“Gentlemen, this is Mrs. Aileen Boyd. Stanton Hall’s cook,” Deuce told them. “Mrs. Boyd, this is my brother Ty and his partner Zane.”
Aileen came over to greet them. She had a splotch of flour on her cheek. She was holding a large knife in one rubber-gloved hand. Ty discreetly leaned away from it. “Lovely to meet you both,” she said, her smile genuine and warm. “You’ve come for food, have you?”
Zane glanced around the kitchen and shook his head. “You’re so busy here, we wouldn’t dare bother you.”
“Oh, don’t be silly!” Aileen said with a wave of her hand that coated Ty in a fine mist of flour. “You’ve been traveling, and big boys need big food. Here, you just take whatever you need.” She headed back to her work station, offering up the entirety of the kitchen to them.
Ty gave Deuce a hesitant glance, and Deuce shrugged. They made themselves small plates of food to tide them over until dinner. Zane found himself admiring the pristine kitchen. There were four ovens, two glass-fronted refrigerators, a large stainless steel walk-in freezer, and what seemed like miles of counter space full of pots, pans, appliances, and food. The walls were made of stone, decorated with carved figures. It seemed supremely odd that a kitchen would be covered with carved angels, but he swiftly realized a subterranean room this expansive could only have begun life as one thing: a chapel.
“We’ll get out of your hair now, Mrs. Boyd,” Deuce called. She waved cheerily, and they took their plates with them and headed back up the winding stairwell to the main hall.
Deuce led them toward what he called the morning room, and there they found several small tables set up for dining. At one of them, a man was polishing a brass candlestick with a blue cloth. He startled when they appeared, then put a hand to his chest and smiled at them. “Gave me a bit of a jump.”
“I’m sorry, Hamish,” Deuce offered. “I’m giving my brother and his partner a little tour. Guys, this is Hamish Boyd, the house manager. Hamish, this is Ty and Zane.”
“Boyd?” Ty asked. “Did we just meet your wife?”
“Indeed, if you were exploring the kitchen.” Hamish finished his polishing and set the candlestick back in its rightful spot. “Would you like anything?”
“No, Hamish, thank you,” Deuce answered.
Hamish gave a nod and picked up another candlestick to polish. Ty turned until he was staring at Deuce, a smirk curling his lips.
“What?” Deuce asked.
“You have a butler. I’m judging you so hard right now,” Ty said under his breath.
Zane tried desperately to muffle his laughter as the tour continued.
Nick and Kelly followed Livi into the suite she had designated as theirs. The room was modern, with silver-toned floors and ebony-stained furniture. A four-poster bed with sparkling, gray netting sat opposite an intricate fireplace, complete with an ornate mirror and corbels carved into angels. A silver chandelier cast gentle light on sumptuous gray-toned linens.
On the outside of the door was a little wooden sign with their names carved in it, a stylized ampersand between, hung with a red ribbon. Livi blushed as Nick looked it over.
“I’m really sorry, I completely misunderstood when Ty called and told me the name of your guest,” she said. “I can have another placard made for you.”
Nick laughed and jerked his thumb at Kelly. “Blame the doc, he’s the one with the girl name.”
Kelly jabbed him in the ribs. “Don’t worry about us. I’m sure you’re up to your ears in things to deal with, so you can mark us right off your list. We’re happy.”
Nick nodded in agreement, still trying to catch his breath. The little girl kept grinning at Nick, reaching her hand out to him, but Nick wasn’t comfortable responding. He didn’t handle children well.
Livi smiled, her shoulders slumping in relief. She hitched Amelia higher on her hip. “Thank you both. For so many things. I can’t even begin.”
Nick managed a weak smile at Amelia before meeting Livi’s eyes again. He could see the strain around her eyes and mouth, the worry she was trying to hide behind the task of being a hostess. This was not the way a blushing bride was supposed to feel. For the first time, Nick truly began to worry.
“Well, I’ll leave you to rest up,” Livi said. “There’s a welcome dinner tonight at seven on the back patio. After that, Deacon and I will try to fill you guys in on what’s going on.”
“Sounds good,” Nick said, keeping his voice gentle.
Kelly held his fist up as Livi passed, and Amelia gave him a fist bump over her mother’s shoulder. She giggled as Livi carried her out. Kelly chuckled and pushed the heavy door shut after them, leaving him and Nick alone for the first time in almost twenty-four hours.