Chapter 19
It took another two months before the house was truly ready to welcome new visitors, but Allegra enjoyed the challenge.
The ability to decide what would go where and to change things was usually absent when a house was inherited, but with Blanchard Hall, Max was happy to give her carte blanche.
She’d created a small parlor for herself on the sunnier side of the house where she could entertain friends, deal with her correspondence, and generally laze around if there was nothing demanding her attention.
She kept waiting for Max to get bored, but so far, it hadn’t happened.
They’d shared the summer together, and now autumn was upon them.
The trees in the home park were turning the most glorious colors, and the newly hired gardeners were busy making sure that everything survived the winter in good order.
Two weeks after the duke had dinner with them, there’d been a commotion in the stable yard.
They’d discovered the duke had sent his staff down from London with all Max’s horses.
The duke had also sent a note with the head groom to say that any of his grooms who wished to remain in Max’s employ had his permission to do so.
Prompted by his father’s generosity, Max remembered to write to Jack and his father about securing him a position in his new stables.
It was a kind gesture and so unlike the duke that Max had difficulty believing it.
Allegra made sure he wrote a thank-you note to his father, and from then on, the two men shared a weekly correspondence where Max sought his father’s advice about estate matters, and sometimes even took it.
Stephen, the duke’s secretary, advised Max that the duke had substantially increased his allowance to cover the additional costs to restore Blanchard Hall.
He also kept them updated about the prosecution of Mr. and Mrs. Cobbins, who had been apprehended trying to get passage to France with several pieces of the Devereux estate and the strongbox.
Allegra went into the hall and looked out of the window. She was expecting her mother and sister for their first visit. If Max decided to leave her and enjoy the start of the Season in London in October, then at least she wouldn’t be alone.
“Any sign of them?” Max came up behind her and peered over her shoulder.
“Not yet. I’m not sure why I’m even looking, because they aren’t expected until this afternoon.” Allegra sighed.
“Aren’t you pleased that they are coming?” Max asked. He’d become uncannily good at detecting her moods.
“I’m delighted,” she said. “It’s just that I’m rather tired after preparing their rooms, discussing menus with Mrs. Smith, and all the other matters that occur when someone comes to visit you for the first time in your new home.”
Max looked at her more closely. “You do look a bit worn out.”
“Thank you.”
“Perhaps you should take a nap.”
“And miss their arrival?”
Max wrapped his arm around her shoulders and marched her firmly toward the stairs. “As soon as they appear on the drive, I’ll have your maid wake you. You’ll have plenty of time to make yourself presentable before they disembark.”
“I do feel rather out of sorts,” Allegra confessed.
“Then go.” He patted her bottom as she headed up the stairs. “I’ll send Anne up to you.”
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Allegra paused to look down at him. “I’m never normally this tired.”
“Or bad-tempered,” Max said helpfully. “You almost bit my head off when I took the tops off my boiled eggs this morning.”
“They smelled terrible!” Allegra said as she continued to ascend.
Max blew her a kiss, and she waved at him before she crossed the landing and headed toward the bedchamber she still shared with Max. Even though his suite was now restored to its former glory, he rarely slept in his bed, preferring to be in hers, which suited her very well.
Her steps lagged as she reached her door, and she repressed an absurd desire to cry.
Perhaps the anxiety of awaiting her mother and sister’s approval was preying on her more heavily than she’d anticipated.
Anne appeared and loosened her laces sufficiently for Allegra to lie down in comfort.
Within seconds she was fast asleep, only to be dragged out of bliss after what seemed no time at all.
Anne called her name. “Your family are approaching the house, my lady.”
Allegra struggled to sit up. “What time is it?”
“It’s just past three, my lady. You slept for almost three hours.”
Anne efficiently relaced her and then poured warm water into a bowl so that Allegra could wash her face. After thanking her, Allegra made her way down the stairs and found Max already there, greeting her mother and Carenza.
“My darling.” Her mother came toward her, arms spread wide. She wore a patterned silk gown in her favorite red with a matching straw bonnet complete with cherries. “What a pretty little house this is! It is so good to see you again.”
Allegra promptly burst into tears. Carenza came over and hugged her. “Please don’t cry.”
“I’m just … so happy to see you.” Allegra kept crying. Max offered her his handkerchief, and she loudly blew her nose. “I’ve missed you both so much!”
“Shall we take your family up to their rooms, my dear?” Max asked. “I’m sure they’ll want to refresh themselves after such a long journey.”
“Yes, of course, forgive me.” Allegra tried to smile. “I’ve forgotten how a hostess is supposed to behave.”
Her mother’s warm laugh surrounded her. “We’re your family, darling, there is no need to stand on ceremony with us.”
“But she does need to tell you where your rooms are located, or else you’ll be wandering around wondering where on earth she’s put you,” Max said. “I’d take you myself, but I have no idea, either.”
“I’ll take you up,” Allegra said. “You’re next to each other and quite near me.”
She went up the stairs and showed her mother and sister their rooms, rang the bell to make sure the maids brought hot water for them to wash with, and agreed to meet them in the drawing room when they were suitably refreshed.
The nap had done her good, and she was keen to drink some tea and perhaps eat a sugary cake before dinner.
Max had disappeared again, probably to ensure that the coachman and his horses were being properly looked after in the stable.
She went through to the kitchen to speak to Mrs. Smith.
She still hadn’t found a housekeeper, but as they never entertained or had guests, Allegra hadn’t yet noticed the need for one.
“Mrs. Smith? Can you provide some tea and refreshments for the drawing room?” Allegra asked.
“Of course, my lady.” Mrs. Smith took a tray of bread rolls out of the oven. “Would you like one of these with some butter from our new dairy?”
“Yes, please.” Allegra sat down at the table and waited impatiently for Mrs. Smith to split the hot steaming roll and slather it with butter. She devoured it in six bites, and the cook obligingly buttered her another one.
“I have to stop,” Allegra said through a mouthful of bread. “Otherwise, I’ll eat the whole pan.”
“And then there would be no rolls for dinner, my lady,” Mrs. Smith said as she deftly put the rest of the bread out of Allegra’s reach. “I’ll get one of the maids to bring that tea in for you in a jiffy.”
Allegra rose to her feet. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith. Will you tell my husband that we’ll be in the drawing room if you see him?”
“Yes, my lady.”
Allegra went back into the newly restored drawing room, where she’d arranged two sofas and two chairs by the window with a view of the home park, and another group around the fire. She chose the seats with the view because of the still-spectacular autumn color.
It didn’t take long for her mother and sister to join her. After they were seated, Carenza leaned over to take Allegra’s hand. “There’s no need to ask whether you are thriving in this marriage, sister; you look wonderfully content.”
“We’ve had our difficulties,” Allegra acknowledged. “But we’ve managed so far.”
“I confess that I thought Max would be off to London at the first opportunity,” her mother said. “I never saw him as the kind of gentleman who would enjoy country life.”
“That has surprised me, too,” Allegra admitted. “But there has been so much to set right on the estate that I don’t think Max had much choice.”
One of the maids came in with the tea tray, followed by Brice with the cake.
“Thank you,” Allegra said.
Carenza ate a piece of sponge cake and smiled. “The lemon is lovely.”
“It’s my favorite,” Allegra confessed. “Mrs. Smith has to hide the tin from me.”
Despite eating two bread rolls, Allegra was still remarkably hungry, so she helped herself to a scone and clotted cream and a piece of the lemon cake.
Max came in, and she poured him a cup of tea.
“Your coachman is settled in with my head groom, Lady Musgrove, and the horses will be well taken care of,” Max informed her mother.
“Thank you, Max.” Her mother smiled. “We were just wondering if you’d felt any desire to return to London.”
“Not particularly,” Max said. “Although I suspect at some point, Allegra will want to get rid of me.” He said it with a smile, but Allegra was not convinced he thought it amusing.
“I wouldn’t want you to be bored,” Allegra replied.
“How could I possibly be bored when there is so much to do?” Max raised his eyebrows.
“I must confess that I never quite saw you as a gentleman farmer,” Carenza said. “But you appear to be enjoying the role immensely.”
“I’m not sure I’m enjoying it, exactly, because it’s extremely hard work, but I like learning. Making sure that the estate I intend to call home is a secure and happy place means a lot to me.”
Allegra was surprised by the sincerity of his tone. He usually made jokes or complained vociferously about the workload, but underneath, did he truly want to make a home for them? Another thought struck her.
“What Max means, Mama, is that he wants this place to keep me happy when he leaves me here to go back to London.” She smiled at her mother. “I do think I’ll be content here.”