Owen stepped into the house. “I am relieved to be home, Slater. Is there anything I should be made aware of?”
Slater closed the front door, moving to take Owen’s coat. It had been a loaded question, evidently, for Slater did not appear to know where to begin. “The instruments have all been delivered and placed in the new music room. Miss Darling has not come to visit, so I was not required to avoid showing her the space.”
He ought to have felt relief, but her avoidance of the house only made his stomach turn, recalling how his mother had spoken to her—as though she were not fit for a connection.
“And the Italian garden?”
“Nearly finished. Mr. Wick and his men are installing the last of the pieces today, and the planting was completed yesterday. If you would like to take a quick walk outside?—”
“Not quite yet.” Owen rubbed the back of his neck. The memories he carried from that place were ripe and raw. Seeing itmade over would be difficult. “I’ve just come from Primrose End. My aunt mentioned that there had been a few changes to the household in my absence.”
Slater cleared his throat.
When it was clear he was not going to speak, Owen pressed on. “What happened?”
“Perhaps you would like to speak to Mr. Buckley?—”
“I am asking you, Slater.”
The butler set Owen’s coat over his arm and placed his hat on the nearby table beside a vase of fresh flowers. “Only a few small things, at first. Breakfast was moved to the formal dining room, despite the best light being in the parlor. Some of the furniture from the drawing room was placed in your mother’s chamber, and likewise, the sofa from the parlor was moved to the drawing room.”
He hesitated. Owen frowned, but he could sense the butler gearing up to the worst of it. “Out with it, Slater.”
“Your parents moved their things into Mr. and Mrs. Buckley’s old chambers as soon as you left, sir.”
Owen’s entire body tightened uncomfortably. “Uncle Edward’s room?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Aunt Clara’s?”
Slater nodded.
Owen scrubbed a hand over his face. “Was my aunt made aware of that particular detail?”
“I cannot be entirely certain, but I do not believe so. It is my understanding that Mrs. Rooney informed Mrs. Bates of some of the alterations, but I do not think Mrs. Bates would share something that is bound to hurt her mistress.”
“We are of the same mind.” A dark mood fell over him. “Is Knotts in the house?”
“I believe he is in his study.”
“Very good. I need to change. Will you have some freshwater sent to my chamber? I’m covered in dirt. And see that Knotts is sent for? I will meet him in my study in a half hour.”
Slater nodded.
“As far as the other issues…thank you for bringing them to my attention. I will see the matters dealt with.”
“Very good, sir.” Slater left for the servants’ stairs while Owen took himself up to change. The matter needed to be handled with delicacy if he did not wish to ostracize his parents, but how could they imagine moving into the master and mistress chambers would be in any way acceptable, especially when Owen had avoided those rooms out of respect for his aunt and uncle?
By the time he’d bathed and donned fresh clothing, he had turned the dilemma over in his mind, trying to determine the best way to approach his parents and learn what their motivations were. Surely there was a perfectly reasonable explanation. From the outside, it looked horrible—that they had selfishly pounced as soon as Owen vacated the house and were free to move at will without censure. But that couldn’t be the case. They deserved an opportunity to explain.
He would give them one.
Owen found his parents seated together in the drawing room on the sofa, immediately recognizing it as the one that had previously occupied his aunt’s private parlor. Why had she not taken it with her to Primrose End? Not enough room, or for another reason? It was certainly much nicer than the sofa that had been in this room previously, but Owen didn’t think it matched the room as well.
“We had heard you were home,” Father said, looking up from the paper he’d been reading. He set it on the cushion beside him.
“How was your trip?” Catherine asked.
