back wall. It seems a natural place for them.”
Will looked down at his boots. “There used to be some. They were very pretty.” He did not add any other comment.
“Oh, did they grow diseased? Is that why the gardener took them out?”
Will shuffled from foot to foot. “I don’t know, my lady. One day they were just gone. All the other flowers too.”
That was odd. Who would rip all the flowers from a garden? Was not that the purpose in having a garden? “And what of the gardener? Did not he say anything about it?”
“No.”
“No? There must be more to it than that?”
Will lifted his face towards her, his eyes were reflective puddles in face. “There is no gardener here anymore.”
“Are you sure? Every house this size has a gardener.” How could such a simple inquiry turn so muddled?
Will took a deep breath, his small chest heaving with the effort. Then he let it out all at once. “My papa is the gardener. He used to be here, but then he had to go up north to one of the other estates. I went with him, but then I had to come back to start learning how to be a proper hall boy. There wasn’t anything for me to do there because the marquess never travels that far north. I didn’t want to come.”
Marguerite bent down, bringing her eyes even with Will’s. The poor boy. There was more hear than she was being told. “Did not they hire a new gardener then?”
“No.” Will had evidently used up all his words in the previous speech. He started shuffling from foot to foot more rapidly.
“Do you want to go back to your father, then?”
Will stared down at his boots. “I do miss him.”
“Should I speak to his lordship? I am sure he would not want you to be unhappy.” Marguerite resisted the urge to ruffle the white-blond curls.
“No, milady, my father wished me to come here and take a position. He wants me to be well trained.”
“Could you not work with your father? There is always work for a good gardener.”
“My father wanted me to come here.” Will looked up and met her gaze, his gray eyes sparkling with a strange familiarity.
“I still do not understand why there is not a gardener for this house. I must speak to my husband.”
“I wouldn’t do that, milady.”
“Why ever not?” If she wanted flowers and gardens surely Tristan would understand. She was not sure she even needed to consult him. Surely, gardens came under her purview.
Will focused back on the ground. “I just wouldn’t. Nobody ever talks about it.”
Marguerite sensed Will’s growing discomfort and let the subject drop. It really was not that important. She would decide what she wanted to do later. She did not need to involve Will.
She turned to Buttercup and patted her gingerly on the nose. Horses were not as bad as she had always feared. Maybe she should consider learning to ride. She turned to go.
“My lady . . .” Will called her.
She turned her head. Will raked his fingers through his hair. He looked so much like Tristan when he did that. He must be emulating her husband’s gesture. It was sweet that the boy should try so hard to be like the marquess.
“Yes, Will,” she answered.
“You – you’re not mad at me, are you? Because I didn’t know.” His shuffling had stilled and he stared at her with wide silver eyes.
“No, not at all. I just have things I need to do.”
He nodded curtly and she turned back to the house.
Things I Need to Do. Was she back to that again? Yes, and this time she would figure it out. Rose was right, a woman needed a plan of attack. Marguerite thought she knew just where to begin.
There was one thing she knew she wanted.
“I think we need to speak, husband.” Marguerite drifted into the library. She was as graceful as the spinning dancer he’d once seen held captive in a music box.
“Whatever you believe necessary, my dear.” He shifted in his chair. He hoped this wouldn’t take too long. Life had been proceeding evenly and at a steady pace since he’d made the decision that they should lead separate lives. It was not easy to be near her and avoid showing any response, but it could be managed. He’d had years of practice at hiding his thoughts, after all.
She set a single piece of paper on the desk beside him, then followed it with a pen and