Chapter 26
Twenty-Six
Jane smoothed the front of her dress, hoping to smooth her nerves.
The carriage hit a bump, causing both to rumple again.
The new morning dress was repaired with a swipe of her palm.
The nerves did not. She had never made a call on anyone alone other than Lady Katherine, but that hardly counted as the dowager Lady Godderidge had known Jane since infancy and the two families visited each other often and most of those visits extended long past the quarter hour and ended in fond embraces.
This visit to Lady Comstock was a far different matter.
Not only was this Jane’s first call alone, this was her first call as a duchess.
Something she should note in her journal, along with the other firsts she had experienced.
She would be the highest-ranking woman in the room.
Less than a fortnight ago she would have been the lowest, or close to, being the daughter of a mere baronet.
Regardless of Lady Comstock’s want of propriety upon their initial meeting, the call needed to be made.
Lady Comstock was one of Lady Anne’s good friends and the lady of next highest rank in the area.
Not for the first time, Jane wished one of her sisters were at her side instead of her maid in the rear-facing seat.
As her abigail, Francis had, if nothing else, risen to the occasion, and Jane felt perfectly dressed for the call.
Neither too overdone nor too understated.
Wearing bright colors was still against Jane’s nature.
The lilac morning dress was close enough to the gray lavender Jane wore for so long that she was not the least uncomfortable.
Far different from how she felt in last night’s dress.
Francis modified the dinner gown to make it more of “the fashion.” If the adjusted neckline had been even a hair’s breadth lower, Jane would’ve been forced to keep one hand on the dress the entire evening.
As it was, she blushed scarlet every time Richard looked at her with those dark eyes that somehow seemed to radiate heat.
Until last night she was unaware that a blush could extend to her chest, where she could see pink too.
That dress would never be worn again without a fichu.
She had almost been glad that Richard’s goodnight kiss had been nothing more than a brush of his lips on her cheek.
For if they had embraced as they had in the schoolroom…
Jane pushed that thought away as they turned into Lady Comstock’s drive. She did not need to appear flushed at this first meeting. She took a deep breath and managed to exit the carriage without stumbling.
“Her Grace, the Duchess of Aylton.” The butler’s announcement startled Jane as much as it appeared to surprise Lady Comstock and her two guests.
Jane had not anticipated that the woman she wished to speak with might have other visitors, though she should have.
All three women stood as Jane entered the room.
One who appeared to be near Jane’s age moved from her seat, to sit next to an older woman on the sofa.
Jane sat in the offered seat and the other sat down after her as was proper.
“Your Grace, allow me to introduce my sister, Lady Wharton, wife of the baronet, and her daughter, Miss Cecile.”
Jane inclined her head at the introductions, stating their names as she did so. The many calls Aunt Healand had dragged her on had taught her, if nothing else, how a woman of lower rank should be responded to. Cecile was uncommonly pretty, almost as much as Alex.
“As you see I have already ordered tea.” Lady Comstock picked up a cup and poured.
Jane took the cup from her glad to have something to hold.
“I have already told my sister about the announcement of the Duke’s marriage.
” Lady Comstock’s sentence carried more weight than its simplicity implied.
No doubt they had been discussing the shock that had rippled through the congregation or the scandal of such a quick wedding.
“I am afraid I could not adequately explain your origin or how you knew his Grace.”
Seeing that impertinence was served with the tea, Jane thought how George would respond as she took a sip of the over-cooled liquid in her cup. “We have been acquainted for several years.”
“You have never been to any of his house parties. I am sure I would remember you. The duchess, I mean the late duchess, always complained because he forced everyone to attend services on Sunday.” Miss Cecile delivered her words in the nasally detached manner of the ton. Her mother scowled at her.
Jane and her sisters had never liked that particular affection. George could mimic the false high soprano perfectly. That combined with Miss Cecile’s apparent adoration of the late duchess and disrespect of Richard did not incline Jane to liking the woman though they were of nearly the same age.
Remembering she could direct the subject without apology, Jane addressed Lady Comstock.
“I understand you are a great friend of Lady Anne. I find her to be the kindest of mothers-in-law. I wish she had stayed longer to introduce me to you and others. I am afraid my husband claims to know little of those I might call friends in the area. Might I rely on you for introductions?”
“I would be most flattered to guide you. There are a few families you should meet. I am surprised the Duke did not advise you of such, as this will be the first time he has been in residence for some years for his birthday. Lady Anne held such parties for him when he was young. And I heard that the late duchess did the same for him in Town.”
Jane blinked. When was his birthday? With the wedding, she had forgotten that he must wed before he gained another year. It must be this week.
“You must be terribly busy with his birthday in only three days. You are hosting a party, are you not?” Lady Comstock’s eyebrows rose.
Friday, which explained Mrs. LaRue’s insistence that the meal be more extravagant than the other meals they planned yesterday morning for the week’s menus.
Jane scrambled for an answer, since it seemed Lady Comstock believed she should have been invited to the non-existent fete.
“Since the Duke is still in mourning, he is limiting his socialization to family.”
“He is fortunate to have someone like you to console him in his time of grief.” Miss Cecile’s comment carried a distinctive bite to it. Again, her mother glared at her.
Jane ignored the comment, addressing Lady Comstock again.
“Of course, since I am not in mourning, I am free to visit as I wish.” A flash of George-like brilliance crossed Jane’s mind, and she turned to Miss Cecile.
“Other than the Duke’s ball at the beginning of the season, I never attended any event hosted by the late duchess.
Such was her cruelty to my sisters that I cannot find it in my being to spend one thought on the woman.
I hope for your sake you found little to admire in her.
For if you did, you were most greatly deceived. ”
“I wonder that the Duke is in mourning at all, considering the entire ton knew he despised his beautiful wife. He should never have married her. He had other choices. Women who love the forests and hills of Shropshire.” Miss Cecile stood. “Mother, we should leave. We have long overstayed our time.”
Lady Wharton had the decency to appear shocked as she watched her daughter flounce out of the room. “My apologies, Your Grace, I am afraid we must leave. I am delighted to have met you.”
Jane wondered if she should stand. She should have paid more attention to the rules of deportment. Perhaps she could ask Lady Anne next time they met.
Lady Comstock saw Lady Wharton from the room. “I apologize for my guests. Miss Cecile had decided that she might make a good duchess once the Duke was out of mourning. I am afraid she had no time to recover from the shock the news of his marriage brought when you arrived.”
It had not occurred to Jane that Richard had other options since he sought out Alex first. Jane assumed she had been second choice.
However, other woman would have agreed to his arrangement even faster than she had.
Miss Cecile was of the same rank Jane had been before her marriage, more beautiful, and likely her same age.
Richard had likely known other members of the family as Miss Cecile was not the oldest daughter, given that she was not introduced as Miss Wharton.
Perhaps Jane was worse than second, she was nearly convenient.
She could not picture the Duke coming to Kellmore to ask for her hand.
Realizing that Lady Comstock waited a response Jane bobbed her head.
“You must forgive Miss Cecile, she is young. I believe she turns twenty and one at Twelfth Night. She lacks your maturity. I could see at once there was nothing flighty about you. You have a certain wisdom in your eyes. You will be a great asset to the Duke. It is easy to see he is besotted with you.” Lady Comstock picked up her cup as she spoke but did not drink.
“I see I have startled you with my frankness again.”
“Surprised more than startled.” On many counts.
Jane would not celebrate her twentieth birthday until three days before Easter, making her over a year younger than her new acquaintance.
Did Lady Comstock think her older? As for Richard being besotted, if the lady thought her older than her age, her eyesight was already in question. “I do not often hear such frankness.”
“I am far too old to spend time dressing my opinions up in lace and bows, hiding meanings behind fluttering fans is not for me. I may not know you well, but I can tell you have more decorum in the palm of your hand than the late Duchess had in her entire life. You are starting out correctly by making calls. Did Lady Anne give you a list of our neighbors?”
“No.”
“Then allow me to invite you to accompany me tomorrow. I believe we can fit in three or four families, and on Tuesday next, I’ll host a more formal tea in your honor.
The weather this time of year can be so unpredictable.
So often during the winter months we rotate hosting rather than calling frequently on one another, less chance for being mired in the snow or mud.
We all know if the weather is terrible that the tea will be postponed a day even if footmen are not sent with notes. ”
“I appreciate the invitation to accompany you. I hoped to ask you that very favor.”
“You should tell your housekeeper to plan on your tea being the first Wednesday in December. That way you have time to plan, and we can be sure no one else takes that date if we let it be known tomorrow.”
Jane sipped her tea to cover her nerves.
Of course she knew she would be expected to entertain, but she had thought she would be spared that duty until they went to London where Phil, her Aunt Healand, and Lady Anne might navigate her through the treacherous seas of society.
She rested her cup on the saucer she held.
“Shall I send my carriage for you tomorrow? What time would suit?”
“A quarter to one. We do make our visits easier here. Bring one of the crested coaches. The households will have an extra moment of preparation if the footman notices it is the Duke of Aylton’s conveyance.”
Jane inclined her head again, playing at her role as duchess as she assumed others would behave. “I shall see you tomorrow. It has been lovely, Lady Comstock.”
Back in the confines of the coach Jane found her nerves no less rumpled than they had been upon her arrival.
There was a difference between a marriage of convenience and marrying the most convenient person.
Miss Cecile may not be a good fit for Richard, but the unnamed elder sister could have been.
If Jane had not been visiting Bath, she likely would not have received a proposal at all.