Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
ASHER
Between the two of us, there isn’t much to pack—just a single suitcase for Mercury, a backpack, and one overstuffed duffel for me.
My mother will be thrilled to see that I left my guitar behind. If Mercury notices it sitting by the sofa, she doesn’t say anything. I give it one last glance before we head out the door.
That part of my life is over.
Mac loads our things into his car, and the two of us follow.
“I thought I wouldn’t miss that little cottage, but it feels sort of…”
“Sad?”
“Yeah.”
It might be the last time we ever feel completely alone, and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not.
My brain tells me it’s probably for the best. If I want to keep my promise to Hendrix, I need to keep my wits about me. Being alone too long with Mercury doesn’t just mess with my head. It makes me fucking reckless.
I can tell myself all day that kissing her is a logical move. We will most likely need to do it eventually—a quick kiss on the lips at least to satisfy the crowd. It would be cruel to let that kiss—her first—be someone else’s in front of everyone.
Not when I could make it special.
Not when I could make it mean something.
And fuck, I want it to mean something.
“We’ll be back,” I tell her. “Someone has to make sure the old place doesn’t collapse.”
A smile tugs at her lips. “Whoever’s been in charge of that in the past has done a shit job.”
I laugh. “Exactly. Poor cottage would be a mess without us.”
Us.
In three months, there won’t be an “us” anymore. There will just be me. I drive down the long, winding road as Blackmore looms ahead.
Just me and this house…and everything that comes with it.
When we pull up behind Mac a few moments later, my mother and father greet us along with the entire household staff.
Mercury looks at me with a nervous expression, then glances at everyone lined up, from my parents’ personal attendants to kitchen staff and groundskeepers. “I thought this only happened in historical dramas.”
I smirk. “My mum is being overly dramatic, I’d wager. She wants the staff to get used to seeing my face again. Don’t worry. It won’t be like this every time we arrive.”
“Thank God. It’s intimidating. Who has that many people in their house at once? Do you ever get privacy?”
I remember thinking that just moments earlier. “It’s not easy,” I admit. “That’s why loyal staff are important. They know everything.”
“Do you think they’ll figure out—”
I shake my head. “It’s one of the reasons I was so insistent that we share a room.”
She tilts her head. “Sharing a room and intimately sharing a bed are two very different things, Asher.”
Well the fuck aware… “Then we’ll just have to be convincing.”
“How?”
“It would be helpful if I could kiss you right now, but—”
“You can kiss me,” she says in a rush.
“No.” An instant look of rejection spreads across her face. I grip her chin and angle her face so those brilliant blue eyes meet mine. “Not here. Not the first time, I mean. Not like this.”
Instead of kissing her lips, I do the next best thing and place a tender kiss on her forehead. I swear she holds her breath the whole time.
Maybe I do too.
When I pull back, I’m grinning as I say, “I don’t think I’ve ever kissed a woman on the forehead.”
“So a first for both of us?”
“Seems so.”
“Have you ever been greeted by an entire household staff, a countess, and one very tall earl?”
I laugh, sensing her nervousness. “Yes. Unfortunately, I have.”
“Yeah? And how’d it go?”
“Well, I learned that the longer you make them wait, the more insufferable they get.”
“I don’t like it when they get insufferable,” she mumbles. “So you’re saying we should get out of the car?”
I nod. “We should get out of the car.”
“Okay.”
“But, Merc?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll be right by your side. We’re in this together, remember?”
Her smile is the last thing I see before I open the door, and I hear her say, “Together.”
Mercury
Meeting the staff turns out to be the easy part.
They are all extremely polite and courteous as Asher and I stop to greet each of them. Some are new and regard the young heir with a kind of wonder-struck curiosity. Others, who have been around for a while, greet him with the familiarity of a family member returning home after a long trip.
Afterward, we’re ushered into the house, and I’m struck by the same awe I felt the first time I walked into Blackstone House.
The opulence, history, and sheer size of the place. It’s hard to imagine growing up in a home like this. It’s not the kind of place where you’d see Legos scattered on the floor or a tricycle racing down the hallway.
It must have been quite lonely growing up here.
We follow Asher’s parents, and that’s when things start to get complicated.
“Mercury, this is Evie Scott,” the countess says as we gather in a beautifully decorated sitting room for tea.
The walls are a deep hunter green, and the velvet sofas are burgundy.
Books line the shelves, and I’m eager to touch all of them, but I sip my tea and try to focus.
“She’s your personal assistant. She will be with you for the duration of your stay at Blackstone House to help with everyday needs and ensure you stay on schedule. ”
My gaze shifts from the countess and the earl, sitting on the sofa across from us, to the petite woman in the chair next to us.
She’s beautiful, with pale, freckled skin and rosy cheeks.
Her crimson hair is cut bluntly at her chin, making her hazel eyes stand out.
The all-black suit, however, feels a bit severe, and I wonder if it’s a uniform rather than a personal choice.
“A personal assistant?” I simply blink.
“Yes. You will need help managing it all.”
“Managing what exactly?” Am I not just putting on a few fancy dresses and showing up for a gala here and there? What else is there to do?
“Evie.” Theodora presses her lips together into a fine line. “Can you hand Mercury her schedule, please?”
I force myself not to repeat her this time. But seriously…I have a schedule?
Asher’s hand covers mine, and I feel a bit of relief, knowing he’s here next to me, ready to help if I need it.
Evie stands and walks the few steps to hand me a crisp piece of paper. It’s heavy and written in elegant cursive with today’s date at the top.
I am so not in Hollywood anymore…
My eyes scan the fancy schedule and begin to widen.
And widen.
There’s just so…much.
Wake-up call at seven. Breakfast with the family at eight. Etiquette lessons from nine to eleven. Dress fitting and styling…The list just goes on and on.
“Is this every day?” I ask, swallowing nervously.
“Day to day may differ, but for the most part, yes. But don’t worry. Evie will manage it all and make sure you get where you need to be.”
“And Asher?” I ask. “What will he be doing while I’m”—I glance down at the heavy cardstock—“in history class?”
“It isn’t just history class,” the earl interjects.
It’s the first time he’s spoken since we arrived, and I immediately straighten my spine at the sound of his deep, refined voice.
I kind of hate myself for it. “It’s royal history, and it’s crucial.
Learning the names and titles of the most important people in our country is essential to your role.
You will need to know not only who you’re talking to but also the legacy they carry. ”
In other words, I need to know whether they were worth our time or not.
“I think she gets the point,” Theodora says, patting his hand. He sinks back in his chair, looking pale.
I squeeze Asher’s hand.
“Asher will have his own schedule to keep,” Theodora continues without so much as a glance at her husband. “He has much to learn if he’s going to take over his father’s duties soon.”
Stuart’s jaw tightens, and I wonder whether it bothers him that she’s being pragmatic about his imminent death.
Because it certainly bothers me.
“I’d like to have tea together,” I say, feeling suddenly bold.
“Tea?”
I nod. “I see there is a blocked time for afternoon tea on my schedule. I would like to spend it with Asher.”
“But Asher will be having—”
“Tea with me,” I demand.
Her eyes narrow, and my breath stops. I’ve noticed in the short time we’ve known each other that the only times I’ve earned her respect or admiration are when I push back.
So, as scary as it is, I’m going to keep doing it. Even if I want to crawl into a hole in the ground every time she looks at me like that.
“Fine,” she relents with a wave of her hand. “I’m sure we can get some PR value out of it. Now, let’s get to Asher’s schedule, and then we can move on to the list of events for the following week.”
We’re going to be a while.