One Touch of Magic Read Online Free

The village is Lady Iverson’s business.”
    “I see.” Miles decided he would just have to have a thorough look through his uncle’s papers, and see if this lady and her husband had some sort of contract on that land. “And what does she intend to do with the village once it is dug up?”
    “My brother says she is writing a book.”
    “Is that so? I should like to meet Lady Iverson soon.”
    “You may get to meet her sooner than you would think, my lord. That’s her now.”
    Mr. Benson pointed with his riding crop down to the road below them. It was not much of a road, more of a pathway really, that wound around the edge of the estate until it joined the main road into the village of Upper Hawton. In the distance, stirring up a small dust cloud, was a bright yellow phaeton drawn by a pair of matched grays.
    As it came closer, Miles saw that it was indeed a lady driving it, going at a rather improvident speed that sent the elegant equipage jolting over the ruts in the road. She wore a purple carriage dress, and a tall-crowned black hat trimmed with jaunty purple plumes. Glossy dark brown curls peeked from under that hat, and Miles had a glimpse of a pale oval of a face as she drove past. She raised one black-gloved hand to wave at Mr. Benson as she went by, then she was gone, her carriage jolting on its way down the road. A snatch of some song she was singing floated back to them on the breeze.
    She was far more dashing than Miles would have expected a lady scholar to be. He found himself very curious to meet her.
    But he could hardly just gallop up to a lady, and stop her carriage without an introduction. She might think he was some sort of highwayman! She appeared to be heading into Upper Hawton, though. Surely there was some errand he needed to accomplish in the village? Some purchase to be made?
    And surely there was someone there who could properly introduce him to Lady Iverson.

Chapter Three
    Sarah sang a merry little tune as she drove along, basking in the sunshine. It was truly a lovely day, with a cloudless blue sky and the hint of autumn in the air. She felt better than she had since Phoebe left last week. The work on the village was progressing most satisfactorily; she even had two new workers, a brother and sister from one of the tenant’s families, who seemed to have no fear of any curses. And she was on her way to meet her sister Mary Ann. Not even her odd dreams could disturb her this day.
    Best of all, she had not heard from the new Lord Ransome, or his attorney. She knew he was in residence at Ransome Hall, had heard of him from all her friends and workers. They said he was very handsome, if a bit weather-beaten from his years on the Peninsula, and quite charming. She confessed herself curious to catch a glimpse of him—but not curious enough to face his questions about her residency on his land. Not yet, anyway, not when the work was going so well.
    She knew she would have to face him sooner or later, and persuade him to let her stay. She just hoped it was later, perhaps even so late that the work was complete and she could leave.
    As she turned a bend in the road, she saw that Mr. Benson, the bailiff, sat atop a hill with another man. Ordinarily, she would have stopped the phaeton and had a little chat with Mr. Benson, for he was a most pleasant man, and she wanted to ask how his wife was doing after the birth of their new baby. But she had a suspicion that the other man was Lord Ransome, so she just drove past.
    She turned her head, trying to get a glimpse of him as she drove. All she had was an impression of thick blond hair, uncovered and ruffled by the breeze, of a military posture in the saddle. His head also turned to watch her progress, and she had to resist the urge to stop and try to get a better look at him.
    But stopping would mean speaking, and she was already late meeting her sister in Upper Hawton. Her mother’s friend, Lady Hammond, who was dropping Mary Ann off on her journey to