She went through every key and none opened the office door. The house was stirring now and she searched out the housekeeper.
“Mrs. Fox, where is the key to the steward’s office?”
“I’m sure I don’t know, my lady. Is it not on the ring I gave you?”
“Let me have your keys.”
Caroline tried the housekeeper’s keys to no avail. She would have to wait for the steward to come. She understood the door might need to be kept locked, but no door in her own house should be locked against her. She waited in front of the steward’s office, frustrated to be forced into idling. Just as the gong sounded for breakfast, the man himself showed up.
“My lady.” He bowed. “May I assist you?”
“Mr. Chambers, I wanted to see the ledgers and found I have no key for this door.”
“You wanted to see the ledgers?”
“Yes.”
“What for?”
“I want to understand the situation here.”
“I see. Well, I would be happy to go through the ledgers with you as I have with your husband already.” He unlocked the door.
“I need a copy of that key.”
“This key?”
“Yes. I have no key to this door and neither does Mrs. Fox. There must be a key to the office in the house. In case of fire or another emergency. And I meant to look at the ledgers early but could not get in.”
“Yes, my lady. Will you look at them now?”
“I’ll go to breakfast now. But I’ll come afterward.”
“Yes, my lady. I have some business elsewhere, but I’ll wait for you. Until you’re done with your breakfatht.”
Breakfatht. Had he said that purposefully? Was he mocking her? No, his face had no smile. His eyes were as cool and considered as they had been before. She must have misheard him, just as she had misheard her husband saydarlingwhen he had said Starling.
“Thank you,” she said, flustered now. “It won’t b-b-be long.”
I must not useesswords in front of Mr. Chambers.
She went into breakfast and suddenly the intruder William Dagenham, the man who had interrupted her morning, seemed very welcome in comparison to Mr. Albion Chambers.
“How are you, darling?”
“I’m f-f-fine.”
She was startled when her husband suddenly got up and moved around the table and landed a kiss on her mouth.
She blushed. “My lord.”
“You look so pretty with your cheeks so pink, I couldn’t resist. And now I’ve made them pinker. And Will doesn’t mind, darling. ”
“No, I don’t mind. I was telling your husband yesterday how much I envied him his domestic bliss. It’s good for this cynic to see two people in love.”
Phineas sat back down in his chair. “We’ll soften up that cynicism yet, Will.”
“Maybe you will. And it’s good to see a wife taking her husband's advice.”
