Mr. Burrowes tucked the will back into the cabinet, locking the door behind it. “I would suggest you address any further questions to Lady Tottenham as soon as possible. She will confirm what I have explained to you. You are soon to be one of the wealthiest women in all of England.”
Birch House was quiet when I stepped into the vestibule. I stopped on the first row of checkered tiles. I was still in a daze. I took in the ceiling, the walls, all the furnishings and grandeur. Would it really be all mine one day? My stomach fluttered with disbelief. How could it be possible? I needed to speak with Lady Tottenham to ensure it wasn’t a trick of some sort—another element to her many games. My lack of trust in her sense of reality was completely plausible.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, feeling suddenly ill. Was Lady Tottenham truly dying? All those days during the house party that she had felt unwell and kept to her room made sense now. Her coughing fits, her pale skin and excessive rouge, even the bowl of leeches. The other man I had seen frequently visiting the house must have been her physician. The pieces fit together in my mind like yet another puzzle. Her complete lack of regard for propriety must have been due to the lack of time she had left to live. She had nothing to lose, and everything to give away.
The list of questions I had for Lady Tottenham grew longer by the second. Besides all my questions about her will, I needed to know why she had sent Alexander away from Birch House. So much had occurred in one morning, I could hardly keep track of it all.
I had almost reached the base of the staircase when I heard my name.
“Anne?”
A jolt of shock shot through me. I looked toward the top of the stairs. “Alexander?” My voice was a weak whisper. I remained planted where I stood in complete bafflement as he walked down the stairs toward me. He stopped on the checkered tiles just a few feet away. His brown irises looked lighter than usual as he took me in. “Did you sleep well in the hexagon room? I haven’t seen you all day.”
My voice was buried under a massive pile of emotions. I managed to dig it out after a few seconds. “Where have you been?” I snapped. “I have spent the entire day thinking Lady Tottenham sent you away.” I searched his face with concern. His cheekbone was red with hints of purple, and it was swelling. “What happened to you?” I asked amid a gasp.
A muscle jumped in his jaw. He shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He smiled, as if that would excuse the fact that he had been injured.
“Did you fight Lord Kirkham? Or—or one of the other men that Lady Tottenham banished from the house?”
His eyebrows lifted. “They’re gone? It seems I’ve missed a great deal of news this morning.”
“Lord Kirkham, Mr. Barnwall, and Mr. St. Vincent were all sent home. I thought you were too. Lady Tottenham has been ill in her room all day and hasn’t confirmed the rumors, so I assumed you were among the guests banished from the house.” My voice trailed off as my gaze found his bruises again. I released an anxious breath. “Who did this?” I reached up and skimmed my fingertips over his swelling cheekbone. He flinched, but didn’t pull away. His heavy eyes connected with mine. He was silent for several seconds.
“I’ll explain later.” He caught my fingertips in his hand as I lowered it from his face.
I scowled. “You can’t walk through the door with a bruise on your face and expect me to disregard it.”
“Please.” He leaned down to look in my eyes. “Trust me.”
“If it was Lord Kirkham who hurt you, I will go fight him myself.” I widened my eyes with sincerity.
Alexander laughed.
“You’re staying for the remainder of the house party, then?” I asked.
“I assure you, I haven’t been banished. I’m not leaving. I told you I wouldn’t.”
I gave a quick nod, all my panic from the day slowly deflating from my back and shoulders. I practically forgot about the life-changing piece of news I had received from Mr. Burrowes. All I could think about was the smile creeping over Alexander’s lips. “Were you that worried?” he asked—with far too much satisfaction.
My defenses rose instinctively. “I just—I didn’t think it would be fair if you were sent away. You did nothing wrong. I disagreed with the…justiceof the situation.” I cringed.
Alexander’s smile only grew wider. “You would make an excellent barrister.”
I exhaled in a failed attempt at a laugh, putting one hand to my forehead with embarrassment. “I confess I was quite distraught, actually. I didn’t have the opportunity to say goodbye. I wouldn’t like it if our parting was so sudden.”
“I wouldn’t either.”
My stomach gave a violent flutter when he met my eyes. I fought the confusion that raged in my chest. My mind was alert, but my heart was muddled. Alexander still held onto my fingers, which didn’t help my sense of clarity.
The front door opened behind us, and I quickly tugged my hand away from Alexander’s, stepping away from him. Mrs. Pike stood in the doorway, eyes round. If we had been acting, I would have happily clung to Alexander’s hand in front of Mrs. Pike. Instead we had jumped apart like we had been caught committing a crime.
“Mr. Holland?” Mrs. Pike pressed a hand to her bosom. “What happened to your face?”
He hesitated before addressing her with a smile. “A disagreement was settled…perhaps not in the most cordial way.”
Mrs. Pike was obviously brimming with as many questions as I was. She made no move to exit the vestibule. I couldn’t finish my conversation with Alexander with Mrs. Pike hovering nearby. I hadn’t even had the chance to tell him what had happened that morning. Perhaps it wasn’t wise to spread the news yet. He could have his secrets, and I could have mine.
Mrs. Pike’s gaze darted between Alexander and me. The door opened again. Victoria, Mr. Hatcher, and Octavia stepped inside, their loud voices and laughter echoing.
