She loved it when his eyes twinkled like that.
“No?” she guessed.
“No,” he confirmed.
“I’m not so sure I approve of you still.” But she was smiling when she said so. “However, considering how much I’ve come to like you, I’m going to forgive the fact that you’re a terrible butler.” She stepped into her slippers, which she hadn’t even realized she’d kicked off, and then glanced around the room. “We ought to be leaving before someone comes looking for us.”
Simon was staring at a burnished gold timepiece that had been left sitting atop one of the dressers. “You’d be surprised how long historians take touring old houses,” he murmured.
Violet gave the coverlet a last hopeful brush and then took his arm. “That will have to be our story then, that we are historians, adding to our stores of knowledge we will one day pass on to future generations.”
“I’ll have you know, Miss Faraday, that your cousin insists I am the best butler he’s ever had.” He held the door wide.
“Of course you are, Simon.” She patted his hand. “Of course you are.”
Even before his parents’ death, Simon had realized that being a duke attracted a specific type of woman. And if his parents hadn’t perished as they did, they likely would have assisted him in navigating the pool of debutantes, all vying to be a duchess.
As it turned out, by the time he was one and twenty, he’d already grown weary of that particular aspect of his title. He’d actively participated in several seasons and even courted a few debutantes, but ultimately, he’d question if the lady’s affection was for himself, or the prospect of becoming the Duchess of Blackheart—not to mention his property and wealth.
And although he’d come close, he’d never felt compelled to commit to any of them. Not only because he hadn’t been confident in their affection, but because he, fool perhaps that he was, had been holding out for something more.
He wanted to love his wife.
Westerley, Greystone, Mantis, and Chaswick, with titles of their own, had admitted to experiencing similar issues. But they’d argued that it was unavoidable. As human beings, they could not separate their actual person from their titles. So, one must concede to the fact that any interested lady would be attracted to both.
Greystone had argued it was better that way. Because the woman would become a part of that title as well. Better that it was something she wanted.
As Greystone’s butler, Simon had been able to separate himself from Blackheart—not forever, and not completely, but enough.
And Violet was attracted to him as Mr. Cockfield, believing him to be a manservant.
Violet, he realized, was wholly attracted to him, and that was surprisingly… eye-opening.
Being with her allowed him to see himself through a different lens, one that wasn’t warped by the treatment he received as a duke.
It sounded trite, but it was… meaningful.
“…no one is expected to be perfect all of the time. You’re only human, after all.”
He stood beside her as they waited for the carriage Mr. Sterling had summoned at Simon’s request.
And yet, that perspective could not continue indefinitely. In the familiarity of his foyer, Simon found himself missing his own home. He was Mr. Cockfield, he was Simon, but he was also Blackheart.
And he wanted Violet to know all of him. Was that why he’d brought her here?
Less than five weeks and he could tell her the truth. She’d shared herself with him thinking he was someone else. Were his lies forgivable?
He could, of course, forfeit the bet and then refuse to honor the consequences for doing so. He adjusted the sling around his neck at the strangling sensation.
He could never do either. Although the bet itself was frivolous, failing to honor his word would haunt him for a lifetime. Honor was the foundation of his existence. He’d not only lose the respect of his closest friends, but he wasn’t sure his own self-respect could suffer such a blow.
Five weeks.
Mr. Sterling opened the door wide at the precise moment his carriage pulled up.
“I hope you enjoyed your visit, Mr. Cockfield, and please, Miss Faraday, feel free to return any time you wish.”
Simon nodded and Violet thanked him graciously before the two of them stepped outside.
