He could feel Catherine’s eyes on him, but he ignored them, concentrating on the small child in front of him. It felt as if there was a band around his chest, and he struggled to keep his face gentle, hiding his uncertainty.
I seem to remember animals can sense uncertainty; perhaps children can as well?He waited, wondering just how much of a fool he was being. He was about to look at Catherine, to stand up and leave, when the boy took a small step forward.
Alaric did not move. He was not even sure if he was breathing. Oliver took another step forward, clutching something in his hand. He held it out, and without thinking, Alaric reached for it.
It was a beautifully carved wooden horse. He could see the grain of it, the smoothness of the wood. Then he looked up at Oliver, who was shifting from foot to foot with the air of a boy presenting an exciting discovery.
“.Did you make this?” Alaric gestured to the horse.
Oliver nodded.
“It is well made. Thank you for showing me.” Alaric inclined his head.
The boy’s eyes lit up, but he did not smile. Instead, he retreated back toward Catherine and slipped a hand in hers. Alaric stood and dusted off his knees.
As he walked past Catherine, their shoulders brushed. Heat rushed through his body, and he turned to face her. Their eyes met. Catherine’s cheeks were flushed.
Alaric opened his mouth, ready to apologize. He knew that he should say it would not happen again, that he would respect her rules, but the words stuck in his throat.
“Your Graces! I am so glad I caught you. I wanted to discuss the menu for this week.” Mrs. Danvers’s voice cut through the moment like a gunshot, and Alaric whirled to face her.
His housekeeper had arrived two days before and swept into a curtsy. Alaric inclined his head toward her, sensing Catherine doing the same behind him.
“I need to take Oliver upstairs to bathe, Mrs. Danvers.” Was it Alaric’s imagination, or did Catherine’s voice sound slightly breathless?
He glanced over his shoulder, noticing her flushed cheeks and Oliver’s pale face just before the boy hurried behind Catherine.
“I can deal with this, Catherine. You take Oliver.” Alaric gestured up the stairs.
“You...” Catherine hesitated, looked at Oliver, and then nodded. “Thank you.”
Alaric watched them go, his hand resting absently on his arm. He could feel Mrs. Danvers’s gaze on him, and as he turned to face her, saw the furrow of her brow just before she readjusted her expression into a smile.
“Let us walk and discuss this, Mrs. Danvers.” Alaric gestured to the corridor.
Somewhere where the smell of lavender will not linger so strongly.
Mrs. Danvers nodded and fell into step beside him, though Alaric caught her eyes flicking in the direction Catherine had disappeared.
“I assure you, I am perfectly capable of deciding a menu.” Alaric kept his voice soft but commanding.
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mrs. Danvers swallowed.
“From your expression, I take it that the man of the house does not usually do such things?” Alaric arched an eyebrow at her.
Mrs. Danvers nodded. “Typically, a married man does not.”
“I think you will agree, there is very little that is usual about the situation we find ourselves in, Mrs. Danvers.Myduchess,” Alaric felt a swell of emotion as he said the words, heat rushing through him, but he kept it from his face. “Understands the most pressing priorities and how to comport herself. She has my full support in whatever she chooses to do.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Mrs. Danvers swallowed.
“Good.” Alaric massaged the scar on his brow. “In truth, I am glad for this chance to speak with you, Mrs. Danvers. You have spent the last few months with my wife; you, therefore, will know her—her wants, her preferences…” Her desires.
He did not say the last words aloud, but he still felt a shiver threaten to run through his spine. He saw Mrs. Danvers stiffen,though she tried to hide it by adjusting her skirts. “I am not asking you to betray your mistress’s confidence, to be clear. It is about making her feel at home while she is in residence. Things like… a favorite meal, for example.”
He saw the muscles in the housekeeper’s face relax. “I believe Her Grace is rather partial to venison and guinea fowl, Your Grace, though she rarely eats them.”
“Let me guess, her suggestions tend toward frugality rather than comfort?” Alaric thought about the meals his wife had already arranged, the practical nature of her clothes, and her overall demeanor.
