Mr. Finnegan took care of all things apparently. My lavender bridesmaid dress and underwear from the wedding was inside, along with my beloved Manolos. Quite literally the sum total of what I’d brought with me—the clothes on my back.

I put on the bra and panties I’d worn at the wedding because they were my only clean option, before donning the blue silk robe I’d become very attached to. Good thing Ivan had given it to me, because I’d already began thinking of it as mine.

I decided the smoking jacket was as “dressed” as I was going to be for the rest of this day and opted for staying in my rooms over exploring the house as Ivan had suggested.

I reasoned that if I went exploring, I’d likely find more Mallertons or similar treasures to freak-out over, and I really needed to slow my roll with that. Seriously. I was desperate to just write down some basic notes on my initial findings—from earlier today alone. I was a guest in the private ancestral home of Lord and Lady Rothvale nine for Christ’s sake. The same Lord Rothvale who’d made the painting career of Tristan Mallerton. Hell, Mallerton himself had probably stayed here many times and painted glorious pictures, but I didn’t feel like treasure-hunting any more for the day. I realized that seemed horribly ungrateful and only slightly less irrational, but I just needed a minute to process and write down some details about the paintings I’d already found today. Tomorrow would be a new day, and I’m sure I’d feel different then. Likely on a crusade to open the crates down in storage to see what hidden treasures I might discover there. Jesus, this was going to be a task.

Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to leave the room for a meal, or maybe Ivan would be back soon and have a different plan. But I couldn’t waste time worrying about that right now because I’d found pen and paper on the desk in the sitting room. I had a bit of quiet time at my disposal and everything else I needed for writing down observations from what I’d found at Donadea thus far. Once I had access to the internet, I could do more research into exactly when Lord and Lady Rothvale IX had lived here. So, I made a perfect cup of tea for myself, settled in, and got down to work. The next two hours passed in a blink and I did not look up until Mr. Finnegan breezed in announcing he’d come bearing my dinner.

I’d been so absorbed in my notes I hadn’t realized the late afternoon had faded into twilight and then into night. Because it was now dark outside. The stars and moon were shining in at me through the window. And Ivan still wasn’t back yet?

“Mr. Finnegan, you amaze me. Did you prepare this very delicious meal of roast chicken and potatoes?” I asked him as I enjoyed a bite of buttery mashed potatoes from my plate.