by Lexy Timms
“Well, Alistair—Mr. Godstone—is ready to sign,” Evie said.
The estate steward handed the documents to Alistair. “You can read the contract and then sign it. Since Miss Smythe has made the decision, I will be off for the day.”
“Thank you, Mr. York,” Evie said, in a tone so polite that Alistair wondered if she was actually being sincere. It could be hard to tell with the rich. They didn’t always say what they felt when they had an audience.
She turned to Alistair and smiled. “After you have signed everything and have some refreshments, we can tour the grounds and talk. Just like old times.”
Alistair knew what that meant. Evidently, the baron’s daughter was as relentless as she had been as a child. Walking the grounds meant that she still wanted to catch up. Wanted to talk. And if she was going to continue pursuing a friendship with him, Alistair was going to have to do whatever it took to make sure that did not happen.
AFTER SHE ACCEPTED the signed contract, Evie went upstairs to freshen up while Alistair ate. She thought about calling her father to tell him she had settled on a choice for the butler position, but she decided against it. Her father had obviously developed a grudge against Alistair years ago, and the longer she put off informing him the better the odds of her father accepting her decision.
When she was finished she let her lady’s maid know she was heading outside, and then walked back downstairs to find Alistair by the front entrance. Relief flooded her. He had kept his word to walk with her.
The moment he spotted her, Alistair opened the door for her and stepped aside to let her through. “Miss Smythe.” It was one of those gestures she suspected he would have made even if he wasn’t a servant. But even then it would have only added to her confusion. When was he being an employee and when was he being her old friend?
She glanced at him discreetly as she began to walk the grounds with him. Evie had been stunned by how handsome he was when she hadn’t even recognized him. Now, in the clear light of day, he seemed even more gorgeous to her. The dark suit fit him perfectly, showing off the width of his shoulders and highlighting how tall he was. In truth, he looked more like a model from one of those high-end men’s magazines than a butler.
Had she always found him attractive? There had been times as a teenager when her stomach fluttered when she saw him. But that was probably because he had been kind to her when she had undoubtedly been nothing more than an annoying little girl to him. He had been a kind and serious boy who had enjoyed the outdoors. Climbing trees, racing the horses, fishing in the nearby lake, handling the falcons, tinkering with every appliance and machine in the manor. At the time he seemed to know about everything, and she had been utterly mesmerized by him.
“I’m glad you signed the contract,” she said, ending the awkward silence.
“Did you doubt that I would?”
“From the way you seemed to want to keep me at arm’s length, yes, I had my doubts,” she admitted as they walked beneath the oak trees.
“We each have our role to play, Miss Smythe.”
“That sounds like something my father would say.” She sighed. Alistair seemed determined to remain distant. It made him appear cold. Remote and completely impenetrable. “When did you become such a stick in the mud? I’m the posh one here, you know.”
The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly, and she could tell he was suppressing a laugh. So she could reach him after all. “Miss Smythe, you father will not like it if we are too familiar with each other. Are you even sure he would approve of me for the position?”
“Let me handle my father,” she said with more confidence than she felt. Standing up to her father had always been difficult, but if she focused on the fact that she was doing it on someone else’s behalf she would get through it and convince him. Somehow.
“You won’t be able to persuade him if either of us gives him any reason to be angry,” Alistair pointed out. “That’s why we should remember to remain professional.”
“We can keep our friendship secret. The way we decided the last time I saw you.”
“And how well did that turn out?” he asked pointedly.
She paused, and ceased her walking to consider his words. Hated that he was right. The last time they had defied her father, they had ended up separated for years. “I want to talk to you so much. To know about you. Your life. But instead we still have to be afraid of my father. We’re not children anymore, Alistair.”
“Just because we can’t be friends like before doesn’t mean we have to be enemies,” he said, stopping beside her. “We can be civil.”
Irritation flared at hearing the word civil. Yet another term that could have been used by her father. Civil sounded as cold and distant as he was right now. But it wasn’t like either of them had a choice. Alistair was right. They needed to stay in her father’s good graces if she had any hope of convincing her father to let Alistair stay on. Striking up a friendship with him too quickly would only make things difficult. Still, she wasn’t going to back down that easily. Evie was determined to get past the aloof butler’s defenses and find the Alistair she had known as a child.
“Very well,” she finally conceded. “We can be civil.”
“There. That wasn’t so difficult, now was it?”
She gave him a sidelong glance and pursed her lips. Goodness, if he managed to remain this persuasive he’d have her father on his side in no time. Somehow Alistair had managed to steer her in exactly the direction he wanted without the usual condescension or rude dismissiveness she received from everyone else. Instead, he had deployed a very subtle sort of masculine assertiveness that had worked exactly as intended. It certainly didn’t hurt that he was incredibly handsome.
“My, you could lead a horse to water and make it drink,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t recall that being on the job description.”
Ah, a joke. So he had hidden depths after all. She’d win him over yet, Evie was sure of it. As soon as they got past her father, their friendship would be back on track in no time. The butterflies in her stomach that seemed to appear whenever she looked into his dark eyes would vanish as well, and she’d be perfectly at ease around him again. Her body’s response to him was based entirely on how surprisingly good-looking he was. Nothing more.
She began walking again and he fell in step beside her. “Speaking of your new job,” she said. “I’ll have to catch you up on everything we have planned at the manor this summer.”
“Yes, Mr. York alluded to that,” he said. “It sounds as if Smythe Manor will be expecting even more visitors than usual.”
“That’s right,” she said with a nod. “Between the dinners, the boat races, the luncheons and the cricket matches, summer in the country is sure to be terribly busy for us. Many of the established families from all over Britain will be flocking to Huntingshire.”
“So, we’ll have an assortment of lords and ladies then.”
“From the Duke of Rothford right on down to Sir Graham McKenzie.”
“A distant cousin to the royals on one hand, and a decorated army veteran on the other. Illustrious company.”
Evie could swear she heard a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but Alistair’s face was so expressionless she couldn’t be sure. Perhaps he disdained the upper classes after the way her father had behaved. Not that she would blame him. Not only had her father forbidden their friendship, but he had also made it difficult for Alistair’s father to get his pension. Disdain was certainly warranted, though it would hurt her to know the truth of it.
“Well, most of the events will be in the duke’s honor anyway,” she went on.
“Oh? And why is that?”
“It’s my father’s attempt to welcome him into the family,” she explained. “The Duke of Rothford is courting me, and we’ll probably be engaged by the end of the summer. This time next year I will be the Duchess of Rothford.”
Chapter 5
ALISTAIR FELT HIS STOMACH
tighten painfully at Evie’s words. The pain almost made him stop in his tracks, but he forced himself to keep walking with across the well-manicured grass. She was already with someone. In a relationship serious enough to lead to marriage. That shouldn’t have made any difference to him. After all, he hadn’t seen her in years and had zero claim to her. That didn’t stop his heart from clenching so tightly it felt like it was being crushed by a vise. The thought of her in another man’s arms was an agony he hadn’t expected.
“You’re to be married soon,” he heard himself say over the roar in his ears. “Congratulations, Miss Smythe.”
“Thank you. I suppose it will be Lady Rothford soon enough,” she said, a wistfulness in her tone.
“Indeed,” he said, against the pain in his chest. “Your parents are sure to be proud.”
“Well, it is what they’ve always wanted,” she said. “My father has no sons, and he worries about the title going to some distant relation. If I have a son that won’t be a concern anymore. A grandson will become the Baron of Smythe after Father.”
He wanted to probe further. To ask the questions that a friend would. Or the questions that the boy who fancied her long ago would want answered. But he had adamantly refused to be anything more than the distant, professional butler. His position depended on it and, frankly, so did her reputation. There were consequences for noblewomen who were overly familiar with the help. Even a friendship was a dangerous thing.
“I’m sure your father will be overjoyed when you start a family,” he said blandly.
“He’ll breathe a sigh of relief, you mean,” Evie said, her tone crisp. “Not only will he get the heir he’s always wanted, but I’ll be a duchess. A titled lady. The Smythes will have finally arrived at the top of the ladder. One step away from royalty. Who knows who my children will be able to marry. Maybe they’ll become royals themselves.”
He couldn’t imagine how these nobles could possibly wish for even more than their obscene wealth and connections, but it seemed Lord Smythe had ambitions of his own. “Congratulations again.”
She sighed and stopped walking. “I do wish you would stop giving me platitudes and tell me exactly what you are thinking.”
“Miss Smythe?”
“Alistair...” She looked at him and Alistair found himself drowning in her bright blue eyes. Her eyes widened for a moment, as if she was realizing that it was improper for them to gaze at each other this way.
Sense seized him and he glanced down, pausing at her full, sensuous mouth. Everything about Evie was refined. From her delicate features to the way she seemed to glide as she walked. But her lips were just the opposite. Pink, lush, and kissable. Instead of inspiring his need for propriety, Alistair felt a sudden arousal he couldn’t control.
Reacting to her like this was totally inappropriate. He was newly hired staff. She was well on her way to becoming a duchess. Whatever lust he felt when he was near her had to be extinguished. Alistair had returned to the manor to do a job. Evie was going to be married to another man soon. Even entertaining this strong physical reaction to her was madness.
“Miss Smythe, we should focus our attention on honoring the duke,” he said, doing his best to remind her of their distinct places in the hierarchy of things. “I have to know as much as possible if I’m going to oversee these events.”
Evie nodded. “Of course. The first event will be a dinner in the main dining hall. It will be our introduction to society as a couple. A formal way of saying that we are together. I’m sure it sounds ridiculous to you.”
“It sounds like you’re trying to welcome the duke into your family,” he said, genuinely meaning the sentiment. Though he was burning with an unexpected jealousy, and would no doubt hate the man, Alistair wanted to be happy for Evie. If she was going through this much trouble to introduce the duke to her social circle, then she must love him very much. Any good thing in her life was something he would celebrate, even if it was tearing him up inside.
“That’s it exactly,” she said, granting him the most beautiful smile. “The dinner will be in a few days, and I’ll be sure to help you get adjusted as quickly as possible.”
“I’d be happy to start immediately.”
“We can start tomorrow. That way you can meet the staff and settle into your room.” She paused. “I can have the chauffeur bring your things.”
“Thank you.” Alistair had packed light since most of his life was restoring old cars. With no immediate restoration contract on the horizon, he hadn’t seen the need to pack all that much.
They walked for a little while longer, with Evie updating him on the events planned further along in the summer. Alistair didn’t say much as she chatted. He had never been a talkative man. Besides, he enjoyed listening to her. Seeing her face light up when something excited her. Hearing the sound of her husky voice as it gave way to a laugh. Being in her presence made him feel ten feet taller somehow. Like a weight had been lifted. It seemed the power of Evie’s charm had only increased as she had grown older.
When they were finished with their walk Evie and her lady’s maid, Hannah, set out to introduce him to the male servants. From the under-butler to the chef, the valet, the gardener, the groom, right on down to the gamekeeper. He recognized many of them, and so getting reacquainted was easier than it might have been otherwise.
With that finished, they stepped out of the kitchen and Evie turned to her lady’s maid.
“Well, Hannah, I suppose this means we can show Mr. Godstone to his room then?”
Hannah gave her a funny look. “Miss Smythe, that’s staff’s job—not yours.”
Evie’s eyes widened. “Oh, of course. You’re so right, Hannah.”
Alistair gave a slight bow. “Good day, Miss Smythe. Until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.” She nodded, gave him a lingering look he couldn’t decipher, and then she was off.
“Miss Smythe seems to have totally forgotten herself,” Hannah observed. “That’s not like her at all. Perhaps she’s in a mood because of the dinner.”
He gave a non-committal sound and followed the lady’s maid down the hall. Alistair could only guess at why Evie had forgotten herself. It could have been the dinner, but he had a sinking feeling that their past friendship better explained it.
They stopped in front of a door and Hannah unlocked it. “Here we are. Your new room. There’s a laptop and a tablet for you to use. You’ll get a staff mobile tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Hannah,” he said, stepping inside.
“So long, then. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at six.” Hannah handed him the room key and walked away, leaving him alone in his new accommodations.
After he shut the door, Alistair took a moment to survey the room. It was small, but probably bigger than his tiny London flat. Plus, it had everything he needed. A television, telephone, a set of devices on the night table, a bed, and a shelf with some books. And an adjoining bathroom. He had certainly lived in worse flats, and it was obvious that the place had been professionally cleaned and prepared for the new butler.
Soon his luggage arrived, and he called his father to let him know the good news. Once the call was over he got busy meeting more of the staff, ate supper, and headed back to his room to turn in for the night. Sleep didn’t come easily. Though he was exhausted from the long train journey and his life suddenly changing for the next six months, all he could think about was Evie. Her smile. The sound of her laughter. And the way her body had felt against his when she had reached for his arm. They were the kinds of thoughts no employee ought to have about his employer’s daughter. Especially since she belonged to another man.
But he couldn’t stop thinking of her that way. No matter how hard he tried. Trying to sleep was torture, and when he did finally fall asleep Evie tormented him in his dreams.
He awoke to the sound of the alarm he’d set. Yawning, Alistair dragged himself from bed. A knock on the door gave him pause and he headed over to open it.
Hannah, Ev
ie’s lady’s maid, stood holding a pile of clothes in her hands, a mobile phone on top of the heap. “We have brand new suits that are just your size.”
“Thank you,” he said, taking the pile of clothes from her. “I will be ready shortly.”
“Wonderful,” she said. “If you have trouble with the fit just let me know and we’ll summon the tailor down here for you.”
“Thank you again.”
Hannah gave a nod and disappeared down the hall, leaving him the time to get ready for the day.
The suit he chose fit exactly right and he went to the kitchen for breakfast. All of the other servants had gathered, and they all began to introduce themselves as breakfast was served.
A pair of blushing maids on the other side of the table started whispering to each other, looking in his direction as they giggled softly.
Alistair knew what it meant, though he did his best to ignore it. Women sometimes reacted like that to him, and since he was in good shape he figured that was what it was. The gawking would end as soon as he took over and earned the respect of the staff.
When the whispers started to die down, Alistair cleared his throat. Public speaking had never been his strength, but if he was going to be in charge of the staff he was going to have to plow ahead and earn their trust in every way that he could.
“I want to thank you all for the warm welcome. I remember many of you from my time here as a boy, and it’s a pleasure to see you all again,” he said. “Though I will only be here temporarily, I hope that we can all work together to make this summer a success for the family.”
“Hear, hear,” the housemaid, Mrs. McKnight said, lifting her cup of tea. Alistair had known her as a boy, and her warm welcome was already easing some of his trepidation about moving back into the manor. “It’s so wonderful to have you back. All grown up now, Mr. Godstone!”