“Bon.”He gave a sharp nod. “I will have someone in no more thandeux jours.” Unsurprisingly, he tuned back to the stove.
“Merci.”Well that had gone well. Now to speak with Williams.
Once in the hall, she had a footman tell Williams she wanted to see him in her parlor. As expected, he arrived practically on her heels. “My lady.”
“I have a question to ask you. Do you wish to be my butler in my new home?”
“Is that the only position available, my lady?” He was so good at masking his expressions, she did not know what he was feeling, but he obviously did not want to be the butler.
“No. You can be my personal footman. That would mean traveling whenever I did.”
He seemed to relax at her suggestion. “I would prefer that position.”
Alice really had thought he would be delighted with the promotion. “Will you tell me the reason?”
He looked directly at her. “I like London for a few months, but I would rather be in the country during other times. If you require it, I could act as the butler until you find someone.”
“There is an under-butler at Cleveland House. A Mr. Simmons. I believe he will be happy with the position.”
Williams’s eyes grew round. “I am honored that you would have given me the job over one who is already expecting it. I hope I have not disappointed you.”
In fact, he had made her task easier. “Not at all. I had already decided to hire his wife as the housekeeper.”
Her footman bowed. “I am glad everything will work out.”
So was she. “Carry on. Sometime within the next few days you, Robertson, and Bertram will accompany me to Cleveland House. The wing in which his lordship and I will reside has a separate entrance, ballroom, garden, and stables.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“That is all for now.” Alice went to the desk, pulled out a piece of pressed paper and wrote a letter to the decorator asking her for an appointment at her earliest convenience. She also mentioned that she would require her husband’s skills for a new nursery and schoolroom as well. Once that was set off, she began a list. Mrs. Thorton would need to be consulted about any maids she might have that could work for Alice. Thorton might have an extra footman or two. Perhaps more. She would ask Simmons if he knew any of the Cleveland house staff that would be willing to change households. Then there were the stables. Naturally, she would take her groom, but Giff should know if he could pilfer a coachman from his father.
A knock came on the door, and Williams stepped in. “My lady, her ladyship would like to see you.”
“I will be there directly.” She set her pen down and picked it up again and wrote down that she needed scullery maids and a laundress. What else? Oh yes, find time to be alone with Giff.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
Giff arrived back at Worthington House and was led to a good-sized parlor anchored by a large lady’s desk. His mother, Lady Worthington, and Alice were seated near the window. Outside, the Great Danes were playing with the older children.
The butler announced him. “Lord St. Albans, my lady.”
Alice glanced up. “Oh, good. We can go no further until we know if we are being married in church or not.”
He took a seat next to her on a small sofa. “If we want to have the ceremony in church, it can only be in ten days at nine in the morning.”
She took one of his hands between her smaller ones. “That is only two days earlier than we had planned.”
Lady Worthington poured him a cup of tea, and Alice added the milk and sugar. Her ladyship glanced at his mother then at him. “Very well. I shall write to Madam Lisette to notify her of the change. The only other decision is where to have the wedding breakfast.”
He and his mother had both thought the Cleveland House gardens would be perfect, but it would be much more difficult to keep track of the children. “Here.”
Mamma shot him a look, and he tilted his head to the window. Understanding dawned on her countenance. “I agree. It will be easier to have it here with the children.”
He thought Lady Worthington heaved a small sigh of relief, and Giff said, “There will be plenty of time for them to explore our gardens later.”
She glanced at a paper in her hand. “Number of guests. We generally invite family members and close friends of the bride and groom.”
“I would like my father to be there,” Mamma said. “I wrote to him as soon as Alice and Giff were betrothed.”
