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Seb squeezed his eyes shut He could still hear theuht about brushing her off but if he wanted this to work then he needed to be honest Needed her to understand what he was offering—and what he could never give her

‘My ure with pregnancy, didn’t want to stop partying, didn’t want to go through labour But she did want to be a countess and an heir was part of the deal She told me once, when she was drunk, how happy she had been when they said I was a boy so that she didn’t have to go through it all again That if it was up to her she would have remained childless’

I had you because I had no choice It was the worst year of my life

‘Luckily there were grandparents, schools, nannies She could at least pretend to be child-free—except when it suited her I don’t want our child to think that, to feel like a burden I want to welcome him or her into the world with open arms and make sure he or she knows that they anted Because we may not have planned it but I do want it—and you do too That’s why it es this title gives them That’s why it matters that we marry’

She didn’t say anything for a long rasp ‘Okay,’ she said finally ‘Three weeks on Friday it is Let’s go and see the registrar toister with a doctor nearby as well’

‘Good’ He returned the pressure, relieved At her acquiescence At her silent understanding ‘Are you tired or do you want the full guided tour of your new home?’

‘Are you kidding? A personal guided tour fro’

‘So this is the Norht, Sir Williaranted these lands During the next few centuries the nalicised and corrupted to Beresford He built the keep’

‘Cosy’ Daisy pivoted, looking about her at the dark grey walls built out of blocks of grey stone, the narro slits She pulled her cardigan closer as the histled through the tower ‘Was this it?’

‘There was a wooden castle attached but this was the main defensive base and would have been quite roomy There were three floors inside here—look, there’s the old staircase There was also a fortified wall around the rest of the castle When you visit the village you’ll see that many of the older houses are built with the stone from the walls’

Daisy tilted her head back, trying to iine one thousand years away ‘Walls, battles Were there many battles here?’

Seb shook his head ‘There was very little fighting here even during the Wars of the Roses and the Civil War My ancestors were too canny to get involved’

‘No Cavalier ghosts trailing along with their heads under their arms?’ Obviously this was a relief and yet didn’t a house like this deserve a few ghosts?

‘Not a one We changed our religion to suit the Tudors and the colour of our roses for the Plantagenets You’ll be glad to hear that an io to France with Charles II and when he inherited the title he was h so’s many mistresses—with her Lord’s consent’

‘Good to know she was doing her bit for the family’s advancement Is that still a requirement for the countess? I’m not sure I’m up to it if so!’

He shot her a wry slad to hear it No, I’m more than happy with the earldom, no favours for advancements required Of course by then the keep was abandoned as a home It was already unused by the late fourteenth century and the Great Hall was built around one hundred years later’

He led her out of the chill stone building and swung open the huge oak door that led into the Tudor part of the castle

Daisy had spent an entire day in this part of the castle, photographing a wedding It had felt co tables set out, the dais at the far end filled with a top table, the candle-like iron chandeliers blazing with light ‘I can see why theya working roof is a definite advantage A floor is helpful too’

‘Especially when you let the place out,’ he agreed ‘Brides can be a bit precious about things like dirt floors and holes in the roof’