“Very good, Your Grace.” Rhys entered the study and closed the door.
“I am to marry,” Brody informed him, choosing to get directly to the point.
The tiniest flicker of movement on Rhys’ brow betrayed his surprise before he managed to school his features once more. “Felicitations. May I inquire about your choice of bride?”
“It is to be my current houseguest.”
Rhys’ jaw dropped. “The man upstairs?”
“She’s not a man, Rhys. She’s a woman pretending to be a man.”
“Well I’ll be,” Rhys muttered. Forgetting himself, he sank to the nearest chair. “Why on earth would she do that?”
“Suffice it to say she had her reasons.”
When Rhys just sat there in baffled silence, Brody eventually cleared his throat. Rhys leapt to his feet, straightened his posture, and stared straight ahead. “My apologies, Your Grace. I fear you caught me a bit by surprise.”
“Only a bit?” Brody asked with a chuckle. He sobered in response to the grave expression his butler gave him. “In any event, I’ll need to inform the duchess and set about planning the wedding.”
“If I may, I would suggest that you ask your intended to leave the house until after you’re married. Not very proper, having an unmarried lady residing with you and your brother.”
“Agreed. She’ll depart as soon as she has recovered. Informing Mama will help make this easier. I’d rather Miss Michaels and her sister visit her instead of returning to their former home.”
“Duly noted, Your Grace. If you prepare a note for the duchess, I’ll make sure it gets delivered.”
“Thank you, Rhys.” Brody tightened his jaw. “There’s another matter I need to bring to your attention, in case you’ve not yet been made aware.”
“If you’re referring to Betsy’s departure, then I am already informed.”
“I see.” Brody considered explaining his reason for sacking the maid, but decided against it. Judging from Rhys’ stunned response when Brody had mentioned Harriet’s true identity, he’d no idea why Betsy was leaving, and Brody had little desire to rehash the details. Instead he said, “I’ll leave it to you to find an appropriate replacement.”
“Of course. Is there anything else, Your Grace?”
“Just the note, if you’ll wait a moment.” Brody dipped his quill in the inkwell and wrote a quick line inviting his mother to tea that same afternoon. After adding his signature to the bottom, he blotted the page, folded it neatly, and sealed it with a crimson blob of wax. “Here you are.”
The butler departed and Brody took a deep breath before expelling it slowly. It was done. His mother would be informed. There was no going back now. In all likelihood, everyone between her home and here would know something was afoot before she arrived in his parlor. Why else would he summon her when they’d not spoken in over two years?
Sighing, he removed himself to the dining room where he finally managed to eat a much-appreciated breakfast. Lord, he was hungry. So he put away several slices of toast along with some bacon and eggs.
When he was done, he informed Rhys that he would be stepping out for a couple of hours. For as much as he hoped to give Harriet all the time she needed to plan a proper wedding, he thought it best to have a special license on hand, all things considered.
It was almost noon by the time he returned.
“Is Miss Michaels still sleeping?” he asked Rhys when he handed him his gloves.
“I believe so, but her sister is up. You’ll find her in the music room with your brother.”
So Finn was awake as well. Perfect. Brody went to find the pair and was rather charmed when he saw them sitting next to each other on the bench in front of the pianoforte.
“It goes like this,” Finn said before playing a few notes to a simple tune. “Now you try.”
Brody watched as Lucy made the effort, his heart expanding ten-fold when the girl’s success led to laughter. Lord, it seemed like forever since music and good cheer had filled this house. Not since his father’s death and his mother’s decision to relocate.
Everything had gone sideways since then.
He shook his head, banishing the maudlin thought, and gave the doorjamb a couple of knocks to announce his presence.
Finn stood while Lucy waved at him from her spot on the bench.
