Page 61 of Impeccable
Gregory wanted to ask several questions about his statement. Why were they like family? How had they come to work for Evie? What was the reason for their depth of feeling? Instead, he said, “How wonderful.”
Foster went on, “I won’t presume to guess at your relationship with Mrs. Renshaw, but you should know that we will all look out for her.”
He sounded like a protective father. Gregory stifled a smile. Here, he’d been absurdly jealous that Evie’s butler was a handsome young man. “She is lucky to have all of you looking after her. I care for her too.” A great deal more than she wanted him to.
Foster smiled, and damn if he wasn’t even handsomer than he’d been a second earlier. “That is good to hear, my lord.”
“Shall we go inside, then?” Gregory asked pleasantly.
“Of course.” Foster opened the gate and gestured for Gregory to precede him. “I’ll make sure it’s locked securely.”
“Excellent.” Yes, Evie was quite lucky to have such loyal and caring people in her household.
Gregory went into the library and was followed by Foster, who asked if Evie required anything further, as if searching for a dog in the wee hours of the predawn were as regular as serving tea.
“No. Thank you, Foster. For everything. What would I do without you, Maggie, and Delilah?”
“Fortunately, you’ve no need to find out,” Foster said with a reassuring smile. “Good night, then.” He took himself off, leaving Evie and Gregory alone.
Well, notalone. Ash was asleep on a chair next to where Evie stood.
“He wore himself out with all that,” Gregory said.
Evie looked down at Ash with a pained expression. “You should take him home.”
“Not right now, I shouldn’t. I practically ran here, which means I’d have to carry him all the way home. He needs to sleep.”
“Can you carry him upstairs?”
“Certainly.” Gregory gingerly picked Ash up, careful not to wake him, which likely wasn’t even possible given the depth of the dog’s gentle snores.
Evie led him upstairs to her private sitting room, but they didn’t stop there. She continued through to her bedchamber, a gloriously feminine space decorated in various shades of rose and vibrant gold. It suited her perfectly, right down to the delicately turned posts on her bed.
“His cushion is there.” Evie gestured to a spot right in front of the fireplace where it was warm and cozy.
Gregory set him down. Ash didn’t flinch.
“Is that where he slept all night?” Gregory asked.
“He started there, but then he moved to the foot of my bed,” Evie said, removing her cloak and draping it over a chair. “I am so sorry, Gregory. How on earth have you cared for him this long without losing him?”
“Well, he did like to run around when I took him out at Witney Court. After two nights having to chase him down, I learned to bring a treat with me to lure him back inside.”
She stared at him. “You could have told me that.”
“I didn’t think it would be an issue since your garden is enclosed.”
Grimacing, she leaned against the side of her bed. “I am a total failure. I told you I wasn’t meant to have a pet.”
Gregory moved to stand in front of her. He was going to touch her but stopped himself. “May I take your hands?”
She nodded and reached for him before he could do so.
Holding her firmly, he looked into her eyes. “Listen to me. You are not a failure in any way. You’ve never had a pet, and you’re right that I should have given you more guidance. Puppies in particular can be vexing. You mustn’t blame yourself. All is well.”
She squeezed his hands. “My sister always took care of me. I’ve never had to care for something—or someone—else.”
“You care for your servants, and I can see you do an exemplary job. They are quite loyal to you. Indeed, Foster sounds like a sibling or even your father.”
