saw that she was smiling as well. “You’re as anxious to get to the bottom of this as I am.”
“I am perfectly content to allow Constable Snow to—” She laughed. “Now it’s you who is rolling his eyes. You don’t believe me?”
He shook his head slowly.
“All right,” she said. “Perhaps I am a little curious.”
He looked at her knowingly over the rim of his glass as he finished his brandy. “You’re coming back to Montmarsh to see Her Ladyship tomorrow. We can start then,” he said as he put his glass down and rose to his feet. She stood as well. “I shall see you tomorrow,” he said. “What time shall I have the carriage here?” he added, just as Zack gave him a warning growl.
“Don’t bother with the carriage. I’ll stop by as a part of my usual rounds,” she said.
“But—”
“Please, Nicholas. I never know how long my visits will take. I shall ride Lucy as I always do and be there as soon as possible.”
Nicholas considered insisting that he drive her, but he could see the stubborn look on her face, and anyway, that creature was growling again. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll eagerly await your arrival.” He leaned toward her to give her a very proper kiss on the cheek. It was a mistake. Zack took his trousers leg in his sizable jaws, along with a little nick of his skin.
“Zack!” Alexandra said in a horrified voice.
Nicholas made his exit as quickly as possible, trying not to limp.
Chapter 4
It was a footman who opened the door for Alexandra when she arrived at Montmarsh the next day in the late morning. The butler, whom Nicholas had called Lancaster, was nowhere to be seen.
“Lady Forsythe was not expecting you until the afternoon,” the footman said when Alexandra identified herself.
“I finished my rounds early today, since all of my patients seem to be in good health,” she said. She hadn’t missed the disapproval in the footman’s voice.
The footman assumed a stiff posture and looked at her, saying nothing. Alexandra stared back, determined not to allow him to intimidate her.
“I’m afraid Mr. Lancaster is indisposed. He is attending Her Ladyship.”
“It is not Mr. Lancaster I’ve come to see.”
“Nevertheless, you must wait here in the hall until Mr. Lancaster is free. He will advise you as to when you may see Her Ladyship.”
“Of course she won’t wait in the hall!” The booming, indignant voice came from behind her, and Alexandra turned to see Nicholas approaching. “She will wait in the library with me. I’ll escort her there myself, and you, Crawford, you will see that we have tea.”
“Yes, my lord.” Crawford, the footman, bowed and started to hurry away.
“Oh, and see that we have some of those delightful biscuits Pickwick makes to go with our tea.”
Once again, the footman bowed and murmured, “Yes, my lord,” before he hurried away.
“I must apologize,” Nicholas said, turning back to Alexandra. “My mother always brings her own household staff, and I’m afraid they are greatly influenced by her. She means well, but she thinks it’s important that everyone be kept in his or her proper place.”
“I’m sure she does.”
“It’s partly my fault, of course. I spend so much of my time in London that I haven’t taken the time to hire a full staff.”
“You don’t have to make excuses to me,” Alexandra said.
Nicholas gave her a smile. “No, I suppose not. Thank God. I’m so used to coming up with excuses for MaMa that I’m afraid I’ve developed the habit. She detests the fact that I’ve kept my law practice after…well, after it happened.”
“After you inherited the title, you mean.”
“Precisely.” Nicholas looked and sounded uncomfortable.
“It doesn’t matter. You can be a barrister as well as an earl if that’s what you wish.”
“Don’t let Her Ladyship hear you say that,” Nicholas said, taking her arm to lead her toward the library. “That nervous disorder you diagnosed would come
“I am perfectly content to allow Constable Snow to—” She laughed. “Now it’s you who is rolling his eyes. You don’t believe me?”
He shook his head slowly.
“All right,” she said. “Perhaps I am a little curious.”
He looked at her knowingly over the rim of his glass as he finished his brandy. “You’re coming back to Montmarsh to see Her Ladyship tomorrow. We can start then,” he said as he put his glass down and rose to his feet. She stood as well. “I shall see you tomorrow,” he said. “What time shall I have the carriage here?” he added, just as Zack gave him a warning growl.
“Don’t bother with the carriage. I’ll stop by as a part of my usual rounds,” she said.
“But—”
“Please, Nicholas. I never know how long my visits will take. I shall ride Lucy as I always do and be there as soon as possible.”
Nicholas considered insisting that he drive her, but he could see the stubborn look on her face, and anyway, that creature was growling again. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll eagerly await your arrival.” He leaned toward her to give her a very proper kiss on the cheek. It was a mistake. Zack took his trousers leg in his sizable jaws, along with a little nick of his skin.
“Zack!” Alexandra said in a horrified voice.
Nicholas made his exit as quickly as possible, trying not to limp.
Chapter 4
It was a footman who opened the door for Alexandra when she arrived at Montmarsh the next day in the late morning. The butler, whom Nicholas had called Lancaster, was nowhere to be seen.
“Lady Forsythe was not expecting you until the afternoon,” the footman said when Alexandra identified herself.
“I finished my rounds early today, since all of my patients seem to be in good health,” she said. She hadn’t missed the disapproval in the footman’s voice.
The footman assumed a stiff posture and looked at her, saying nothing. Alexandra stared back, determined not to allow him to intimidate her.
“I’m afraid Mr. Lancaster is indisposed. He is attending Her Ladyship.”
“It is not Mr. Lancaster I’ve come to see.”
“Nevertheless, you must wait here in the hall until Mr. Lancaster is free. He will advise you as to when you may see Her Ladyship.”
“Of course she won’t wait in the hall!” The booming, indignant voice came from behind her, and Alexandra turned to see Nicholas approaching. “She will wait in the library with me. I’ll escort her there myself, and you, Crawford, you will see that we have tea.”
“Yes, my lord.” Crawford, the footman, bowed and started to hurry away.
“Oh, and see that we have some of those delightful biscuits Pickwick makes to go with our tea.”
Once again, the footman bowed and murmured, “Yes, my lord,” before he hurried away.
“I must apologize,” Nicholas said, turning back to Alexandra. “My mother always brings her own household staff, and I’m afraid they are greatly influenced by her. She means well, but she thinks it’s important that everyone be kept in his or her proper place.”
“I’m sure she does.”
“It’s partly my fault, of course. I spend so much of my time in London that I haven’t taken the time to hire a full staff.”
“You don’t have to make excuses to me,” Alexandra said.
Nicholas gave her a smile. “No, I suppose not. Thank God. I’m so used to coming up with excuses for MaMa that I’m afraid I’ve developed the habit. She detests the fact that I’ve kept my law practice after…well, after it happened.”
“After you inherited the title, you mean.”
“Precisely.” Nicholas looked and sounded uncomfortable.
“It doesn’t matter. You can be a barrister as well as an earl if that’s what you wish.”
“Don’t let Her Ladyship hear you say that,” Nicholas said, taking her arm to lead her toward the library. “That nervous disorder you diagnosed would come
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