Nick watched Claire enter the room like an engrossed child. If she was faking all the excitement and the sudden kindness towards him, then she was an excellent actress. She didn’t seem to even notice that she had left her place by his side and walked towards the middle of the room on her own. Robert, now carrying Nick’s hat, stood some paces from the double doors, while Nick leaned on the frame with his arms crossed over his chest. He felt the box in his breast pocket poking at his forearm. 

[i] “Hold on, you’ve already ordered new furniture and you’re telling me I can change whatever I want?”[/i] She suddenly asked, turning sharply towards him. Nick responded with an innocent look. 

“I… uh…” he tried, but decided to finish the sentence with, “Of course you can,” plus a charming smile.

To which she answered, [i]“That seems a bit foolish to me. I trust you chose what would look best, at least for now. If the estate were horribly ugly I would be a bit more wary, but with the right pieces in here…”[/i] Her voice echoed in the empty room, high-pitched with excitement. He thought she would start twirling around dancing. Her happiness exuded from her and it was contagious. He found himself wanting to walk up to her and twirl her around if she was not going to do it herself. Perhaps some other time when they attended a ball as a married couple. [i]“This place will look like a dream.”[/i]

[i]”I’m impressed. Thank you, Nicholas. Now let’s see. The bed will go right here,”[/i] she pointed where she wanted his bed to be, but since it would be his, there was no point in listening to her right then. [i] “And the couch will go over in that corner there. That way I can watch you curled up like a dog while I fall asleep. May I see the rest of the estate? I’d like to postpone going back as long as possible…”[/i]

Nick chuckled. “If all you wanted is to watch me sleeping, I can sleep somewhere else more accessible,” he said with that lopsided grin of his as he met her halfway. He stopped in front of Claire, close enough to look her down or grab her. He did the latter, because the lady stood only up to Nick’s chin. “Then again, the question is whether or not you shall have the privilege of sleeping on the bed,” he smirked, then he looked over his shoulder and added for Robert, “None of this is to be mentioned to my father.”

The butler bowed in obeisance. Nick casually placed an arm around Claire’s shoulder steering her out of the room. “This way, your most royal highness,” he declared, his voice resounding in the room. He led her to the door and walked straight, following the corridor. “We continue the tour around your kingdom. Robert, please lead the way.”

“Naturally, sir,” the Butler answered. Even if Robert’s brown hair was starting to gray, the gentleman was fit enough to walk faster than his master. “Please follow me.”

He led the tour of the house, from the master’s bedroom to the guest bedrooms and the servant quarters. Each room was sized and designed differently, but in the latest fashion. One or two were even reserved for the future children of the couple, these rooms were already fully furnished. It made him wonder who really was in–charge of preparing the house, because the how illogical was it to furnish rooms whish were less likely to be used first.

After the bedrooms, the butler led them to the kitchen on the first floor. It was also a large room with enough windows to be airy and comfortable. Nick thought that it had the capacity to cook for a party, which led him to ask, “Robert, I remember we have a ballroom?”

“Yes, you do, sir.” He nodded. “Would you like to inspect it next?”

“Yes, please.” Then to Claire he said, “You can organize dinner parties better than any dinner party ever organized in London. No doubt your guests would say nothing but praises. But there’s something I need to tell you,” he paused, staring ahead instead of looking at her. “The guests cannot stay until midnight. The noise will disturb the spirits roaming the halls.”

Robert cleared his throat. He turned on a corner and followed the corridor again until they were met by yet another double door. However that one was taller and grander than their bedroom’s door. Without warning, the butler pushed one of the doors open and they were welcomed into the section of the house that was two storey high, with balconies around the perimeter.

“This is your grand ballroom, Mr. Rochford,” the butler introduced. “The library, I believe is almost as large, but at the moment the book collection of yourself and your father’s is still in York.”