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Lord James of Somerset, stared pensively out the large window of his study, his gaze fixed on nothing in particular. The marvellous view that lay before him did not appease him in any way.
Woodlock Manor, his father’s estate, had been the place where he had spent his entire life, and as the eldest son of the late Duke of Somerset, he had inherited the property after his father’s passing. James adored the estate, with its long hallways, luxurious rooms, and immaculately kept gardens.
For several years, James had lived alone there, but he had always been painfully aware that it was his duty to marry one day, even if it was not for love.
He felt some bitterness in the situation he could not deny, as his younger brother, William, and his younger sister, Lizzie, both had the privilege of marrying whomever they pleased.
James, however, as the eldest sibling and heir to his father’s lineage and title, was responsible for the reputation of his family name.
Despite his mother and father’s courtship filled with love and passion, which James’s mother spoke of constantly, James felt it was his duty to enter into a marriage of convenience. There was not a woman whom he had met who remotely stirred his feelings, and despite his parents’ affection towards one another, James had no desire to marry.
When the Earl of Dunne approached him at a gentleman’s club in town, James was under the impression the earl had been dipping rather deeply into his cups. The gentleman’s club was a notorious place where civilized men became quite the opposite, but much to James’s surprise, the earl was as sober as the morning sun.
James was surprised when Lord Dunne had requested they speak in private, and was further intrigued by the earl’s proposition to enter into marriage with his daughter.
Admittedly, James had not heard of the young woman in question, and was rather sceptical in regards to this strange request, especially in such an unexpected time and place.
James had agreed to meet with the earl at a later date to discuss the matter in deeper detail. He had learned the Earl and Countess of Dunne were one of the many families in Somerset with impeccable reputations, and Lord Dunne’s business ethics and the manner in which he managed his enterprises were truly admirable.
James was surprised at the earl’s offer of marriage to his only daughter. Despite the fact that he was not even previously aware Lord Dunne had a daughter, he deemed the offer one for serious consideration James had met with Lord Dunne on a few more occasions to discuss the details of this arrangement, and they soon came to an agreement.
Although James felt forced to enter into an arranged marriage to appease his family, he was convinced it was for the best and would have made his parents proud if they were still alive.
Of course, his brother and sister had made it abundantly clear that James had their sympathies, but they had not seemed sincere. His two siblings enjoyed drawing their amusement from James’s painful duties, such as a marriage of convenience. William had teased him relentlessly for agreeing to marry a woman on whom he had not yet laid eyes, or even met, for that matter.
“What if the young woman is not what you expected, my dear brother? You are to be wed to her, to bed her, and spend the rest of your life with her, yet you do not know how her face appears in the moonlight,” William had said to him. “Or perhaps the earl has gone mad and he does not even have a daughter.”
But he had given Lord Dunne his word, and he was not prepared to break the arrangement, regardless of what the young woman turned out to be.
James caught sight of his reflection in the window, his dark brown hair meticulously parted to the side, and sighed. The sounds of the staff readying his and Kitty’s breakfast meeting echoed through the hallways. They had been preparing for this occasion even before the sun rose. Lord Dunne and his family had arrived late last evening, and James had only met with the man briefly before retiring for the night.
Kitty had her own bedchamber, and Lord and Lady Dunne’s chambers were next to hers. He had also sent two of his best maidservants to Kitty’s chamber to assist her with preparations, which James thought would make her feel more comfortable as Woodlock Manor would soon become her home.
James stepped away from the window when a knock sounded on the door of the study. “Enter.”
The door opened and Elizabeth entered. She wore her red cloak securely wrapped around her shoulders and held her satin gloves.
“Sister, what are you still doing here? I was under the impression you and William had left already.”
“We both are fully aware of how William can take his time with things. Such a tedious man,” Elizabeth sighed. “It is no wonder Mother complained about his birth. It lasted nearly two days.”
James glanced at his sister in slight amusement, still recalling the stormy night his younger brother eventually came into the world. He had believed it was the ugliest baby he had ever seen, and even the horses’ foals were much more handsome than William.
“Will you be well here on your own?” Elizabeth asked, causing James’s nostalgic thoughts to evaporate before him.
“I live at the estate by myself, why would I not be well?”
Elizabeth stared at him, “Because today is no ordinary day, brother. Today you will finally meet with Kitty, your betrothed, your companion for the rest of your life.”
“Must you make it sound so dramatic?” James asked, rolling his green eyes at her.
“You’ve resided at this estate in isolation for too long, and it will be a big adjustment to have someone else here. Will she be allowed into your chambers?”
James gasped, shocked at his sister’s question. “I hardly think that is appropriate.”
“You and I both know how private you are, brother. I am merely wondering if this marriage will encourage you to open yourself up to more,” Elizabeth pointed out, as she fiddled with her gloves. “I feel a small sadness for the young woman. It must be difficult to uproot oneself and settle in a foreign place with someone whom she does not even know.”
James stared wordlessly at Elizabeth and shifted his weight in discomfort. Before he was able to respond, his sister spoke once more.
“But perhaps this was why Lord Dunne arranged this meeting between you and the lady, to set her at ease before being thrown to the wolves.”
“And what do you mean by that, sister?” James asked in annoyance.
“As I mentioned before, James, the Seymour blood flows strongly in your veins, and that means you are stubborn and unwavering. In most cases that is a positive trait, but do not overdo it,” Elizabeth suggested.
“I cannot promise anything,” he said.
“James, she is your betrothed, and although it is an arrangement made by both you and Lord Dunne, you agreed to it. Promise me that you will at least make an effort to make this young woman feel welcome and comfortable,” Lizzie urged.
“As I said, I promise—”
“I see you are making promises again, brother,” William interrupted as he entered the study, possessing the confidence the James wished he had.
William appeared comfortable in any given situation, perhaps as a result of not being required to follow in their father’s footsteps. Or perhaps his confidence sprouted from his dashing looks. William and he differed not only in personality and demeanour, but also in their features.
James had dark hair and green eyes, as opposed to William, who was fair with blue eyes. William was also taller and leaner than James, which made the older of the two feel incompetent at times. He was the eldest but appeared younger than William, which had its own set of disadvantages and problems.
However, James could do nothing to change the situation and had simply learned to live with it.
“William, I see you have finally graced us with your presence,” Elizabeth said as she slipped on her gloves. “Shall we go? The carriage is waiting downstairs.”
“Are we leaving our dear brother to his own devices?” William grinned in amusement. “Or are you ashamed of your siblings? Or perhaps it is your bride—”
“William, that is quite enough,” Elizabeth interjected.
“Do not speak for me, Lizzie,” James said, annoyance eminent in his tone. “This arrangement was drawn up between Lord Dunne and me, and it will remain between the both of us. There is no need to attempt to make me feel guilty for not inviting either one of you. It is clear that you find this amusing and continue to mock me for choices I am forced to make.”
William’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, then he turned swiftly and exited the study. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders and turned to James. “I apologize—”
“Not on his behalf, sister,” James said as he raised his hand.
Lizzie’s lips twisted up a little. “Would you escort me to the carriage?”
“Of course.”
Lizzie flashed him a brief smile and they quietly left the study. Not a single word was exchanged as they made their way down the long corridor and through the great hall. Maidservants still scurried about, carrying large vases with flowers and James sighed.
“I should be grateful for all the staff’s efforts, but I cannot help but feel as though I am backed into a corner, sister,” James admitted as he opened the front door for his baby sister.
They stepped out into the clear June morning and James inhaled slowly.
“At least it is a beautiful morning to be backed into a corner, brother,” Elizabeth pointed out, then turned to him. “James, do not fret. You have always been a man of impeccable taste and your choices had never come back to haunt you. You will be fine. And I have heard many wonderful things about Kitty.”
“You have? When?”
“I have my sources,” Elizabeth winked at him. “For now, I must go before William orders the coachman to leave without me.”
“Thank you for the encouragement,” James said, sincerely and gratefully.
“You are most welcome. I will see you at dinner.” Elizabeth placed her hand briefly on James’s shoulder before making her way to the carriage, where their brother waited for her.
James watched as she climbed onto the vehicle and waved at him as they rolled out of the estate grounds. He stood perfectly still until the carriage was entirely out of sight and sighed wearily.
“Your Grace,” he heard behind him, and he slowly turned.
Roland, James’s most trusted manservant, stood on the cobblestones.
“Roland.”
“Pardon the intrusion, Your Grace, but breakfast is served on the terrace.”
“Thank you, Roland. I will be there shortly.”
“Very well, Your Grace,” Roland said with a nod. As he turned away, James called him back.
“Roland?”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“Have you seen Kitty, perchance?”
“Indeed I have, Your Grace.”
“What can I expect?” James inquired, and shifted his weight.
“It is not my place to say, or to judge a young woman solely by her looks, and not knowing her in the least, but she is beautiful, and a fine young woman to have as Your Grace’s wife,” Roland answered politely. “The maid who tended to her this morning speak very fondly of her as well.”
Relied swept through James’s chest, loosening the tightness around his heart. “That is indeed good to hear, Roland. Thank you.”
Roland bowed his head. “It is indeed my pleasure, as always, Your Grace.”