Evie led him upstairs to her private sitting room, but they didn’t stop there. She continued through to her bedchamber, a gloriously feminine space decorated in various shades of rose and vibrant gold. It suited her perfectly, right down to the delicately turned posts on her bed.

“His cushion is there.” Evie gestured to a spot right in front of the fireplace where it was warm and cozy.

Gregory set him down. Ash didn’t flinch.

“Is that where he slept all night?” Gregory asked.

“He started there, but then he moved to the foot of my bed,” Evie said, removing her cloak and draping it over a chair. “I am so sorry, Gregory. How on earth have you cared for him this long without losing him?”

“Well, he did like to run around when I took him out at Witney Court. After two nights having to chase him down, I learned to bring a treat with me to lure him back inside.”

She stared at him. “You could have told me that.”

“I didn’t think it would be an issue since your garden is enclosed.”

Grimacing, she leaned against the side of her bed. “I am a total failure. I told you I wasn’t meant to have a pet.”

Gregory moved to stand in front of her. He was going to touch her but stopped himself. “May I take your hands?”

She nodded and reached for him before he could do so.

Holding her firmly, he looked into her eyes. “Listen to me. You are not a failure in any way. You’ve never had a pet, and you’re right that I should have given you more guidance. Puppies in particular can be vexing. You mustn’t blame yourself. All is well.”

She squeezed his hands. “My sister always took care of me. I’ve never had to care for something—or someone—else.”

“You care for your servants, and I can see you do an exemplary job. They are quite loyal to you. Indeed, Foster sounds like a sibling or even your father.”

This caught her off guard. Her grip went limp for a moment, and she cocked her head. “Does he?”

“Yes. Surely, you must know this.”

She was slow to respond. “I suppose I do, but why do you?”

“Foster wanted to make sure I knew that they cared for you. He mentioned something about not knowing about our relationship—”

Her nostrils flared. “What did he say?”

“Nothing specific, just that they care for and watch after you. They said you are more like a family.”

“That’s true,” she whispered, her gaze dipping to his chest.

Cloaked in his greatcoat and with all his running about, he realized he was quite warm. He either needed to remove the coat or be on his way.

“You aren’t wearing a cravat,” she said.

“There wasn’t time to properly dress. I wanted to get here as quickly as I could.”