Page 7 of Keeper

“Twenty-two.”

She leads me deeper into the house, informing me where to find the kitchen, the dining hall, that the bedrooms are on the upper floors. But naturally, the master of the house has his own private suite. “Each room has its own bathroom, but we’ll make our way up there soon. First, we’re going to meet Alexander in the loft.”

Alexander. At least we’re not wasting any time.

I distract myself by focusing on the shiplap style walls, the gold accents everywhere. The portraits lining the halls of Creed, a woman I imagine is his wife, and a boy. The deeper into the hallway we go, the older the boy gets. He goes from young and intentionally stoic like he’s trying to play a part, to scruffy haired and unbothered. The final portrait, the one right at the end, shows a man. All jawline and deep set brown eyes, perfectly coiffed hair, and an aura of coldness that seems to seep from the paint.

It doesn’t look like Alexander has ever cared about anything in his life.

“Coming, dear?”

Glancing back at her, her name comes to me. “Madeline,” I answer softly. “Your name is Madeline. And yes, I’m coming.”

“That it is.” There’s a warmth from her I didn’t expect, and I find I’m glad for it. At least with it, his cold stare fades away, and I find my bearings just as we reach large double doors I believe lead to the loft. “Are you ready to meet your betrothed?”

That’s one sentence that shouldn’t exist in any language. You shouldn’t be meeting someone you’re already engaged to, it’s backward.

But here I am, about to meet mine for the second time in a year.

“I’m ready. Do I look okay? Last time, they bathed me and all sorts of other things. I thought...”

That I’d have more time to prepare.

“Yes, well... no need to bother with that tonight. You’ll be dressed for dinner tomorrow, and something tells me you’d look beautiful in a paper bag.” She offers me a tight lipped smile and takes my hands. “Take a breath, dear. Alexander is a good man.”

Raising my eyebrows, I choose not to verbalize the fact that if you have to point out someone is a good man, they’re probably not.

But Theo, Josiah and Beau weren’t good men, either. My Keepers. I survived them. I survived Jake, who wasn’t a good man.

I’ll survive this one too.

“I’m ready.”

After a nod she opens the door and steps aside, her hands clasped together like she’s done this a very long time, and when I enter the room I spot two men huddled together muttering under their breath.

Immediately, I recognize Provost Creed. He’s wearing a crisp navy blue suit, standing in front of three suitcases that look more expensive than most cars. He straightens as soon as he spots me, and when I flick my gaze to my betrothed, I find a crinkle between his groomed eyebrows that disappears under a mask so quickly I almost think I imagined it.

“Miss Harbough,” he says indifferently, like he’s greeting the newest member of his staff.

So formal. So cold.

A portrait come alive.

“Mr. Creed.” I bow slightly, then straighten my spine. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting.”

“Not at all,” the Provost says. “Nothing important, anyway. I take it Draven filled you in on why you are here?”

Nodding, I hold my posture and focus on Ephraim. “He did, yes.” I know better than to ask him why Jake had to die, why I’m being reassigned. He respects us, he does, but only to a certain extent. If we need to know something, he’ll tell us. But there are things I do need to know. “Can we speak in private, Provost?”

The frown returns to Alex’s face, but instead of insisting anything either way, he looks to his dad to respond.

Ephraim glances between us once before straightening like he expected this. He’s not one to ever show he’s caught off guard. “Yes, we can. We’ll be having a formal dinner tomorrow where you two will meet properly. A nice stroll through the garden should do, Alexander. The evening is yours.”

“Father.” He nods his head, then surprises the hell out of me when he takes my hand to place a kiss upon it. “Miss Harbough.”

Without another glance he strolls from the room, leaving me with one of the most powerful men in the country.

It’s a good thing they trained me for this, too.

---