Chapter Five
Xander watched the pretty maid flee the room yet again. She’d caught him staring at her arse, despite his family’s lectures and needing to dismiss maids for similar acts.
She was a puzzle with her knowledge of the aristocracy and audacious manners, and that intrigued him as much as her pert figure.
Mrs. Betters would know more. However, he needed to find a balance between learning about the young woman who occupied far too much of his thoughts and showing inappropriate interest in any servant.
Heading toward the kitchen, he paused in the doorway to look for the housekeeper.
All activity came to an abrupt halt at his appearance. Xander closed his eyes and gave a minute head shake. He couldn’t even look for the person he wanted to speak to without upsetting some balance no one had taught him.
“I’m looking for Mrs. Betters,” he said. His voice was closer to a growl than he would have liked due to his frustration, and he cleared his throat. “Perhaps someone could send her to the library? Sorry to disturb.”
Withdrawing, he returned to the library but hadn’t yet rounded his desk when the housekeeper trotted into the room. “You wished to see me, Your Grace?”
“Yes. I looked for you in the kitchen, which seemed to upset the staff. Was I supposed to do something else?”
“Your Grace, of course you’re welcome to visit the kitchen any time you’d like. ’Tis your kitchen, after all—”
Xander cut her off with a slashing motion.
“Yes, yes. My kitchen, my everything. However, I dislike disturbing people and hate feeling like I’ve done something wrong if there is a more comfortable path for everyone.
” He gulped. “And I’m sorry to have cut you off.
I’m annoyed at my ignorance, not anyone else. ”
She blinked at his apology, took a moment, then said, “Please do not fash yourself, my lord.”
His brows rose at the less formal address but she didn’t notice, for which he was grateful. He’d ask her to call him that in the future after they cleared this up.
She continued, “We are here to help; indeed, we’re happy to do so. Habits are easy to fall into, but I’ll inform the staff again that there may be new ways of doing things with a new duke in residence.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Betters. I’m still curious, however. What would the previous duke have done?”
“He’d likely have asked one of the footmen to find me and bring me to you.”
“Ah.” He looked around and muttered, “Blazes, I need never leave this chair, eh? Ridiculous to send hardworking people running around when I am perfectly capable.”
The housekeeper almost snorted, managing to keep it to an audible exhale through her nose.
He glanced back.
A smile teased her lips. She made a small curtsy. “If I may, Your Grace, you have much to accomplish here, and more to worry about than this household. We are here to support you in that endeavor, in whatever way you may wish.”
He’d frowned at the formal title again, but understood her point. His time was valuable to managing a much larger staff than the ones there in Rutland.
“I’m accustomed to much more movement in my previous role, but I suppose I can contain that to outdoors.
” He sighed. “However, I’d appreciate you reminding the staff that not only is there a new duke, but he’s much less formal, so if I appear in an unlikely place, it is not because I’m checking on them, or need someone to run in response to a summons, or anything else.
Indeed, it may well be because I’m lost in this monstrous house. ”
A giggle erupted from Mrs. Betters, and she slapped her hand over her mouth, appalled. Her eyes went wide over her hand, and she pulled it away to start, “Your Grace, I apol—”
“No, please. You can laugh if I say something funny. And no more ‘Your Grace.’ ‘My lord’ will do if you must. I was Xander to my staff in the past.”
She nodded once and asked, “Now, how may I be of assistance, my lord?”
He smiled at her easy acceptance of his preference. “I’d like to get a list of all the servants’ names, a short note regarding their duties, and how long they’ve been here.”
“Certainly. I’ll have that to you later today. Is there something in particular I can help you with? Maybe a specific concern?”
He wondered if she’d have asked his predecessor that, but he couldn’t fault her for asking after he’d just invited informality.
His guilty conscience probably had prompted that question, anyway.
“Not at all. ’Tis yet another aspect of this new world I need to learn.
I should learn people’s names if I’m going to ask them to run my errands, don’t you think? ”
She grinned. “That would be lovely. Thank you, my lord.”
As she departed, Xander sat back and propped his elbows on the arm of his chair, steepling his fingers.
The first step of assuaging his curiosity about the impertinent maid had been made.
Perhaps he could track mud into the library to force her to work in his presence.
Even better, maybe he could leave paperwork on the table in the far corner and then pepper her with questions if he caught her reading it.
Most of all, he was dying to see the color of her hair, hidden under that mobcap she wore, and the shape of her body obscured by the drab shapeless uniform.
He stared into space, picturing a much different maid’s uniform. Perhaps only a shift. Or a shift and a corset so whenever she leaned over…
North’s warning sounded in his head, and he jerked upright, swearing at himself.
He’d never do such a thing, but he shouldn’t even be entertaining thoughts of the pretty servant.
He needed to find a way to take the edge off other than his hand, but out here in the country, options were limited.
No, even with all the options in the world, that woman’s combination of audacity, intelligence, and a delectable figure would intrigue him.
If only she were within reach morally as much as she was physically.
Scrubbing a hand through his hair again, he returned to the drudgery of learning and opining on the country’s laws.