Chapter Thirty-Five
The next morning, they were greeted with a message from the duchess that she would be available to discuss the changes in the house at eleven thirty.
The Rollinses arrived promptly at ten o’clock.
After Theo introduced Mr. and Mrs. Rollins to Leo, they went to the attic then to the next floor down.
“What would you think about moving the schoolroom and nursery to this level and expanding the servants’ quarters?
I want to keep a wall between the male and female areas and add a bathing room to one end of each part, and heating. ”
Mr. Rollins spread out the architectural drawings of the house on a bed. “There are fireplaces in the nursery and in the schoolroom. It would not be difficult to build another fireplace in the other side of the floor.”
“Excellent.” That was one problem resolved. “We then need to add a schoolroom, nursery, and other rooms for art, music, and rooms as the children grow older.”
“Such as at Worthington House,” Mr. Rollins said.
“Precisely. I have no idea how many children we will have.” Hopefully, not eleven. Then again, that was two families combined.
“That will be the easy part. You will want the nursery some distance from the schoolroom area. So as not to disturb sleeping babies.”
“Yes, indeed.” That was something no one had considered when the Worthington House children’s floor had been renovated to match the one in Stanwood House. When Gideon had come along, they had to rearrange some of the area.
“What happened?” Leo asked.
“The children were too loud, and they woke the baby.” Theo shook her head remembering the first time they had awoken the baby. “Grace moved Gideon down to be near she and Matt until the Season had ended. Then they renovated the floor.”
Mr. Rollings tapped the drawing. “Did you know that you have a staircase leading from the floor below to this one?”
“I did not.” Leo leaned over the plan. “Theo, look at this. It makes no sense. The stairs go from the room my mother is using to”—he stepped over to a part of the wall that bumped out—“here.”
Rollins went over and tapped on the wall. “I believe you’ve found it, your grace.”
It all made sense now. “I knew something was wrong with the way the rooms were arranged. The room your mother is in must have been the original duchess’s chamber.”
Leo nodded. “And, at some point, after one of those infamous arranged matches, it was changed.”
“Do you want to open it up again?” Mr. Rollins asked. “Its original use would have been to allow quick access to the children.”
“Yes.” Theo liked the idea a great deal. “Are there any other tunnels or passages in the walls?”
“I don’t think there are. The house was built in the mid-eighteenth century. Most of the tunnels existed before then. I’ll take another look when we go back downstairs, and I have designs for the other floors.”
“Just what we need. Secret passages,” Leo mumbled.
They would be exciting, but Theo had to concede they could be problematical as well. “It is better to know than not.”
“You’re right, my love.” He put his arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him.
“Speaking of decorating.” Mrs. Rollins grinned. “Let us discuss a color scheme for this level. It will probably be finished before the attics are.”
“I am quite partial to the colors at Worthington House.” Considering she had helped to select them. “I would like this to be the same.”
“Easily done. If you will show me the other rooms, we can discuss them as well.”
“Yes. We do not want to unnecessarily take up your time.” Theo led Mrs. Rollins to the stairs.
“The main entertaining rooms are in good shape. But in other areas of the house, almost everything but the furniture must be refreshed.” Theo glanced at her brooch watch.
“We must hurry. We are due to meet with the duchess in an hour. She would like to see what we are doing.”
Mrs. Rollins gave Theo a sympathetic look. “It must be difficult for you and for her. Your sister Rothwell’s mother was not happy over the modifications she decided to make.”
“I think she is resolved to the change. Chandos is making new living arrangements for her.”
Mrs. Rollins had left the fabric books she had made, in the family dining room where they were to meet with the duchess.
The only real problem was that her grace desired to remain in Town for the rest of the Season, and Theo and Leo wanted to start the renovations as soon as they left for their wedding trip.
That was not an easy task in the middle of the Season.
He took her hand when they reached the hall.
“Have you found a house for your mother?”
“I believe so. Marrow told me that Lady Pettigrew is returning home after Sarah’s wedding. As long as we pay her for the amount of the remainder of the lease, Mama can reside there.”
“And then she will remove to Bath?” Bath could be a very busy place. She should have a great deal to divert her.
“That is the current plan.” He sounded so uncertain.
“Something is the matter. What is it?”
“I have just the past year taken full control of the dukedom and the holdings. As you know, until Whiting came to work for me, I was having trouble with some of the tenants at my main estate. I must leave Whiting here to oversee the construction and the estates until we return.”
Theo understood his concerns. They and their friends had formed a scheme to travel with Holland and Patricia to Vienna.
Perhaps Theo and Chandos could come home earlier than planned.
“We could arrange to be gone for two months instead of four months. We will simply travel with everyone until it is time for us to return. Will that work?”
“Yes.” He let out a breath and smiled. “That will be perfect. Thank you for thinking of it.”
Theo returned his smile. Planning was her most useful skill. “Excellent. Now let us try to intrigue your mother with the plans.”
“Instead of scare her?” He grinned.
“Indeed.” Even though the duchess would no longer reside in the house, she was uncertain about what they wanted to do. “You will have to find her a house to lease for the next Season.”
“If she likes the one I’ve arranged for her, perhaps I can buy it or lease it again.”
“That is a good idea.” She took Leo’s hand. “Come. We must finish so that the Rollinses can get to work.”
The duchess joined them with a look of trepidation. Theo poured her a cup of tea, and her grace smiled her approval. “That was lovely, my dear.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” It was nice to have one’s soon-to-be mother-in-law’s praise. “Let us show you what we planned.”
When Theo was done, the duchess frowned. “I understand the reason to move the nursery and schoolroom, but why do we need to improve the servants’ quarters?”
“To make it more comfortable for them.” It struck Theo that the duchess had not really considered the comfort of those who served her.
“As you know, many households have great difficulty in keeping their staff for any length of time. My family has been successful, by treating them better. This involves higher pay, better living conditions among other things. I read recently that one lady gives the maids an option of gowns to wear for work. Not a livery. Gowns in the same color but to the maid’s design. ”
Her grace appeared interested. “I have never considered it. Although, I should have.”
“Now to our most interesting discovery.” Theo exchanged a smile with her betrothed. “There is a staircase from your chambers to the next floor. We believe that your rooms were the original duchess’s chambers, and the staircase was to the nursery.”
She appeared stunned. “Do you mean to tell me that the duchess’s rooms were not always at the other end of the corridor?”
“Exactly.” Theo nodded. “That must have happened due to discord between one of the ducal couples.”
“Good Lord. I never would have supposed.” The duchess looked at both Theo and her son. “Congratulations on discovering that piece of information.”
Leo went on to tell her about the house he was leasing for her so that she could remain in Town while they made their wedding trip and the construction was underway. “Does that suit you?”
“It does, indeed. But what about the house in Bath?” Creases marred her smooth forehead.
“Mama, I visited before coming to Town. It is in perfect condition. Who told you otherwise?”
Mrs. Rollins was packing her books. “We must go,” she whispered. “Send a message with the date we can begin work.”
Theo rose while Leo spoke with his mother and walked the Rollinses to the door. “I will. As you can see, we just need to relocate the duchess.”
“I understand. We will see you later.”
By the time she returned to the dining room, Leo was angry. “What happened?”
“The caretaker of the Bath house told my mother that it needed extensive repairs.”
Theo took a breath. “It appears as if he and his wife have become too comfortable living there. We will have to let them go and replace them.”
Leo nodded. “I believe you are correct.”
The rest of the morning was spent deciding which servants would go with the duchess and which would remain at Chandos House. Leo, though, had no idea how many servants were needed to run a town house.
Theo finally interrupted the conversation that he and his mother were unable to resolve.
“Excuse me. I suggest we make up a list of what we each require in the way of servants. Then we shall ask them who would like to remain here and who would like to move with your mother.” She looked at the duchess.
“Your grace, you will not require nearly as many servants in the smaller house as you do here.” Then she looked at her husband-to-be.
“Chandos, you need more than you think you do.” Theo picked up her pencil.
“I shall make a list. When I have finished, we can discuss this with the senior staff first.”
The duchess appeared disgruntled, but Leo threw her a thankful look. Theo glanced at her brooch watch. “I must be going. I have a fitting.”
He rose. “I will take you to the modiste.”
“Thank you.” She turned to her future mother-in-law. “Your grace, I will see you in a few hours if you are available.”
“I might not be here, dear. You may make the arrangements.”
“Thank you, again.” Theo curtseyed.
They waited outside for his curricle to be readied. “She is still not pleased with our marriage.”
“She is going to have to accept that I will not wed anyone but you.” He glanced at the door. “We will find a way.”
They would. Theo turned at a sound. “Here is your carriage.”
After her fitting Chandos took her home and joined them for luncheon. Later that afternoon, they took her phaeton to the Park.
“Theo!” Sarah hailed from Marrow’s curricle. “We have news!”
Theo pulled off to the verge and Marrow brought his vehicle beside hers.
He exchanged a glance with Sarah. “We discovered why Lady Pettigrew was attempting to put off the wedding.”
She nodded. “Mama does not want to leave Town until the end of the Season.”
Chandos did not look pleased. Theo leaned toward her friend. “What happened?”
“We did as you suggested. As soon as the settlement agreements were signed, the gentlemen purchased the special licenses. Then we gathered our parents together and told them that neither we nor Patricia nor Holland would wait to wed and gave them the date and the plan for our double wedding. Mama burst into tears, and it all came out.”
Theo glanced at Chandos. “Does she plan to remain in the house?”
Sarah shrugged lightly. “That remains to be decided. Fortunately, both Lord and Lady Carlisle agreed to a wedding on the date we want.”
A few moments later Felice and Crewe rode up on horses. She smiled at them. “Theo, your idea worked. We will wed the day after you.”
Crewe glanced fondly at his betrothed. “We may now plan our departure to the Continent.”
“Perhaps another luncheon is in order,” Patricia suggested with a grin. “I must say, I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”
Felice nodded. “I completely understand. A wedding is supposed to be a time for happiness, not full of stress.”
Chandos’s lips quirked up. “Indeed. I’m glad everything is working out the way we want it.” He slid Theo a look. “Gunter’s?”
“Yes.” The only thing left was to make plans for Chandos’s mother.
They all left the Park and arrived at the tea shop together. There was a great deal of discussion and merriment in selecting the ices. It turned out that, like Theo, Felice did not enjoy sweet ices.
“Shall we depart for the ship the day of our wedding or the day after?” Crewe asked.
“My father offered us the use of his yacht. It has extremely comfortable cabins,” Marrow said.
Chandos nodded. “That sounds much better than taking the packet.”
“He will have the yacht brought up to the docks here, which will save us the journey to Dover,” Marrow added.
Felice, Patricia, Sarah, and Theo exchanged glances. It was as if they were all thinking the same thing. “In that case, we could board her that evening and depart on the next tide.”
Her friends nodded. “Depending on when it arrives,” Sarah said. “We could have most of our luggage sent to the ship early.”
“Efficient.” Leo gave her a fond look. “Shall we plan to do that?”
They all agreed and were preparing to leave when a curricle driven by Lord Bolingbroke and carrying Lady Lana drove up. Both of them seemed to be in excellent spirits.
“Do you think they will make a match?” Sarah whispered.
“I certainly hope so,” Chandos drawled. “It was my suggestion to him that he ask her to dance.”
Crewe barked a laugh. “Just think about how many more matches you could arrange if you remained here for the rest of the Season.”
Chandos shook his head. “I accomplished what I set out to do. That’s enough.”
“I for one am very glad you thought to introduce me to Sarah.” Marrow smiled at his affianced wife.
“And I’m grateful you thought of Patricia,” Holland said.
“I hadn’t actually thought that you two had something to do with me meeting Felice,” Crewe said. “But now that I consider it, I believe you did.”
“How are we to travel when we arrive?” Felice asked.
“We must make arrangements for coaches and hotels,” Chandos said. “I can recommend some good hotels.”
“Did not my brother Worthington make the coach plans?” Theo was certain that he did.
“Yes. Do you think he would mind helping us?”
“Not at all. We can ask him at dinner.” Speaking of that, she glanced at her brooch watch. “We must go. Is everyone attending Lady Carlson’s ball this evening?”
They all agreed to meet there.