“But…” Edgar lifted one finger, still clutching the hat.
“No buts! Make way. Her mate has made her late for the first meeting of the day. If you keep us here any longer, I’ll have to?—”
“Oh, Jessie!” Patty stuck her head out of the sitting room doorway. “Fantastic, you’re here. Just wait until you hear what I have for you today!” She noticed Edgar. “Yes, hello, Edgar. Fine morning, isn’t it? I heard you have some trouble with your flowers. What a pity. You’ve been working so hard. But never mind that now—we’ll get to it just as soon as we can, okay?”
Edgar lifted his eyebrows at Patty as Mr. Tom continued his attempt to shepherd me past.
“No, you’re going about this all wrong.” Patty shouldered Edgar back to make room for herself. I was too stunned to comment. “That’s not how to manage a schedule. Is this your first time? I know it’s difficult when someone is as busy asJessie, what with her demands and her appointments—no, this is something I’m probably better equipped to handle.”
“No, that’s okay.” I stuck out my hand as she took over trying to move me past Edgar. “Honestly, Austin wasn’t aware of the setup. I think I’m fine to?—”
“Unhand her, woman,” Mr. Tom said, charging back into the fray. “I have it all written down right here in her diary.” He held up the little book. The edge gleamed with a metal clasp that would fit a tiny key. “Along with her daily activities and various thoughts she probably had when doing those activities.”
“Wait…what?” I asked, perplexed. “You’re keeping an actual diary for me? Like…a real diary?”
“Of course he isn’t,” Patty reassured me. “That would be bonkers. He’s touched, but he’s not as bad as the vampire, are you, Mr. Tom? No offense, Edgar, but I think we’re all on the same page here, aren’t we?”
“I think maybe,” Edgar hazarded.
“I’ll have you know—” Mr. Tom started in.
“Enough.” The voice was deep, full of power, and the command shocked through those gathered.
Tristan walked down the hall, just finishing off a breakfast sandwich. He crumpled the foil in his hand as his glowing gaze traced over Patty and then Mr. Tom. “Iwill handle Jessie’s schedule,” he finally said. “Mr. Tom, you already have plenty of very important tasks as it concerns the miss. If all your time is spent managing a diary, we’ll have to bring in someone else to see to her day-to-day, like cooking and laundering and cleaning. Someone else will need to handle her.”
Mr. Tom pulled his hand away from shoving Patty and brought himself up to his full height. “There is no need to go into such hysterics, Tristan. We all know that I am the most capable person in this house when it comes to looking after the miss.”
“Exactly,” Tristan said without skipping a beat. “We wouldn’t want to have to replace you.” He stopped at my side, darkness swirling around him. His glowing gaze bored into Edgar. “You’re already on the schedule for today. Give that hat back to the person you have stashed in your cottage, free them, and make sure your flowers are seen to until Jessie can visit you.”
“Yes, sire. Of course, sire.” Edgar bowed, dropped the hat, and spun toward the door…only, it didn’t open when he got there. Nor did he lift his hand to open it himself. He slammed into the hard surface, bounced back, and shrieked. A glance over his shoulder told him Tristan and his glowing eyes were still pointed his way, and so he spun again and then raced down the hallway toward the back door.
“Kind of extreme,” I murmured.
An image of a woman holding her stomach and laughing magically appeared in the wood on the landing.
Not funny,I told Ivy House.
Her wheeze of laughter was the reply.
Tristan barely spared the dropped hat or dashing vampire a glance. He held his hand out for Mr. Tom. “I’ll take the diary, if you please.”
“It seems like you understand what’s important here. Unlike that meddling woman loitering in the doorway of the sitting room.” Mr. Tom put his nose in the air and surrendered the diary.
“I’d like a coffee made in the French press, please, Mr. Tom,” Tristan said. “And one for Jessie.”
“Coming right up!” Mr. Tom strode down the hall without another glance at Patty.
Tristan’s stern demeanor melted into a smile and sparkling eyes. “Patty, lovely to see you.” His charm was off the charts. “If you wouldn’t mind stepping into the sitting room for another moment, I need to look over the day’s events and confer withJessie. We’re already behind schedule and need to come up with a plan of attack.”
Patty blushed. “I would be glad to. Good for you for helping her! And just let me say, you’ve been a wonderful addition to this team. Everything runs so smoothly with you here!”
“Thank you so much, Patty.” He spared her a moment of attention before turning to me. “Now, Jessie, let’s just step into this other sitting room, shall we?”
I watched as Patty disappeared through the doorway before following him across the hall.
“Privacy, please,” he murmured.
I wrapped us in a soundproof spell, looking at him like I’d never seen him before.
