Chapter 10
“You are not coming with me?” Harriet’s eyes widened, her foot half raised as though to take a step.
Theodore and Harriet had just arrived at Irondale Hall. The journey had been a smooth one, as he had planned. They had travelled all day and well into the night, stopping briefly to swap out the horses before continuing on their way, now in the company of armed guards.
He had been itching to get out of the carriage, a restlessness that he was unaccustomed to had settled over him and it frustrated and perturbed him in equal measure.
Moonlight shone through the open front door, mingling with the flickering candlelight in the corridor and casting Harriet’s face half into shadow.
It reminded him of moonlight playing across a lake, ethereal and inviting.
The curve of her lips was like ripples in the water, and he found himself wondering what had caused them.
How does she look even more beautiful than before? He shook his head, twirling his top hat between his fingers before handing it to a waiting footman as the other took his coat. “I will join you shortly, I must discuss some things with Mr. Grimsby.”
He thought that Harriet would object, but she did not. She only nodded.
His housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, stepped forward. “I will show you to the drawing room. Lady Phoebe and Miss Morton are waiting for you there with some tea and biscuits.” Mrs. Fairfax gestured down the corridor. “I thought that you might want some refreshment after your day of travel.”
“Thank you, that is very kind.” Harriet’s hands curled in the fabric of her dress as she fell into step beside Mrs. Fairfax.
Theodore watched the two women disappear down the hallway, their soft steps filling the space. It was a warm sound, and he wondered how someone so small could bring so much energy into a space so large.
Focus. Theodore turned to face his butler, nodding towards the outside.
“There was an incident with the horses at the wedding. The coachman abandoned his post, albeit only temporarily and something spooked the animals. I got them under control, but suffice to say, such an occurrence is unacceptable. It is fortunate we had a replacement driver – I would not have the Duchess’s safety risked by someone so negligent. ”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mr. Grimsby wrung his hands. “I will ensure such a thing does not happen again.”
“See that it does not.” Theodore continued. “I trust everything else is prepared.”
“Everything has been prepared as you instructed, Your Grace.” Mr. Grimsby said and Theodore forced his gaze away from Harriet. “Aside from the footmen, I have instructed the rest of the staff to be ready to present to her Grace tomorrow morning.”
“Good.” Theodore forced his eyes not to drift in the direction of his wife. “Will you or Mrs. Fairfax take her on a tour of the estate?”
“I wondered if Lucy Morton would be a more appropriate tour guide for Her Grace.” Mr. Grimsby clasped his hands behind his back. “She is the closest to Lady Phoebe, Your Grace. However, if you feel it would not be proper to have a companion fill such a role, Mrs. Fairfax will conduct the tour.”
“On this occasion, Lucy is the most suitable choice.” Theodore ran a hand across his jaw. “And it will not interfere with Phoebe’s lessons either.”
“I will see that it is done. The kitchen will have breakfast prepared at the usual time. Will you and Her Grace be dining together?” Mr. Grimsby asked.
“No.” The word came out more forcefully than Theodore intended. “I see no reason that my having a wife should interfere in my routines. I shall breakfast in my study as I always do. Her Grace may dine where she chooses.”
The restlessness grew in him as he imagined dining with Harriet. How many times would he let slip things he had not meant to? Why does she have this effect on me? It was dangerous, and until he understood it better, he would keep his distance.
Phoebe is her priority. He felt a knot ease in his shoulders. His wife would no doubt be too busy with Phoebe to seek him out, and he saw no reason to seek her out. The thought sent an odd jolt through him that he did not understand.
Mr. Grimsby nodded slowly, bringing Theodore back to himself. “Of course, Your Grace. I shall ensure that everything is as it usually is.”
“Perfect.” Theodore inclined his head to his butler. “That will be all, Mr. Grimsby. I shall see you tomorrow.”
“A pleasure, Your Grace.” Mr. Grimsby swept into a low bow and disappeared into one of the hidden servant’s corridors leaving Theodore alone.
He let out a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair as he began to walk towards the drawing room. He heard the sound of a soft and gentle voice, mingling with his footsteps.
“Auntie it is.” Harriet’s voice was light and bright, and it sent a rush through him. “Aunt Harriet always makes me feel so old.”
Theodore paused, not quite level with the door as his ears strained to hear Phoebe’s reply. The sound of a merrily crackling fire mingled with the steady thrum beneath his ribs.
Theodore took a cautious step towards the doorway. “Would you like a biscuit?” Harriet was asking. “I have always been rather partial to these myself.”
He could see into the room now, and only years of controlling his reactions kept him from gasping. Harriet was sitting on one of the sofas beside the fireplace, an ornate tray of tea and biscuits in front of her and pressed close to her was his niece.
She was swinging her legs nervously, but even from this distance, he could see the small, shy smile on her face. It tugged at something deep within him.
“Would you like one?” Harriet reached towards the plate of biscuits and offered one to Phoebe.
He expected his niece to recoil or to shrink away, but she did not. Instead, she nervously reached towards a biscuit. Her movement was slow, cautious and she looked up at Harriet, as though waiting for something.
Harriet nodded to the girl encouragingly, moving the tray slowly towards her. It looked to Theodore like the way someone would offer food to a wounded animal. Phoebe’s hand hovered by the biscuits and then she darted out and grabbed one, taking a nervous bite and then another.
“Have you had a nice day?” Harriet asked as she put the biscuits down.
Phoebe swallowed and nodded, but she did not say anything. For a moment, he had thought – no, hoped – she would. He saw her hand move towards another biscuit.
“Would you like another? They are my nephew’s favorite. Well, he is not really my nephew, but I think of him as one. His guardian is like a sister to me.” He could hear the carefully constructed lightness in Harriet’s tone. She was deliberately trying to gain his niece’s trust—and it was working.
Harriet watched Phoebe carefully as she continued to speak, not moving closer to her but allowing the girl the option of moving towards her if she wanted. “His name is Oliver. He is nearly nine.”
He watched as his niece straightened, and saw a smile on her face. Harriet returned the smile. Warmth spread through Theodore. Though it felt distant, as though it were a fire being viewed from behind a glass window.
Phoebe’s eyes were practically saucers and Theodore saw her scoot even closer to Harriet. “Perhaps you might like to meet him? It might be fun for you to have a friend your own age? Only if you would like of course. And probably not for a while – I will need a little time to find my feet.”
He saw his niece’s shoulders relax and felt a knot uncoil in his own stomach.
She is not running away. Harriet tapped a finger against her lips, the movement sending a thrill through Theodore’s body.
She leaned towards Phoebe, more slowly than Theodore suspected she would usually move and to his surprise, Phoebe mirrored her movement.
How is this possible? He shook his head in wonder as Harriet said in a conspiratorial way, “I do not suppose you might be able to help me? I am sure you know all sorts of things about this place, and I know it would be rather lovely to have some company.”
Phoebe’s eyes brightened and she nodded shyly before looking down at the floor. His brow furrowed as he tried to understand what he was seeing.
“Wonderful.” Harriet beamed, her hands twitching as though she had stopped herself from clapping her hands together. “Given the lateness of the hour, perhaps we should start properly tomorrow. I imagine you are usually in bed by this time?”
Phoebe nodded.
“I am very honored that you stayed up to speak with me.” Harriet tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “If I had been more sensible, I would have brought you a gift, but I was rather preoccupied with the wedding.”
There was tension in her shoulders that told Theodore just how true her words were. “My mother used to read to me when I was your age. She did all sorts of silly voices – perhaps I could read to you? You could show me some of your favorite books?”
Theodore only realized he had taken a step forward when the floorboard beneath his feet creaked. All eyes snapped towards him. Phoebe nearly sprang off the sofa as Harriet got to her feet.
His niece stayed close to Harriet, half hiding behind his wife’s dress. Theodore put his hands behind his back, gripping them tightly as he fought to keep his disappointment from his face.
“Good evening, Phoebe.” He inclined his head towards his niece.
She did not reply, merely bit her lip and curtseyed. Harriet looked between him and his niece. “I was just suggesting that Phoebe might show me some of her favorite books so I might read to her.”
“There should not be any children’s books here.” Theodore gestured behind him. “They belong in the library, not the drawing room.”
He noticed Phoebe move even closer to Harriet. His wife shifted, her face a mask he could not read. “I suppose it was a silly idea. It is rather late.”
Theodore’s frown deepened. He had only wanted to explain that she would not find anything suitable to read in the drawing room.
“Perhaps another night?” Harriet’s eyes met his briefly before returning to Phoebe.
Phoebe nodded. The fire popped and crackled behind them. Whatever spell Harriet had been weaving, he had managed to break.
All the more reason to keep my distance.