He glanced at Marlene, who appeared surprised that they were the ones serving them, but she said nothing, merely murmured her thanks. However, when they were out of earshot, she lifted the lid off of her meal and expressed her compliments over the chicken, boiled potatoes, and steamed green beans. Homemade bread and butter, as well as trifle for dessert set to one side. “Impressive, although I daresay it’s not the usual run of an English household.” She looked at him curiously. “How many servants do you actually employ?”
He took up his fork and knife and sliced the chicken on his plate. As usual, he agreed that the fare did not disappoint. “At present, only four. Mrs. Bates, Amy, my coachman, Price, and Cook.” He glanced at her. “I daresay I don’t find it necessary to split up a single meal into several courses when one shall suffice.”
“I see.” She chewed one of the potatoes and swallowed before she replied, “Is so little staff not challenging for an estate this size?”
He regarded her evenly. “You know I value my privacy, Miss St. Clair.”
She said nothing in response to that, merely lifted an eyebrow in acknowledgement.
After a brief pause, he said, “I have been considering adding on more servants. Once this annoying business with my rival is concluded, of course.”
“Naturally,” she concurred. “To act hastily would likely be a grave error.”
They ate in silence for several minutes and then Alaric set his silverware down. “I despise this.”
She paused with a forkful of beans. “What?”
“This blasted formality.” He tossed down his serviette. “I realize why you wish to revert back to it, to appease the servants, but what should we care what they think? You are staying in the mistress’ chamber. Do you not think, if there were to be any assumptions, they have already been made?”
She slowly set down her utensil. “I’ve been meaning to speak to you about our current… arrangement.” She took a sip of her wine, and he wasn’t sure if it was to soothe a parched throat, or if she needed a bit of extra reinforcement to continue. “Now that things have… occurred where Hector will no longer be a threat to my consciousness, I propose that I return to my previous rooms, next to your aunt. And that she is returned to the castle, especially now that you know we are fighting the same battle and I am no longer a threat.”
He steepled his hands in front of him. “Ah, yes. Drawing the line in the sand, as it were.”
She had the grace to look sheepish, but she held her ground. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate all you’ve done to ensure my safety, but I believe it would be best for all involved if that line was present. It is time that I return to the duties I was hired to do.” She placed her hands flat on the table.
Alaric wanted to attempt to change her mind, to kiss her into submission, but he didn’t want her to give in to him because he had seduced her into doing so. He wanted it to be her decision, and if this was what she wanted, then who was he to stand in her way? It didn’t matter if he liked it or not. Their current situation would cause talk amongst the villagers if his staff weren’t so discreet. Since he didn’t wish to ruin her reputation irrevocably, he would abide by her wishes.
He pushed back his chair and rose. With a gallant bow, he said, “Consider it done. I will have your things moved this evening. If you’ll excuse me, I have some things to take care of as well. Sleep well, Miss St. Clair.”
Chapter 18
Marlene watched him retreat with the desperate urge to call him back and recant her request, but she stood firm against the desire coursing through her veins. She was right to tell him that she needed to change rooms again, now that they had found a way to keep Hector from trying to control her.
And yet…
All she could think of was that passionate encounter she’d shared with Alaric. It was for a purpose, yes, but it was also rather extraordinary, so… perfectly intimate that she was afraid her heart might be in danger of becoming engaged—if it wasn’t already.
She had been so focused on trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject of her situation that she had completely forgotten to tell him that she’d recovered the key. She thought about going to him now, but considering the abrupt way he’d departed, she decided against it. It would be best to wait and inform him in the morning.
Marlene got up with half of her meal sitting on the plate before her. After Alaric left, she found she had quite lost her appetite to eat any more. And with the key weighing heavily, not just on her mind, but in her pocket, her steps were evenly paced as she walked to her former rooms. When she stepped inside, it was as if she had never left. The clock she’d originally asked for was sitting on the mantel, and the lantern was on a table beside her bed. She found it difficult to believe that with such a short staff, they had managed to remove her things there so quickly, but then she recalled that the master had the power of magic on his side. No doubt he was the reason for such haste. Perhaps he’d been waiting for her to suggest the change.
She took the key out of her pocket and set it within the lantern as before. She had been hesitant about picking it up at all, but the mystery of what it opened was likely the very thing that Hector wanted so desperately. Thankfully, it didn’t glow with that mysterious burning as it had before. It was like any other inanimate object without the power of a witch to control it.
She disrobed and laid her things over the chair, which she knew would be cleaned and returned to her wardrobe by some ghostly hand before morning. She didn’t have to look in her wardrobe to know that all of her things were there. It was just like everything else.
Once she was in her nightdress, she walked over and dared to open the terrace doors. There was no fog blanketing the moors this night, only a solemn peacefulness. It was strange to stand in this very spot again, when the first night she had done so, she had seen the master of this grand estate walking the grounds in the mist.
Tonight, with the stars shining brightly overhead, there was nothing but silence.
With a light frown, she closed the doors and went to her bed. A welcoming fire was burning in the grate, but she hardly noticed it. Before, she would have despised any hint of a chill in the room. She welcomed it now, her body on fire for Alaric.
She closed her eyes and told herself that she would fight this attraction. Tomorrow Lady Erica would be returned to her, and she would have something else to focus on besides this dangerous pull that grasped at her with greedy hands, urging her to go to Alaric’s side.
At some point, Marlene must have dozed off, because she awoke to the sound of distant scratching on wood. She immediately glanced at her door, but noted no shadow beneath, as if someone was trying to gain her attention there.
She shook her head. Perhaps it was nothing more than a dream—
Scratch… scratch… scratch…
