could find them.

  “Your mother is looking for you dear,” Lady Priscilla advised.

  “Oh, dear, well I will find her directly, after I’ve repaired my appearance. It was quite dusty inside, and cobwebs…”

  Ethan nearly snorted. For being hidden within the stone walls, the passages were quite clean, as if the servants tended to them as well as the rest of the castle.

  Claresta hurried from the room and Donovan followed close behind. The two behaved as if they’d been caught doing something they shouldn’t. Then again, they weren’t married yet, which means they shouldn’t have been wandering through the dark passages without a chaperone. Not that he blamed them as he hoped to do the same thing with Fanella.

  “Oh dear, look at the time,” Lady Priscilla gasped as she looked at the small timepiece she wore about her neck. “It’s time to rest.”

  “Goodness yes,” Lady Joana set her tea cup aside and stood.

  “If we are to remain awake for this evening’s entertainment, we must nap,” Lady Esther added and within a blink of an eye the three were gone, leaving Ethan very much alone with Fanella.

  “So much for our chaperones,” she grumbled before she took a sip of tea.

  “Are they really necessary?” he asked. In his heart he knew that they were, not that he’d beg them to come back, even though common sense would suggest that he do so. But, where Fanella was involved, Ethan feared much of his common sense may be missing.

  “Aye.” She took a sip of tea again.

  “I could show them to you. The secret passages.”

  Interest lit in her eyes again, but she quickly turned away as her back stiffened. “Thank you, but it would not be proper.”

  “We could wait until the sisters are free and ask them to join us,” he offered even though he wanted Fanella to himself. He also knew it was safer if they weren’t alone.

  “Perhaps,” she agreed, then tilted her chin. “Or, I might just ask them to accompany me without you.”

  She was more upset than he realized. “Are you still angry because I will not let you try Copeland whiskey?”

  With a huff she stood. “Nay. I am upset that you believe ye can tell me what I can and canna do.” With a twist, she turned her back on him and marched from the room. “Good day, Mr. Copeland.”

  Bloody hell, she was stubborn, more so than even his sisters, but he could not give in. It just wasn’t right.

  Yet, if he didn’t, he might lose her before he ever learned if they would suit, or before he came to know her better.

  Did he really wish to if she were to be so stubborn?

  Ethan didn’t even give the matter much thought. He’d much rather spend his time with a woman who knew her own mind and was quite capable of making decisions for herself instead of a miss who would look to him for guidance in all things.

  As much as he hated to be the one to give in, he knew that Fanella would not, which meant he had to decide if he was willing to let go of his pride.

  Chapter 15

  Fanella wanted to explore the secret passages more than anything, and she had wanted to see the guard house as well, but not if it meant being alone with Ethan. Besides holding on to her anger, she was also aware of her weakness, which was the desire to be kissed again. She knew that if she followed him into the dark passages she’d give into his lips and then she’d be angry with herself.

  That was the very reason why she had avoided him the night before and for most of the day, but as dinner concluded, Fanella feared that she was weakening.

  It didn’t help that he’d taken the seat beside her, and that he had pressed his leg against hers a few times or leaned in a bit too close to speak with her. It was all done on purpose even though he behaved innocently as if he had done nothing improper.

  The only time he pulled away was when Duncan glared at him, but once Duncan’s attention was turned elsewhere, Ethan moved closer again.

  His conversation was inane as well, making simple comments about the meal as if he needed to speak, simply to be speaking.

  “There is another egg, which makes a total of three,” he said.

  This caught her attention. “Do ye think there will be more?”

  “I don’t know, though I wish I did.”

  “Her Grace will be happy to have three parrots.”

  “But Darius will not,” Ethan laughed.

  “Maybe he’ll like these better since it was Rogue who offended him in the first place.”

  “He’ll probably teach them all manner of phrases that are insulting to me.”

  Fanella laughed. “That’s what I’d do if my brother’s parrot had done the same to me.”

  “Why are older siblings so difficult?”

  “I doona ken, but they are aggravatin’.”

  “They always think they know better than the rest of us, as if their few extra years on this earth makes them smarter.”

  “Aye, and makin’ decisions that arena theirs to make, and bossin’ the younger siblings around.”

  Ethan met her eyes. “As when I made a decision for you.”

  She held his. “Aye. I doona like being told what I can and canna do.”

  “As you’ve demonstrated,” he chuckled. “I apologize.”

  Fanella studied him. “Do ye really?”

  “I do.”

  With those words, all irritation with Ethan dissolved, and she was filled with warmth once again.

  However, he didn’t say if he’d share the whiskey with her, but the fact that he had apologized and admitted that he was wrong…Except he hadn’t admitted he was wrong. He had simply apologized.