ALEX.
I struggled to keep myself steady, my pulse was still pounding heavily from panic. But the moment I opened the heavy front door, relief washed over me like warm water. The foyer was empty with no furious or reprimanding staff and no curious children asking where I had been. The polished floors gleamed in the morning light and the faint echo of laughter drifted from the playroom.
I exhaled shakily.
Thank God.
The butler, Edmund, appeared from the hallway with his usual calm, collected grace, holding a tray of freshly ironed napkins. His expression was unreadable, but the slight tilt of his head told me I wasn’t late. Or rather, he had made sure it looked like I wasn’t.
“You’re right on time, Miss Alex,” he said quietly when he reached me. “I engaged the children with board games
