Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
“I’ll not interrupt except to say I love you both very deeply,” he stated.
And then he was gone.
Alex’s hiccoughing sob broke the air.
Mine followed it.
And we were in each other’s arms again.
Fellow captives.
A team.
Sisters.
I was moving down the back hall toward the kitchen, looking for Dair, because Mika told me she’d seen him heading back there.
It wasn’t lost on me that bumping into friends and family anywhere I went in Treverton was a balm to my frayed emotions. I couldn’t remember the last time Treverton had so many people in it, making the house come alive.
And there was never a time when there were so many people there that I loved, and they all hadn’t even arrived yet.
It was like we were making happy memories in the midst of a tragedy, and there was something beautiful about that.
This was a weird bi-product of Mum dying, but I’d be eternally grateful for it.
Just like I was grateful that Dair and I had a date to ride. Doing something we both enjoyed, and doing it together, would be another happy memory to add to that prized pot. Not to mention, I hadn’t been riding since the last time I was in England, and that was another reason I was looking forward to it.
I was in my jeans, those tucked into riding boots, and a sweater, ready to roll.
“It’s a problem,” I heard Christine saying as I closed in on the corner that would round into the kitchen. “He says he’s in mourning, which means he’s not budging.”
“I dinnae give a shite how he feels, he has to move,” Dair replied angrily.
So angrily, I stopped.
Why was he angry at Christine?
“I’m not one to tell tales,” Christine declared.
“You’ll be telling this one,” Dair demanded. “I have to know what I’m dealing with.”
There was a moment of silence before Christine spoke again.
“Because not as much staff was needed as in olden times, and he was having trouble retaining people who would live in, the old lord, Lady Helena’s father, had the staff quarters on the top floor converted to apartments in an effort to entice hires. They’re very nice. Sitting room. Bedroom. Little kitchen. A nice bathroom,” Christine explained.
“You’re telling me this…?” Dair prompted.
“He should be there. In the staff quarters.”
“Aye, he should be.”
“He’s not.”
“Aye, I ken. This is what we’re talking about. Genny and Duncan and my family are arriving tomorrow. Tom, Judge and Jamie will be here at the weekend. Dru, Cadence, Sully, Gage, Sasha and Matt are looking at coming. Blake will want her people close, not in some inn somewhere. We need the room. Dru and Cadence, Sully and Gage are going to have to bunk together as it is.”
“I’m looking forward to having a full house again,” Christine verbally rejoiced.
“I’m pleased for ye,” Dair replied impatiently. “But Dru, Cadence, Sully and Gage aren’t going to be sandwiched between the butler’s room.”
The butler’s room?
“He thinks that’s where he belongs because Lady Helena put him there, and frankly, he doesn’t know any better,” Christine said.
All right.
Enough.
I turned the corner and asked, “What’s going on?”
Christine jumped like she was guilty of something.
Dair looked to the ceiling, his wide chest expanded, making it impossibly wider, and then he let out a deep sigh.
He turned to me. “Nothing, love.” His eyes traveled up and down my frame before he suggested, “Meet at the stables?”
I came to a stop at them and demanded again, “What’s going on?”
“Erm, I’ll leave you both to it,” Christine said.
“No, I’d rather you stay and explain what’s happening.” I looked between them, continuing, “I thought we had plenty of room for everyone.”
Dair’s jaw tightened before he stated, “Ye would. If Jeff wasn’t in one of those rooms.”
“Jeff?” I asked.
“Jeff,” Dair replied.
He didn’t speak further.
I was confused. “Wait, are you saying Jeff stays in the main house?”
Christine was looking anywhere but me.
Dair was looking like he wanted to shout very loudly.
He didn’t.
He requested, “I’d like your permission to have a word with him.”
“Why would you need my permission?”
“Because you’re lady of the manor, love.”
I turned to Christine. “Actually, don’t you—?”
Christine cut me off. “Staffing, apartment allotments, most everything is ultimately overseen by a butler.”
“So Jeff knows we need that room,” I pointed out.
“He lives there, Blake,” Dair said. “In that room.”
“And he has for three years,” Christine mumbled.
“Okay, I’m obviously not catching—” I stopped speaking abruptly as it hit me.
And then I couldn’t continue speaking because I wasn’t sure, if I opened my mouth, vomit wouldn’t come out.
After I swallowed the bile, I forced out, “Mum and Jeff…?”
Christine was studying the wall beyond me.
Dair jerked up his chin uncomfortably.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. It was much louder when I exclaimed, “Gross!”
“Let me deal with this, darling,” Dair offered.
Hell no.
I looked to Christine. “Does he do anything a butler would do?”
Christine didn’t appear much more comfortable than Dair when she said, “Probably in order not to get the sack, he’s putting on a show right now, but no. When your mum wasn’t here, mostly he had his mates over to drink her liquor, eat her food, ride her horses, play footie in the back garden and mess up the lounge with pizza boxes and cans of lager.”