Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
“You will see to it that this does not happen again, Tanner.” Tobias gestured behind them as he and his butler walked down the corridor.
It was the evening before the Salisbury ball, and all day, Tobias had been filled with a restless impatience. The feeling had not been helped by discovering the broken jib door.
A fine thing that would have been. Surprise, Rowen. Here is a door that does not open.
At the thought of his wife, the memory of their shopping trip flooded his mind. He reached up a hand and ran a finger along his left cheek absently.
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mr. Tanner inclined his head, his gravelly voice bringing Tobias back to the present. “I can only apologize for not realizing sooner that it was in need of repair. Though I am assured that with the new changes, it will be more functional.”
“It had better be. This needs to be perfect.” Tobias shook his head. “I will not settle for anything less, not for the Duchess.”
He thought of the way Rowen’s face had lit up when her dresses arrived, of the way she had softened when he had told her that he wanted to spoil her. Even the memory made his heart leap. The way her smile had lit up the whole room filled him with warmth.
“I am sure Her Grace will be delighted by your generosity, Your Grace,” Mr. Tanner said. “Few women alive would ever receive even a tenth of the gift you intend to give her.”
“It is less than she deserves.” The words were little more than a whisper, and Tobias shook his head. “She is the Duchess, Tanner. I am only giving her what she is due.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mr. Tanner inclined his head. “Will that be all?”
“Yes, Tanner.” Tobias let out a long, slow breath. “I appreciate your efficiency and discretion. You have done your job well.” He rubbed his hands together. “All that remains is to find my wife.”
“I do not think that will be hard, Your Grace.” Mr. Tanner smiled, nodding his head towards something over Tobias’s shoulder.
Tobias whipped around to see Rowen standing a little behind him. She had clearly come in from outside. Her hair was slightly windswept, with flecks of snow in it.
Her cheeks were red, her grey eyes were bright, and as she tugged off her gloves, Tobias caught a flash of her pale wrist. His stomach swooped as if he had stepped off a steep stair, and his mouth went dry.
She met his gaze and smiled. “You were looking for me?”
He swallowed and licked his lips. “Yes.”
“Well, you have found me.” She moved towards him, but paused just out of arm’s reach.
Tobias shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thick molasses that had apparently settled there when he had seen her. The movement made the heavy package in his pocket brush against him, and he used it to anchor himself.
“I wanted to show you something.” He gestured back in the direction he had come. “It will not take long.”
“Very well.” Rowen held out a hand to him, and he took it. “Lead the way.”
The softness of her fingers against his skin sent a warmth through him that relaxed shoulders he had not even realized were tense. It quelled some of the nervous energy thrumming through him.
They walked down the corridor together, the silence only adding to his nerves. “Where did you come from?”
“I wanted to check the horses for tomorrow, and to have the gardener check on the ice over the lake. Georgie and Alistair are desperate to play on it, but I am not convinced it will be thick enough to hold them. Not yet.” Rowen shook her head.
“And on my way back, I noticed that the maze needed some tending to, and then one thing led to another—you know how it is.”
“I do.” Tobias gave her a sidelong look. “With all the work you have been doing, it is a shame that very few people get to see the fruit of it.”
Rowen shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Though I suppose for that to happen, you would need a place to plan such things.” They had reached the door to her study. “Like a study.”
Rowen’s eyes flicked from him to the door. “You know I have not had a chance to decorate it yet. If you are going to show me what a mess the thing is, I—”
“That is not what I want to show you. At least, it is not all of it.” Tobias’s heart sped up. “I suspect that your study will always be last on your list, but I think it is important that you have a place that is entirely your own.”
He opened the door and ushered her inside, closing the door behind them.
Rowen walked in, her eyes widening as she looked around. The room had a wall lined with bookshelves, a beautiful oak desk, and several comfortable chairs. A freshly cleaned fireplace with a roaring fire filled the room with light.
Tobias clasped his hands behind his back as he watched her expression.
She gasped when she saw her children’s portrait on the wall. “When did you manage to do that?”
“It was difficult, but when I told them it was for you, they were more amenable.” He grinned. “And I may have promised them a lot of cake for their cooperation. The artist is a friend, and she is very good with children, which helped.”
“It is beautiful,” Rowen breathed.
“I have not done too much. I wanted you to be able to make it your own space, but it felt important to get you started.” He moved to a globe in the corner and pressed a catch. It opened, revealing a bottle of scotch and several glasses.
Rowen laughed. “Clearly, you prioritized the essentials.”
“Of course.” He closed the globe and looked at her. “If any of the décor is not to your liking, you are more than welcome to change it. I have no doubt you will put your own stamp on it in no time, but at least you will have something to start with.”
“It is a very strong start, indeed.” Rowen’s smile was genuine, and it made his heart swell. “You did not have to do this, Tobias.”
“I wanted to. You are my Duchess, and you should have a place that is all your own. I think of it as your sanctum. Somewhere for you to plan events or charitable endeavors. Or business ventures—anything that takes your fancy.”
“Anything?” Rowen gave him a mischievous grin. “Careful, husband. That could be dangerous.”
“I am no stranger to danger.” He winked at her and was rewarded with her tinkling laugh. “Do you like it then? The room, I mean.”
“I love it. When you said you had something to show me, I could not have imagined that this was it.” Rowen beamed. “It is lovely.”
“That is not what I wanted to show you.” Tobias’s heart sped up as he moved to the bookshelves, stopping with his hand over a book titled Treatise on the Law of Partitions.
Rowen wrinkled her nose. “If you wanted to show me that, I must say that I far prefer the room. That is quite possibly the least interesting thing in the house.”
“Looks can be deceiving.” He tugged on the book, and the shelf swung inward, revealing a hidden room behind it.
Rowen’s eyes widened as she stepped through. “I had no idea this was here!”
“Few people know about this room.” Tobias followed her inside, leaving the door ajar to allow light into the room while he lit the candles.
It was not a large room; there was barely enough room for the two of them to stand. But that did not matter.
As soon as light filled the room, Rowen gasped. Tobias smiled and gestured around them, taking in her wide eyes as she gaped at the treasures the room held.
The walls were lined with glass cases that held several collections of jewels and jewellery. In the center were three cases that held jewellery that had been handed from duchess to duchess.
“All of this is yours.” He gestured around them. “Do with it what you will.”
Rowen’s eyes widened even further, and she shook her head, blinking slowly. “Tobias, this… You… I… This is too much.”
“It is not. These are my family’s, and I want you to have them.
” He took her hand in his and brushed his fingers against her cheek, turning her to face him.
“I want you to know that this will always be yours, no matter what happens in the future. You will always be able to rely on me, but you will also have the means to support yourself.”
I want you to know that you are free.
He could not quite get the words out, but as her eyes flickered to his own, he saw her nod and knew she understood.
“Thank you.”
A weight that he had not realized he had been carrying lifted from his shoulders. He swallowed and gestured around them. “I would be honored if you would wear something from the collection tomorrow. To show the ton that we are united.”
“I would love to.” Her eyes drifted around the room.
The words were like an invisible hand around his heart, and it was all Tobias could do not to keep speaking. “I also suspect that not everything here will be to your taste. Some of it is a little dated, and that is why I had this made for you.”
He pulled the package out of his pocket and handed it to her. Rowen took it from him, her brow furrowed as she opened the box. Inside was a finely wrought gold necklace.
“The gold comes from a necklace made for my grandmother, those jewels were bought by my grandfather, and this one here”—he pointed to an emerald—“was bought by my mother on one of her trips abroad. She would have liked you, and I think she would be glad for you to have it.”
Tobias studied the look on Rowen’s face as she turned the necklace over in her hands, her mouth hanging open.
“The flowers are violets, like your perfume. The gems will catch the candlelight beautifully in a ballroom, but they will not be so ostentatious in daylight,” Tobias explained. “It is light enough that you can wear it without discomfort, and here in the center, the jewel rests over a locket.”
He watched as her fingers traced the delicate goldsmithing.
“The locket can be removed from the rest of the piece. It is a very clever bit of workmanship, but it means you can wear it on a simple chain or a choker if you wish.”
Rowen opened the locket and brought it closer to read the inscription inside. “May what you love always be close.” Her throat bobbed as she swallowed.
“The locket is fashioned after one my mother had. She kept locks of Eric’s and my hair in it, and my father’s as well.
Hers had the same inscription—she said that it meant that no matter where she was, her greatest loves would always be with her.
” Tobias’s eyes searched her face. “It would be an honor if you would wear it tomorrow.”
Silence stretched between them as she ran her delicate fingers over the locket.
“How could I wear anything else?” she croaked. “This is… You really do think of everything. Just when I think you cannot surprise me anymore, you do it again.”
“I did say I wanted to spoil you.” He shrugged.
“This is beyond that, Tobias.” Rowen looked up at him, her eyes serious. “Just giving me this jewellery would have been more than enough, but this? You had it made, and it is… I do not think I have ever been gifted something that felt so like me. I love it.”
I would gift you a thousand more like that, just to see you smile.
Tobias swallowed the words, not wanting to say too much. “I am glad. There is one other thing, though.” He cleared his throat.
“What?” Rowen prompted.
“Do not try to hide your radiance.” He reached a hand to her face, gently tilting her chin up so her grey eyes met his. “Promise me that you will let yourself shine, that you will not hold yourself back. Let yourself not just be beautiful, but feel beautiful. And let the ton marvel at it.”
“And what makes you so sure they will marvel at me?” Her voice was small, her eyes boring into his.
“Because I have eyes.” His heart was pounding so hard, he was sure she could hear it. He brushed a lock of hair from her face. “You are beautiful, Rowen, and I would not have you hide it. I would have you show it to the world.”
“Would you now?” There was a teasing note in her voice and something else that he could not quite place. “I thought you did not like to share.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Who said anything about sharing? After all, you will be coming home with me. I just want them to know what they are missing.”
He caught her hand and pressed it gently to his lips, never taking his eyes off her. He saw her lips part and her eyes dart to his mouth.
“I will see you tomorrow night, Rowen.”
He stepped away from her, feeling as though he were a piece of iron trying to detach from a magnet.