Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

with the place, but he was looking for something more – Sassy.
    “ Mr. Wells,” said Alistair. “Mr. MacGreagor wishes to see you in the study.”
    “ Very well.” He followed the butler into the study and shook hands with Hannish. “This is quite some place, Mr. MacGreagor.”
    “ I thank you. You would not happen to have a mounted grizzly head you are willing to sell? My sister teases me about putting one on the wall in here.”
    “ A bear head, no, I do not believe I do. I am not much of a hunter, you see, although there are bears in these woods.”
    “ So I found out last year when we began to build.” He reached into his drawer and pulled out a check. “I believe this is what we agreed upon.”
    “ Is Leesil around?”
    Hannish’s smile faded. “Somewhere, I suppose. Is the check made out properly?”
    Amos quickly glanced over it. “Oh, yes it is. Might I speak to Leesil for a moment?”
    Hannish was about to ask what about, when he realized it was really none of his business. “Wait in the foyer and I shall try to find her.”
    Amos went to the foyer where he waited and waited, turning his straw hat round and round in his hands the whole time. He watched his furniture being taken to other rooms in the house and waited some more.
    At last, Hannish came back. Leesil is in her room resting.”
    “ Is she ill?” Amos Wells asked.
    “ Not that I have heard. Perhaps you might speak to her another time.”
    Amos was not pleased, but he put his hat on, nodded and went out the door. Not a second later, Sassy walked into the parlor with a feather duster in her hand. She lifted the lamp off an end table next to one of the chairs, ran her duster across the tabletop and set the lamp back down.
    Hannish smiled and went back to his study.
    A small package had come in the mail the day before and it still sat open on his table. Inside was the carefully wrapped figurine of a woman in a blue ball gown, the one he found marked in his catalogue. When questioned, McKenna claimed she had not asked for it, and the only other person with the courage to go into his study uninvited was Sassy. He wrapped it back up and put it back in the box.
    At length, he took the figurine out of the box, unwrapped it, went to the library and set it on an empty shelf where Sassy was bound to discover it. Satisfied, he decided to check on the men who took care of the horses and went out one of the back doors.
    Seth and Waylan were good with the horses and the grounds, each was newly married and they rarely came to the mansion except to collect their pay. Normally, it was Hannish who went to see if they needed anything, and this time he realized a telephone for them would be a nice benefit. The two couples were pleased and afterward, he climbed the corral fence and sat on the top slat just to watch the horses for a while.
    Had he looked, he would have seen Sassy watching him through an upstairs window.

    CHAPTER 10

    The first spring ball was held at the Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs and according to Abigail, everyone who was anyone was expected to be there. It took a full hour for Sassy to pin ringlets in McKenna’s dark hair. McKenna chose a simple silk gown the color of a ripe peach, a matching hat and a white, lace shawl to wear over her shoulders.
    She was a sight to behold when she came down the stairs into the parlor and everyone was there to approve. Smartly dressed in black with a tall round hat, Hannish offered his arm, Prescot opened the front door and Keith stood ready to open the carriage door.
    Egan looked particularly handsome in his driver’s uniform, held the horses steady and waited for his cargo to climb aboard. As soon as Keith closed the door, he gently slapped the rains against the horse’s backs and took the MacGreagors to the ball.

    When Egan let his passengers off at the front door of the hotel, it appeared every carriage in town was lined up along both sides of the wide main street, which left no room to park except at the end. He did not like being so far away, but he had little choice.
    In the ballroom, Abigail and Claymore were the first to welcome them and McKenna remembered to comment on the remarkable decorations in the expansive ballroom. It pleased Abigail very much and she was happy to give up her position in the receiving line to introduce McKenna to everyone. Pearl and Loretta were there, naturally, and so was Loretta’s brother, John. He seemed a pleasant man and to please