Chapter 10
Adelaide did not understand her new home.
The exterior was nothing short of terrifying, and she knew that they would never host an event of any kind, not when her husband refused to repair it.
She could not have people spend time in an estate where half of it was burned to the ground. It was too dangerous, and it would do such harm to her reputation that she would never be able to recover.
As for the interior, it was too perfect, too precise. She was afraid to touch anything, in case she broke it, and she kept to her room in the hope that she would never need to leave it.
Her room, however, was perfect. The walls were a pale yellow, with light pink curtains and pale furniture. It somehow felt as though it had been decorated with her in mind. If she had to hide away forever, she reasoned that there were worse places to be.
A knock sounded at the door, and she opened it to find an older lady standing there with a kind smile.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she greeted, and Adelaide welcomed her inside. “His Grace has told me that introductions will be made after breakfast, though I thought it might be best if someone came to fetch you.”
Adelaide thanked her, and the woman began to dress her for the day.
“It is nice to meet you, Mrs.…”
“Mrs. Johnson,” the woman supplied. “I am your housekeeper. And despite the rule he has told you about, I am still charged with helping you here.”
“Do you know why he will not allow me to run the household? He did not tell me, only that it is forbidden.”
“You shall learn why soon enough. He will tell you, but it is best that you are both rested.”
“Does he not think that I am good enough?”
“On the contrary, he thinks highly of you. But you will understand why soon. In the meantime, I shall give you a tour after you have eaten, and then the day is yours to do with as you please.”
But Adelaide did not know quite what to do with herself. She was in a strange place, where she did not know anyone at all and was not allowed to run her own household. She could read, but what else was there to do other than her simple hobbies?
She supposed that she would decide after breakfast.
“Did you sleep well?” Cassian asked when she entered the breakfast room, her green gown heavy.
“Indeed. My room is so—”
She froze, seeing another figure. She could not see a face, only a slip of a woman covered in a thick mane of black hair. Her breath hitched, but she steadied herself and took her seat.
“It is beautiful,” she finished.
The woman grumbled something that Adelaide did not quite hear.
“I am pleased to hear that,” Cassian replied as she took some food. “Do you have any plans for the day?”
“I ought to visit the village, as well as meet the staff. Mrs. Johnson came to see me, and she seemed perfectly kind.”
“She is. You will like her a lot.”
Again, the woman grumbled.
Adelaide wanted to ask about her, but she knew better. She would have to wait until she was alone with Cassian, though she did not know quite when that would be. She knew how busy gentlemen were, and given the circumstances, she was not convinced that he would want to see her very often.
“And how did you sleep?” she asked.
“Well enough. It was a long day, and I was pleased to be back in my bedchambers. However, I am aware of all the work I must do, now that I have returned. I will say, though, that it includes seeing some of my tenants. You may accompany me, if you wish.”
It felt like a golden opportunity.
Despite his demeanor, Adelaide wondered if there was some kindness in him after all. He had never claimed to be a kind man, but his actions had shown otherwise. He had touched the small of her back to guide her, caught her when she slipped, and suggested she accompany him on his errands.
She wondered if he knew just how out of place she felt.
“I would very much like that.” She nodded earnestly, her appetite returning at long last.
“Very well, I shall be going this afternoon. If you ask Mrs. Johnson, I am certain that she will prepare gifts to take with you.”
Another muttered response came from the woman.
Adelaide turned to look at her, but she did not see anything more than she had earlier. She could not help but shudder.
“I will ask,” she agreed.
Cassian left the breakfast room first. He seemed to wait for a while, before looking at the clock and rising to his feet, stating that he needed to start work.
The moment he stepped out of the room, Adelaide hurriedly went to join him, but the woman raised her head and told her to stop.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She did not dare turn around.
The woman’s voice was shrill and demanding, and Adelaide wondered, given her husband’s lack of reaction, if she was merely seeing things.
“Look at me, child,” the woman commanded.
Adelaide turned at last.
She was not an ugly lady, though she was giving her an accusatory look that made her seem cruel. She was thin and frail, and she bore a remarkable resemblance to Cassian, save for the scar down her left cheek.
“Good morning,” Adelaide greeted tentatively.
“You did not acknowledge me earlier.”
“I did not. I-I apologize, but I thought that—”
“That I was unworthy of being spoken to, yes?”
“Not at all! I was waiting for my husband to make the introduction, that is all.”
But she was not telling the complete truth. In all honesty, she was frightened, and she did not know what to say to the woman, or if it would be better not to say a word at all.
“Come and sit,” the woman instructed, and Adelaide did so. “I want to tell you exactly what kind of life you are going to lead, now that you are here.”
“I thank you for that,” Adelaide replied dutifully.
“Perhaps you won’t, once you know the truth. You know, every lady who arrives here spends her time in misery.”
Adelaide could only blink at the unkempt woman before her. She was resting her chin on her interlaced fingers, giving her a knowing look. Adelaide wondered just what the woman had to gain by telling her such a thing.
Was it truly a warning, or was she being toyed with?
“I shall find ways to occupy my time,” she replied.
“At first, yes, and then you will be driven to madness. Once that happens, you shall be done away with. That is the way here. If you insist on staying, I can only wish you luck.”
With that, the woman left the room.
Adelaide watched the empty doorway long after. She wanted to believe that it was all a joke, that it was a bizarre welcome, but she knew that was not the case. She was not wanted here, and there was nothing she could do about it.
But she could not let that ruin her day. She was looking forward to meeting the servants and visiting the village, so she tried to forget what had happened.
Regardless of the warning, she knew that Cassian was not a bad man. If he were, he would not have intervened and rescued her, nor would he have married her to save her from scandal. He would have left her to ruin, and he had not allowed that to happen.
And so she chose to believe him over the seemingly dangerous woman, and simply hoped that it was the right decision.
Her trepidation eased as she was introduced to the servants.
They all seemed kind and helpful, especially her new lady’s maid.
Her name was Lilly, and her blonde hair and light eyes gave her a youthful air that Adelaide liked a great deal.
She would be a friend to her, and Adelaide was grateful for that.
In fact, all the servants seemed perfectly happy to be there. It was strange, for she had sensed a coldness the moment she arrived, but they seemed to act as though nothing was amiss.
Had she been imagining it?
“You all seem happy,” she noted to the housekeeper as they made their way through the gardens.
“His Grace looks after us well,” Mrs. Johnson explained. “He is a good man, though he would never admit it. I cannot speak for everyone, of course, but I have always thought that he was the best man one could work for.”
“That is a comfort. Perhaps I misunderstood, but the lady at breakfast suggested that he might one day murder me, so I am pleased to know that is not true.”
But Adelaide saw it. She saw the housekeeper’s face fall. She did not know what it meant, but it could not have been good.
Mrs. Johnson cleared her throat and looked ahead, and just like that, the moment was gone.
“You have met her, then,” she said after a while. “I know it may not be easy, but do try not to pay attention to her. She does not know what she is saying most of the time. Though, of course, you will not say that I told you that.”
“Of course.”
“And it is better not to tell His Grace what she said to you. It would only cause unnecessary upset… if you see what I mean. There is enough trouble between them already.”
“I won’t tell him. Could you tell me who she is, though?”
Mrs. Jonson sighed deeply.
Adelaide did not know what to do with herself. She wanted to tell her that it did not matter, that she did not have to know. But she did want to know. If she were to live with the woman, she needed to know everything.
“She is Lady Iris Blackmoor, the Dowager Duchess,” Mrs. Johnson explained. “His Grace’s mother. She is in her later years, and with that has come some difficulties. I assume that she appeared unkempt?”
“Indeed. I thought I was seeing a ghost, actually.”
“She might as well be,” she muttered, before covering her mouth. “I did not say that, Your Grace.”
“Of course not,” Adelaide assured.
“She will not allow anyone to touch her. I have tried many times to comb her hair, perhaps apply some rouge to her cheeks, but each time she smacks my hand away. She does not want to be helped, I fear.”
“But she cannot do it herself, is that it?”
Mrs. Johnson nodded her head. “I know that you might want to help her, but don’t,” she warned. “It is not worth it. It will be easier for all if you simply let her be. She does not go anywhere or see anyone, so it is best that we let her do as she pleases.”
As Adelaide had no intention of making everything difficult, she simply nodded.