"Is Miss Rebecca fit to be seen, sir?"

Nathaniel Farley looked up at the sound of his father’s valet. His valet now, he supposed. His father had passed away a few days after Christmas, and Rodney Lane had volunteered to stay on to serve the new master of Hartewood Manor as he had the previous. Nathaniel was grateful for the familiar presence, and he had personally thanked the cook, two maids, groom, groundskeeper, and the valet who had not taken their pay and reference offered and left. Not one member of his father’s staff had gone.

( ... )