Wilson winced slightly. “I admitted to it when he questioned me,” he shared. “He demanded to know where you went, and even threatened to have me arrested for kidnapping you.”
Georgie gasped. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, her hand flying up to her mouth.
“You do not need to worry,” Wilson assured her. “Lord Wakefield thought I valued my job more than you, and he was mistaken.”
“But what will you do?”
“I was hoping you would require the use of a butler once you’ve received your inheritance.”
“Most definitely.”
Wilson bobbed his head. “Then I shall get to work,” he said.
“I do hope you won’t be bored working here.”
“There is plenty for me to do, and Mrs. Peters is preparing a list for me as we speak.” Wilson tipped his head, and his eyes twinkled with mirth. “If you will excuse me, Miss Lloyd.”
“I am happy that you are here.”
“As am I,” Wilson said before he walked past her down the hall.
Georgie continued on towards her room. She opened the door and saw Alice sitting up on her bed.
“There you are,” Alice said. “Where have you been?”
“I woke up early and decided to go exploring.”
Rising, Alice asked, “Shall we get you dressed for the day?”
“Yes, but first I have some news to tell you.”
Alice gave her an expectant look. “Which is?”
“Wilson is here,” Georgie replied. “My brother dismissed him, and he sought us out. He has agreed to work here for room and board.”
“A butler working at an orphanage?” Alice giggled. “It is rather humorous to think about.”
“Yes, it is.”
ChapterFour
William stared out the window as his valet moved around his bedchamber. It was a new day, but he suspected that it would be just like any other day—disappointing.
He had responsibilities to see to, though, and no time to dawdle. People were depending on him, and he refused to fail them as others had failed him. He did wish that other people would take their roles more seriously. He grew tired of others’ shortcomings. To succeed in life, you have to put in effort and work intelligently. But some of the people under his employ did not seem to grasp this concept, and William spent more time working to make up for that lack than he liked.
He turned away from the window and headed towards the door. As he stepped into the hall, he glanced towards his mother’s bedchamber. A pang of sadness hit him, as it did every morning when he remembered again that she was no longer there. He missed her.
William needed to accept it and let it go. His mother was gone, and nothing he did would bring her back. He was trying to move forward, but it was proving to be much more difficult than he had imagined. Why did his grief have to be so encompassing? It had a hold on him that he couldn’t shake.
One thing he knew, standing here wallowing in self-pity would get him nowhere. He needed to learn to live without his mother, no matter how hard it was.
He headed towards the entry hall on the first level and saw Thorne at the base of the stairs.
“Good morning, my lord,” Thorne greeted with the same cheerful disposition that usually grated on his ears. “I trust that you slept well.”
“I did,” William replied. “I will be in my study.”
“Would you care for a tray to be sent in?”
