“I plan for it instead. Far more productive to analyze outcomes and take preventative measures than allow fate to have its way.”
“But you can’t control everything.”
“I make allowances for that as well.” He touched his fingertips to her elbow. “Although, you are correct. But with safeguards in place, I can minimize losses.”
“You do my cousin well by taking such care with your duties.”
He blinked and then nodded. “His lordship is more than an employer to me.”
It was something she’d expect a loyal butler to say, but his loyalty seemed different than that of a servant for a master.
“Was there a relative or someone who could help with your brother and sisters? An aunt or cousin? Anyone? Because raising two girls cannot be easy for a single gentleman. You have witnessed my struggle to raise one.” She cleared her throat. “If you’d like, Posy and I could take them along with us… to the museum, or Gunter’s one of these days.” And then she added again, “If you’d like.”
Her offer was an unusual one to make, taking their positions into consideration. But she had been thinking about his sisters since he’d first mentioned them. And now she knew they were younger than Posy.
“I was not without assistance.” He finally answered. Had she offended him?
“Of course.” He was the sort of person who would have cleared such a hurdle long ago. And he was no longer a boy. “I didn’t mean to—”
“But it is kind of you to offer.” His voice was low.
They strolled a few minutes in silence—not an awkward one but not entirely comfortable. Because they were knowingly crossing the boundaries that ought to exist between them.
How much of one’s life did a person share with a casual lover?
“But something is bothering you,” he added.
“Reading my mind again?” she asked.
“Just a feeling.” His voice wrapped around her like a gentle breeze. “You can tell me, you know.”
And she felt safe with him, she realized—despite the situation with Posy, despite the fact that he was a servant who didn’t act like a servant, she somehow…
Trusted him.
“The Duke of Coventry is making inquiries into my late fiancé’s death.” This was the very last subject she’d thought she’d discuss with Simon. The air was heady with flowers, and the breeze was warm. She ought to be flirting with him, batting her eyelashes and other such nonsense.
Now would be the perfect time for a passionate embrace—or more. And no one would ever know because she’d never have to leave Knight Hall. There were, she supposed, advantages as well as disadvantages to dallying with one’s butler.
“I heard.” At her surprised glance, he shrugged. “It’s my job to know matters that concern this family.” The feigned innocence on his face was nearly enough to make her forget what they were talking about.
But only nearly.
“I wish they would leave it alone,” she said. And she did. The past belonged where she’d left it.
In the past.
“What are your concerns?” he asked.
“I cannot say.” She sighed. But…
One would have had to have stuck his head in the sand at the time of Christopher’s death not to have heard the rumors. Because they had never found his body.
“You are afraid he wasn’t killed? You are afraid he defected?” Simon guessed correctly.
“It would have been easy enough to identify him by the ring he wore. Not only because it bore the imprint of his family crest but because it had been stuck there for nearly a year. He couldn’t take it off if he’d wanted to.”
“You’ll forgive me for pointing out, Violet, that such a problem would not have deterred a thief.”
