A blush tinted her cheeks, and she shook her head. "I'm fine, my lord, really. Just... thinking."
"Oh. About what?"
They had wandered past the blooming rose gardens, along the path that led between the main house and the beautiful, ornate gazebo surrounded by flower beds. Now they wandered through a part of the garden that Alicia had never seen before. It was filled with beautiful purple lavender of every shade, the sweet, slightly husky smell clinging to the air. It was so lovely that for a moment, Alicia stammered. "L-lots of things," she managed finally.
James only laughed. "Well, I imagine you have lots on your mind, given that you've just got here. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to let me know."
Alicia had everything she could have ever wanted, right here. A wonderful new home, a meaningful job, people that needed her. And all right, perhaps it wasn't the life that she had imagined for herself - but so? All things considered, Alicia counted herself lucky to be here at all.
Eventually, they came to a wide, flat bench nestled between two beds of striking lavender. James sat, perched on the very edge as he patted the space beside her. "Don't worry," he said, "sit, please. There's no need to be so formal."
This didn't feel proper at all, but what did Alicia know about that? She was his employee and nothing more; it wasn't as if they could possibly have been up to anything. Besides, the lavender reallywasinviting, and she enjoyed his company. Finally, setting her worries aside, she settled down beside him, purposefully as far to the other end as physically possible.
James turned to stare out across the expanse of grass, stretching out his back so that it popped and cracked. "I know you're new here, and you haven't fully settled into our way of life yet," he said softly, "but I reallyamglad that you're here. You saved me when I really didn't see a way out; if not for you, I don't know where I'd be."
She smiled over at him, feeling her chest flutter against her ribs. Alicia had never been one to seek praise, exactly, but right then, she felt a flurry of gratefulness towards him. "I didn't do much," she replied, "I only answered an advert I saw. But if it helps, my lord, you saved me too."
Chapter Thirteen
Aweek passed without incident, and Alicia settled into a routine as if it had been years. It felt so natural to be here, as if she had never been anywhere else. She slotted into the children's lives as naturally as if she had always been their governess.
"Miss Alicia," Samuel said one morning as she was clearing away the little chalkboards they used for writing, "about what happened last week..."
She raised a brow curiously. "Lots of things happened last week, you'll have to be more specific, I'm afraid."
"Oh." He squinted up at her with a frown, blue eyes scanning her face. For the first time since she'd met him, he looked genuinely concerned. "I mean when I scared Miss Nora, with the toy rat I found..."
Now, he had her attention. Alicia forced a smile as she settled back into her seat, a hum of acknowledgment leaving her throat. "We've already spoken about this. It was a very rude thing to do, and you're lucky that Lord Arvill didn't catch you."
He nodded sullenly, a frown curling at his lips. "I know," he said softly, "I shouldn't have done it. I'm really sorry, Miss Alicia."
The apology struck a chord in her chest, made her heart ache. He was such a sweet boy, really, and it wasn't all his fault that he was acting this way. He had been through a lot, losing his father like he did, and so young, too. "Apology accepted, Samuel," she said brightly, "but you have to promise not to do such a thing again. All right?"
"All right," he agreed softly, "can I go play now?"
"Of course. Jenny is already in the playroom next door."
Samuel nodded, then turned to scurry off down the hall, his footsteps echoing loudly off the wood.
Alicia watched him go with a soft smile, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. An apology was more than she expected, and she wasn't about to turn it down. Finishing with the chalkboards, she tucked them safely away in the desk for later before heading into the hall.
She was hoping to find James, but she found Edwin instead, hovering by the stairs as he glared at nothing in particular.
"Is everything all right, my lord?" Alicia asked gently. Although she kept a respectable distance between them, she had to resist the urge to creep closer. Why was he scowling like that?
When he turned, though, his face brightened. "Ah, Miss Sempill. How are you today?"
"Fine," she answered stiffly. Simply being in his presence made her feel awkward and strange, which was such a horrible contrast to how she felt around James and the little ones. "I was just wondering if you knew where your brother is?"
"Oh." His face fell again, lips curling. "He's downstairs in the drawing-room with Lady Bennington and her mother."
"Lady Bennington?" Alicia had never heard the name, nor had James ever mentioned having a lady over. Although she hated to admit it, it made her throat go dry.
Edwin hummed in response. "Agatha Bennington and her mother, Rose," he offered by way of explanation. "Agatha and James have been friends for as long as I can remember, but I've never liked the woman. She's the jealous type, you see, and can't stand that James has only ever seen her as a good friend."
Lips pursed, Alicia tried not to scowl. Her eyes drifted downstairs into the brightly lit foyer, but she couldn't see anyone except for the doorman as he wandered past the staircase.
"They'll be a while," Edwin offered sourly, "How about you and I take a walk through the gardens?"
