To Serve

by Lexy Timms

  “As we were saying, your resume indicates that, while you have the right education, your experience seems to be rather... shall we say, lacking?” Mr. York said as he handed over a stack of resumes to Evie’s lady’s maid.

  “I can’t deny that,” the man said, resuming his seat. “But I have experience in other areas.”

  Mr. York leaned back in his chair. “You restore cars for a living, correct?”

  “Yes. I typically restore and maintain vintage cars. Often for enthusiasts, but mostly for film and television,” the man responded. “Classic cars are very much in demand, especially for historical dramas.”

  “Well, the manor is often available to film and television programs, so perhaps your experience in that field will be of value,” Mr. York said. “What do you think, Miss Smythe?”

  “Oh.” Evie paused, realizing she had been watching the handsome man speak with such interest she hadn’t thought of a thing to say. “I think that sort of experience is always a good thing. Why have you decided to switch from car restoration to going into service?”

  His jaw clenched the slightest bit, and then his expression became unreadable once again. Clearly there was some tension in his decision to change careers. “My father’s contract says he must work for another six months before he can access his pension. Since he has to retire early for health reasons, I offered to step in for him. I already know your family quite well, and—”

  “Your father?” she asked, growing startled. “I thought our former butler only had daughters.”

  “This isn’t the butler’s son,” Mr. York said with a shake of his head. “This is the chauffeur, Mr. Godstone’s son.”

  “Godstone.” Evie’s eyes widened as she looked at the man, and suddenly understood why he had seemed so familiar to her. “You’re...”

  “Mr. Godstone’s son,” the man finished for her. “Have I really changed that much, Miss Smythe? It’s me. Alistair.”

  EVIE STARED AT HIM in total disbelief. It couldn’t be him. He looked so different. Gone was the gangly, awkward teenage boy. In his place was a powerful, muscular man with an understated confidence.

  She remembered the way he had firmly gripped her hand, and heat spread across her skin.

  “Alistair? Is that really you?” she asked, her voice pitched rather too high. A sign that her nerves were fraying.

  Seeing Alistair again today had been the absolute last thing Evie had expected. There was so much she wanted to say to him. To ask him.

  “It is me, Miss Smythe,” he confirmed, his tone almost deferential.

  Miss Smythe. He had never called her that when they were children. As the baron’s daughter she didn’t have a title in her own right, so Miss was the extent of how she was to be addressed. Not overly formal, but when Alistair said it the formality in his clipped tone was unmistakable.

  “It’s so wonderful to see you again.” She paused as apprehension flooded her. “You said your father retired for health reasons. Is he all right?”

  “Thank you for asking. Yes, he is. As long as he follows his doctor’s orders, he’ll be fine,” Alistair replied.

  She let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad to hear that. I only just returned to the manor a few days ago, so I missed your father’s departure. I’ve been meaning to contact him.”

  Alistair gave a polite nod. “Thank you again. I’ll let him know, Miss Smythe.”

  Evie sensed that he was trying to keep a professional distance between them. As commendable as that was for a potential employee, the formal way he spoke to her was almost jarring. This was the boy she had played hide and seek with as a child. The boy who had been her best friend, if she was being honest with herself.

  “Wonderful. I can’t believe you’ve been here all these years and I haven’t seen you,” she said, trying to make polite conversation despite her urge to reconnect with her old friend and find out everything about him. Like—when had he grown up so strikingly handsome?

  “I haven’t been here.” His simply reply gave away nothing.

  “Oh, have you been back in town long then?”

  “I only just arrived in Huntingshire today,” he informed her. “It’s been some time since I’ve visited my parents. I’m now based in London.”

  “I spend time in London, too,” she said excitedly, suddenly happy to have even the smallest thing in common with him. “I’m often there for the season, but I’ve come home early...” Her voice trailed off and she cringed inwardly.

  Of course her inane prattling about the season wouldn’t interest him. Why would it? He was far more likely to be interested in something of substance. Not gossip about the playgrounds of the elite. She must have sounded so utterly snobbish and out of touch to him. If he had spent all these years away from the trappings of manor life, then he had likely lived in the real world. Damn, had they been apart for that long?

  Memories of the last time she saw him came flooding back to her. Alistair had tried to end their friendship, but when she had pleaded with him he had changed his mind. Agreed to a friendship that she had inwardly vowed to keep secret. Then her father had arrived and shattered that illusion. After he had angrily ordered that she leave immediately for boarding school in Switzerland, Evie had cried herself to sleep that night. The thought of leaving her home, her family, and her best friend behind had broken her heart. Broken it so badly that she rarely thought of that final day with Alistair. It was too much to bear, and when she did think of him she tried to focus on all the good times they had shared as children.

  But seeing him again was bringing back so much of the pain she had suppressed all these years.

  “I hope you haven’t returned early on my account,” Alistair said, chasing away her swirling thoughts. “I’d hate to drag you away from your busy life for an interview.”

  “No, of course not,” she said quickly. “That is, you haven’t dragged me away. I’m so glad to see you again. I’ve come back home because my parents are hosting several events at the manor this summer. Which is why we need a butler so urgently.”

  “In that case, I can work immediately,” Alistair said.

  Mr. York cleared his throat and held up a hand. “We haven’t made a decision yet. For one thing, you haven’t explained why we should hire you for six months, when all the other candidates are available to work for years.”

  “Given my history, and my family’s history, with the Smythes, I believe that places me ahead of all the other candidates,” Alistair said smoothly. “I’ll be able to anticipate their needs before even they realize they have them. The family is already comfortable with me. And I won’t even need a grand tour of Smythe Manor. I grew up here.”

  Evie gave him an approving smile. “There, you see, Mr. York? He’s the perfect candidate for us.”

  “If he’s so perfect, why are we going to have to search for another butler six months from now?” Mr. York demanded.

  She realized that if she didn’t take charge of the situation, Alistair wouldn’t be hired. And she so wanted him to be hired. For many legitimate reasons. Not because he’s handsome, she told herself.

  “Perhaps we can discuss this further outside?” she suggested, glancing meaningfully at the study door.

  Mr. York sighed heavily and then nodded. “Fine. Let us have a brief chat. Feel free to join us, Hannah, since you will be coordinating with whomever we hire.”

  Evie and her lady’s maid followed Mr. York out of the study.

  When he made sure the door was securely shut, Mr. York frowned at her. “Forgive me, Miss Smythe, but I fear you’re making a rash decision.”

  She took the resume from Hannah and skimmed over it. “He has the right education for the position.”

  “Might I remind you that so do the other candidates,” Mr. York huffed out. “Most of those other candidates have solid experience and impeccable references. Not only that, but this Godstone fellow is incredibly young. I’m sure if we went through manor historical records we won’t find
a single butler who started in such a senior position as young as him.”

  “Maybe it’s time for something new,” she said.

  “Why him? Because he’s an old friend?” Mr. York pressed. “That’s hardly sensible, my dear.”

  “Why invite me to the interview if you don’t want to hear my thoughts?” she asked.

  “Letting you listen in was a formality,” Mr. York replied as he puffed out his chest. “Your father entrusted this task to me.”

  “Yes, but you don’t actually live at the manor,” she reminded him. “I’ll be using the butler’s services. Not you.”

  “Tolerating your presence during the interview is a courtesy I paid your father,” Mr. York said sharply. “While I didn’t expect us to agree on the right candidate, I certainly didn’t think you would entertain this Godstone upstart.”

  He was talking down to her. Condescending to her in the way so many people did. Even though she was a baron’s daughter, everyone around her acted as if her parents had all the power and she was just an ornament for the Smythe family to show off. Nobody treated her as if she had thoughts of her own or opinions worth considering. Her parents’ associates often ordered her around, even if they never overtly commanded her.

  “He’s not an upstart,” she insisted. When faced with the people who spoke down to her she often relented. Gave in to keep the peace. But this choice wasn’t about her. It was about a loyal employee and a friend. Defending herself might have been difficult for Evie, but she would stand up for others around her. “The Godstones have given generations of service to my family. Alistair’s father was the perfect employee. He worked hard and never complained. Now all he’s trying to do is earn his pension with his son’s help.”

  “Why, if that’s all this is about, perhaps you can write the man a check and—”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” she said brightly. “We can give Mr. Godstone his pension money now instead of having to wait six months.”

  “I was joking, Miss Smythe. You would need the baron’s approval for that,” the estate steward said with a smug smile.

  That took the wind out of her sails. She would indeed require her father’s approval for that sort of spending. There was no chance of her father agreeing to that. Though he wasn’t exactly cruel to the staff, he granted no favors. Showed no kindness because he believed it to be weakness when, in his mind, subordinates needed a firm hand. Her father didn’t even see the employees as subordinates really. In his mind they were inferiors. Still, he would listen to her when it came to certain domestic matters. Her father might not believe she had the right to manage her own life, but he trusted her management of the manor.

  “I will get his approval on whomever I hire,” she said tersely. “You might have let me in on the interview as a courtesy, but we both know that my father wanted me to have the final say.”

  Mr. York’s face turned bright red, and it was clear he wanted to unleash his anger on her. In his mind she was little more than another ornament in the manor, and speaking her mind challenged the authority he thought he ought to have over her. Instead of losing his temper, however, he forced out a sigh. “Very well. Hire the man. See if I care.”

  “In the meantime, Mr. York,” she said brightly, “You can go through the other interviews to find a good replacement in six months. You won’t be rushed to find the perfect fit. Once you have a list in a few months, feel free to let me know and I can go through them with you.”

  He opened his mouth to say something, but Evie ignored his almost outburst and turned to her lady’s maid.

  “Hannah, could you request some refreshments for Alistair?”

  Hannah gave a polite nod and headed down the hall.

  She turned back to the estate steward and forced a smile, the way she had been taught to deal with any unpleasantness. Smile through it. “Mr. York, you may draw up papers for Mr. Godstone to sign.”

  “I’ll do that, but you’ll be the one offering him the position,” Mr. York grumbled. “I won’t be party to this farce.”

  Evie bit back a retort and turned to reach for the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, she turned it. It was time to tell Alistair that he had been hired.

  Chapter 4

  NO MATTER HOW HARD Alistair tried to ignore the sound of raised voices coming from the other side of the study door, he could still guess there was an argument going on. The soft yet husky tone of Evie’s voice was unmistakable now that he had heard her speak. Though he couldn’t make out the exact words, it was obvious that she was being adamant about something. That shouldn’t have surprised him. Even as a child, she had spoken like the lady she had been raised to become.

  And from the way she had carried herself when she had first entered the study, Evie had grown into an elegant, sophisticated woman with all the grace of an aristocrat.

  Seeing her again had nearly knocked him off balance. When he had first arrived at the manor for the interview, Alistair hadn’t realized that Evie would be present. The moment she stepped into the room, he had struggled to breathe. A normal interview would have brought the usual stressors, but seeing her in the flesh for the first time after fourteen years had made him sweat like a racehorse.

  Sweat enough for him to lose his focus and throw out bland answers. God, if he had screwed up the interview he didn’t know how he was going to face his father. Dad needed his pension, and Alistair couldn’t afford to fail.

  From the way she had tried to defend him earlier, Evie was probably his only chance at getting hired. There was an irony to that. The one person he had been avoiding all these years was his only hope of getting the job. A job in the very manor he had vowed never to return to. Now he was back, practically begging these rich people for work. Frustration didn’t even begin to describe what he was feeling.

  Suddenly the door opened, and Evie walked in.

  She was so beautiful that, for several long moments, Alistair forgot how to breathe. Her hair was pure gold, bright as sunlight, and now shoulder-length. Crystal-blue eyes peered at him through luxuriously long eyelashes that brushed against the curve of her cheeks. Cheeks that were now flushed the faintest shade of pink, offset against her porcelain-white skin. Evie was even lovelier than he remembered. The epitome of an English rose.

  “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting too long,” she said.

  Despite his heart slamming against his chest at the sight of her, he managed to get to his feet. “No, not at all.”

  “Well, you’ll be happy to hear that we’re offering you the position.”

  He was stunned. No doubt Evie had managed to sway the estate steward. When she got her way as a child it had often been through a combination of charm, kindness, and intelligence. Qualities that she clearly still possessed.

  “I’m glad to hear it,” he said.

  She raised an eyebrow. “I thought you’d be much happier about this.”

  “I’m quite content.”

  “Alistair, you can stop now,” she chided. “We’re alone. You don’t have to be so formal with me. I’ve known you most of my life, remember?”

  “If I’m going to be working at Smythe Manor, then it would be best for us to put our past friendship behind us,” he said.

  She blinked in surprise. “Behind us? But I thought we were going to catch up with each other.”

  “What setting would allow us to be that informal?”

  “We can take a walk,” she suggested, moving closer to him so that she could link her arm in his. “Outside, on the grounds.”

  Even through the fabric of his suit he could feel the welcome heat of her on him. Pulling away from her inviting body would take all the strength he had. Alistair removed her arm and made a show of standing as straight as possible. “We can walk on the grounds as employee and employer’s daughter.”

  A soft laugh escaped her. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I assure you, Miss Smythe, that I am.”

  “You don’t have to call me Miss Smythe when we�
�re alone,” she insisted. “We’re still friends. I don’t expect you to follow tedious protocol every minute.”

  “Your father would not approve, Miss Smythe.”

  She paused, and then clasped her hands together. “So this is about my father.”

  “He did not approve of our friendship when we were children,” Alistair reminded her. “He’s even less likely to approve of it now.”

  He’d give anything to pick up exactly where they had left off fourteen years ago. To remain friends with her. Damn, as a teenager he had wanted to be more than friends if he was being honest with himself. But he couldn’t so much as entertain that desire now. Detached. Aloof. Professional. That was what this situation called for. Anything less would mean he would be out of a job and Evie would be at odds with her father. The stakes were even higher than they had been when they were children. She was a baron’s daughter. He, the servant. Nothing could come of this. Not even a friendship.

  Her shoulders slumped as she sighed. “It’s been so long. Almost fifteen years. Half our lives. After I left for Switzerland I never thought I would ever see you again. Outside of the occasional update from your father, I didn’t know anything.”

  Alistair wanted to confess that he had looked her up on social media a few times. But the few accounts she did have were private. Trying to connect with her seemed a little too familiar. The working-class boy trying a little too hard to get close to a noblewoman. She lived in her world of country estates and rubbing elbows with royals, while he was decidedly in his own much smaller world of working for his money and going round to the pub with his mates. Evie had probably never even been to a pub in her life.

  “There isn’t much to know, Miss Smythe,” he told her.

  Before she could reply, the door opened again and the estate steward appeared.

  “The contract has been drawn up,” Mr. York said with a frown.

  Clearly this York didn’t want Alistair for the job. Evie must have fought awfully hard to hire him. Part of him was touched that she cared enough to do that. The other part of him resented the way the rich seemed to operate on connections and nepotism. If he hadn’t known Evie, there was almost no chance he would have gotten the position with so little experience in a manor like this.