devoid of young, admiring men, including her husband. Except for the edge of annoyance at being ignored and disregarded,she rather liked it. There was no one to be clever for, no one to converse with about the same things she’d discussed a hundred times before.
“Milo,” she said as she buttered her toast, “I am expecting a few more things this morning. How does Lord Althorpe feel about animals?”
“Animals, my lady?”
She smiled at his puzzled look. “Yes. Animals.”
“I don’t know, my lady. He has purchased several horses since his arrival, if that helps.”
Victoria paused, the toast halfway to her lips. “You said ‘arrival.’ Not ‘return.’ Didn’t you know Lord Althorpe before he came to assume the title?”
The butler intercepted the teapot from a footman, signaled the servant to leave, and refilled her cup himself. “I met him on one prior occasion, my lady, shortly after I began my employment here. His visit, however, was quite…brief, and quite correctly Lord Althorpe did not introduce us.”
Hmmm. That was exceedingly interesting. Though the butler hadn’t said anything definitive, nor would he if he had any intelligence, she had the distinct feeling that he didn’t like his new employer. Since Sinclair didn’t seem inclined to tell her anything about himself, she would simply have to find an alternative means of learning.
“That’s a shame, considering the present circumstance,” she continued, spooning sugar into her tea. “Was the late marquis fond of his brother?”
“I wasn’t privy to his private ruminations, of course, but I can say that they quarreled that one time, and that afterwards the former Lord Althorpe rarely spoke of his brother—except when he read the morning newspaper.”
“The newspaper?”
“Yes. Several times as he took his breakfast, I heard him exclaim about the foolish chances Sinclair took.” He cleared his throat. “Those were his words, of course. I would never pass judgment on either Lord Althorpe.”
“Oh, no. What a pity, though, that the brothers didn’t get along. I often wished I had had a sister with whom to chat.”
“Well, there is young Christopher. Lord Althorpe—the former Lord Althorpe—doted on him.”
She favored him with a warm look. Men were so easy to deal with. “You seem fond of young Christopher, yourself.”
“He is a fine young man.”
“I met him yesterday. He seemed quite charming to me, as well. I was surprised that…my husband hadn’t mentioned him before.” Calling Sin her husband seemed so odd, but constantly referring to him as “the marquis” and “Lord Althorpe” was wearing thin.
“It’s my understanding that the grandmother, Lady Drewsbury, didn’t approve of the new marquis’s long delay in assuming the title. That is mere speculation, of course.”
Victoria put a hand on Milo’s arm. “Of course. I appreciate your assistance.” She chuckled. “I’m afraid I have a great deal of catching up to do. I think I’ve found my tutor.”
A movement at the edge of her vision caught her eye, but when she looked toward the hall doorway, no one was there. She fleetingly hoped Jenny hadn’t allowed Lord Baggles to escape. A moment later the front door rattled and opened, and she jumped.
“If you’ll excuse me, my lady,” the butler said hurriedly, exiting.
He nearly slammed into the marquis as Sinclair strolled into the room. “There you are, Milo,” he exclaimed, handing over his hat and black greatcoat. “See that Diable is put up, won’t you?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“And good morning, Victoria.” Althorpe sidestepped the butler and sank into the chair beside her, ignoring the place that had been laid at the head of the table. The servants rushed to move the place settings.
“Good morning.”
A wave of shivers cascaded along her skin as he leaned his chin in one hand to gaze at her. The sensation wasn’t at all unpleasant, and neither was the sight of his deceptively
“Milo,” she said as she buttered her toast, “I am expecting a few more things this morning. How does Lord Althorpe feel about animals?”
“Animals, my lady?”
She smiled at his puzzled look. “Yes. Animals.”
“I don’t know, my lady. He has purchased several horses since his arrival, if that helps.”
Victoria paused, the toast halfway to her lips. “You said ‘arrival.’ Not ‘return.’ Didn’t you know Lord Althorpe before he came to assume the title?”
The butler intercepted the teapot from a footman, signaled the servant to leave, and refilled her cup himself. “I met him on one prior occasion, my lady, shortly after I began my employment here. His visit, however, was quite…brief, and quite correctly Lord Althorpe did not introduce us.”
Hmmm. That was exceedingly interesting. Though the butler hadn’t said anything definitive, nor would he if he had any intelligence, she had the distinct feeling that he didn’t like his new employer. Since Sinclair didn’t seem inclined to tell her anything about himself, she would simply have to find an alternative means of learning.
“That’s a shame, considering the present circumstance,” she continued, spooning sugar into her tea. “Was the late marquis fond of his brother?”
“I wasn’t privy to his private ruminations, of course, but I can say that they quarreled that one time, and that afterwards the former Lord Althorpe rarely spoke of his brother—except when he read the morning newspaper.”
“The newspaper?”
“Yes. Several times as he took his breakfast, I heard him exclaim about the foolish chances Sinclair took.” He cleared his throat. “Those were his words, of course. I would never pass judgment on either Lord Althorpe.”
“Oh, no. What a pity, though, that the brothers didn’t get along. I often wished I had had a sister with whom to chat.”
“Well, there is young Christopher. Lord Althorpe—the former Lord Althorpe—doted on him.”
She favored him with a warm look. Men were so easy to deal with. “You seem fond of young Christopher, yourself.”
“He is a fine young man.”
“I met him yesterday. He seemed quite charming to me, as well. I was surprised that…my husband hadn’t mentioned him before.” Calling Sin her husband seemed so odd, but constantly referring to him as “the marquis” and “Lord Althorpe” was wearing thin.
“It’s my understanding that the grandmother, Lady Drewsbury, didn’t approve of the new marquis’s long delay in assuming the title. That is mere speculation, of course.”
Victoria put a hand on Milo’s arm. “Of course. I appreciate your assistance.” She chuckled. “I’m afraid I have a great deal of catching up to do. I think I’ve found my tutor.”
A movement at the edge of her vision caught her eye, but when she looked toward the hall doorway, no one was there. She fleetingly hoped Jenny hadn’t allowed Lord Baggles to escape. A moment later the front door rattled and opened, and she jumped.
“If you’ll excuse me, my lady,” the butler said hurriedly, exiting.
He nearly slammed into the marquis as Sinclair strolled into the room. “There you are, Milo,” he exclaimed, handing over his hat and black greatcoat. “See that Diable is put up, won’t you?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“And good morning, Victoria.” Althorpe sidestepped the butler and sank into the chair beside her, ignoring the place that had been laid at the head of the table. The servants rushed to move the place settings.
“Good morning.”
A wave of shivers cascaded along her skin as he leaned his chin in one hand to gaze at her. The sensation wasn’t at all unpleasant, and neither was the sight of his deceptively
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