Chapter Four
Despite the arrival of the governess yesterday, William’s sleep hadn’t improved.
He’d slept fitfully and wrestled down a mere three to four hours of rest at most. He had finally succumbed to the day and risen at five in the morning after tossing and turning for over two hours.
He’d added to his own melancholy by sifting through the still-teetering pile of correspondence he had put off day after day.
Now, the sun was rising almost two hours later and the soft faint rays of dawn streamed through his study window, shedding light on his progress.
He stared at the piles he now had before him to attend to: decline, accept, reply and pay.
At least he had sorted the mess and the silver salver was almost empty, so he commended himself for his work.
There was little else to celebrate. Being Duke was bloody hard work.
He glanced to his father’s portrait and smiled.
‘How did you make it look so easy, Father?’ he asked out loud.
‘He asked for help, Your Grace,’ Simmons replied from the doorway before he entered carrying the tea William desperately needed, but hadn’t thought to ask for hours ago.
He couldn’t help but chuckle good-naturedly at Simmons for his timing and the truth in what he’d said. The man knew him well. Perhaps better than William knew himself.
‘That is not one of my strengths, Simmons, as you well know.’
His loyal butler handed William the warm cup of tea and replied. ‘Which is why I am reminding you.’ There was a small quirk to his mouth before he clasped his hands behind his back and waited for William’s orders.
He sipped from the tea and let the warmth settle through him before he replied.
‘If you can send out this current pile of declines,’ he said, pointing to the much larger stack of invitations, pausing before then placing his hand on a much smaller, thinner pile, ‘and then these acceptances, I will pay the bills and draft my correspondence to my cousin.’
‘Lady Buchanan?’
‘Yes,’ William replied with a sigh and took another sip of his tea. ‘She is quite persistent about my need to ask specific ladies to dance at the upcoming ball. I fear if I do not reply to her soon, she will have me placed in an uncompromising position to hasten along a betrothal.’
‘Perhaps,’ Simmons replied with a smirk before regaining his generally dour expression.
‘I will set to sending out your acceptances and declines immediately, Your Grace, so you can attend to your correspondence. I can then have one of the footmen gather it from you mid-morning and send out all of the correspondence at once. If that pleases you, of course.’
‘A fine idea. The sooner she receives a reply the better, for all of us.’ He stood and stretched, groaning from the pull of the tight muscles in his back and neck after sitting and bending over reading by candlelight for so long. ‘But I will have a walk, break my fast and then begin.’
Who knew what he might reply to his cousin without some food in his stomach?
‘I will see to it then, Your Grace,’ Simmons replied.
He gathered up the piles of opened correspondence and headed off, leaving William to enjoy his tea.
He walked over to the window and stared out, watching the brilliant green edges and soft pastels of the early spring morning yawn in the soft golden glow of dawn.
How many mornings would he have alone like this?
The thought dropped his stomach. As much as he hated to admit it to anyone, especially himself, he was dreadfully lonely.
Even thinking it made him feel like a weak cad.
He was a duke. He had a lovely daughter.
He had family, small as it might be, with his servants and a cousin nearby.
But his friends had slipped away after his parents and Cecily had died, as if perhaps they felt such losses were contagious.
He also had been rather dreary to be around.
He tucked his hands in his trouser pockets and frowned.
He couldn’t remember why they had all lost touch. There was no specific moment they fell out. It was as if they had no more stories to tell or drinks to share. He rumpled his hair and shook his head. It was an odd thing to even wonder over.
He cast such ridiculousness aside. He would worry about his loneliness another time. He simply didn’t have the time to mull over such things. A walk and food would do him good.
Perhaps today would be the first day of a new start for them all.
Heaven knew he couldn’t bear another disappointment.