Midnight Masquerade (32 page)

“Deal. Please have everyone take the rest of the night off after we turn in, we’ll see everyone in the morning, we’re in no rush I plan on us staying for an extended time.” Alastair offered quickly.

Turning and walking into the door, Mrs. Potts waved goodbye to them, “I’ll see to everything my lovelies, go have a drink and I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“A drink does sound perfect.” She admitted, pulling him into the threshold.

“Far be it for me to argue, come love and see your new home.” Swopping her up in his arms, he stepped through the door and into a four story marble foyer that housed the largest crystal chandelier she had ever seen in her life.

Elated to finally be out of the carriage she held tight to Alastair’s neck as he did a slow spin showing the enormity and elaborate architecture that surrounded her. It was like a fairytale, there were no words for what she was seeing.
Exuding royal decadence, Castle Blackstone was quickly stealing her heart.

“Say you love it Lia.”

She could hear the desire in his voice, a hopeful desire that she would love
his home
as much as he did. Very few times did Alastair let his emotional guard down, but she could see his needs and wants clearly.

Kissing his jaw, “I have never been so stunned by beauty in all my life Alastair, I have been in mansions and castles of royalty and the wealthiest people in the world but I have never seen such perfection in all my life. It
feels
like home, effortlessly.”

Feeling him kiss her forehead, he lowered her down and entwined his fingers with hers as he starred into her eyes. Seeing him nod to his right, he winked at her and gently pulled her towards the elaborately carved double doors down the hall, doors that most likely housed the castle library, his library.

Standing outside the door, she watched as Alastair let go of her hand and opened the grand doors to his library, casting them both wide open as he walked deep into the library.

Swa
llowing she stepped forward
, “Oh Alastair, this library puts all others to shame!” Eyeing the two-story high library, she walked in and closed the heavy doors behind her as she took in the warmth of the medieval room that had been transformed over generations.

Very much like Gideon’s library, it was two stories high with a second level of bookshelves. However, this room was circular in the base of the right front tower and dwarfed all other known libraries.

Illuminated by an elaborately carved fireplace that was surely big enough she could walk into it, along with a few well placed candelabras. Hearing Alastair pouring them a drink she looked up to the vaulted ceiling to see a painting that took her breath away.

“The Birth of Venus…” she whispered, her jaw dropping at the beautiful replication of Botticelli’s famous painting.
Looking back at Alastair who stood tall in his masculine domain, he simply winked at her.

Stepping in farther, she slowly did a spin, taking in the endless tall bookshelves lined elegantly from top to bottom with priceless books.
The room’s design was spectacular with windows adorning the rim of the tower that looked out into the night, the fireplace was on a sunken level of the room that held comfortable seating and Alastair’s desk. Stepping up, one would meet another open level that held a grand piano. It was if each level held it’s own appeal. The room itself could easily sit a large group if need be, standing in Alastair’s room she could feel his family’s heritage and pride exuding from the walls.

Old armor
ed
suits were standing tall between bookshelves, his family’s coat of arms were proudly displayed above the fireplace and carved into almost every piece of furniture in the room. The thick Persian rugs made the library feel warm and inviting, as did the rich dark wood that had been standing here for centuries.

“My father had a great affinity for collecting art, although he could not purchase the original
art, he commissioned an artist to create him the Birth of Venus upon his library’s
ceiling. We have many priceless pieces throughout our estates thanks to my late father’s habit of collecting beautiful works of arts. We have paintings and statues most museum’s would drool over, in fact, I’ve gotten many offers for some of our collection.”

Casting her eyes to her future husband, she walked down the levels to join him by the grand fire, “I do not believe I’ve ever seen a room like this in my life, it is amazing.”

“Tis one of my favorites, I harbor many fond memories in this castle and especially in this room. This is the very place my father training me to be a duke, I endured endless lessons here. He was always patient with me, warm and loving. At a very young age he began instructing me on my duties as the future Duke of Blackstone.”

Slowly descending by the fire she felt at home, thankful for this time alone with him she knew it wouldn’t be long before her family arrived, and the majority of their privacy would be impugned upon due to the closeness of her own talkative family.

Taking the glass of scotch he offered, she took a sip of the strong liquid and ran her
free arm around his trim waist and pressed her breasts against his strong chest, “Your father would be proud of you Alastair, as would your mother. You are a good man, you’ve served our country well.”

“Do you think I’ll be a good husband Amelia?”

Temporarily shocked by his blunt question she starred up into his blue eyes and blinked, taking a slow drink she ran her hand further down his ass and squeezed, “I have faith in you my love, yes, you’ll be an amazing husband.”

“This place is too much, isn’t it? I can tell Lia…”

Pondering his words for a moment she threw back her drink and finished it, s
etting it delicately
on the table behind him, “
Indeed, Castle
Blackstone is overwhelming. It will take me time to learn its secrets, but I always was an apt student, and I would imagine you shall be the most excellent teacher I could ever have?”

His lips curled into a
devilish
grin, sitting down his drink her sandy blonde fiancé ran his hand over her hip and drew here close, hard.

“I will be your
only
teacher for the rest of your beautiful life my sweet.”

Running her hands up his chest she leaned into his muscular chest and sighed, “I’m glad we
’
re here.”

“Home, a home that we will fill with laughter and love.”

Snorting, “You forget my family is coming, all three Somerset children under one roof, adding in my brothers’ wives and children, Lady Juliet and of course Hero…this house will be filled with many things Alastair, you damn well know there will be far more than laughter and love bursting through the door once they arrive.”

“Castle Blackstone has been patiently waiting for that exact commotion Lia, as has our staff. They are delighted, nah, overjoyed with the idea of this ducal home coming alive again. You will be an inspiring duchess, the entire countryside already loves you, anything you want you only have to ask.”

“Can we go on a ri
de in the morning, you and I?” s
ighing, she ran her hands around his waist and squeezed, “I miss my early morning rides
, and I’m dying to see your lands.”

“How could I ever deny you Amelia? I’m sure you can find a way to wake me tomorrow morning that’d make rise to attention.”

Biting his chest playfully, “We have ourselves a deal my love.”

A soft knock at the door drew them back to the real world, looking over her shoulder she heard the delightful voice of Mrs. Potts, “My dears, there is a bath waiting upstairs for you, as is a warm dinner.
Have a wonderful night my darlings, we shall see you tomorrow morn.”

Clearing his throat, Alastair called back fondly, “Impressive as always Mrs. Potts. We will see you bright and early.”

Sighing, she whispered as she looked up at him, “A bath and food, they know how to treat a lady.”

“They aren’t the only ones love,” He teased, scooping her up into his arms he navigated away from the
main door they had entered.

Confused, “Where are we going?”

“You wanted to learn this castles secrets love, so consider this your first lesson. This library has a direct secret hallway hidden between the walls, eventually you’ll learn all the passages just like I did. This one however, connects two of my favorite rooms the library and the ducal suite.”

“Oh,
the
secret hallways…do, go on!” She chuckled a he walked up to the second level of the circular library. Stopping before the black armored suit, he pulled on the knight’s codpiece.

“My great grandfather was a bit of a jokester, he thought the codpiece trigger for the secret door was awfully clever, however my great grandmother
,
she was not amused.”
As he spoke the bookshelf smoothly folded back revealing a dark tunnel, absolutely no light penetrated the silent hidden passageway.

“Is there any light?” She asked, peering into the darkness.

“One could take a candle if need be, however, I do not.” He boasted, walking directly into the
pass way
and using the side of his fist, he hit a release button just inside the hallway closing the secret door firmly behind them.

Shivering, she held tighter.

“You’re not scared are you Lia?”

“I am not one for the dark.”

“You seem fine when I’m around.”

“I’m not afraid of anythin
g when you are near Alastair.” She whispered in the dark, feeling his hands tighten around her as he navigated the
pitch-black
hallway expertly.

“I like that Amelia, I like that a lot. It is elemental to me that you feel safe with me, in all things. Now, remember these directions to and from our bed to my library, you can spend the rest of your life sneaking up on me while I’m at my desk.”

“Of course Your Grace, do, go on.” She grinned in the dark.

“Leaving the library you will walk past four doors, then follow the stairs that are on the left side up two flights. Next, you will take an immediate left at the top of the stairs and find the fifth door, that is our room.”

Comprehending how many doors they’d have to pass, “How many hidden entrances do you have in this place?”

“Out of the three hundred
plus
rooms, which include bedrooms, ballrooms, the library,
solars
and every type of room in between, we have access to over two hundred rooms
with the web of hidden tunnels
.”

“Good god.” She muttered, absolutely stunned at the engineering genius that went into planning such an elaborate maze while the ancient home was under construction.

“You are the first to learn of these halls since I did, my father taught me the entire labyrinth when I was a young lad. Very few of my staff know of the passageways, and even they do not know the entirety of the layout. Alfred and Mrs. Potts are aware of a few passages; they are like blood to me. Many of Castle Blackstone’s staff has been born and raised here, Alfred and Mrs. Potts are no different. They served my great grandparents, my parents and now us.”

Arriving at the top of the stairs, she counted the doors as Alastair carried her towards her new room, anticipating the ducal bedroom she’d share with Alastair for the rest of her life her
excitement
rose as he came towards the fifth door.

Feeling him set her down softly on her feet in the dark corridor, he entwined his warm hand with hers and lifted it to his lips.

“Inside these hidden hallways, each door has a trigger release,” he spoke, lifting her hand in the darkness to show her where it was, “You only have to push the release and the door will open, all doors have the same release trigger. Go ahead love, push it.”

With his giant hand on hers, she did as requested and pressed the cold metal button, instantly the wall before her opened up. Standing directly in the middle of the opening she felt Alastair’s warm body press against her back as he
draped
his right arm over her shoulder. Blinking to adjust her eyes to the light, she
once again was in awe.

“Welcome home my love…” he whispered behind her, gently guiding her into the warm room.

Tall dark wood panels
lined the room
from floor to ceiling encased the entire
bedchamber
in a warm richness, the windows draped in a rich purple velvet that were closed for privacy anchored the room. A fireplace equal in size to the one in the library roared with a fire taller than she, warming the room in a blanket of comfort.

Before the fireplace was a settee and two large chairs, with an elaborately carved table which held a steaming tray of food and tea. The rest of the room was lit by well-placed candelabra’s that Mrs. Potts must have lit when she prepared the room.

The bed was large, just like the one Alastair had in his London home, but this one seemed far more sensual. The
four-post
bed was draped in dark purple and black silk, as was the bed
coverings
. It looked like a bed for lovers, and bed for her and Alastair.
Although a large room, the furniture and fabric made it feel
alluring to the senses it welcomed her in
,
and the best of all,
it smelled like her man.