Everything happened in a split second. The moment she shut the car door, Blair leaned against it and exhaled deeply. Only then did she realize how tense she had been—her lips had gone pale from the pressure.
The butler brought out a cup of tea and nearly dropped the tray when she saw Blair's weak expression. "Miss Gwyneth, are you all right?"
Blair gave her a faint glance and shook her head. She took the steaming tea from the butler's hand and drained it in one go. "Thank you."
"You don't look well. Would you like to come inside and rest for a bit?"
The butler said it out of simple courtesy—but it was exactly what Blair wanted.
She staggered on purpose, nearly collapsing. The butler hurried forward to catch her, supporting her into the house.
"I must have gotten a touch of heatstroke," Blair murmured weakly. "I'll just sit in the foyer for a while. I'll leave shortly."
