“Chilled juice? How fancy!” One of the pixies flitted down from the hedge leaves to land on Laila's furry back. “Everything about him is fancy, don't you think?”

“Mn.” Laila's dark eyes were distant as she finally caught a good look at the new lord. It was strange—she'd seen boys grow up into men for a very long time, but it was rare to see a child disappear and return fully grown. She felt a pang of sadness, as if she'd missed something important, but it was undeniable that the child's transformation had been one of grace and sophistication. He reminded her of the orchid, tall and dark and elegant with a proud head that carried its petals higher than the other flowers of the garden.

Beside her, Brus hummed. “It's just like when Edward arrived, except he had a lovely wife on his arm then. The servants keep trying to move furniture around and want to repaint the place, but I've kept everything just how it's supposed to be. Margaret would have wanted it that way.”

Laila smirked, gazing up and down the house as William disappeared inside it. “That's an awful lot of house guests to keep an eye on, Brus. The village has declared the place haunted for years—now they're sure to be convinced of it.”

“All the better!” Brus tugged at the lapels of his ragged coat as he strode toward the house. “Respecting the old ways is the only way to keep the resting spirits happy. These English ladies don't have a clue about how to do such things, but Brus has done his job there. I wrote up the best application for Mrs. Campell and left it on top of the others in his studies. That blasted Thomas won't like it, but she's the old head servant of the place. A touch old now, but wise and wary of the fae. She could use a comfortable position again.”

Laila canted her head, leaping forward to follow alongside Brus in the tall grass. “I remember you were very fond of her.”

“Aye.” Brus's face sobered, but he smiled. “She hasn't been the same since she returned to her empty house. Her irresponsible husband went and left her too soon, and now she needs company to keep her from collecting dust.”

“She's fortunate to have you looking after her.”

Brus shook his head. “We made a good team, she and I. I'll never forget all the years the Campbells have made me happy.”

Unfortunately, Laila had to part with Brus at the door. Invisible to human eyes, he turned the knob and strode in—something a confused servant in the hallway convinced herself was a wayward breeze and not a ghost.