Chapter 20
Twenty
Even in the brisk day, the ride in the curricle was more comfortable than Jane expected.
However, there was not much room, and despite her best efforts, her leg or arm constantly brushed up against the Duke’s.
He did not seem to notice or mind the intrusion at all.
Considering her idiotic comment about breeding in the breakfast room, she should force herself not to mind touching him so much.
Phil was all too clear about how much touching was required to create an heir.
Much more than holding his offered hand.
Something he seemed to do with regularity since yesterday by placing his hand in a convenient spot, not in a way that forced her to grasp it.
At the moment, both of her hands were tucked under the blanket, and both of the Duke’s hands were on the reins.
Did he want to hold her hand, or was the constant gesture politeness? She could not be sure, Michael and Phil were always touching. George had been the same with Johnathan, but they were in love and were most likely trying to slip away to kiss. Was touching one’s spouse expected behavior?
The Duke broke the silence of the ride. “If you do not mind, I have a tenant I wish to visit. They lost their young son several weeks ago and though I sent condolences et cetera, I would like to take the opportunity to see how they fare.”
Jane’s first thought was to question if the Duke had tenants.
She had not seen any sign of them from the windows of Redbridge.
Of course he must. Milk, eggs, and vegetables served at his tables must come from someplace.
Did he treat them well? Did they have enough to eat following such a dismal harvest year.
Meeting some would set her mind at ease on that subject.
“I would like to meet them. So that I do not misspeak, what happened to the boy?”
“During one of the Duchess’s house parties — I cannot call her that anymore, can I? Since you now have the title—”
A title strange to both of them. “I know to whom you refer.”
“During one party, there was an accident. A guest not in control of his mount trampled the boy. The accident left the child lame in both legs. There was nothing to be done but provide a small cart and later an invalid’s chair.”
“How terrible.”
“He lived these past three years in pain. I visited him as often as I could…” The Duke’s voice trailed off.
Wishing she could offer him some comfort but not wanting to hinder his hands as he drove, Jane leaned into his side.
A man would not feign such emotion for a child would he.
According to everything she’d read, men thought showing emotion to be a weakness.
Phil and Alex had promised there was a kind side to the severe man.
Perhaps they were right. Phil must have known of the boy as she had been present for two or three of the Duchess’s infamous parties.
He rounded a sharp corner, and the movement pulled her sharply away from him.
His arm shot out to pull her back. She felt herself flinch at the same time she realized he was acting to protect her.
Perhaps he did not notice. She had no desire to explain that she was not afraid of him despite his height, broad shoulders, or eyes the color of the darkest sea in a storm.
They stopped at a well-cared for thatched roof cottage. A woman with a baby on her hip came out of the door.
“Your Grace.” She curtsied awkwardly. “Come in from the cold.”
Jane took the Duke’s offered hand and followed the woman into the cottage.
Three children stopped what they were doing at the table next to the fireplace and hurried to stand behind their mother.
“Now, childs I’ve a told ye before His Grace is not to be afeared of.” The woman looked at the Duke. “My Charlie is out workin’.”
“I am afraid I did not plan this visit well. I came to introduce my new wife to you.” The Duke turned to Jane. “Duchess, this is Mrs. Folley and her youngest children, Ruth, Dave, Sally, and baby Jane. This is my new wife, the Duchess of Aylton.”
Jane hid her shock that the Duke knew each child’s name. “I am very pleased to meet you.”
The children curtsied and bowed the best they could. Their mother whispered to them, and they scampered from the room. Ruth took baby Jane with her.
“Your Grace, would you like to sit and have a cup of tea?” Mrs. Folley nodded to the wooden chairs.
“I do not wish to interrupt your morning, but I would like to hear how you fare.” The Duke saw that Jane sat before he sat next to her.
Mrs. Folley took three cups from a shelf. “It is no bother to ever have you here, Your Grace.”
The Duke looked around and patted his leg. “Where is Duke?”
Mrs. Folley sniffed. “I’m afraid we had to… He missed Peter so… Me husband thought it best…”
Jane watched the exchange with growing alarm. Was another child gone?
“We sent him to the ‘ound master last week. In ‘opes he could get the dog to eat.”
“Duke stopped eating?”
“I neva’ seen a dog love a boy so much.” Mrs. Folley sniffed and dabbed her eyes with the corner of her apron.
Duke was a dog. That explained much. Though it was unusual for someone to name a dog after the title of the landowner, was it not?
“Peter was a remarkable boy,” said the Duke solemnly. “I never visited when he did not make me smile with something he learned or thought.”
“We thank you for the fine gravestone and the extra food sent over.”
“I wish I could have done more.” The Duke took the offered cup of tea.
Jane took hers as well. The tea was some mix of chamomile and berries, pleasant and refreshing.
“You did right by my boy. I be always sayin’ as much to anyone who asks. It was not your fault. We all know that.” Mrs. Folley’s gaze drifted to Jane’s, then away.
No doubt she wondered what kind of wife Jane was. A question Jane could not answer.
The Duke finished his cup. “Thank you very much for the tea. I am sorry for coming unannounced.”
He stood, and Jane followed his lead. As they bid farewell, the children reappeared to wave at the Duke.
Once they were away Jane dared to ask. “They had a dog named Duke?”
“Peter was insistent the dog be named for me after I brought the spaniel to him when he was recovering. At first, his parents were worried I would be offended or take my anger out on them. I vaguely remember being five, and I understood he meant naming the dog for me, a great compliment. That I believe the spaniel to be smarter than I, makes the name more of a burden for the dog.”
Obviously, her husband had not been offended in any way.
“I am worried about the dog. Do you mind if we stop to see Marsh, my master of the hounds?”
“Not at all. I used to visit our hounds regularly. Not that father liked my love for animals.” The dogs had been one of her few joys outside of books.
“You kept a dog, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Jane’s throat constricted.
The Duke slowed the curricle and moved both reins to his left hand. In a slow deliberate move, he took Jane’s hand in his right with a gentle firmness. “I did not mean to upset you. I understand you loved your dog very much.”
“He was, a good, friend.” As much as she tried to prevent it, emotion seeped into her voice.
“Are you sure you wish to see the hounds?”
“I too am worried about the dog, if he has not been eating.” Jane looked up at the Duke to reassure him.
His eyes met hers, more blue than gray today. They were not cold and forbidding as the storm she thought them to be. Like the ocean deep they promised hidden secrets. Warmth enveloped her as if he were trying to comfort her with a look. And doing a remarkably good job of it. “Then we should go?”
He took back his hand to hold the reins.
Jane felt the loss immediately. She buried her hand under the blanket wishing for him to touch her again. The thought was surprising. She wanted his reassuring touch at least on the hand. Phil would say that was a positive thing.
Though his new wife sat near him and kept bumping into his side, Richard longed to hold her hand.
If he had brought a coachman, he could offer her more than a look as comfort.
But then she might not sit so near him. It was rather pleasant for their first outing.
Richard glanced at Jane again. What was she thinking?
Michael had told him about her dog, killed by her father only a few months ago.
Too soon to visit a kennel? If only Richard had remembered such the moment before he mentioned visiting the master of the hounds.
There would be no runt in need of extra love.
The hound master preferred whelping to occur in the spring.
Although Richard did not think his hounds particularly vicious, neither were they lapdogs nor even fit to be indoors.
They found the master of the hounds returning from the kennels. Richard drew up his curricle, and they exchanged greetings and the necessary introductions. “Marsh, I have come from the Folley’s. I understand they brought Duke to you. How is the dog?”
Marsh frowned and shook his head. “Not well. I keep him at my cottage as the other dogs want to fight him and he will not defend himself.”
“Oh, has he been injured?” Jane covered her mouth as soon as she spoke.
Richard placed his hand over the one she had placed on his arm when he helped her down. “Excellent question.”
The master of the hounds shook his head. “No. I intervened.”
“May we see him?” asked Richard.
“Of course, Your Grace.”
They followed Marsh into his home. Duke lay on a cushion near the fireplace.
He lifted his head a few inches as they entered.
The King Charles Cavalier’s long chestnut ears never left the cushion before he dropped his head back down and watched the trio of humans with dull eyes.
Richard did not count himself as a great expert on dogs and definitely not this breed of spaniel, however, even he could see the dog’s coat had lost its shine.
“Oh, the poor boy.” At the sound of Jane’s voice, the dog lifted his head again and tilted it as if interested.
“I think he likes her.” The master of the hounds turned to Jane. “Please say something else, Your Grace.”
Jane dropped her hand from Richard’s arm and stepped forward. “Are you having a hard day?”
The spaniel yawned and stepped off the cushion, stretching as he did.
“You know you have people worried about you. His Grace came straight away as soon as he heard you were not well.” She removed her gloves as she spoke, setting them on the table.
The dog stepped forward, and Jane crouched down, placing one hand on a chair to balance herself as she stretched her other hand toward the spaniel. The dog sniffed her hand. “Good afternoon, Duke, I am Jane. I am a Duchess, and since you are a duke, we can be friends if you wish.”
Duke licked the back of her hand before moving closer and resting his head in her hand. Jane responded by scratching behind his ears. “Oh, you like that. What a good boy.”
Duke moved closer still.
The master of the hounds folded his arms and smiled. “Her Grace is the first person Duke has greeted with enthusiasm since little Peter passed.”
Richard nodded and continued to watch his wife with the dog. Her smile radiated joy, unlike the tentative ones she had given him in the past day. She lowered herself completely to the floor, and the dog crawled into her lap as she continued to speak to him.
“I hear you have not been eating. I know it hurts when people we love leave us, but it is very important that you keep eating. Do you understand Duke?”
Richard nearly answered the question meant for the spaniel. The name seemed to be the only problem with the idea forming in his mind. Michael said to give gifts his wife wanted. A tick mark appeared on the list in Richard’s mind.
“Look at that. I wonder if Her Grace could coax him to eat.” Marsh all but danced his joy.
Jane turned her head to look at the master of the hounds. “I can try, if you have something.”
“I made him a rasher of bacon this morning, hoping to tempt him.” The master of the hounds hurried into the other room.
He returned a moment later with bacon, cut into small pieces on a pewter plate.
Jane took the plate and set the offering beside her.
Duke looked at her uncertainly. She scooped a few pieces into her palm and presented them to the dog.
Duke ate from the palm of her hand.
“If you could spare Her Grace each morning, I could use her assistance at feeding time,” said Marsh in a way not entirely joking.
“I believe she would come. However, it may be more convenient to have Duke move to the house with her.”
Jane turned so quickly to look at Richard that she nearly upended Duke. “You mean to bring him into Redbridge?”
“Peter did an excellent job of training his dog and even taught him tricks. I see no problem with Duke residing in Redbridge, if you wish to care for him.”
Jane looked to Marsh. “Do you think I could help this dog?”
“Your Grace, I have barely gotten that dog to eat in a week as much as you have fed him now. I have known Duke since he was a pup and worked with young Peter to train him. Duke is a very smart dog. Peter even trained him to locate his parents. Found Folley out in the fields he did.” The master of the hounds paused.
“Folley told me himself he wouldn’t have made it home in time for the end if Duke hadn’t fetched him. ”
A dog that loyal deserved to be loved. The way Jane’s face lit up as she spoke confirmed Richard’s decision.
“I will leave it to you—” what should he call her in company? “—my dear. If you believe you can help Duke, I will support you in this. I will even assign the footmen to take him on late-night walks when necessary.”
Jane turned to the dog and scratched behind its ears. “Do you hear that? I am going to live with two Dukes.”
From her enthusiastic reaction, Richard thought she seemed happier about living with the four-footed one.