“Seth?”
She nodded, giggling as she looked down the hall. “He posda be. He fawed asweep.”
She sat down again and picked up her doll. “Me and Ewwy came to pway out hewe so we not wake him up.”
For some unknown reason, I sat down beside her. “I don’t know if your mommy would like that.”
She shook her head. “She not. I not tell her.” Her eyes grew big. “Iz you gonna tell her? Mommy fink I’m bad! I not ’posed to be in da hawl.”
“I won’t tell her,” I promised, even as I realized I was now keeping the actions of two strangers secret. Interesting Seth was involved in the current situation too. He certainly got around.
Maybe I should mention that to Alex when I went downstairs and retrieved my bottle of Courvoisier. Seth indicated she was in charge at the moment.
“Does your mommy work every night?”
She nodded. “She weads me a stowy when I go to bed. But not tonight.”
“Why?”
She bit her lip, looking around. “I not fink I ’posed to say.”
I leaned forward. “I can keep a secret.”
“Mommy tell Sef she had to make suppa”—she paused, her quiet voice becoming a whisper—“for an ath-hole.” Her eyes got bigger. “Dat’s a bad word, ya know. I not ’posed to thay bad words.”
I forced myself not to laugh. “Does your mommy say them a lot?”
She giggled, the sound adorable. “No. She wath mad.”
“Ah. Well, I won’t tell.”
“I yike you, Dywan.”
She grinned up at me. It was a big, toothy grin. Her little face beamed with the warmth of her infectious smile. It reminded me of another smile . . .
Just then, the elevator door opened and Alex stepped out. In her hands was a tray, and she stopped, staring at Noelle and me, surprise written all over her face.
Her weary face. How had I not noticed earlier how tired she looked?
For a moment, we regarded each other, then she moved forward.
“Noelle, what are you doing out of bed?”
Noelle shifted beside me. “Not sweepy, Mommy. I just pwaying.”
“Where is Seth?”
I couldn?
?t help snorting. “I think he was the sleepy one.”
Alex’s gaze was ferocious. “What are you doing out of your room, Mr. Maxwell?”
It was my turn to shift nervously—her look was enough to make anyone squirm. Breaking her gaze, I found my voice and my sarcasm. “I was coming to find my brandy. I didn’t realize you had to brew it before the bottle came upstairs.”
“Did Seth not bring it to you?”
“No.”