“No, no, and no.”
Jonathan frowned. “
Persuasion
has just started on TV. He has the lead role.”
Dawn picked up her glass of water. “No.”
Liam rolled his eyes. “You need to get out more. Or stay home and watch the TV occasionally.”
She laughed. “Only if you do my marking and lesson prep.” She looked at Jonathan. “So which fortunate bloke is making up the fourth for my field trip next week?”
“I am,” he said. “I quite fancy a week in Derbyshire keeping you and your year tens in check.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “You might just live to regret that.”
~*~
Gabriel Tyler sat at the dining table reading the papers from the school. Around him, the footmen prepared to serve dinner, a tradition he hated, but his mother, Dowager Countess Florence Tyler, wouldn’t hear of doing anything different to the way it had been done for generations.
His mother’s heels clicked across the tiled floor. Even the way she walked showed her disapproval of him reading at dinner. “Really, Gabriel, must you work at the dining table and not your study? I hope those are estate papers.”
The only people who called him Gabriel were his mother and the people he worked with. The staff, those in authority and in the House of Lords, called him Lord Tyler, Sir, or Your Lordship. He preferred his friends to call him by the shortened version of his name—Gabe. At least that way he could keep his career and personal life separate. His mother refused, said it wasn’t worthy of someone of his standing, either as a child and especially now that he was the earl.
Gabe put the papers on the empty chair to his right keeping his irritation to himself. “Only whilst I was waiting for you, and no, it’s nothing to do with the estate.”
His mother sighed. “Another script?”
He shook his head. “Not this time. I’ve agreed to speak at the school careers fayre next week.”
Horror etched over her chiseled features. Her hand rose to stop the footman offering her the plate of meat. “You’ve
what
?”
Gabe resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He beckoned to the footman for the soup he’d requested Mrs. Jessop make him tonight. He was hungry even if his mother wasn’t. “You’ve been telling me for months to get involved in the community—ever since Dad died and I became Earl of Elton in his place. So this is me getting involved.”
“Are you opening this
fayre
?” Her tone carried her disgust for the word.
“No. Miss Stannis, one of the teachers, has asked me to speak on being an actor.”
His mother fluttered a hand over her face. “Angels and ministers of grace defend us.”
“Mother, please.” Gabe sighed and took a mouthful of his soup. He swallowed and looked at the footman. “Pass my compliments on to Mrs. Jessop. This is amazing, as always.”
“Is that all you’re having?” Countess Florence finally loaded her plate. “You’re not eating enough to keep a flea alive right now.”
“You know very well I’m losing weight for the new role. Besides, thousands of people survive on less than this a day.”
“It’s not good for you, and it’s high time you settled down to run the estate properly. Not to mention find a nice woman to marry and start a family with.”
At that comment, Gabe did roll his eyes. “Not this again.”
“Yes, this again.” Countess Florence cut her meat into tiny pieces, the knife grating on the bone china plate. “Your father has been gone six months, and you still have no heir. What if something happens to you? You’re nearly thirty. You were three by the time your father was the age you are now.”
“If something happens to me then the title will go to Blake. Like I said, my career…”
“Don’t even get me started on that. You think I take pleasure in seeing you plastered all over the television and billboards in who knows what costume, or none at all? And being chased by those paperzillas all the time...”
“It’s paparazzi,” he corrected, eating his soup.
“Paperzillas and never given a moment’s peace? And to be connected to who knows how many unacceptable floozies? Draping yourself all over them, hands everywhere.” She didn’t even pause for breath. “How are you meant to settle down and raise a family? What woman would be willing to put up with that sort of behavior?”
“It’s called
acting,
Mother.” Gabe finished his soup and reached across for his papers. “At least this way, the moment I do find someone, you’ll know instantly because it’ll be headlines in the tabloids. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and learn my lines for tomorrow’s shoot. And it’s an early start again, so I will see you at dinner tomorrow night assuming we’re finished in time.” He pushed his chair back and stood.
“Gabriel.”
“Mother,” he replied.
“Don’t forget the estate—”
“—manager is coming at three,” he finished. “I know. I’ll be here, and if I’m not, I’ll call him.” He went into the hall and leaned against the wall. Looking down, he studied his shoes wishing his problems were as easily cleaned away. His mother was getting worse. The doctors had warned him of this. Early onset Alzheimer’s would lead to mood changes, irritability, and other things before the woman he knew was lost forever. It seemed she was becoming the person she’d been in her thirties, the woman his father had changed for the better through their marriage.
He couldn’t put her in a home, and the staff were great, but the time would come when she would be too much, and he’d need to get in a full-time carer.
When he raised his head, the potted palm tree on the other side of the checkered hallway mocked him. He glared at it.
“Sir?”
Gabe looked up into the poker face of Hardy the butler. “I thought I gave instructions for that monstrosity to be put outside on the terrace.”
“Lady Tyler insisted it came back inside, sir.”
Gabe harrumphed. “So put it upstairs in her ladyship’s room. If she’s that fond of it, she can live with it.”
Hardy’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll get right on it, sir.”
Gabe tried not to smile. “I have a three-thirty call tomorrow morning with the car coming at four. So, I won’t need breakfast.”
“Do you want a tray of coffee brought up at half past three?”
“Certainly not. Just because I have to be up at stupid o’clock, doesn’t mean I expect you or the kitchen staff to be up then as well. I’m perfectly capable of finding the kettle and putting it on myself.” He grinned. “Just don’t tell my mother I said that. She’d have a blue fit and go up in smoke.”
A brief smile crossed the butler’s face before he masked it. “Very good, sir.”
Gabe headed to the huge wooden staircase. Its central span divided into two half way up. His style of leadership being
lord of the manor
was vastly different to his parents and grandparents. But times changed. Servants were human beings, too. Yes, he expected the same level of service, loyalty, and respect as his father and grandfather, but not at the expense of their dignity and health.
His thoughts returned to the careers fayre and Miss Stannis.
What did she look like? Blonde, redhead, brunette? Tall, short, fat, thin? It was impossible to tell from her voice. He reached his room and threw the papers onto his bed. He pulled out his phone and speed-dialed his brother.
“Cherry Tree House, Blake Tyler speaking.”
Gabe gave a short laugh. “Did I ring the main house rather than your mobile, Blake?”
There was a pause. “Nope, I’m just in work mode.” Blake laughed. As the house father of the local children’s home, Blake was never off duty. “How are you?”
“Just shocked Mother. Told her I’m doing the careers fayre at the school next week. And I’m going as an actor.”
Blake gasped as if shocked. “No, surely the great Earl of Elton isn’t going to attend a local fayre as an
actor
? You’ll let down the family; in fact, the entire country will crumble, and the stock market will crash, and life as we know it will come to an end.”
“Oh, hush.” Gabe laughed harder. “So, will you be coming?”
“Yes—in my capacity as a parent. I will be sure to bring Eddie and Jason over to say ‘hi.’ And get a signed photo because you know they’ll want one.”
“Don’t you start.”
Blake chuckled. “Mother giving you grief on all subjects as usual then?”
“I think she despairs of us both. I was wondering if you’d met Miss Stannis. She’s organizing the fayre.”
“The name doesn’t ring a bell. What does she teach?”
“I have no idea.”
“That’s a great help. I’ll ask the kids.”
“Thank you. I’d better go. I have to be up at half three, and I have new lines to learn before I sleep. An actor’s life is not an easy one.”
He hung up, Dawn Stannis very much on his mind. He lay on the bed reading the script, only the voice in his head replying to his lines belonged to a certain teacher and not his co-star.
2
Gabe followed the footman who carried another box into the hall and watched him stack it by the first one. It would’ve been far quicker if he’d have done it himself, rather than wait for someone to turn up and then have to tell them what to do.
“You are
not
driving yourself,” Countess Florence barked continuing the argument from breakfast. “Hardy, have Peters bring the car around ready to drive His Lordship to the school.”
Before the butler could say anything, Gabe glared at her. “I’ll drive. I don’t need a limo for this trip. It’s not far, and I don’t want a fuss.”
“You’ll take the driver, and that’s the end of it.”
Gabe scowled. “Fine. Then I’ll need him and the car all day. You’ll have to find some other way of getting to your bridge club this afternoon. We’ll be home around nine-thirty, ten this evening. So I won’t need dinner.”
He headed towards the door taking one of the boxes with him. He bit his tongue as the footman took it from him. “Put it in the boot of
my
car, please.”
Hardy followed him with the other box. “Mrs. Jessop made you up a cut lunch, sir. I know you said you didn’t want anything, but…”
“I’ll take it.” Tired of his mother making a fuss, he simply wanted out of the house as soon as possible.
His red sports car sat on the drive, and he unlocked it. He turned to the footman who was struggling to fit the big box into the small boot. At this rate, he’d be late. “Let me take that.” Shoving his box into the boot, he stacked the second box next to it.
Easy when you know how
.
He caught sight of his mother glaring at him from the doorway. Why couldn’t she just accept the fact that he wasn’t going to break if he did something for himself for once?
The chauffer, Peters, appeared beside him and opened the passenger door.
Gabe sighed. He handed over the keys and got into the car. “Take me to the end of the road then take the day off. I’ll meet you somewhere when I’m finished, and you can drive me back home.”
“Very good, sir.”
Gabe pushed back in his seat and fastened his belt. It really would be nice to get a different response to what he said sometimes.
Peters started the car. “I’ve been meaning to visit my mother in Bramley. This would be the perfect opportunity to do so.”
“Sounds good.” Gabe looked at him. “Tell you what. Drive to the station and hop out. I’ll pick you up there about nine-thirty tonight. That will give you plenty of time for a decent visit.”
Peters smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“And not a word to my mother.”
Fifteen minutes later, Gabe drove into the school car park. He locked the car and headed into reception.
“Gabriel Tyler to see Miss Stannis. I’m here for the careers fayre.”
“Take a seat, Mr. Tyler, and I’ll give her a call.”
“Thank you.”
Gabe turned his attention to the wall displays of the children’s work. Some of it was pretty good. Over on the far wall were cast pictures of past school plays. He didn’t need to go over to them to know which were his.
“Lord Tyler?”
He turned.
Wow
. The woman standing before him was nothing like he’d imagined or expected. Tight black plaits covered her head, perfect white teeth shone against her dark skin. Deep brown eyes sparkled as her hand extended towards him. He swallowed forcing his voice to work. “Miss Stannis, I presume?”
She nodded. “Thank you for coming. And please, call me Dawn.”
Gabe shook her hand. Her skin was cool against his, and his touch lingered a tad more than necessary. Her perfume was light and floral filling his senses as his gaze ran over her. Her plaid skirt and plain white shirt showed off her well-proportioned figure. A cross pendant hung around her neck, and her left hand was free of rings. “The pleasure is all mine. It’s nice to meet you. And it’s Gabe.”
And he wanted her to think of him as Gabe, not Gabriel, or Lord Tyler, or anything else. For once, he wanted to be a normal person.
“Thank you so much for doing this. The kids don’t think you’re coming. They reckon it’s a ruse on my part to force them to attend this afternoon.”
“Well, here I am.”
She smiled. “And your timing is impeccable. Assembly is just about to start. It’s a full school one, so there are a lot of kids in there, but this seemed fairer than you just seeing the year nines.”
“Then let’s do it.” His stomach knotted worse than it did before an audition. These were just kids, right? And all he had to do was talk about something he loved doing. How hard could it be?
He followed her down the hallway. “What did you want me to say?”
“That’s up to you. We could do a question and answer session if it’s easier. The kids might like that.”
“Sure.” He thought fast. “I’ll do a couple of minutes on a general theme and then take the questions.”
“Sounds great.” They reached the hall, and Miss Stannis—Dawn led him through a side door to the back of what he knew was the stage. “Just wait here a minute.”
“Sure.”
She vanished behind the curtain, and the chattering turned to silence. “Good morning, school.”
“Good morning, Miss Stannis. Good morning, staff. Good morning, everyone.”
Gabe grinned. They still did that? Memories of standing there chorusing the same thing for years assailed him. Aside from the fact that the school had been repainted, it looked the same and conjured up the same feelings within him. It even smelled the same as it had when he’d attended.