Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
S arah raised her hands above her head for a quick stretch. After breakfast she escaped to the Duke’s library to lose herself in some books.
The books in this particular library were not something she would normally read. Mostly they were mystery or a spy novel. While they were intriguing she kept drifting off, imagining the main character, obviously male, developing feelings for the wayward girl who got in his way.
Unfortunately, that was never the case in these books, though. Yet, she kept reading them because it helped distract her from her current situation with the Duke.
She sighed further into the cushions. Just when she thought she figured out even a small portion of the man, he unleashed another side of him to deal with. Several days in and she still had no idea where she stood with the man.
One thing was for certain, though, lounging around here all day wasn’t going to help.
“Lizzie?” Sarah called out. “Have you seen Mrs. Bates? I was thinking of going into town later and I had some questions about some of the shops.”
Lizzie came in from the hallway, carrying several blankets she was taking to the guest rooms upstairs. “Last I saw she was the upstairs hallway dusting the…” Lizzie cut herself off.
Sarah looked up from the book splayed on her lap. “Is everything all right, Lizzie?”
Lizzie blushed. “Yes, Your Grace. If you want her I can go get her for you.”
Sarah waved her off. “No need. I need to stretch my legs. I think I’ll go searching for her.”
Lizzie shuffled her feet and quickly looked at the staircase behind her before returning her eyes to Sarah.
“Really, Your Grace.” She said earnestly. “If you’re going to venture into town later you might want to rest up before you go.”
Sarah laughed. “Lizzie, don’t be absurd. It’s a short walk, it’s not a voyage to a far off land. I think I’ll be all right if I don’t stay resting until I leave. Plus, I’ll no doubt take the carriage in case I decide to buy some things.”
Sarah brushed past Lizzie and made her way towards the staircase.
Mrs. Bates was approaching the top of the steps, coming from the opposite direction of Sarah’s rooms.
Sarah met the housekeeper when she reached the tops of the steps, with Lizzie just a step behind Sarah.
“Good morning, Your Grace. Is there anything I can do for you?” Mrs. Bates’s cheeks were red from her work. Damp tendrils of hair had fallen from her tight bun at the back of her head.
Sarah smiled. “Ah yes, I was just coming to see you. Lizzie said you were up here cleaning.”
It was then Sarah noticed the direction in which Mrs. Bates came from.
Sarah’s eyes narrowed as she looked down the darkened hallway. “You know, I just realized when you gave me the tour the other day, you showed me my rooms, but you didn’t show me that part of the house.” Sarah pointed to the hallway just past Mrs. Bates’s back.
Mrs. Bates’s smile didn’t move. “Oh, it’s just more rooms, Your Grace. Nothing to see there. They are used for guests and the like.”
Sarah’s eyes remained on the hallway just past Mrs. Bates. “If that’s the case then there’s no harm in taking a peek then.”
Mrs. Bates didn’t move her spot in front of Sarah.
Sarah cocked her head in question. “They are a part of my household, are they not?”
Mrs. Bates and Lizzie exchanged a look and Sarah sighed.
Not one of their ‘looks’ again.
Sarah was losing patience with the two of them. She stepped around Mrs. Bates and began walking down the hallway.
“Please, Your Grace,” Mrs. Bates spoke quickly. “His Grace would not like it if he found out you were in those rooms.”
Sarah turned and frowned. “What? Why ever would he be upset if I were in those rooms?”
Lizzie stepped forward. “Don’t take offense, Your Grace. He doesn’t like anyone in those rooms.” Her voice was just above a whisper. “Mrs. Bates cleans them without him knowing. I would hate for her to get in trouble.”
The girl fiddled with her hands in front of her. This conversation was obviously causing both her and Mrs. Bates stress.
Sarah swallowed. She looked back at the deserted hallway before looking back at the two women. Mrs. Bates had been nothing but kind and considerate with her and Lizzie was one of the sweetest girls she had ever met. Sarah would hate to get either one of them in trouble with Charles. Perhaps there was a perfectly good reason why he didn’t want people in this part of the house.
Although, with Charles, it could be a plethora of reasons all revolving around, “because I said so.” And an excuse like that always grated on Sarah’s nerves.
The two women stood anxiously waiting while Sarah ruminated. She was learning that if she wanted to get anything of worth from the women she had to bide her time.
“All right then. I don’t want to get any one in trouble. I’ll leave it… for now.” Sarah raised an eyebrow, challenging the women. “However, this is my home now and I would like to know everything about it since it is my duty to see to it as His Grace has stated.”
Mrs. Bates and Lizzie both let out a collective breath as their shoulders relaxed.
“Would you like a spot of tea, Your Grace? Or perhaps you’re ready for lunch?” Mrs. Bates offered. Her jovial and cheerful disposition returning.
“Some tea would be lovely, Mrs. Bates, thank you.”
She followed the two women back down the steps, her shoulders itched with the want to turn her head and get one more look down the hallway.
Sarah pursed her lips. Whatever could he be hiding back there?
Sarah spent the rest of the day with Mrs. Bates and the cook going over the protocol for house events. They have never had a dinner party since Charles claimed the title. It was his preference to keep his social responsibilities to outside of his homes. However, now that Sarah was there, they assumed they’ll be opening the house up for events with peers.
The thought of Charles sitting at a table with other Dukes and the rest of the peerage made Sarah laugh. He most definitely was not the welcoming sort. She wondered if they could even get people to accept the invitation.
After lunch, Sarah left Mrs. Bates and the cook to their duties. She had wanted to go into town this afternoon but she remembered the correspondence she had been putting off. She was curious how Eleanor was getting along in motherhood and she promised her mother she would write as soon as she was settled in.
Sarah didn’t feel settled in, but after spending most of the day with Mrs. Bates and the cook, she felt a modicum of normalcy.
She reached the top of the stairs and her body stopped. Instead of turning right to go down the hallway to her bedroom she found herself looking to the left. The forbidden wing was beckoning her.
A thrill of excitement skittered along her skin like electricity. She felt like she was in one of her books.
Sometimes when life was too much she often would imagine herself in one of her books. It helped her acclimate to her surroundings. After all, her books always had a happy ending. No matter what situation was the heroine found herself in she got out of it.
Surely, nothing terrible will come out of this if she has a little look in those rooms
Sarah smiled. Here, the lost and scared damsel, curious about her captor’s quarters finds herself alone and takes the opportunity to snoop around.
.With that thought Sarah ventured down the abandoned hallway.
Her steps were quiet against the plush carpet that ran the length of the hallway. She couldn’t tell the color of the walls due to the heavy curtains that kept out the light. Her hand closed around the smooth handle of the first door. Her heart jumped with the handle turned.
Sarah cringed at the creak of the door. She looked back down the hallway from where she came. No one was there.
With a deep breath Sarah slipped inside and quietly shut the door behind her. After her eyes adjusted to the low light she found herself standing in a small room. By the looks of the covered furniture Sarah assumed it was a study. There was a small desk by the window with two chairs which sat one side of the desk, while a taller chair sat behind it. A small table, covered in a blanket, stood by the door. There was what looked like an oversized chair pushed into the corner.
Sarah stepped further into the room. Her fingertips grazed over the covered furniture. There was no dust on her fingers when she inspected them. Mrs. Bates must come in here often to keep it frozen in time and spotless.
Her brows furrowed. Why are these rooms closed off? This isn’t a guest bedroom like Mrs. Bates said.
The room was painted in soft pinks and greens, which had a calming effect on Sarah. Her eyes roamed over the furniture, the intricate and elegant rug that was plush against her slippers.
“This must be the Duchess’ wing.” She whispered to herself. Why was she not told about these rooms? She was the Duchess now, she should have access to these rooms. Why would the Duke not want her to see these?
Sarah took a deep breath to stop the anger that boiled deep within her. For all that he was, Charles seemed like a logical man, even though she didn’t always understand his logic. Until she questioned him about these rooms, she’ll have to assume there is a good reason.
There was a door to her left that opened to a similar size room. She passed through the door and found an abandoned easel that stood by a big window, in the perfect position to capture the day’s light. Dried out paint pots and unused brushes sat scattered on a nearby table.
Small paintings were stacked against the inner wall. Some finished, some incomplete, all of them landscapes of the land around the estate.
Sarah thought back to what she knew of the Duke’s family. Other than Eli, she knew very little.
She huffed. “Actually, Sarah, you know practically nothing about your husband other than he has a brother and he likes control.” She chided herself.
Sarah looked back at the easel. It was leveled at about her height. It couldn’t have been the Duke who painted these, nor Eli.
“I wonder if his mother painted these.” She was in what she would consider the Duchess’s wing, after all.
Sarah picked one up for closer inspection.
Sarah had a fondness for painting, her father had taught to paint when she was younger and several of her landscapes were hung in her family home.She could tell whomever painted these must have loved their home and were very happy here. The painting depicted a pond with tall cattails swaying in the evening summer breeze. The strokes were carefully made with purpose and intent. Sarah couldn’t help feel the love and respect the artist put into their artwork.
Her fingers felt a wire hanging from the back of the one she held. It must have been hung up at one point. Perhaps she could hang this in her rooms. The colors matched those of her room and the painting was quite beautiful. Sarah couldn’t put her finger on it, but it made her think of her childhood.
Sarah fingered through the other ones stacked against the wall. Most of them had hanging wires on them.
She was in awe of the artistry. “Why aren’t these displayed? They’re beautiful.”
Sarah placed the artwork back down with the others and wiped her hands on her skirt. Mrs. Bates mustn’t have dusted those.
Her eyes glanced around the room around her. Little feminine touches added flair to the otherwise ordinary room. A painting of a flower garden sat next to an empty crystal vase that probably was used to showcase actual flowers from the garden.
Once again, Sarah questioned why such a beautiful room was closed off. She wasn’t known for her painting, but she most definitely could find use for this room.
Sarah wondered over to the last connecting door. With a slight push the door opened to a tiny library. The walls were lined with shelves of books from the floor to the ceiling. There was a small fireplace with a couch facing it, just like the study, blankets and sheets covered the furniture. The walls were a bit darker in here than the other two rooms giving the room the feeling of quiet comfort.
Sarah took the cover off of the couch to reveal an overstuffed teal lounge that looked like the perfect spot to cozy up on a rainy day and read a book.
Sarah’s thoughts drifted to Beatrice. Her sister would absolutely love this little haven, tucked in the back corner of the house. Come to think of it, she, too would love this room if the Duke would allow her to be in here.
After setting the cover on a nearby chair Sarah walked to the wall of books. There must be hundreds here. Her eyes skimmed over the titles and she was delighted to find some of her favorite books amongst them. If this was indeed his mother’s library she had good taste.
She pulled a book off the shelf and began to flip through it. The binding was worn and the pages were rough under her hands.
“What are you doing in here?” Charles’s voice roared from behind her.
Sarah squealed as she jumped from the outburst.
“Charles! You startled me!” Sarah brought a hand up to her racing heart.
Charles’s broad body took up the entirety of the door frame. His massive frame seemed out of place in the small library. His eyes were large, a vein was bulging from his forehead. His hands were restrained at his sides in tight fists.
His face was cast in shadows making seem even more menacing than he naturally was.
Sarah took a step back. If ever she wished she would have followed instruction it was in this moment.
Charles’s eyes remained on hers., his jaw ticking under the force in which he was grinding his teeth. “Follow me.”
When Sarah remained Charles let out a low growl. “Now!”
Sarah jumped at his demand. She put the book back on the shelf and followed him through the doors to the main study she came through.
She opened her mouth several times to ask him about these rooms but each time she thought better of it. Rage and frustration pumped off of him and she didn’t want to encourage his wrath any more than she already did.
Sarah risked a glance back at the open door as she descended the steps behind Charles. What was it about these rooms that there are not only closed off, but they would cause the Duke so much distress?