Page 97 of Honor Unbound

Burton came back into the room. “Not a bad fellow after all.” He looked between me and his wife. “What?”

Marie sighed. “She knows.”

I suspected. And my suspicions didn’t make me happy. But I would try to be happy for them.

“The opportunity is too good.” Burton circled behind Marie and rested his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be near my family and can start our own in the clean air and open countryside.”

“With a fine city not too far away,” Marie added.

If Birmingham could be termed a fine city. I sniffed. It was no London.

“Horseback riding. Country walks. Teaching our children to swim in a pond.” Marie reached up to place her hand over Burton’s.

“Yes, all right.” I blew out a breath. “It all sounds lovely.” It sounded so lovely I pondered the idea of purchasing a country estate.

Burton leaned forward and plucked a bit of ham from his wife’s plate. “We won’t leave immediately. We’ll wait until you can find replacements.”

“How kind.” It was, rather, but I feared I would still be annoyed with them for quite some time. But I hid it well. “I’m very happy for the both of you. I still haven’t found a wedding gift, but I’ll give you one before you leave.”

Marie bent and scratched behind Southey’s ear. “How about Southey? We could take him with us. Get him out from underfoot.”

I considered. A pet would make a fine wedding gift. I looked at the beast. I hadn’t wanted Southey. He’d been my brother-in-law’s dog, and after he’d died, I’d succumbed to a moment of weakness.

My chest tightened. But Southey was settled here now. It wouldn’t be right to make him adapt to yet another new home.

“I’ll find you something else.” I nodded to the door. “Now go on. I know you want your afternoon constitutional. Get out of here.”

Marie popped up. “Thank you for the wedding breakfast. Everything was lovely.” She grabbed her husband’s hand and dragged him from the room, obviously eager to be alone. As alone as a stroll through Hyde Park could be.

“You’re going to miss them.” Jane opened one faded blue eye.

“I thought you were sleeping.” I glared at her.

“Only resting my eyes.”

The front door closed, and silence descended. Burton and Marie were the only servants under thirty in my house. When they left, so would much of our home’s liveliness.

“I’m going to miss all the time I wasted bringing Marie up from housemaid to a competent lady’s companion,” I said. “I can’t get those hours back.”

Jane slowly stood. She pressed a hand into her lower back and arched. “You’re going to miss her.”

I sighed. “Yes, I’ll miss her. I’ll miss them both.” I rose, and Southey trotted over to me. “You won’t leave me, will you?”

He shook, his bell jangling.

“And what about you?” I asked Jane. “Are you certain you won’t be leaving to set up house with your milkman?”

“That doesn’t deserve an answer.” Jane hobbled to the door and started down the hall.

I followed after, my lips twitching. “He does know all the right people to facilitate a hasty wedding. You don’t have time to spare, after all.”

She glared at me over her shoulder. “You’re a fine one to talk.” She started down the stairs to the kitchen.

I paused at the top of the steps, my heart thudding dully. Jane had only been returning jest for jest, but there was truth in her words. Even though I still felt young, I had to admit I had fewer years in front of me than behind.

Marie and Burton were young. Had many long years before them, God willing. It would be so easy to envy their youth. Their love.

“Lady Mary!” Ernest looked up at me from the bottom of the staircase. “The new carriage is here. Come look.”