“When I met with the solicitor, there was a sealed envelope left to me. Inside there were three letters from Henry. I’m sorry that this was not given to you immediately. Something about protocol.” He offered her the letter he pulled from his pocket.
Olivia accepted it with a shaking hand. She laid it on her lap and ran her fingers across her name. “Thank you.” She abruptly stood. “If you’ll excuse me. I think I will retire to my room to read this.”
He rose as well. “Of course. Wait, do you know who Julien is? The other two letters, one was for me and one for Julien, no last name.”
“Yes, Julien is Mr. Galey. He was a good friend of Henry’s. You can probably find him in the greenhouse. He is a botanist and is forever tinkering with my plants.” Olivia exited the room with a swish of skirts.
Olivia’s lover had been Henry’s good friend? Perhaps he was mistaken about their relationship? But the man was staying here at the house with Olivia, having intimate conversations with her by the fire. They must be lovers. How long had Henry’sgood friendwaited until he moved in on Henry’s widow? Well, he would go find this Julien Galey, give him his letter, and size up what sort of man he was.
Max strode out of the room and down the hall past the dining room and to the stairs that led down to the ground floor. He made a left and headed for the back of the house. Spotting Mr. Daniels exit from a room down the corridor, he hurried to catch up to the man. “Mr. Daniels, would you know where Mr. Galey is? Lady Rivenhall said he might be in the greenhouse.”
“No, sir. I saw him enter the morning room just a few moments ago. Shall I show you the way?”
“No, thank you. I remember.” Max turned on his heel and headed back to the front of the house. He cracked open the morning room door silently, hoping to have an opportunity to observe the man for a few minutes before making his presence known.
“Are you warm enough, dear? Here let’s get you covered back up.”
The softly murmured words made Max step all the way inside. Covered back up? Who the devil was the man talking to?
Over by a large window, Mr. Galey stood in front of a potted plant with leaves as large as elephant ears. “Some water to wash the dust off. Yes, that’s better.” He gently wiped each leaf with a cloth. The man was so focused on his task he didn’t even notice Max.
Max cleared his throat loudly, and Mr. Galey glanced up. “Oh, hello, Lord Rivenhall.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Galey. What is it you’re doing? Do plants need to be dusted?”
“Around here, yes.” Mr. Galey frowned at the leaves and gave another a swipe with his cloth. “The staff here water poorly and let dust build up. The leaves are where the plant soaks in light, which is essential for its growth. If there is a layer of dust on its leaves, it hinders this ability.”
“Interesting. I did not know that.” Max wandered into the room and glanced around. The walls were papered in a soft yellow giving the room a cozy feel. Olivia appeared to have a penchant for the sunny-yellow color. A large circular table graced the center of the room. There were six chairs set around the gleaming wood tabletop. At the farthest end of the room was a stone fireplace with a tufted settee in front. “Olivia mentioned that you were a botanist. Where do you work?”
“I was a professor of botany at Cambridge. I came to give a lecture to the Royal Botanic Society in London and met Henry quite by accident.”
“Henry was in the Royal Botanic Society?”
Mr. Galey chuckled. “No. I literally bumped into him as I was hurrying to the lecture. My papers spilled everywhere, and he was kind enough to help me gather them. Then he offered me a ride to the Society in his carriage. We became fast friends.”
“That does sound like Henry. He would always be the first to help.” Max laced his fingers behind his back. “You said used to work. Are you not still at Cambridge?”
“No, Henry bequeathed me some money in his will, and I have decided to fund a research trip to Brazil to study some of the fauna. I plan to write a text about flora and fauna in the Americas. It has been my dream.”
Max raised his eyebrows. “When do you leave?”
“I’m still in the planning stage.”
“Does Olivia know?”
Mr. Galey gave him a strange look. “Yes, of course. She has been a big supporter of my plans.”
Surely, she would not be a big supporter of sending her lover halfway across the world. Max dismissed his thoughts. It was none of his business. He was here to give Mr. Galey the letter. “Mr. Galey, I have a letter that was left to you by Henry. It, along with one for Olivia, was given to me by the solicitor last week.” He pulled it out from his jacket pocket.
Mr. Galey crossed to him to accept the letter. “Thank you,” he said unsteadily. He immediately opened the letter to scan its contents. A grin spread across his face. When he looked up at Max his eyes shone with unshed tears. “Having something from Henry at this stage is like receiving an early Christmas gift. It’s almost like hearing his voice again.” Mr. Galey’s voice cracked, and he clutched the letter to his chest. “If you will excuse me.” He brushed past Max, and hurried from the room.
Max swung around to stare out the door the man had just hurried through. What an odd duck. The man dusted plants, dreamed of writing textbooks, and seduced his friend’s widow? He hardly seemed the rakish type. It was clear he had highly valued his friendship with Henry. That was a point in the man’s favor. Max shrugged and turned back to exit the room. Perhaps he would find his way to the library. It was a perfect afternoon to spend reading a good book.
Chapter Seven
Olivia entered hersitting room and crossed to the divan that sat beneath the window. The snow outside still fell in gentle flurries that clung to blades of grass and fallen leaves. It probably wouldn’t amount to much unless the snowfall became heavier. She curled up in the corner of the divan and pulled a blanket over her lap. Laying the letter open, she again ran a finger over her name. Henry’s large loopy handwriting made her smile.
Dear Livvy, If you’re reading this, then I’ve gone and made you a widow. I’m truly sorry for leaving you alone. Hopefully, I can come back as one of the ghosts and watch over you.