Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
Dietrich
Dietrich was a coward—a coward of the worst kind—because instead of staying and watching Ella be happy with her new family, he had gone home to his mother and hidden with her for nearly a week while Ella adjusted.
He’d written a letter to the duke, explaining that he wanted Ella to have a chance to get to know her family without having the option of coming to him if she felt out of her comfort zone. But he had a feeling the duke could see through his flimsy excuse.
Either way, the duke had granted him a week of time at home, and he had enjoyed it as much as one could enjoy anything while having their heart ripped out of their own chest.
His mother had simply laughed at him.
He had tried to complain to her that this wasn’t fair, that his heart should not have gotten so involved in such a short amount of time, and that he was very unhappy about the state of things.
She had laughed at him.
How dare she?
It wasn’t as if she didn’t know what it was like to be in love. She knew, and she still laughed at him.
Dietrich glared at his mother, who was tending the garden across from him.
“Are you ready to go back to your job?” his mother asked.
He scowled at her. “Stop enjoying this.”
“Enjoying what?” she asked. “I am simply gardening with my son. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do,” he muttered. “You’re enjoying my pain.”
His mother smiled.
“Dietrich, my love, I am your mother. I will never enjoy your pain. I will, however, think it is funny that you are avoiding the girl once again instead of going and doing something about it.”
Dietrich shook his head. “She’s a duchess. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
“As if that’s stopped any of your other friends from finding love.”
She had a point, but at the same time—
“In both of those cases,” he said, “the man was the noble. Beatrice and Sophia were simply common girls who had noblemen fall in love with them. It is quite different for me because I am the one who has fallen for a girl who is far beyond my reach, and I have nothing to offer her.”
“Nothing except your heart,” his mother said softly.
Dietrich shrugged.
“As if that will go over well with her father. ‘I know I’m your stable master, and I have nothing to offer but my heart. But I’m in love with your daughter, and I hope that, instead of a potential marriage alliance, you will let me offer for her.’”
“Yes, exactly like that,” his mother said.
“No,” Dietrich said.
He was acting like a seven-year-old again, with his mother patiently explaining something and him telling her why it wouldn’t work. But didn’t she see it was not meant to be?
Was she simply trying to get a rise out of him, or did she actually think there was a possibility of him ending up happily ever after with a duchess?
“And besides,” he complained, “this all happened way too fast. I barely know her.”
His mother shrugged. “I knew your father was the one far faster than anyone thought possible. And you, my boy, have always known your own mind. If you think she is the one, who am I to stop you? Who is anyone?”
Dietrich groaned. “You’re not listening.”
“I think you’re the one who is not listening—to your heart,” his mother replied. “Do tell me when you are ready to start listening, because I would love to be around to see it.”
“Where are you going?” he asked as his mother got to her feet.
“I’m going in to make dinner,” she said. “Did you want to join me, or are you ready to stop hiding with me and face the girl you love?”
Love was a scary word.
Dietrich shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere right now.”
His mother sighed. “I do hope you’ll figure it out,” she said, “because I would hate to see you end up miserable and lonely. I know what it’s like, and I don’t recommend it.”
“You’re not miserable,” Dietrich began, but his mother shook her head.
“You don’t know what it’s like to lose someone you love to more than just an imagined distance. You could change this if you wanted to, and I am just waiting until you do. Go back to work, Dietrich.”
Dietrich finished weeding the row and stood up to stretch his back, groaning as he did so. He knew his mother was right. It was time to stop hiding and go back to work.
He would have to pretend that he didn’t have feelings for Lady Eliana.
He couldn’t stop working, and he had no interest in finding another job. The best choice was to move forward, even if he didn’t want to.
As for his mother’s advice, he was going to ignore that. She didn’t understand what it was like working for the duke. And while she missed his father, she hadn’t been in a situation where she’d been nobility and his father a worker.
His was a very different situation than his mother grieving the loss of her husband.
He went inside and kissed his mother on the cheek. “Thank you for letting me stay.”
“I take it you’re going back?” she asked.
“I am.” He sighed. “Don’t want to, but I am.”
“I’m proud of you,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to tell her how you feel. You never know what will happen.”
“I know what will happen,” Dietrich muttered. “I’ll get fired for daring to speak that way to the duke’s daughter.”
His mother laughed. “I think you underestimate how much the duke will appreciate you bringing his daughter back to him, and how much he appreciates you and our family. How many other men did the duke ask to take his daughters on a picnic?”
Dietrich didn’t have an answer for that, so he didn’t say anything, which only made his mother laugh more.
“You know I’m right, dear,” she said, giving him a hug. “Now go and win back your lady.”
“Not winning her because she’s not mine,” Dietrich said, but he walked out the door with his heart lighter than it had been in quite some time. She didn’t know everything, but perhaps there was a small element of truth in what she said.
He walked back to the duke’s estate and made his way to the stables. He’d left John in charge while he was gone, and he should check in with him to make sure everything was going well.
But first, he stopped to say hi to Turnip and scratch his nose.
Petting the animals was his favorite part of the job.
They were the reason why he wanted to be the stable master in the first place. He had no real love for managing people, but if it meant he got to spend time with the animals and earn a higher salary, he would take it.
When he found John, he simply said, “It looks great here,” clapping him on the shoulder.
The older man shrugged. “We didn’t have too much to do while you were gone,” he said. “Feel better?” John looked at him with a knowing expression, and Dietrich found himself turning red.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Your absence wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain person coming back, would it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dietrich said.
John let out a grunt. “I’m sure you don’t. Just remember that you are a valuable member of the duke’s household, and there’s no need to disappear.”
Dietrich raised an eyebrow. “You sound like my mother,” he said.
John grinned. “Maybe I should meet her one of these days.”
“Or maybe not,” Dietrich said.
John was close to his mother’s age. He didn’t need him meeting her…except the idea of his mother finding happiness again actually sounded like a good thing.
So maybe it wouldn’t be all that bad if his mother and John met.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Dietrich said after a moment.
John grinned. “Really?” he asked.
“If you’re not gonna do anything stupid,” Dietrich said with a pointed look.
John would be good to his mother, even if the thought of his mother having romance in her life made him want to vomit.
“I think you would like her,” he admitted. “You’re both very...stubborn. If anything, the two of you both enjoy telling me what to do.”
Even though Dietrich was the stable master, John had a way of giving life advice that was too good to ignore.
John gestured with his head toward the stable door.
“The duke wanted to see you when you got back,” he said. “Better run. I’ll manage the evening feeding.”
Dietrich’s stomach churned, but he knew he had to answer the call and face his employer. The sooner, the better—as long as he could avoid seeing Ella in the process.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to see her.
All he could think about was the fact that she had kissed him…and he’d walked away from her. She deserved better than that, but he couldn’t be the one to give it to her.
So he would avoid seeing her for as long as he could, and hope that he could get away with it.
He made his way to the duke’s study, passing the now-familiar portrait on the wall and ignoring it. He rapped on the door, and when the duke said, “Come in,” he opened it quietly and entered.
“Ah, Dietrich,” the duke said, standing up from his desk. “I’m glad you’re back. I just wanted to check in and make sure everything was all right with your mother.”
“She is well, Your Grace,” Dietrich said, guilt twisting in his gut. He’d never thought the duke would assume something was wrong with his mother. “I simply needed some leave.”
The duke studied him with shrewd eyes. “I wanted to thank you for your part in restoring my daughter to us,” he said. “It is a gift that I can never repay, and I wanted to tell you how grateful we all are.”
“I hope she is settling in well.” The unspoken words churned in his gut. How is she?
“She is,” the duke said. “She and her sisters are getting along quite well, and Regina and I are overjoyed to have our family complete once again.”
He paused. Dietrich waited, the tension in the air growing thick.
“There is the matter of the reward that I put out when she was taken all those years ago.”
Was that all?
Dietrich shook his head. “I don’t want a reward, Your Grace. All I wanted was to see her back where she belonged. If that’s all, I will head back to work. The horses need to be fed.”
The duke nodded, still looking at him with narrowed eyes. “That is all,” he said, before sitting behind his desk once again. “And Dietrich?”
Dietrich paused in his turn. “Yes, Your Grace?”
“Thank you,” the duke said. “Once again, you don’t know what it means to me to have my daughter back.” His voice was thick with emotion.
Dietrich simply nodded as he left. He closed the door behind him, glanced down toward the painting, and there was Ella at the far end of the hallway.
They both froze.
She looked beautiful, wearing a gown befitting her new station, and Dietrich could hardly breathe at the sight of her.
She started toward him, but Dietrich simply nodded his head and turned to walk away.
He had no reason to speak to Lady Eliana.
He had to get back to his work.