Two of the Ashford household staff — trusted, quiet, the kind who had worked in the house long enough to know that discretion was more valuable than curiosity — carried Edward out through the back of the house just past nine o'clock. Cedric supervised. Evelina watched from the window of her room as the carriage pulled away.
She turned from the window.
She looked at Noel, who was leaning against the doorframe.
"Why did Cedric answer your telegram?" she said.
Noel straightened.
"What do you mean?"
"I sent two," she said. "He didn't respond. You sent one and he was here in twenty minutes."
Noel looked at the wall to the left of her head.
"He's thorough," he said. "He probably just worked through them in order and—"
"Your name is not above mine in the alphabet," Evelina said.
Noel pushed off from the doorframe.
"You should eat something and sleep," he said. "It's been a long evening."
Evelina narrowed her eyes at him.
