"I'm sorry for all the trouble."

Wren would have looked down at the girl in his arms, but somehow, she'd managed to weasel her way from his chest to his neck. Her breath fanned his skin, and not for the first time, he wondered if she had a headache at all. He didn't know Leah Kingsley, and something about her little injury felt off.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing. You wouldn't have fallen if I hadn't startled you."

She shook her head and said in a shy-sort-of tone "Not at all. If anything, you're..."

"I'm what?"

"My knight in shining armor."

Wren couldn't stop his laughter. "A Knight in shining armor, huh? So what does that make you? A princess?"

"Sounds good to me." She giggled.

Giggling was not something someone with a pounding headache would do, Wren thought. Still, he enjoyed the sound. "Princess. It suits you."

"And I shall call you, Sir Knight."

"I'm not so sure about that." He continued his steady stride, ignoring the screaming muscles in his arms, shoulders, and thighs. As silence fell between them, he noted how she relaxed against him. It was strange, really. "So, Princess, I have a question."

"Hmm?"

"About this butler... Why are you against him?"

She stiffened. "I guess I'm not really against him, but I'm weary of being watched so closely. It's frustrating. Daddy is so protective because I was kidnapped when I was little."

"Kidnapped?"

"Yes." She sighed. "It changed everything for me. Daddy became obsessive about keeping me safe. I'm hardly ever alone now, and it's just frustrating. I'm almost eighteen!"

Compassion stirred inside of him. "Yeah, I could see where that would be hard. I don't think it's your butler's fault though."

"I suppose not."

Leah went silent again. Growing weary, Wren took that time to focus on ensuring every step. Soon, their destination loomed before them.

"There's the mansion," he said.

Leah lifted her head, studied her home. "I guess so." Disappointment laced her tone.

Wren walked over the manicured lawn, passed the hill beneath the window Leah had escaped from.

"I need to tell you something," she said.

"Go for it."

"I faked my headache."

"Oh?"

"Yes, but I want you to keep it a secret. Please?"

"Let me guess. This has something to do with your new butler."

"That's right."

"I can't do that this time."

He felt her startle. "Why not?"

He reached the first cement step that would lead them to the pillared porch and finally paused. He met her gaze. "Because I have something to tell you too."

"O-okay."

"You know that butler you can't wait to get rid of?"

Confusion scrunched her face.

"You might have already met him."

"No, I haven't. Trust me, I would know. They have a certain look and smell and—."

Wren's laughter interrupted her rambling. "They do not!"

"Do too!" Leah raised her chin. "How many butlers have you met?"

"Well, I guess none, but how many have you met?"

"One," she muttered. "Samantha's butler."

"Nope."

"What do you mean, nope? I think I would know."

Wren shrugged as a playful smirk tugged at his mouth. He adjusted her in his arms. "I meant exactly what I said. You haven't met just one butler. You've met two."

She frowned, clearly not understanding.

"I'm going to have to spell this out for you, aren't I? Princess, I'm your new butler."

****************************************************************

She stared at Mr. Adams, tried to understand his words. "What? My butler?" She laughed, nervously. "You aren't. You're Daddy's ..." Coldness washed over her, and her head began to throb for real. "Acquaintance," she finished in a whisper.

He nodded. "To be precise," Mr. Adam's said, "your butler."

Slowly, Leah understood the truth. But she wasn't ready for it. Her body began to tremble as anger simmered inside of her. "You tricked me."

"And you ran away. In fact, you just admitted to faking an injury as a means of getting me fired. If that isn't trickery, I don't know what is." His dancing, jade eyes stared at her, unflinching.

She struggled for a solid breath. "How dare you. You, you, jerk!"

He only grinned. "Sir Knight. My name is Sir Knight."

"Are you mocking me?"

"I would never, Princess. It was you who named me thus."

Her anger ignited to rage. "Put me down, now." She hated the slight tremble in her voice.

"But your head. You have a headache, remember?"

To her shock, he climbed the first three steps. Her brows narrowed. Who did he think he was? She reached up, grabbed his ear, and twisted hard.

"Ow, ow, ow!" He craned his head, and Leah twisted harder and yanked his head down to her lips.

"Listen here, Sir Knight," she whispered, "I said to put me down. When I say to do something, you listen. Now set me on my feet."

He practically dumped her on the steps. She clung to him long enough to gain her footing.

"What in tar-nation!" He covered his ear, shook his head as if to shake away some of the pain. "Do you have a habit of abusing your butlers?"

"You are not my butler. I won't allow it!" Leah stomped her foot.

"And that's where you're wrong. Like it or not, I am your butler."

"You're fired!" She whirled and stomped up the steps.

"I'm afraid you don't have the authority to do that."

His words slammed her in the gut. She spun to face him. "Excuse me?"

"Your father said that no one could fire me except himself, and the only way to get him to do that, would be for me to break the rules."

"Which rules?" She crossed her arms across her chest. How she wanted to smack that smirk right off his face!

He mounted the steps until he stood eye-level. "Romantic involvement is the only rule. You are off limits. He doesn't need to worry about that on my part, but it seems he should be worried about you; I am charming, being a knight and all." He wiggled his eyebrows.

She couldn't take anymore. She stomped to the double doors but faced him one last time."Mr. Adams, I can promise you one thing. In three weeks, you'll be gone. And for the record, I will never fall for you!"

He shrugged. "Not the impression I got in the woods. You were practically swooning."

Leah blinked rapidly. What could she say against that? Absolutely nothing. So instead she raised her chin, glared her most severe glare. "Mark my words, Butler Boy. Three weeks." Then, she stomped inside the mansion and slammed the thick oak door behind her.