Chapter Eleven

 

Lucy assessed her reflection before the full-length mirror, turning this way and that in an attempt to assure herself that the fit was perfect. She had chosen a yellow dress with white daisies embroidered on the bust and white lace on the puffed sleeves as well as at the bottom hem. It was a beautiful dress, one she did not remember purchasing, but regardless, she was happy to have it in her wardrobe. As a matter of fact, all of the dresses and gowns she now owned were quite lovely, telling her that she had retained her eye for good taste, though they were a bit more refined than what she last remembered wearing as an eighteen-year-old debutante.

“Why did you agree to go to town with him?” she asked her reflection in an accusatory tone. “This certainly is not who you are.” However, her other self did not respond, but instead stood staring at her, reminding her that the woman in the mirror was a different person than she remembered before waking from her long sleep.

Glancing down at the ring on her finger, she laughed. How strange that she would be seen in public with a man without a chaperon. Though she did not remember the fact she was married, the people she met would certainly know, as many would have attended the wedding. It was strange to think of her wedding and she wondered who had attended and what food they had served. Try as she might, she could recall nothing of what should have been a glorious day, if she had, in fact, been in love with Andrew. Though it frustrated her to no end that the memories were not there, she was excited to finally do something constructive to help her regain those memories. Getting angry, she decided, would only hinder her success.

The previous night she had lain in bed pondering over Andrew’s words that, no matter what, if it even took forever, he would not give up on her. Those words resonated in her soul, and she appreciated that the man cared for her, even if she did not return his affections. When he had smiled at her despite her reminding him she did not love him, she had expected anger, or perhaps even judgment and harsh words. However, she was taken aback by his kindness of offering to court her once again in order to help her regain her memory.

She smiled as she donned her lace gloves and made one final assessment of her appearance before turning and leaving the room, hoping to endure the outing without any complications. She was delighted to retrace the steps of her missing life, even if it meant appearing in public with Andrew to do so, but she could not stem the fear that sat like lead in her stomach. However, she was, and always had been, a strong woman, and she was determined to not allow a small thing such as loss of memory to be victorious over her life.

Letting out a sigh, she made her way down the hallway and out to the foyer. Andrew stood at the door waiting, Mason waiting beside him with her cloak.

“Lucy,” Andrew said, his voice sounding as if he were in awe, “I must say, that dress is quite becoming on you.”

She returned his smile and offered a quick word of thanks. Once Mason had helped her don her cloak, he opened the door and gave them a deep bow, and Lucy followed Andrew out front. The carriage, black in color with gold trim and what Lucy assumed was the family crest on the door, stood waiting for them, a footman standing by the open door. The man bowed and then helped Lucy into the carriage, and once Andrew was seated, closed the door and removed the step before taking his place next to the driver.

The interior of the carriage was finely crafted with sleek wood and plush red seats that were quite comfortable and overall much more luxurious than the carriages her parents owned. Andrew sat across from Lucy and she had to confess that he was handsome with his dark hair and blue eyes. If he chose to pull her into his arms at this very moment, she knew she would not strongly object. In fact, it might have been enjoyable.

“I look forward to our outing today,” Andrew said as the horses began to trot the carriage down the drive. “How are you feeling?”

Lucy considered this question for a moment. She certainly was anxious since this was her first outing since her accident; however, she was also eager to be out of the house and amongst other people. Perhaps she could use this opportunity to find herself once again, for since she had awoken, she had felt as if she were a different person altogether, a person who was living the life of some woman who was not herself. Her last memories had been of a young woman who took risks, shared in occasional gossip—well, maybe more than occasional—and who spoke her mind when she felt the need. This current woman was much more reserved. It could have been the shock of learning time had passed without her knowledge, or perhaps it was some inner feeling that she must live up to the title of Duchess. Whatever the reason for this new demeanor, she did not like this reserved, quiet person. It was time to be herself once again.

“I also look forward to today,” she replied finally. “There are many places I wish to visit and people with whom I wish to converse. Yes, I believe this outing will be just what I need.”

This seemed to please Andrew, as his smile widened. “Excellent,” he exclaimed. “Your health and happiness are my main concerns for this day. If there is anything I can do to make your day better, please do not hesitate to say.”

Lucy looked out the window but did not take note of the passing landscape. No, her mind was focused on how she would once again be Lucy Honeyfield.

***

They had been in town not half an hour, and already Andrew was driving Lucy mad. He talked nonstop, making Lucy’s head ache. She debated as to whether to mention this or not when a handsome couple stopped before them, and she was thrilled when she recognized both of them. What a relief it was to recognize someone she simply saw on the street!

The woman, Mrs. Eliza Treverton, had spent many an hour sharing the latest tales of interest concerning various members of the ton—and a few who were not—with Lucy and her small group of friends, and Lucy remembered their time together with great affection.

“Lucy!” the woman gushed as she gave her a hug. “It is wonderful to see you. I heard you took a terrible tumble but were on the mend. You look wonderful.”

“As do you, Eliza,” Lucy replied with a wide grin. “And yes, I am feeling much better, thank you.” It felt so good to see a familiar face that did not belong to family, or Andrew, and Lucy was eager to learn the latest rumors. The two made idle chitchat as the men talked business—a boring topic at any time of the day in Lucy’s opinion.

Lucy leaned in and lowered her voice. “Would you, and perhaps a few of the other ladies, like to come by Chudleigh Hill for tea next week?”

Eliza’s face lit up. “I would love to,” she replied, a knowing smile on her lips. “When would you like us to arrive? I cannot speak for everyone, but I imagine most of our old group will want to take part in such an exciting discussion.” She placed a hand on Lucy’s arm. “It is been much too long since we have all come together. We have missed you terribly.”

Lucy felt a bit disconcerted as she looked at Eliza’s hand. To the others it might have seemed a very long time, but to Lucy it felt like it was yesterday. “Then what of next Monday?” she asked, trying desperately to keep the tremor from her voice. “If you would inform the other ladies, I would very much appreciate it. I will not have time to write out invitations, and more than likely you will see them before I do.”

“We will be there at one,” Eliza replied with a sympathetic pat to Lucy’s hand. “We must be going; Timothy will become a beast if he does not eat soon.”

Lucy stifled a laugh as Eliza’s husband gave her a mock glare before laughing and offering Eliza his arm. “Well, she is right there,” he replied.

Andrew and Timothy shook hands and Lucy embraced Eliza. “See you soon,” Lucy said and soon the couple were gone.

“That was nice to see your old friend,” Andrew said as he proffered his arm. “Did I hear you mention something about tea?”

Lucy nodded. She had not even thought to ask him before inviting over guests. “I hope you do not mind,” she said as she placed her arm through his. “It is only a few friends.”

He laughed heartily. “Not at all,” he replied. “I believe it would do you good to converse with old friends. Perhaps it will be beneficial to your recovery.” Then he gave her a sly smile. “Plus, it will give you a break from me.”

Lucy smiled. She did not have the heart to tell him that she agreed, and not in a playful way. However, it was more than a break from his company, but rather an opportunity to show off her home now that she was a Duchess. It seemed odd to consider herself as such, but it was the truth of the matter, so why not take advantage of that fact. She had never been one for humility, so why should she change now that she was married?

“If you do not mind,” Andrew said as he stopped in front of a butcher’s shop, “I would like to stop in here.”

Lucy gave him a quizzical look. “Do you plan to buy meat?” she asked, surprised that he would even consider doing such a thing.

He laughed. “No, I do not wish to purchase meat,” he replied in an amused tone. “We own this shop.”

Lucy’s eyes widened. She had not considered the expanse of Andrew’s empire, but the words ‘we own it’ piqued her interest; he had included her in this ownership. “I would like nothing more,” she replied with a smile.

A tiny bell jingled above the door as they entered, and several people smiled at Andrew’s entrance. A burly man with a balding head brought what looked like a small hatchet down on a flank of beef while a younger man served the customers.

“Your Grace,” the larger man said with a smile as he wiped his hands on his already bloodied apron. “And Your Grace,” he added with an awkward bow when he saw Lucy. “It is good to see you up and about.”

Lucy stared at the man. It was clear that Andrew made regular visits to the shop, for people knew him quite well, and Lucy found this unusual to say the least. “Thank you,” she replied politely.

“Lucy, this is Samuel Elkins, the finest butcher in all the land,” Andrew said with a smile. “So, tell me, Samuel, what are the prospects for venison this season?”

Samuel gave Andrew a confused look. “Venison, Your Grace?” he asked. “Last time we talked about that, you said…”

“Yes, venison,” Andrew said firmly. “Surely we can talk about that.” Then he moved to stand in front of the man, pushing Lucy a step back in the process.

How rude, Lucy thought. She was no fool, and when Andrew began to speak to the man in muted whispers, she felt her anger grow. She looked around at the customers waiting in line and could feel her face flush as they avoided her eyes. How dare he offer to spend the day with her only to put his back to her in order to engage in conversation with a butcher!

As the two men continued their conversation, Lucy walked to the shop window to look out at the street. She watched the many people walking by and admired the many new fashions they wore. One woman had a wonderful dotted lilac dress with white lace around the hem of the skirts and matching ribbon on her hat. Another wore a white muslin with yellow tambour work peeking out from under her cloak. How she adored them all.

She glanced back at Andrew and the butcher. They were still deep in discussion and still using low voices, and Lucy was becoming quite bored. Did Andrew not have time to discuss business when she was at home? This was not the best use of the time they had together, and she wondered at his lack of attention to her.

It seemed like ages before Andrew completed whatever business he had and finally walked over to her. “I apologize for making you wait,” he said. “I tend to get caught up in conversation.” He had a strange smile on his face and she wondered at his odd behavior. “Shall we be on our way?”

She bit her tongue to keep back a retort and nodded. They walked down the footpath, and Lucy could not help but grow more irritated. His actions this day seemed contradictory to the sweet talk of courting her and his proclamation of love of the previous day, and Lucy began to recognize the rogue he had once been. She had suspected from the beginning that his cries of affection and his polite mannerisms had been a ruse, and now she was certain it was so. Perhaps it was all a means to get into her bed, but whatever his reasons, she could see right through his facade.

“Ah, this cobbler rents his shop from us,” Andrew said proudly. “Let us stop in and say hello.”

Lucy said nothing. In all honesty, she did not wish to stop and greet the cobbler. It was not that she wanted to be rude, but Andrew seemed to be going out of his way to be rude and avoid spending time with her. And when he turned his back to her once again to converse with the cobbler, she knew she would not be able to suffer his behavior for much longer. What she truly wished for at this very moment was for this day to come to an end.

***

Not only had they visited the cobbler, they also visited a shop that sold tobacco—not that Andrew smoked a pipe, but apparently the shop was rented by the shop owner just as the cobbler rented his shop from Andrew—, and a tailor because Andrew wished to purchase a new coat and inquired about prices.

By the time they left the tailor, Lucy’s stomach was aching and, much to her embarrassment, rumbling, only increasing her temper even more.

“Now, if we might stop by…” Andrew started to say before Lucy cut him off when she saw a dressmaker’s shop that specialized in women’s undergarments.

Perfect, she thought. She gave him the most theatrical smile she could force and said, “Would you mind very much if I stop here for a moment?” she asked in a sweet voice. “I would like to inquire about a new corset.”

“Very well,” he said with a pleasant smile. “I will wait here for you.”

This was exactly what she had hoped. Few, if any, men entered such a shop. If they did, they left rather quickly when the women gave such glares they might as well have thrown a few teacups at them.

“I should not be long,” she said as she opened the door and entered the shop. Once inside, she let out a heavy sigh and reveled in the quiet atmosphere. It was so nice to only hear the voices of a few women and not the constant chatter of men and their business dealings. In reality, she did not need a new corset, nor did she plan to purchase one. However, she needed a place in which she could make her escape, to get as far away from Andrew as she could. He was a bore and a rogue, and this ‘outing’ as he had called it had turned into nothing more than an utter disappointment. If this was anything like their first outing together, it was a wonder she had accepted his hand in marriage at all.

Once again, she began to wonder at the motivation behind this marriage. How could she have ever agreed to marry a man so self-absorbed, so egotistical? It had never been in her nature to be interested in such a man, and his actions this day only reminded her why she had despised him when she last saw him at Louise’s engagement party. Granted, she had enjoyed his kiss, but that did not mean she wished to spend the rest of her life with him.

“May I help you?” asked a woman with bright red hair and a friendly smile.

“Would it be possible,” Lucy asked, “to leave by way of your back entrance? I am afraid an old acquaintance is out front and I would prefer to not be rude and ignore her. You see, she was caught with a man who was not her husband, and I do not wish to be seen with her.”

The woman smiled and leaned in, her voice a soft whisper. “Say no more,” she replied. “I know all too well how difficult it can be. Follow me.”

Lucy followed the woman through the shop and through a door which led to a large backroom. The shopkeeper opened a small wooden door. “Here you are.”

Lucy smiled. “Thank you very much,” she said. “And I will return very soon; I will be needing a new corset and a pair of bloomers, perhaps two.”

This made the woman’s smile broaden. “You are most welcome.”

Lucy walked to the edge of the small alleyway behind the shop and peeked around the corner. Andrew had disappeared from sight, and Lucy heaved a sigh of relief. There was so much she wanted to do while she was in town, and following Andrew around from shop to shop was not one of them. Instead, she considered which shops she would prefer and whether or not they would allow her to order any items on credit. She would give them Andrew’s name; it would only serve him right for how he had treated her.