A Heart of Stone Read online

  “Like Fairy gold,” Vanora said and then they both laughed.

  “I think the first thing we should do,” he proposed, “is that you should come and see the library. It frightened me because there is so much to be done and you may well feel the same.”

  He then rose, went to the door and opened it.

  As Vanora passed him, he thought that the way she walked was very graceful.

  They went along the passage and down a different staircase and then they walked through a door that seemed to be at the very end of the building.

  It was then she realised that the library was a very lofty room, enabling there to be a centre block of books in the middle of the room.

  The books covered the walls and reached up to a ceiling which was exquisitely painted.

  It must have been done, Vanora thought, at least two hundred years ago and was very well preserved.

  Because she was looking surprised and entranced by the extent and height of the library, the Earl, who was watching her, enquired,

  “Do you feel that you are capable, Miss Bruce, of coping with anything so large and so unusual?”

  “I am thinking first,” Vanora replied, “that you are very lucky. I only wish that I could have been brought up with a library such as this, my Lord. It would have meant more to me than I can possibly say in words.”

  “Then, of course, you are welcome to use it now,” the Earl said.

  “How could I do anything else?” Vanora asked.

  She walked forward as she spoke and saw a finely carved marble fireplace in the centre of one wall, which must have been added later.

  Over it there was a painting which she was certain was by Holbein and there were no other pictures in the room because every available space was covered by books.

  The sofas and armchairs were all upholstered in red leather and the carpet was a fine Persian, but Vanora could only look upon the row after row of books.

  She could see even from a distance that the books were out of order on the shelves and the height and binding did not match those around them.

  “It is a Herculean task,” the Earl said behind her, “and quite beyond the strength of a woman.”

  “It is a challenge, my Lord, and I think if you refuse to employ me now I shall leave The Castle in tears.”

  “Then I could not be so unkind,” he smiled, “and all I can say, Miss Bruce, is that, if you can make even a small improvement on the muddle it is in now, then I shall be very grateful.”

  “I shall hope to restore this library to what it was intended to be,” Vanora replied. “Equally it could not be done overnight, except with the help of a magic wand.”

  “Is that what you possess?” the Earl enquired.

  He thought as he spoke that she looked somehow ethereal. Not only very different from the sort of woman he had expected, but more like one of the immortals.

  He could not explain to himself what he meant, but there was something about this young woman that seemed to fit in with The Castle itself.

  He was watching her eyes as she was gazing at the books and he knew instinctively that she loved them – not for the money they could bring but for their contents.

  He did not know quite why he knew this, except, as he told himself so often, it was the fey in him.

  Vanora turned to walk to the other side of the books in the centre of the room and he thought that she almost flew over the carpet and her feet hardly seemed to touch it.

  But now, as she looked up at the books that almost touched the ceiling, he could see her full face.

  It was then that the Earl was aware that she might have stepped out of the glorious painting on the ceiling.

  As Vanora thought, it was the work of an Italian artist.

  It depicted Venus attended by several Goddesses lying on the seashore with an array of Cupids who peeped from under stones or flew with garlands over their heads.

  He was not dreaming or exaggerating, the Earl now told himself firmly.

  Yet there was most certainly a distinct resemblance between the Venus or Aphrodite, as the Greeks called her, and the pointed face of this beautiful young woman.

  The sunshine streaming in through the windows of the library illuminated the gold in her hair.

  He then looked up at the ceiling again to see if it was true of any of the other Goddesses.

  Vanora moved back towards him and enthused,

  “How can you be so lucky, my Lord, to own all these marvellous books? Of course you must try to bring them up to date, as I can see that many of your ancestors have contributed to the library, so you must do the same.”

  “I agree with you, Miss Bruce,” the Earl said, “but how soon can you start on this marathon task?”

  “I feel that I should be asking how soon you would want me, my Lord,” Vanora replied.

  The Earl made a gesture with his hands.

  “At this very moment or tomorrow morning.”

  “I think that tomorrow would be more convenient,” Vanora replied, “and I should have asked before, do you expect me to stay in The Castle?”

  She thought as she spoke that it was something her brother had omitted to mention.

  It would be difficult to do what Ewen wanted if she had to stay in the village and she could hardly arrive back at some cottage carrying the Stone under her arm.

  Also there would be more of an excuse for her to be found wandering in the garden or in the woods if she was staying in The Castle itself.

  “I thought that Mr. Tyler would have discussed that with you,” he replied. “I shall, of course, be delighted to have you as a guest, even though I feel in some ways that we are imposing on you and asking too much.”

  “As I have already said, my Lord, it is a challenge that no one who loves books could refuse. I can only do my best and if I fail to make it as perfect as it should be, then I am sure you will find someone else to complete it.”

  “Now you are talking of leaving before you have even started,” he complained, “and that frightens me. I am sure that you have been sent as a messenger from Olympus to put my books in order and I shall be very disappointed if you do not use your magical powers to make it exactly as it is meant to be.”

  Vanora put up her hands.

  “Now you are frightening me! At the same time, as I have already said, I will certainly try. I envy you more than I can possibly say for having anything so marvellous and, I should add, so exciting.”

  The Earl smiled.

  “Now that is decided,” he said, “I think you must come and meet my aunt who is looking after me and who is kind enough not to leave me alone in The Castle.”

  He thought as he spoke it was a good thing that Lady Sophie was here.

  If he engaged this beautiful creature and was alone in The Castle with her, the tongues of the gossips would begin to wag.

  Seeing how lovely she was, he was certain that she must have been a success in London, even though she was working for someone as elderly as Lord Blairmond.

  They walked up the stairs and, as they did so, the Earl was thinking that in her own way this Scots girl was as outstanding as Doreen had been and, if the King saw her, he would agree with him.

  “And did you enjoy yourself in London,” he asked aloud, “besides working for Lord Blairmond?”

  “If you mean, did I go to many dances and balls?” Vanora replied, “the answer is ‘no’. My mother died soon after I started work and by the time I was out of mourning there was so much to do that there was little time for what Lord Blairmond thought of as frivolities.”

  The Earl laughed.

  “He did not want to waste any of his time, but he was wasting you on his books and papers.”

  “I did not think of it like that,” Vanora said. “I enjoyed the work and I can assure you Lord Blairmond’s autobiography will be a sensation when it is published.”

  “Then I would hope he gives honour where honour is due,” the Earl said, “for I am sure a great deal of its s
uccess will be due to you, Miss Bruce.”

  Vanora smiled.

  “That is very flattering, my Lord, but I doubt if any of it is true. However, it has at least given me a great deal of experience and that is what you require at the moment.”

  The Earl opened the door into the drawing room. Lady Sophie was sitting by the tea-table, which had been arranged in front of one of the windows.

  “Oh, here you are, Neil,” she said. “It may seem rather soon after such a late luncheon, but I am sure that you will enjoy a cup of tea.”

  “But of course,” the Earl said, “and I have brought Miss Bruce with me, who I am glad to say has promised to undertake the task of restoring the library.”

  Lady Sophie had turned round as they approached and, when she saw Vanora, her eyes widened for a moment in surprise.

  Then she said quietly,

  “That is good news. I am sure that we shall enjoy having Miss Bruce here and being able to find a book when we want one.”

  The Earl pulled a chair out from under the table for Vanora to sit on and then he sat down himself.

  He ate nothing although he accepted a cup of tea.

  Lady Sophie wanted to know where Vanora was staying and how long she had been in Scotland.

  Vanora was afraid of making a mistake and so she answered the questions as briefly as possible.

  She felt that Lady Sophie thought it strange that when she was so young and good-looking why should she want to do anything so difficult and to most people so dull as to become a librarian.

  But Lady Sophie was a strong admirer of Lord Blairmond and, when she spoke about him, Vanora thought that he would have been pleased at hearing how much he was admired.

  She was very aware of how beautiful the drawing room was and the pictures in it were certainly outstanding.

  She recognised a Reynolds and a Gainsborough and she thought the one at the end of the room was a Raeburn.

  She had listened all her life to her father’s hatred of the Earl and The Castle and she had therefore expected that the MacFiles would not be particularly cultured. And they would certainly not have a liking for all that she admired.

  It was her mother who had taught her about artists, paintings and fine furniture.

  Mrs. McKyle had been proud of her relationship with the Duke of Buccleuch and she would tell her family whenever they encouraged her to do so about the treasures that were to be found at his castle.

  She had been thrilled when King George IV had stayed there when he arrived in Edinburgh two years ago.

  That the visit had been such a success had exceeded the hopes of the most optimistic politicians and it would, they believed, restore Scotland’s faith in herself.

  Some years earlier six thousand workers had gone on strike in Glasgow and three of their leaders had been executed and Vanora recalled how distressed her mother had been.

  It had been a brilliant idea of George IV to go to Scotland and Sir Walter Scot had called all the Highland Clans to Edinburgh to honour the King.

  Vanora remembered how much her mother longed to go to Edinburgh herself, but unfortunately she was not well enough.

  Her father, who disliked the English intensely, had no intention of making such a long journey. Other Clans might go, but he did not even suggest it to his.

  None of the McKyles were therefore lucky enough to enjoy the excitement, the parades and the fireworks with which the King was greeted.

  As Vanora sat at tea talking to Lady Sophie, she wished her mother could have known anyone so charming.

  In a way Lady Sophie was very much like her.

  She had often told her daughter how she had fallen in love with her father the moment she had seen him and how he had felt the same about her. He had been young and handsome in those days and not eaten up with hatred of the MacFiles.

  ‘Mama ought to have lived in a castle like this one,’ Vanora thought and then she told herself that she must not be ungrateful.

  Their own castle was not so grand and certainly not so majestic. It was, however, a home she could be proud of and where as a child she had been very happy.

  It was such a pity, she thought, that her brother was carrying on the feud between the two Clans.

  Although she had only just met the new Earl, she felt that he would disapprove of anything so out of date and unpleasant.

  ‘Maybe,’ she thought, ‘I might ask him if he would give me the Stone willingly and without any more trouble about it.’

  Then she told herself that she was being absurdly optimistic.

  Even if the Earl wished to be so generous, he would meet a great deal of opposition from his Elders and there were in the Clan those who had suffered for many years at the hands of her own people.

  She was quite certain that there were still Clansmen who deliberately preyed on the boundaries of each other’s land, stealing a young foal, shooting each other’s birds and, when it was possible, poaching in each other’s rivers.

  When she thought about it all, it seemed hopeless and with a sigh she knew it was no use thinking wistfully.

  She had to do what Ewen had sent her here to do, however wrong it seemed to her.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  When Vanora returned home, Ewen was delighted that she had been accepted at The Castle.

  “Now we can really get things going.” he said. “As soon as you find the Stone, let me know and I will arrange for someone to be waiting at the edge of the wood to take it from you.”

  “How do you think I am going to get it there?” Vanora enquired.

  “It is rather heavy,” her brother conceded a little reluctantly. “It would be rather easier if you could push it in something.”

  “Really, Ewen,” Vanora scolded him, “you might have thought this one out before! After all I can hardly suddenly produce a pram and say I have a child! And they will be surprised if I walk about pushing a wheelbarrow.”

  “You will have to use your brains,” her brother said in a lofty tone. “I am sure that, once you find the Stone, you will be able to think of some way of spiriting it away from The Castle.”

  He did not wait for his sister to reply, but walked out of the room shutting the door behind him.

  Vanora gave a little sigh.

  It had always been the same with Ewen. He asked for the impossible and then expected people to treat it as if it was something completely natural.

  She packed her clothes and then Ewen took her to his friends, the Rosses.

  He had already confided in them that his sister had an appointment at The Castle with regard to work she had been doing in London and did not want the Earl to know who she was and that was why he was relying on them to take her there.

  The Rosses were a pleasant quiet couple, although Vanora remembered that her mother had thought them to be rather boring.

  They were obviously very impressed that she was going to The Castle, having never been there themselves and she could only hope that they would not talk to their neighbours afterwards.

  Ewen had assured her that they were completely reliable and trustworthy. However, she thought that, when it came to gossip, it was difficult to trust anyone.

  Vanora had decided that she would not arrive too early in the morning and it was therefore eleven o’clock when Mr. Ross dropped her at The Castle front door.

  She thanked him profusely.

  However, she knew that he was enjoying having a closer look at The Castle than he would have had before and was only wishing that he could go inside.

  A footman came down the steps to collect the two cases she had brought with her.

  Donald welcomed her warmly.

  “It’s nice to see you again, Miss Bruce,” he said. “I hears you be joinin’ us and puttin’ the library to rights.”

  “I hope to do so,” Vanora replied. “But, as you are aware, it’s not going to be an easy task.”

  “It’s better you than me, miss,” Donald stated. “I haven’t the time to read books and
that’s the truth.”

  Vanora thought that might apply to quite a number of people, who had no idea what they were missing.

  She was shown by the housekeeper, whom she had not met before, to a comfortable room and to her delight it was at the back of The Castle and overlooked the sea.

  “I was hoping to have a room with a view,” she said, “but I was afraid I was asking too much.”

  “There be plenty of choice here at this moment,” the housekeeper replied. “It’s been very quiet since his late Lordship, God rest his soul, were so ill.”

  She paused for a moment before she added,

  “We’ve all been hopin’ his new Lordship’ll have a party or two. It’d cheer things up and, as you can see, Miss Bruce, there be bags of room to accommodate ’em all.”

  Vanora found it took her some little time to walk from her bedroom to the library.

  She went in to find that there was no one waiting for her and she had not expected that there would be.

  She went first to the writing desk, which was at the far end in front of one of the windows.

  She looked to see if there was paper, pens and she hoped a book that she could use to make a catalogue.

  To her surprise she found that everything that she might need was there and she thought it must have been the Earl’s secretary who had realised what she would require.

  This was confirmed when Mr. Tyler came to visit her.

  He shook her warmly by the hand and told her how pleased he was to see her.

  “I don’t mind telling you, Miss Bruce,” he said in a confidential tone, “I was half afraid that the job of clearing up this mess would fall on me and I’ve a great deal to do without that.”

  “It is very kind of you to have left all the things I require ready for me,” Vanora replied. “And, as I don’t want to bother his Lordship, I hope you will not mind if I come to you with any questions.”

  “You come as much as you like,” Mr. Tyler said. “You’ll find my office just inside the front door. It’s easier for me to have it there so that people can pop in and out without having to ring the bell or worry the staff.”