Chapter 18
Eighteen
Viscount Endelton’s carriage maneuvered the bend and vanished out of sight.
Jane stood in the drive for another moment, her shawl wrapped tightly around her against the cold November wind.
She turned back to find the Duke in conversation with his mother on the steps of Redbridge House.
Her house. Or at least the house she was to live in for now.
As she neared them, Lady Anne turned to her. “I intend to leave for London in the morning. Since you are not doing a wedding tour, I feel it is prudent for me to leave you two alone together without my interference.”
No! I am not ready to run Redbridge alone. Jane forced a nod as she returned to the warmth of the house. Jane reluctantly gave over her shawl, as parts of her were still chilled from the quick goodbyes that had been exchanged. “You have not been interfering at all.”
“Possibly not, but the staff must learn that you are now the mistress of the house, and no newly married couple needs their mother lurking about.” Lady Anne delivered the sentence with a natural smile, proving she thought her actions best.
The dowager was wrong. Jane still had so much to learn about running a household of this size. What was she to do for dinners? Guests? At home days? She had not even called on her neighbors. Did she have neighbors? She must as there was a congregation. “I will miss your guidance.”
“You do not need it. You are a smart girl, and though this is a larger household than you are used to, you will master the running of it sooner if I am not here. Have you decided on your lady’s maid?”
“I like Jane better, but I cannot ask her to change her name, and calling a servant by my name is not natural. Francis is brisker but seems skilled enough.”
“You are sure you do not wish to keep Jane?”
How could she? The abigail had no other name to call her by. “I wish I could.”
“Very well.” Lady Anne headed for the stairway, not intending to stay and talk.
The Duke remained nearby however, so Jane turned to see what he needed.
“I find I am not as tired as I was. Would you like to return to the library? The fire in there was quite cheerful.” He didn’t offer his arm this time in a formal manner but held his arm out loosely.
Was she meant to take it or was the odd stance some sort of affectation?
Unsure, Jane nodded and walked next to him down the wide corridor.
At Kellmore, walking side by side would not have been possible unless they were pressed against one another.
Here they had more than a foot separating them and could have had more still.
How could she become accustomed to it all?
As the Duke had said, the fire still burned. Jane sat in the chair nearest to chase the chill from her limbs.
He sat in the chair facing her. “How do you find Redbridge?”
“Enormous.”
The Duke chuckled at her comment. “I dare say there are corners I may not have explored, and I spent much of my childhood here.”
“So you have had years here and still do not know all of the estate?”
“Not every water closet or servant’s room brought out my curiosity.
I have never discovered any priest holes or secret passages.
I knocked at so many walls and pried at so many seams between wall boards that the housekeeper threatened to put me to work scrubbing floors.
There are a number of servant stairways and corridors, but as a child, I always found them full of staff. ”
Jane looked about the room. “It is a relief to know that a bookcase will not spring open if I take out the wrong book.”
He smiled for a second before the curve of his mouth faded into his usual glower. “Once again, I am truly sorry that I ran off so soon after our wedding, and my actions upon my return are unpardonable. I wish I could redo the day and at least sit with you to cut the cake.”
“Your butler ordered that the top section of the cake be removed. I believe the cake is in the pantry, awaiting your return. Rose proclaimed the cake excellent, but I did not try any myself.”
He raised a brow. “Do you not like cake?”
“I enjoy cake as much as anyone. However, eating cake alone on one’s wedding day seemed wrong.” Jane relaxed. She could sit with a duke and take part in conversation without forcing every word out.
“We are together now. Are you hungry enough for cake?”
Jane could not help but smile. “I could eat a slice. Shall I ring for it?”
The Duke leaned forward. “I think the occasion calls for something more than to be eaten in the library.”
“Not the dining room, it is too vast for just the two of us.”
“I think I know of just the place. Would you mind if I arranged a bit of tea and cake?”
Jane shook her head. How could she not give permission to the Duke?
He went to the corridor and called a footman.
Jane could not hear his instructions, but he returned and a smile lit his face.
On another man the curve of his lips might not even be called a smile, but any upturn of the lips qualified from the Duke.
“They will call us when our repast is ready. We should have a quarter of an hour.”
This time the Duke sat in the chair closest to her. “I have had much time to think over the past days, and I have come to the conclusion that I have cheated you out of the experience of a courtship.”
“There was no time. I agreed to our marriage.” Unlike others of her acquaintance, she had never dreamed of being courted. Matchmaking was much more her idea, providing the matchmaker was wise. She had come as close to an arranged marriage as she could.
“Without the benefit of rides in the park, dances at balls, or even conversations over a game of cards. All the trappings of a courtship.” He attempted to stifle a yawn.
“I am afraid if you had danced with me, you would have rescinded the offer. I am quite uncomfortable on the dance floor. As for a ride in the park, it is much too cold to be enjoyable, however, I am very good at cards.”
“I recall your sisters saying as much. That playing against you and your twin was a losing proposition.”
“George, I mean Georgiana—”
“You do not need to use your sisters’ full names around me. I know you grew up calling each other by the male derivative. How is it that you do not have one?” This time he hid his yawn by looking out the window.
“Father only had one name chosen. When I arrived a half an hour after George, he told Mother to name me. I was named as an afterthought.”
“I agree with your mother’s choice. It suits you.
Jane means ‘God is gracious’. A graciousness you have personified.
” Another almost smile. From Phil’s description, she expected him to be all glowers.
He was imposing, but despite her earlier reaction, not intimidating.
A small man could be dangerous, size had nothing to do with intent.
“I might argue the point, given that twice today my choice of dress has had me confused with the staff.” Jane lifted a bit of the skirt, but not enough to expose her ankles.
“The dress must be comfortable if you choose to wear it over one of your new gowns.”
Jane bit her lip. Should one be discussing her choice of dress, or more accurately her choice not to wake her maid… She had forgotten she intended to change and her maid was waiting for her. Or should be if she followed the request.
“Have I caused you distress?”
“I forgot I asked my maid to prepare a dress for me to change into after we had our meeting with Michael and Phil. I meant to change by now.”
The Duke looked at the clock. “If you can change quickly, you should be ready in time for us to have our cake.”
“I will return quickly.”
Lips pinched in displeasure, Francis awaited Jane in her chambers.
Jane barely remembered not to apologize. As an abigail, Francis’s duty was to wait on her. “I thought I would be earlier. Can you help me change quickly? I need to return as soon as possible.”
“I will not have time to do your hair.” Francis spoke as one of Jane’s sisters might. Not as she had yesterday, or the other servants had. Martha looked at Francis with wide eyes.
Should she be reprimanded?
“I did not ask you to do my hair, only to help me change. You seem to forget yourself.” Was that too harsh? Jane could not be sure.
“Yes, Your Grace.” Francis did not seem to be offended, and Martha no longer looked at the abigail as if she had sprouted horns.
They quickly accomplished the dress change. Jane wished her hair was not so severe, but as her maid pointed out, it would take too long to put her long hair in another style. “Thank you, that will do.”
“If Your Grace would call for me in the morning, you could avoid…”
Jane glanced at her lady’s maid. Perhaps she had made the wrong choice, while the other lady’s maid had the same name, she was not as difficult.
Jane pushed the thought aside. Francis was more than competent, according to the housekeeper, at least. Jane had never used a lady’s maid and had no knowledge to judge against. Mrs. Green was as much a healer as she was a maid.
She should not worry about such things. The Duke awaited.
Jane hurried back to the library, snores emanated from His Grace.
The Duke had stretched out on the couch in front of the fireplace, the top button of his waistcoat undone, his legs dangled over the end.
He was less fearsome when his face relaxed.
She rather thought she might like this version of him.
She found a footman and asked that whatever had been ordered regarding the wedding cake be delayed and for a blanket to be sent for along with the Duke’s valet. He would know best whether she should wake him. He could not be comfortable, but if he was this tired…
After determining that leaving the Duke to nap where he lay was the best course of action, Jane returned to her room to have something done with her hair.
The corridors of Redbridge House echoed. Jane turned around a second time to find no one behind her in the corridor. Lady Anne had retired to her rooms to pack for her departure in the morning. Could she get used to the vastness of it all? Or the loneliness?