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the floor above for the servants. If your guards will double up . . .”
    â€œRaymond and Stefan will be happy to share quarters,” she told him when he didn’t continue. “Sir, this is really just a temporary arrangement until Colin’s brother and his wife recover from their illness. I’ll move in with them as soon as possible.”
    Flannaghan took hold of Alesandra’s elbow to assist her up the rest of the stairs. He seemed so eager to help that she didn’t have the heart to tell him she didn’t require his assistance. If it made him happy to treat her like an old woman, she would let him.
    They had reached the landing before the servant noticed the guards weren’t following. The two men had disappeared toward the back of the house. Alesandra explained that they were looking around the lower level to familiarize themselves with all of the entrances to the house and would come upstairs when they were finished.
    â€œBut why would they be interested . . .”
    She didn’t let him finish. “To make it safe for us, sir.”
    Flannaghan nodded, though in truth he still didn’t have any idea what she was talking about.
    â€œWould you mind taking over my employer’s room tonight? The linens were freshly changed this morning and the other chambers aren’t ready for company. There’s only Cook and me on staff, you see, because of the difficult financial time my employer is suffering through, and I didn’t see the need to put linens on the other beds because I didn’t know we would . . .”
    â€œYou mustn’t worry so,” she interrupted. “We’ll make do, I promise.”
    â€œIt’s good of you to be so understanding. I’ll move your things into the larger guest room tomorrow.”
    â€œAren’t you forgetting Colin?” she asked. “I would think he’ll be irritated to find me in his bed.”
    Flannaghan imagined just the opposite, and immediately blushed over his own shameful thoughts. He was still a bit shaken, he realized, and surely that was the reason he was acting like a dolt. The surprise of his guests’ arrival was not the true cause of his sorry condition, however. No, it was Princess Alesandra. She was the most wonderful woman he’d ever met. Every time he looked at her, he forgot his own thoughts. Her eyes were such a wondrous shade of blue. She had the longest, and surely the darkest, eyelashes he’d ever noticed, too, and her complexion was exquisitely pure. Only a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose marred her skin, but Flannaghan found that flaw absolutely wonderful.
    He cleared his throat in an attempt to unscramble his thoughts. “I’m certain my employer won’t mind sleeping in one of the other chambers tonight. There is a good chance he won’t even come home until tomorrow morning anyway. He went back to the Emerald Shipping Company to do some paperwork, and he often ends up spending the night there. The time, you see, gets away from him.”
    After giving her the explanation, Flannaghan began to tug her along the corridor. There were four rooms on the second level. The first door was wide open and both she and Flannaghan paused at the entrance.
    â€œThis is the study, Princess,” Flannaghan announced. “It’s a bit cluttered, but my employer won’t allow me to touch anything.”
    Alesandra smiled. The study was more than cluttered, for there were stacks of paper everywhere. Yet it was still a warm, inviting room. A mahogany desk faced the door. There was a small hearth on the left, a brown leather chair with a matching foot rest on the right, and a beautiful burgundy and brown rug took up the space in between. Books lined the shelves on the walls, and ledgers were stacked high on the wooden file cabinet tucked in the corner.
    The study was an extremely masculine room. The scents of brandy and leather filled the air. She