| |
RORY WAS DELIGHTED to find that the duchess was very kind and easy to talk to. Catherine even insisted they use their given names, which Rory found very calming. She was intrigued by the house and didn’t mind sharing her thoughts with Rory.
“I remember visiting that house when I was a young woman, shortly after I was married. Molly and I were friends from school, and we tried to stay in touch as we grew older,” said Catherine. “It’s difficult to keep friends once you are married and have children. Especially if only one of you does.”
Rory saw the sad look Catherine cast in Darla’s direction. Darla hardly had the finances to live as a reclusive spinster, but she would probably never marry. Rory assumed she would keep Darla on after her own marriage, possibly as a nanny and then governess. Perhaps that might not be the outcome Darla hoped for.
“Will you be restoring the ballroom as well?”
“Yes. It should be done in about a week.” If Clayton could keep his word, that is.
“That will be lovely.”
The dowager duchess’s home was just outside the town of Chatham and was hard to miss. It sat on top of a small hill with a long drive leading up to it. The inside was immaculate, with soft cream colors on everything. Luxurious fabric covered the furniture and the wood the floors were highly polished. The entire place embodied wealth and privilege, in case any of the guests forgot whose house it was.
“We were wild back then, before we learned to be ladies. Sometimes I think a part of me is still like that.” Catherine chuckled, taking a teacup from the set the maid had brought in.
It was hard to imagine the older woman as anything but elegant. She appeared much younger than her age, with smooth skin and bright blonde hair pulled into an elegant topknot. Her blue eyes and perfect complexion must have made her a beauty in those younger years. Now she was epitome of prim and proper.
“I bet you girls have similar stories to tell.” Catherine glanced between Rory and Darla, but both shook their heads. “You never rebelled?”
The truth was Rory had never needed to break the rules because her brother indulged her a great deal. While she was away at school, he would send her sweets and baubles to keep her in a constant good mood. Even when the other girls would laugh and make jokes about how she was always eating, knowing he cared kept her content.
Darla had needed to behave in order to gain and keep her employment. Her livelihood depended on her sterling reputation. Now Rory wondered what kind of adventures they might have missed out on.
“I never understood why Molly decided to move out here and stay away from London after only a few seasons. If she had stayed, she might have still managed to find a husband. She was so charming, even if she was a little strange,” Catherine said.
“Strange how?” Rory asked.
“She was shy and kept to herself. Spent too much time talking to the servants, even when she was out in public.”
“Perhaps she grew bored with the city.”
“Is that what brought you out here? The season has barely begun, so retiring to the country seems like an unusual choice.”
Rory could feel Catherine was watching her closely, and she sat on her hands to keep from fidgeting under the scrutiny. “No, I just became curious about the house. Thought it might be nice to open it up again.”
“Will you be inviting guests? A house party, perhaps?” Catherine suggested.
“Yes, but just something small.”
“At the end of the season, I presume? A nice way to end the summer.”
Rory didn’t want to explain that she wouldn’t be the owner of the house by then. The last thing she needed was for the duchess to know why she was hiding out in her aunt’s home.
“My brother and his wife will be back soon, and I doubt they would want a crowd of people around this early in their marriage.”
“That’s a shame. That ballroom used to host some of the best parties. I can still remember the music.” She let out a sigh of longing.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what it look likes when it’s done.”
“I imagine it will be beautiful.”
Catherine smiled in a wistful way that made Rory think she was lost in a memory.
“Your aunt died when she was still so young.”
“What happened to her?” Rory asked cautiously.
“A fever came through and took the lives of many people. My husband insisted the boys and I stay in London to avoid it.”
“It’s so sad to know she died alone.”
“No one is ever fully alone.” Catherine’s eyes crinkled in the corners, and there was something familiar about that expression. Perhaps she had met the duchess before and couldn’t remember. There were so many places to see people in such a big city.
A sound at the doorway to the salon caught Rory’s attention, and she was shocked by what she saw. A man almost as wide as the doorway stepped in. He was all golden beauty from his shoulder length hair to the shine of his shoes. He held a dark wooden cane with a lion’s head at the top in one hand, and his other was casually in his pocket. His sky-blue eyes were focused across the room, not looking at any of the occupants.
“Ladies, allow me to introduce my eldest son.” Catherine made the introductions quickly. Darla was so unnerved that she stuttered when she say said her greeting. Rory did a bit better, although her hand was shaking as he took it.
“Welcome to my home, Lady Rory.” Ashford gave her a bow. “My mother said you might be coming for a visit. I’m here to check on my wife. I’m afraid she is growing quite bored, being forced to stay in bed. We are expecting our first child soon.”
“That is why I invited them. I thought I might introduce Eloisa to the girls.” Catherine glowed as she spoke of her daughter-in-law.
Rory giggled at being called a girl when she was getting close to five and twenty. Ashford must have heard her as he tilted his head in her direction and smiled.
“I’m sure she would enjoy the distraction but not in her bedroom. I will see if I can help her down.”
There was plenty of seating in the small room, so adding a few more people wouldn’t be a problem. Rory looked closer and saw that the furniture had been bolted in place. It looked like the inside of a ship’s cabin, only more comfortable.
Catherine caught Rory looking closely at the sofa legs. “My son memorized every piece of furniture in the house years ago. Since they will have a little one running around soon, they thought it best to make sure the furniture doesn’t move. Thomas might hurt himself running into it otherwise.”
“Clever.”
Like the rest of society, Rory had heard the stories of how the duke had lost his sight. It had changed the man in both good ways and bad. His marriage to an unknown woman without a prestigious family had caused a lot of gossip.
“It was my daughter-in-law who thought of it. You will like her immensely.”
Ashford appeared in the doorway carrying a woman buried in blankets. Rory could see from her face that being carried was not her idea. She remained silent until he sat her on the sofa with her feet up. He tucked the blankets around her large belly with such care, it was as if he was tucking in a child. He placed a kiss on her forehead, ignoring the wrinkles there from her frustrated expression.
“I will leave you ladies to chat.” He took his exit quickly.
The woman exploded into a large sigh. “I can’t believe he carried my heavy self all the way from upstairs. Even insisted on all these extra layers in case I got cold.” She extended her arms to indicate the room they were in. “It’s late spring. Who would be chilly in this weather?”
Catherine laughed, so Rory and Darla did too, although they were less enthusiastic.
“Thomas is just being overprotective. That’s his first child. Wait until you get to number three.”
“If he continues to treat me in such a way, there might not be another one. They are hard to make if I’m buried under quilts.” The woman turned to her guests as if suddenly remembering they were there. A bright pink bloomed in her cheeks, and she covered her mouth. “Excuse my manners. I’m Eloisa, Lady Ashford.” She extended her hand in such an informal manner that Rory stared at it in confusion. “I won’t bite, I promise.”
Rory and Darla shook hands with her, and she beamed with that natural glow expectant mothers were known for. This was not what Rory had expected from another duchess.
“I don’t think I remember seeing you when I was in town,” Eloisa said after the introductions. “I thought I knew everyone who was there.”
“I don’t generally garner much attention.”
“Perhaps you know my cousin, Lady Sarah Langston?”
Rory gasped a little. “I didn’t realize you were related. I don’t know her well, but I have met her a few times at various events. She was always very kind.”
Eloisa chuckled. “She isn’t fond of society, but she does a good job of hiding it.”
“She doesn’t enjoy it? She is always the most sought-after guest.” Rory always felt a surge of jealousy when she saw Sarah. Her own popularity could never be that high.
“Sarah gets tired of the games people play. She is cleverer than most people give her credit for.”
“Most women are,” Catherine added.
Rory began to feel at ease and gave her hostesses a smile. She was grateful when fresh tea arrived with an assortment of scones and jam. Rory scooped up two scones and felt her tension ease as she tasted their sweetness. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to focus on the delicious food. When she opened her eyes, she realized all of them were watching her and smiling.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized as she had a dozen times before. “I was just a little hungry.”
“Don’t worry; I eat almost a dozen of those delicious scones every day. The poor chef has barely been able to keep up with this little one’s demands.” Eloisa rubbed the blanket over her belly.
Conversation turned to the house. Catherine told Eloisa about how lovely it was and how quickly Rory was having it fixed up. The ladies were so nice that even Darla was beginning to engage in the conversation.
“I wish you would reconsider hosting a ball,” Catherine said as they finished tea. “The ones Molly hosted there were so wonderful.”
“I anticipate the work should be done in about a week,” Rory said. “Then I’m going to be returning to London for the rest of the season.”
Catherine frowned a little, then an idea sparked and she smiled again. “We could host a ball before you leave.”
“That would be a lot of work in a very short time.” Rory felt her stomach tighten. “I don’t think we could do that while working on the house.”
“Leave all the planning to me and Eloisa. Between the two of us, we can get it done.”
Rory looked at Eloisa, who glowed with excitement. Even Darla seemed to be interested in the idea; she was leaning forward, which was always her tell.
This was beginning to get much bigger than a small house party. “I don’t know if that would be such a good idea.”
“We would be very careful about the guest list. I know all the people that used to go to the house for events before. They will be delighted to see the place again.”
Those were exactly the people Rory was going to contact about the possible sale. Rory wondered if the list in Catherine’s head matched the list she had made from the letters. She found she was warming up to the idea of the ball.
“It is very last minute. Most people don’t want to leave London during the season,” Darla said.
“They will if I ask them.”
The request of a duchess did have a lot of power and could turn her little event into the ball of the season. This would make the house even more desirable.
“The timing couldn’t be more perfect,” Eloisa added. “Thomas’s brother should be arriving around that time. He could be the guest of honor. People love a good reunion.”
“I thought Thomas’s brothers were lost?” Rory asked.
Everyone in town had heard the story when the twins went missing. There was so much speculation on what had happened to them, there were even bets made at White’s on the subject. The only thing people agreed on was that they must be dead to have been gone for so long.
“Thomas found out they were alive. It’s a long story, but it has a happy ending. One of them will be arriving home at the end of the month.” Catherine’s eyes glossed over with tears of relief. “His arrival will be a shock to society, so it would be the perfect reason to host the ball.”
Rory wasn’t sure that the house would be repaired enough for such scrutiny so soon. Those kinds of people tended to look for the slightest imperfection. If she was going to be able to host such an event, she would need to talk to Clayton and make sure everything would be ready in time.
“You will like my son,” Catherine continued. “He was such a charming young man. Always quick to laugh and make people smile. Both of the boys were like that.”
“Only one is arriving?” Rory regretted the question the moment it left her lips because it cast a shadow across Catherine’s expression.
“We have only found one of the twins.”
“So far.” Thomas stepped back into the room. “We only found one of them so far, but I haven’t given up the search. I just had to put it on hold for a moment.”
Eloisa put her hands on her belly with a faint frown. Impending fatherhood was a reasonable excuse to stay in England for some time.
“My brother has been abroad for the last few years. He’s not exactly as my mother remembers him,” said Thomas.
“Thomas went to bring him back. So far he’s the only one who has seen him since he was found” Catherine said. “I know a lot has happened, but I can’t believe he won’t still be my son.”
Rory took the older woman’s hand to reassure her. “Then we will give him the welcome home he deserves.”