Page 25

Dietrich

Dietrich stood in the doorway and watched as Beatrice and her husband joined their guests in the library for a wedding reception, despite having defeated a sorcerer only the day before.

It was not a large wedding party, but everyone important was there. Jenkins and Mrs. Jenkins were there. Beatrice had insisted that they come, not in their official positions, but as Alexander's family. Guinevere was there, too, the maid staying out of the way with Rose.

Dietrich had already said hello to Sophia and her husband, Caspian. They had been on the verge of heading back to the capital city when the snowstorm hit. Beatrice had been so excited that her friend was able to come to the wedding, along with the rest of the Rendon family.

Thea had closed the Cozy Cat Café to be there, and Dietrich wasn’t sure if she would ever do so willingly again. She looked almost pained as she walked around the room, paying attention to the food more than the people.

Dietrich preferred to stay on the fringe and watch rather than be a part of the chaos unfolding in the library. But Beatrice found him and hurried up to him—at least, as much as her huge dress allowed.

“What are you doing?” she scolded. “Your mother is over there talking to Lord Rendon on her own. The least you can do is be with her, so she is less nervous.”

Dietrich allowed Beatrice to pull him toward his mother, who gave him a reproachful look. He joined her and Lord Rendon.

“Ah, Dietrich,” Lord Rendon said. “Have you heard yet if Duke Vaughn is coming back anytime soon?”

“I believe they are planning to come in a few months, my lord,” Dietrich said, bowing to Lord Rendon. He liked the lord, if only because he had taken in Sophia and seemed genuinely to love his daughter-in-law, despite the fact that she had started as their goat girl.

“I hope we will see them soon,” Lord Rendon said. “It’s been too long since they’ve visited for more than a brief stay.”

“Not since their daughter went missing,” his mother said sadly.

Dietrich tried not to think about it. “I’m sure the Duke and Duchess will be pleased to hear you are asking after them,” he said to Lord Rendon.

A girl he didn’t recognize stood on the edge of the room with a tray of food in her hand. “If you’ll excuse me,” Dietrich said, bowing and excusing himself to the edge of the room to join her.

“You look as if you need someone to keep you busy,” Dietrich said with a grin as he helped himself to a piece of freshly toasted bread with something on top of it. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he was willing to give it a try.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” the girl confessed. “They hired me for the party, but I’ve never done this before.”

“Well, you’re doing a splendid job of standing there holding food,” Dietrich said with a grin. She offered him a slight smile, and Dietrich took that as a challenge.

“I haven’t seen you around town before,” he said.

“We’re new,” the girl said quietly. “I just moved here with my stepmother and stepsisters.”

“And where did you move to?” he asked.

“We live next to Widow Danise,” the girl said, nodding in his mother’s direction. “She’s the one who recommended me for this job.”

Dietrich’s eyes widened as he turned to look at his mother. So, she had new neighbors, and one of them was this beautiful girl.

Things were about to get very interesting.

“Thank you for the food,” he said, bowing slightly to her and hurrying away. He probably should have asked her name, but he had no doubt that he would find out what it was soon enough.

Before he could get to his mother, Beatrice caught up to him. “You know you’re next,” she said, poking him in the chest. “I love you too much to let you waste your life without having someone to love.”

Dietrich laughed. “You keep saying that, and yet I am still happily single.”

But as he looked back at the young woman with the haunting blue eyes who was now living next door to his mother, he caught himself and shook his head.

He had no intention of falling for anyone, even if their eyes did seem to hold the secrets of all the world.