“What?Oh,” he said, confused until he remembered the duster in his hand.Returning it to her, he asked, “May I have a word with you in my office?”
She leaned in and said in a low tone, “You don’t need to ask, Your Grace.I am at your command.”
He swallowed.His cock was not going to take that image lying down.Turning away from her quickly, he walked to the stair banister first, draping the cravat over it and securing the pin in one end, before gesturing, “Come, then.”
Gulping again at his poor choice of wording, he moved into his office to hover behind his desk, where the worst of his sins would be hidden.Gesturing her to a chair, he sat.“Tea?”
She laughed at him.Mouth open, no quiet titter, she full out cackled.
“I have always been courteous to my employees—” he twisted his mouth, recalling one or two laggards—and Lisa if he was honest—who would not agree.“—and see no reason to stop now.”
She blinked.“I beg your pardon, my lord, that was not well done of me.”Shrugging a shoulder, she added, “Why not?”
After moving to the door to request a tea tray with biscuits, he returned to his desk.Her laughter had at least cured his need to hide.Now he got right to the point.“You seem remarkably well-versed in etiquette for a maid.”
She clenched and unclenched her hands in her lap.“I told you—a London household…”
“Yes, well.I see no reason to ignore it.I’d like you to help me…” He still didn’t know her name.“Uh, Miss—?What is your name, please?”
“Al—Mullens.Evie Mullens,” she said, looking more nervous than before.
“Miss Mullens.Perhaps I could borrow you from your other duties for an hour or two a day?”
She bit her lip, one corner of her mouth tilting up.
Realizing his error, he tried for a firmer tone.“Perhaps I shall borrow you from your duties.When I need you.”
She nodded then winked.“Certainly, Your Grace.And better.”
Blazes.How was he going to avoid a cockstand during meetings with her?She was exactly the type of saucy wench he’d always pursued for bedsport.With the ugly maid uniform obscuring her features, he could ignore the attraction if it were only physical.But her sauciness and wit lured him to quiet her mouth with his own.And now he’d gone and set them up to spend hours together in solitude every day.
* * * *
The dinner with the dukes had been surprisingly less taxing and more comfortable than Xander had anticipated, and he was not yet ready to return to solitary suppers.However, he had not yet convinced Munroe to join him for his evening repast, and after having company, the dining room felt particularly empty.
The village had a pub though, and he was far more comfortable with that fare than the fancy meals the ducal kitchen prepared.With a grimace, he recalled Miss Mullen’s agitation about informing the staff of changes and told the footman he’d be dining in the village when he requested his coat.
The man blinked, the strongest reaction Xander had gotten from him, so he surmised the village would be a tad surprised as well.Glancing down at himself, he recalled his stepfather’s lecture about presenting himself properly and turned to the stairs, calling for his valet.
Frazer was panting as he met Xander at his bedroom door and looked far more excited than the circumstances called for.
“I need one of those infernal cravats, Frazer.And, I dunno, a waistcoat and jacket, I suppose.What does a duke wear to a public house?”
“A pub—” Frazer swallowed the rest of his exclamation.“Your Grace, would you like me to arrange for a private room there?”
“What?Why?God sakes, man, if I wanted to eat alone, I could do that here.”
The valet gulped as he tied Xander’s neckcloth.“Surely you don’t mean to eat—”
“—with the riffraff?”He narrowed his gaze at the servant.“Careful.I was one of the riffraff a few months ago.”
“Your Grace, I’d never have said that.”
When Frazer looked uncomfortable but did not finish his sentence, Xander lifted his chin and said, “Tell me.”
“’Tis just that the village folks might react a bit funny to having a duke in their midst.They go there to relax, but as they don’t know you like we do here at the house, they will be on their best behavior for you.”
“Hang it, I cannot even enjoy a good pub meal and an ale without others feeling the need to bow and scrape?”Xander’s hands went to his cravat to rip his valet’s hard work apart.
