Page 136 of Doxy for the Ton
“She taught me much.”
Alexander met the butler’s gaze in the mirror, and for a moment, the two men stared at each other.
“Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but there’s no sin in missing her,” the butler said.
“Youdospeak out of turn, Wheeler,” Alexander said, swallowing the stab of pain in his heart. “If my valet spoke in such a manner, I’d dismiss him.”
“Then it’s as well that I’m notyourvalet, for I can speak the truth with no fear of reprisal. That is the benefit of not being employed by a single family.”
“What will you do now, Wheeler?”
“What I always do when a tenant vacates the premises. I’ll arrange for the outgoing tenant’s belongings to be conveyed to their solicitor, then will oversee the preparations for the house.”
“Preparations?”
“When an occupant vacates a house, it must be cleaned, dusted, and the furniture covered, to preserve it for the next occupant.”
“And the outgoing occupant?”
“I know not where she has gone.”
“But her solicitor—”
“A solicitor is bound by honor to respect client confidentiality, Your Grace. You should be bound enough by honor not to expect him to breach such confidentiality. A woman such as Lady Rex will, I’ll wager, value confidentiality and privacy more than others, given her history.”
Was it his imagination, or had the butler’s voice carried a note of accusation?
“I care not about her history, Wheeler—you must know that,” Alexander said.
“Of course, Your Grace. But nevertheless, her history has led her to this point, has given rise to events that have limited her choices in life. I’m certain that she’ll be well—or as well as she can be.”
The hard edge to the butler’s voice reeked of disapproval—and disappointment.
“What could I have done, Wheeler?” Alexander asked. “She chose her path.”
“Perhaps, sir, she believed her choice to be the best one given her circumstances—at least, the best choice out of those presented to her.”
“What the devil do you mean?”
“Your Grace, few of us are given freedom to tread on the path that wewishto take. I daresay Lady Rex took the path that she knew shemusttake.”
Cursed man—what the devil was he talking about?
“You speak in riddles, Wheeler,” Alexander said.
A clock struck seven in the hallway, followed by echoes from its companions around the house.
“Will you be wanting breakfast before you leave, Your Grace?” the butler asked.
“I see little point in lingering here now that she has gone.”
“Very good. In which case, there are just a few items you need to retrieve, then I can set about preparing the house.”
“Items?”
“If you’d follow me?”
Wheeler led Alexander into the hallway and Mimi’s bedchamber.
