Chapter 8
While Julian dismantled his former fiancée in the study, Nellie Hart sat quietly in Evan’s sprawling, brightly lit bedroom. The room was decorated with soft, elegant warmth, filled with plush toys and heavy wooden bookshelves. Evan had changed out of his dinner jacket and was now tucked into his bed, clutching a small stuffed bear. The events of the evening had exhausted the five-year-old, but the fear still lingered in his expressive eyes.
Nellie sat on the edge of the mattress, her white apron smoothed neatly over her black maid dress. She was gently stroking Evan’s hair, humming a quiet, soothing melody.
"Is Dad going to be mad at me for telling on Colette?" Evan asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Why would your father ever be mad at you for being brave, Evan?" Nellie answered softly, offering him a warm, reassuring smile. "You saved him. You were a hero tonight."
Evan blinked heavily, the comfort of her words finally allowing sleep to pull him under. Nellie remained seated for a long time, watching his chest rise and fall. She felt a profound surge of protectiveness over the boy, a maternal instinct that had only grown stronger since she started working at the mansion.
The heavy oak door creaked open, and Julian stepped silently into the room. He leaned on his new cane, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. The harsh, unforgiving angles of his face softened instantly as he looked at his sleeping son, and then at the beautiful housemaid sitting by the bed.
He walked over, his movements slow and deliberate so as not to wake the child. He stood beside Nellie, looking down at Evan.
"Is he sleeping peacefully, Nellie?" Julian asked, his deep voice barely a murmur.
Nellie looked up, her heart performing a familiar, rapid flutter at his proximity. "He just drifted off, Mr. Crowne. He was worried you would be angry with him."
"Did you assure him that he is the bravest boy I have ever known?" Julian asked, his gaze shifting from his son to Nellie's softly oval face.
"I did," Nellie replied, standing up slowly. She was acutely aware of how close they were standing. The scent of his expensive cologne mixed with the clean, airy scent of the mansion.
"Do you know how much you risked by stepping between me and Colette tonight?" Julian asked, turning his body slightly toward her. "Did you realize that if you were wrong, she would have destroyed your life?"
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Nellie held his gaze, her vulnerability shining through, but backed by an undeniable core of steel. "I knew. But I couldn't let you fall. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if you were hurt."
Julian reached out, his tattooed fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Are you always this recklessly fiercely protective of the people you care about, Nellie?"
