“I am treating nothing lightly.”
“I know,” she said. “But I believe that you are at risk of underestimating what you have begun.”
Nathaniel frowned.
“It is an arrangement.”
“Is it?” she asked gently.
“Yes.”
She watched him for a long moment, then rose from her chair.
“When your father made arrangements, he did not parade them around as you did.”
Nathaniel’s jaw tightened slightly. He did not appreciate the comparison, and he knew that his housekeeper was aware of that.
“I am not my father.”
“No,” she said. “You are not.”
She moved past him toward the door, then paused.
“I like your wife. She is understanding.”
“I am aware.”
“She will not demand your attention,” Mrs. Hill continued. “She will simply accept what you offer.”
“And that troubles you?”
“It should trouble you,” she said.
“I have been plain with her.”
“Have you?”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Hill’s gaze sharpened, though her tone remained calm.
“You have different priorities now,” she repeated. “Your sister depends on you. The estate depends on you. If you are to build something new, it must be built on steadiness, not avoidance.”
“I am not avoiding anything.”
“I have known you since you were a boy, Your Grace. Do not lie to me.”
The words landed with quiet force. She had never been one to speak her mind, and though it made him uncomfortable he knew he needed to hear it. He held her gaze.
“You are presuming a great deal.”
“I do not presume. I remember. She deserves clarity. Not reassurance. Clarity.”
“She has it.”
“Then see that you do as well.”
The hallway beyond the room was quiet. Somewhere distant, a door shut softly. Mrs. Hill gathered her ledger again, placing her spectacles back on her nose.
