Blinking, Robert furrowed a brow. “Then by all means, pension the woman and hire a new one.” He directed a thumb into the air. “That skittish one upstairs if you’d like. She can obviously style hair,” he claimed, waving to her head. “Your coiffure looks especially fetching this evening.”
Regarding him with an expression of surprise, Ivy finally sighed with relief. “Thank you. I shall do that,” she said. Her brows suddenly furrowed. “Is that why you didn’t bring your valet with you? Because he’s nicking you with the razor?”
His gaze darting to one side, Robert sighed. “Well, Waddington isn’t causing bloodshed,” he replied. “At least, not every day, but he has grown long in the tooth, and he takes entirely too long to shave and dress me in the mornings.”
Ivy tittered softly. “Well then pension him and hire a new one,” she murmured.
Robert leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, a grin lifting the corner of his mouth. “Thank you. I shall do that,” he replied.
Ivy sighed contentedly and pulled her dinner plate back into place. She helped herself to another bite of beef. “I am happy to help.”
“You always were,” he remarked, placing his napkin back on his lap and returning his attention to his dinner.
It was another hour before the two took their leave of the dining room. Robert escorted her up the stairs and to the mistress suite. Although Ivy half expected he might ask to come to her bedchamber later that evening, he simply badeher goodnight with a kiss on her cheek. “I’m off to the library,” he said. “See you in the morning for breakfast?”
Ivy managed to hide her surprise at hearing the query. “Breakfast, yes,” she agreed. “I usually go down about nine o’clock.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Once she had her door shut, she leaned against it and allowed a sigh of relief.
Or was it disappointment?
