Chapter 7

• Amelia walked through the candlelit Great Hall, from where another grand staircase led up to the private apartments. She paused in the vast chamber, and looked around. History seemed very tangible in a place like this. The lower walls were panelled in dark oak, above and painted white, and everything was lit by the candles encircling half a dozen wheel-rim chandeliers suspended from a hammerbeam roof. A long table ranged down the centre of the stone-flagged floor, and on its highly polished surface there was a vase beautiful arranged flowers from the castle gardens.
• She continued toward the staircase, but paused again, this time to look around the hall. Was she really here? This was so real, it was.
• Gathering her skirt, she went on up the staircase. She reached the door of her apartment, and paused again, her glance moving along to the door of Dane's rooms a little further on. They were married but don't share the same room.