“Okay.” Florence looked to Millie. “Clint Eastwood, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig.”
Millie threw her hands out. “They could all be my dad!”
Maggie fell bag in her chair, laughing.
“Too late!” Florence declared, waving an arm around. “You must answer!”
“This is gross,” she muttered.
Like playing snog, marry, kill with a woman in her late seventies was completely normal.
“Oh, shit. Um. I guess… snog Daniel Craig, marry Clint Eastwood, and kill Brosnan.”
I nodded slowly. “That’s what I’d do.”
“Kill Pierce? Marry Clint? Why would you do that?” Maggie exploded.
“If I marry Clint, I can get close to his son, Scott. Then divorce Clint, take half his money, and marry Scott Eastwood.” Millie tapped a finger against her temple. “Smart, see?”
“Yes.” I gripped my wine glass. “That.”
“I like a girl who thinks on her toes,” Florence replied approvingly. “Your turn, Millie.”
She leaned forward and waved her finger in my direction, albeit in a slightly wobbly way. “Snog, marry, kill.”
“Okay.” I nodded. “Hit me.”
She pursed her lips and looked around with a glimmer of concentration in her eye. “All right. I’ve got it. Liam Hemsworth, Prince William, and… Alexander.”
“Oooh.” Maggie and Florence slowly turned to me with both their mouths shaped in a little ‘o.’
“That’s not fair. It’s not supposed to be anyone we know. Isn’t the point of this to talk about unrealistic situations?” I met their gazes one by one, and my stomach dropped. “Ugh, fine. I mean… I guess… I’d have to marry Prince William, kill…” I shut my eyes and wrinkled my face up. “Oh, my God. Kill Liam Hemsworth and snog Alexander,” I said quickly, so quickly that the words all rushed into one long sentence.
It was more like, “KillLiamsHemsworthandsnogAlexander.”
“Wow,” a horribly familiar voice said from behind me. “I’m not marriage material, huh?”
Oh, no.
Oh, shit.
A slow grin broke out across Millie’s face, and I knew. I knew she’d set me up.
I turned and rested my arm on the back of the sofa and smiled up at Alexander. “No offence, but he’s going to be king, and it was better than killing you. I’d never hear the end of that from Gabi.”
Alex ran his tongue over his lower lip. “Fair enough. It’s hard to argue with you on those excellent points.” He glanced at the ladies. “You appear to have had fun tonight.”
“We’ve corrupted her,” Maggie said, leaning forward. “You’re welcome.”
I shook my head quickly and grabbed my things. “And I think this is my queue. I have a lesson to teach in the morning, after all.” I hugged everyone as they stood to say goodbye to me. “Thank you so much for inviting me, Maggie. It was lovely to meet you all.”
“Sunday.” Florence clasped my hands. “We’re meeting again on Sunday at four. If you’re able, you should come again.”
I looked at the empty glasses on the table. “I’m not sure I can handle another night of this.”
“Oh, no. We don’t drink on the Lord’s day.”
“She might not,” Millie said. “But after three hours in church and lunch with my grandmother on my mum’s side, I sure as heck do.”
My lips twitched at the flash of disapproval in the look Florence sent her way. “I’ll see what I can do. My sister might be coming. I’ll let you know.”
“I’ll give her your number,” Alex assured Millie. “I’m sure she’ll need to get out after spending the weekend with my mother while I’m not here.”
I stepped behind him and nodded, mouthing a “yes” to Maggie, who didn’t give me away.
“I saw that,” Alex said, turning to look at me.
I clicked my tongue and looked away, whistling innocently.
“I’d be offended if I didn’t feel the same way.” He laughed and put his hand on my shoulder. “Thank you for welcoming her, ladies.”
Maggie winked at him. “Well, she’s going to be here a while, isn’t she?”
Millie threw a napkin at her.
“And we’re leaving.” Alex steered me towards the door, and I waved enthusiastically at the three remaining women as he literally pushed me out of the door and back onto the little village square.
I was not surprised by that at all.
“Are all the women in this village trying to marry you off?” I shot him an amused look as we walked towards the carpark.
“You’d be surprised,” he replied wryly. “If they don’t have a daughter, they try to marry me off to their best friend’s. I learnt early on not to accept any offers to dinner parties or any parties, really.”
“Wow. Do you not spend any time in the village?”
“Mm, not really. There are some… wealthier… residents in the village who would like to see their daughters, nieces, or granddaughters marry up. And the problem with wealth is that when you have a lot of money, the only way to have “more” in society is to marry into a higher societal class.”
I tilted my head. “I suppose you’re right. Is there really a divide here?”
He unlocked his car and looked over the top of it before he nodded and got in.
I slipped into the passenger seat and waited for him to speak again.
After he’d pulled out of the carpark, he said, “There’s quite the divide. About ninety years ago, my grandfather had some financial difficulties and was forced to sell off some of the unused farmland the estate owned. Back then, many politicians and wealthy families were hearing rumblings of the war and wanted to get out of the city, so they snapped up the country land for second homes.”
“Really?”
“Yes. They were sold off in increments of two-to-five acres, and they were able to build small country estates before the war started. Over time, they built onto them, some created businesses, and their families inherited them. Most are lived in full-time now, and they’re the wealthier residents. But you have to remember that a good portion of the people who live in Whitborough either live in the village itself or live on the land we own as farmers.” Alex turned off, away from the village. “I’d say a good forty percent of people rent from the estate.”
“Wow. That’s a lot.”
“It is. My grandfather was able to turn the manor’s fortunes around after selling off some of the land, and my father was exceptionally good with numbers. He invested well and bought up some property in the village when prices were low.” He indicated right and turned onto a single-track road I’d never seen before. “He saved a lot of people from eviction by automatically renting the properties to them, and for those who couldn’t afford all the rent, he had them do labour on our own personal farmland.”
“That makes sense. He’d have to pay people anyway.”
“Exactly. Thankfully, it’s not something I have to deal with, as the agreements he put in place avoided that happening. New laws also work heavily in the favour of renters, which means it’s harder to evict people, but I wouldn’t want to evict anyone callously. I’d rather help them, if they needed it.”
I peered over at him. “You’re a good man, Alexander.”
He laughed, turning the car left. “I try to be. I try to follow the example set by my ancestors. After all, my grandfather sold off land to ensure the farmers didn’t have to relocate. I’ve turned more acres into farmland since then, and we now have twenty-seven small farms and smallholdings on the estate that all turn a profit.”
“Impressive. I can see why Henry holds your opinion in high regard.”
“Uncle Henry would be served far better if Gabriella were able to inherit the dukedom,” Alex said quietly, turning into the gates to the estate.
That was faster than the route I’d taken into the village. He’d have to show me that in the daylight.
And, you know. Sober.
“I daresay he wouldn’t hesitate to agree with you.”
Alex grunted. “My younger cousin is a lazy arse who needs a slap upside the head. If, God forbid, anything should happen to Uncle Henry and he had to inherit tomorrow, he’d be absolutely bolloxed because he’s a bloody shill.”
Apparently, I’d hit a touchy spot.
“I find myself hard-pressed to disagree with you,” I said softly. “I completely agree. It’s a shame that the law favours male primogeniture. Gabriella is much better placed to inherit Arrowwood Hall, and I daresay Olympia is with Bentley Manor.”
He pulled into the garage and sighed. “Yes, well, that’s another matter, isn’t it?” He turned off the engine and looked at me with a tight smile. “Come on. Let’s get you a cup of tea and some Ibuprofen before you go to bed.”
“Excellent idea.” I got out of the car, almost slipping on the loose gravel. “You know, I’m really not that drunk.”
“No. That’s why you almost fell out of the car.”
“I did not fall out of the car. It’s the gravel. I lost my footing. See? It’s easy.” I made a show of digging my foot into the gravel to make my point and slipped again.
“That’s enough of that.” Alex grabbed my elbow with a chuckle. “Just walk normally. How badly did they corrupt you?”
“Three glasses of wine.” I paused. “I think there was a Horny Devil in there, too.”
“A what now?”
“A Horny Devil. It’s a shot, Mr. Prim and Proper.”
His smirk flashed in his eyes. “And what would your mother, Lady Victoria, say if she could see you now?”
I grinned. “She’d ask me why I didn’t invite her.”
His laugh was so deep and rich that it rolled right over my skin, and a shiver ran down the back of my neck. “Do you know what? You’re probably right.” He opened the door and held it for me.
I stepped into Bentley Manor and let out a long sigh. This place was, weirdly, starting to feel a little bit like home, and I was relieved to be back after a somewhat unexpected night.
Alex glanced at me as he locked the door. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were starting to feel at home here.”
“Well, I’m not really at home at a pub.”
“You could have fooled me.”
I swatted his arm. “Stop it. I wouldn’t have gone by choice, but after Maggie invited me, I felt it would be rude to turn her down.”
He waved me into the kitchen. “Maggie is known for her strong-arming techniques. She does rather fancy herself as the welcoming committee in town.”
“And you sent me to her café? Knowing my aversion to people? The audacity.”
“I tried to warn him,” Boris said. “But he didn’t listen. Maggie is quite audacious.” He picked up the teapot and poured the rich, brown liquid into two large teacups that were sitting on fancy saucers.
I guessed that Alex’s naughty mugs were back in their breadbin prison in the pantry.
Shame. I should have liked to try another one.
“Here you go, sir. Adelaide, your Ibuprofen is on the saucer for you.” Boris set both teacups in front of us. “If you’ll not be needing anything else, I’ll retire to my bedroom, sir.”
Alex nodded. “Thank you, Boris. I appreciate you preparing a pot for tea for us this evening.”
“Thank you,” I added. “It’s delicious.”
Boris smiled at me. “You’re most welcome, Adelaide. I will see you both in the morning. Please put your teacups by the sink.” With that last instruction, Boris swept out of the kitchen with silent footsteps and disappeared somewhere into the hallways.
I peered after him, holding the blister packet of Ibuprofen in my hand. “Where does he go?”
Alex stared at me. “What on Earth do you mean?”
“Where does he go?” I repeated. “He just… disappears. Every evening. Does he live here? In the house? Does he have his own space? Does he live in the village? Is he beamed up by aliens once a night?”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t venture into conspiracy theory territory at the end of that and confirm that Boris does live on-site. My father renovated an old caretaker’s cottage near to the main house, and Boris has lived there ever since.”
“Doesn’t he have a family?”
Alex hesitated. “That’s not my story to tell, I’m afraid.”
“Oh.” I looked down. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologise. Just… perhaps don’t bring it up to Boris, yes? He considers us his family, and I’m more than happy to return the sentiment.”
“I understand.” I smiled sadly at him. “I’ll not ask again.”
“He might talk to you. He appears to have taken a shine to you.” He met my gaze. “I can’t imagine why.”
My cheeks flushed lightly. “I like Boris. He’s always kind to me.”
“Of course he is. It’s because you’re so bloody nice to him.”
“Stop it.”
“No, you are. I’ve never known anyone to be as nice to working staff as you are.”
I leaned forward on the table. “Well, it might have escaped your notice, but my parents run a hotel. Being nice to staff is kind of something I have to deal with. I find it gets things done a lot faster than being a dick.”
He raised his teacup in agreement. “Work staff and household staff are two different things.”
“Depends how you look at it, I suppose. Staff are staff, regardless of what they do. Quite frankly, I don’t think it matters if someone cleans your toilet or handles your most private affairs. They both deserve the same treatment.”
Alex inclined his head. “I suppose you are, once again, completely correct in your assessment.”
“Of course I am. I’m a woman. I pride myself on being right.”
“Naturally.” He picked up his teacup and finished his tea. “Right. I’m off to bed, if you think you can manage it up the stairs by yourself.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m perfectly fine, thank you. I think I might head to the library and get some writing done.”
“Really? Now?”
“Of course. My best work is done at night-time. And after wine, if the way my brain is working is any indication.”
His lips tugged up into a small smile. “Goodnight, Adelaide.”
I cradled my teacup. “Goodnight.”
With a small nod, he turned and left, leaving me alone in the large, almost cavernous kitchen.
I looked down into my teacup with a pause. He didn’t have to do that tonight—he didn’t have to come and get me. I could have gotten a taxi back, but he did it.
Why?
“Alexander! Alex!” I jumped off the stool and rushed after him, catching him partway up the stairs.
“You didn’t break a teacup, did you?” He looked down at me with wide eyes.
“I did not.” I fought back a smile. “I just wanted to say thank you. For coming to get me tonight. You didn’t have to.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. You’ve been working hard. You deserved some time to yourself. I can take you to get your car in the morning, or Peter can come with me and drive it back.”
“Ooh.”
“He can drive mine and I’ll drive yours?”
“I’ll be fine in the morning. I’ll drink plenty of water while I write, I promise.” I wrapped my arms around my waist. “Um—you’re definitely going to the gala this weekend?”
Alex sighed. “I am. Gabi is taking Eva as her plus one, so I thought she could come back with me on Sunday, and you can spend the day together.”
“Oh.”
“Do you not want to?”
“No, of course I do. I can’t remember the last time we were apart for this long. I was just…” I trailed off and bit down on my lower lip. “Do you still need a plus one?”
He tilted his head, and his brow furrowed into a questioning expression. “I do not have a plus one.”
“What if I be it?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll do it. I’ll be your plus one.” I stepped forward. “Look, I know Charlotte wants to set you up with her cousin—”
“How do you know that?”
“Please. I know everything. It’s quite the burden to bear.”
“Naturally.”
I held up my hands. “It stops her doing that, you’ve already paid for it, and I can spend the night with my sister and my best friend, and you can do as you please.”
“Why would you do that? You don’t like Charlotte.”
“I don’t, and that’s why I can imagine that her cousin won’t be better company for you.”
He held out his hand and wiggled it in a “maybe” motion.
“Look, I’m not going to offer again. It saves your arse. We don’t have lessons on a weekend anyway, so it won’t affect my work with Olympia.”
“Are you sure? I know Charlotte tends to look down on those whom she deems to be beneath her, societally speaking.”
“Well, given that my mother is titled, and I’m descended from a prestigious aristocratic bloodline, she can crane her neck up, can’t she?”
Alex dropped his head and coughed to cover a laugh. “Wine makes you feisty.”
“We have a very contentious relationship.”
He didn’t bother hiding this laugh, and it escaped him a deep, rich chuckle. “All right. Thank you, Addy. I would… appreciate… you coming in to save the day.”
“I am rather a fan of white horses.”
“All right. I assume we’ll have to stop in at Arrow Woods?”
I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I don’t have anything suitable here, no.”
“It’s not a million miles away. I’ll call Uncle Henry in the morning and see if he’s free. If he is, we can talk business while you get ready.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Of course not. In fact, driving an extra twenty minutes to Arrow Woods is a small price to pay for not having Charlotte hook me up with her cousin.” He grinned. “We’ll sort out the particulars in the morning. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Alex.” I turned and walked back into the kitchen, pausing to look back at him when I reached the doorway.
I just got a peek at his arse before he reached the top of the stairs and turned left to the next set that would take him to his bedroom.
I sighed.
Damn it.
I really would snog the crap out of him.