Page 129 of Three Weeks with a Princess
Lia paused before the door of the library. “Richard, I’ve been lugging tea trays around the manor for years. You never objected before.”
“That wasbeforeyou were the lady of the house.” A twinkle lurked in his eyes. “At least officially.”
“It still seems strange, to tell you the truth. Every time one of the servants addresses me asmy lady, I’m tempted to look behind me.”
“You’re doing splendidly, my lady. And everyone below-stairs agrees, I might add.”
“Especially right before Boxing Day, I would imagine,” Lia joked. She had collected quite a pile of gifts and small change purses, ready to distribute to the staff in the morning.
“Especially then.”
She smiled. “Very well, Richard, that will be all for the night.”
“Very good, my lady,” he said, reaching for the doorknob.
“I suppose I shouldn’t call you Richard anymore, should I? I keep forgetting.”
On their return to Stonefell, Jack had encouraged the old butler to retire. Debbins had never approved of her and he’d been more than happy to be pensioned off rather than suffer the indignity of answering to a Kincaid as lady of the house. Jack had replaced him with Richard, the head footman and her old friend. It was just one of the many changes, large and small, her husband had made to ensure her comfort.
“Lady Lendale, you may call me whatever you like.” He cracked a slight smile. “Just not in front of the other servants.”
She laughed. “Thank you, Betley. Good night and happy Christmas.”
Richard pushed the door open. “Happy Christmas, my lady.”
Lia started across the spacious room. The tea traywasrather heavy, and she’d hate to spill on the new and very beautiful carpet that had been installed only last week.
“Here, let me help you,” Jack said, striding around his desk to take it from her. “Why didn’t you let one of the servants bring that in?”
“Betley wanted to, but I didn’t wish to inconvenience him, and the others are down in the kitchen having a bit of a holiday party. They’ve been working so hard to get the manor ready for Christmas.”
He placed the tray on his desk. “Love, you’ll hurt their feelings if you don’t ask them to do things. They want to help you.”
She smoothed her skirts as she sat in the big leather club chair in front of his desk. “The staff have made it tremendously easy on me, so there’s no need to worry.”
Ever since their return in October—as husband and wife—the servants had been welcoming and helpful. The tenant farmers had also seemed pleased to see Lia in her new role, as had most of the shopkeepers in the village. There were, of course, a few who disapproved. Some of the local gentry were mortally offended that Jack had picked her instead of one of their own daughters. Jack had taken an exceedingly dim view of anyone having the nerve to snub her, prompting her to suggest that it might be best to ignore the offending party rather than tear a strip off him or her. After all, one couldn’t spend the rest of one’s life going about insulting neighbors; it was simply too exhausting.
“The servants respect you,” he said. “They know how much you love Stonefell and care for the people who live here.”
“How could I not love it? It’s my home.”
“I’m glad you finally realize that,” he said wryly as he handed her a cup of tea.
“I always realized it. I just didn’t think it was the right place for me to be, for your sake as well as my own.”
He sat on the edge of his desk, studying her. “It’s exactly where you should be.”
She smiled at him over the rim of her teacup. “Whereveryouare is where I should be.”
He grinned. “Then we are in perfect accord.”
“As usual.”
“I’ll remind you of that the next time you contradict me.”
Lia affected surprise. “My lord, when do we ever disagree?”
He huffed out a derisive snort.
