Free By Fire and by Sword by Elaine Coffman Page B

much.”
    “And I look forward to dining with you,” she said.
    He offered his arm, and she slipped hers gracefully through his as they walked from the Salon Rose, which she found a little sad, for it was such a lovely room.
    She needn’t have regretted leaving the Salon Rose, for the salle à manger far surpassed it, with a carved stone buffet, high ceilings, ornate chandeliers and splendid boiseries, ornate, gilded and intricately carved.
    “A magnificent room…actually, the château is magnificent. Has it been in your family long?”
    “My family has been on this land about a thousand years,” he said, “and the house has been added on to many, many times, to get to the state you now see. On several occasions it was almost demolished.” His words were measured in that self-assured way many of the nobility have of speaking.
    “One would never know by looking at it now.”
    “Please, Lady Kenna,” he said as he pulled out her chair, waiting for her to sit down before he seated himself.
    They dined by the light of candles and the moon coming through the glass doors that led to the gardens. She could only imagine the setting in the springtime, when the doors were open, with the scent of flowers and the serenade of the muted notes of the fountain drifting inside. Still, there was a lovely, crackling fire that provided both warmth and a bit of melody, along with an occasional display of brilliant sparks.
    “I must say I was surprised when you asked in your note to see me, and that you would be coming alone. Surely you have not traveled from Scotland to Paris un-accompanied, Lady Kenna.”
    “Yes, I did, although it was not my preference to do so. Certain events necessitated the decision, and I was forced to make a choice—come alone, or not at all. It was not circumstances of my choosing, or something I settled on easily.”
    “A courageous decision, then?”
    “My father always said a wise man makes his own decisions. Only time will tell how wise or courageous mine was.”
    His aristocratic brows were knitted together in disapproval.
    “I understand that you would not commend a woman for doing such a distasteful thing as traveling alone.”
    “It is a dangerous undertaking. You know what kind of things might happen.”
    “Yes, I do, but the things that would happen if I remained in Scotland were far more unpleasant. And I have been very fortunate in my travels thus far.”
    After some moments, he said, “So, you have emulated your friend Lady Graham?”
    “In a way, I suppose our cases are very similar. I cannot deny that Sophie was inspiring to me. I felt if she was able to take control of her life, then I could do the same with mine. Of course, our motivations were nothing alike.”
    “You did not come here to escape marriage, then?” His voice was firm, and smooth, and his command of English, excellent.
    “No, I am not betrothed. My flight from Scotland and my home were similar to Sophie’s, but my reasons for coming are entirely different.”
    She wondered if he would press the issue and inquire as to the circumstances that forced her flight, but his breeding proved to override any curiosity—at least for the moment.
    “I am a bit confused about a comment in your note, when you referred to a most important matter you wished to discuss with me. Now that we have finished our dinner, I feel I can politely broach the subject with you.”
    “I have come here to ask you to take me as a pupil and become my fencing master.”
    To describe his reaction as surprised would be to give the word more expressive power than was its due, for his face registered much more than wonder or amazement, or even something unanticipated. In fact, no one word would do it justice, for it was an expression that combined all the elements of overwhelmed, stunned and astonished …the kind of shock one wouldexpect to show if they suddenly opened the door and saw Leonardo da Vinci standing there with Mona Lisa at his side.
    It