Virginia glanced up in surprise. Although she was still several yards from the castle’s entrance, the solicitor had all but burst from the open doors as if he had been desperately awaiting her arrival.
“The aviary,” he panted upon reaching her side, “is a resounding success.”
Virginia did not congratulate him. It would be a long time before she felt like celebrating anything. She had hoped to trudge up the seventy-two steps to her guest chamber without speaking to anyone at all.
“It’s chaos,” the solicitor continued, eyes wide. “Every guest in the castle crammed elbow-to-elbow inside a four thousand square foot box.”
“Four thousand, six hundred and eight,” Virginia muttered. “The aviary is an oval.”
The solicitor increased his pace to keep up. “No one knows it better than you.”
“You hired an expert,” she reminded him without pausing. “A man.”
“And he’s wonderful,” the solicitor assured her. “But the new veterinarian is only one man. There is simply too much work for a single person, no matter how much expert experience they might have.”
Virginia pushed through the castle doors.
The solicitor continued on her heels. “Please think it over.”
“Think what over?” She crossed toward the stairs. “You haven’t imparted new information.”
He cut in front of her. “The veterinarian occasionally needs to sleep. I realize you dislike crowds, but could you not pop by from time to time when visiting hours are over to ensure all is well? And possibly once or twice during the day, so he might take a bite to eat?”
Virginia shook her head. “You realize I dislike crowds. You just said so.”
“I know.” The solicitor held out his hands in supplication. “What I forgot to mention is that I am not asking you for a favor. I’m offering a permanent position. If you agree to co-manage the aviary, your salary will equal the new veterinarian’s.”
She halted in shock. The solicitor was acknowledging her value. Wished her to stay on permanently. Was willing to pay her the same as aman.
“What do you say?” he asked. “Are you the woman for the job?”
Virginia spun away from the stairs and turned toward the aviary instead.
The solicitor beamed at her as he hurried to keep step. “Is that a yes?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
Managing the aviary wasn’t one of the futures she had imagined. As much as Virginia adored the castle and loved Christmas, she wasn’t even certain she could withstand the limited interactions required to run a private animal sanatorium. Presiding over four thousand, six hundred and eight feet of pure chaos sounded like a nightmare.
Yet, they needed her.Wantedher. How could she say no? Mr. Marlowe had taken Virginia in and shown compassion at a time when all hope was gone. This was an opportunity to pay back that kindness.
“Please say yes,” the solicitor begged. “You’re irreplaceable.”
Irreplaceable.
Virginia’s head swam. She had dreamed of being necessary to someone, anyone. But that was only one part. She’d hoped to build a life on her own terms, not accept yet another role someone else thrust upon her.
“I’ll consider it,” she said. It was the least she could do.
“Thank you.” Just as they reached the aviary, the solicitor placed a hand on her arm. “Before I take my leave… A letter arrived for you.”
She stared at him. “A letter?”
In the six years Virginia had lived in Christmas, in the three years she’d been locked in an asylum, in the eighteen years from birth to her disastrous London come-out, Virginia had never once received a letter.
She accepted the document with shaking hands.
The solicitor bowed and headed off to grant her privacy.
