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Rosa gasped, her eyes widening. “You’re married, Father?”
“I am.”
Rosa dipped into an elegant curtsy, her manners already ladylike. “Your Grace,” she said, her voice a mere whisper.
“Hello,” Lady Sarah said with a shy, but very sweet smile. “Are you to be my new mother?”
Adel’s heart was pounding like a hammer in her chest. She sank to her knees in the grass, uncaring that the stains would ruin one of her better gowns. “Hello, Lady Rosa, Lady Sarah, I am delighted to make your acquaintances.” With a smile at Sarah, Adel continued, “If it is your wish, I would love to be your friend and new mother. However I am quite happy to be your friend until you say otherwise.”
“It is our wish,” Rosa said, wariness evident in her posture.
Adel frowned and Lady Rosa expounded. “It is our wish for you be our new mother. I think that is why father married you. He asked me what I would want for my birthday…and I said a mother.” Awe was evident in her voice, and when she looked up at her father, tears were glistening on her lashes.
“Thank you, Father.”
Adel swallowed. She was a birthday gift. A very foolish and convenient one. The duke really had not cared about her reputation; he’d just needed an urgent wife. Any lady would have certainly worked for him, because this icy distance that fairly simmered, warning her to keep away, this cool regard was not because of her being passably pretty, with no money or connect
ion… This was simply him, and whatever thoughts that went on behind those beautiful but distressingly empty eyes.
…
Two hours later, Adel climbed the stairs behind the housekeeper. Mrs. Fields’ voice rattled with animation, but Adel felt too brittle to pay her any mind. Lady Rosa had been having a tea party with their neighbor the Earl of Sheffield’s three daughters and their governess. The duke had taken his seat on the blanket and Adel had joined. Edmond had sat in a chilling aloof silence, content to watch his girls play and…well, he watched her. It was awkward and Adel had vacillated between tears and laughter. Rosa and Sarah were so tentative with her, touching her every so often, and then staring as if she were an exotic creature. That was how Adel had felt…like she had been on display. The dratted man had hardly said a word.
The girls were now preparing for supper, and Adel desperately wanted a bath and at least an hour of rest before she must face it again. The duke had actually called for another horse and ridden away without saying anything really. She tried not to let his distance crush her. They had only been married a day after all.
“With the short notice, Your Grace, this was the best we could do under the circumstances,” Mrs. Fields said apologetically as they stopped.
Adel frowned when the housekeeper opened the door to an elegant and well-appointed room. The best she could do? The chamber was well-suited to a lady. The walls were decorated with wallpaper upon which trellises of leaves climbed over a straw-colored background. The furniture and draperies were in a pale green patterned with the same straw color. The room was far larger than the bedroom she had formerly dwelled in at home and it had its own dressing room decorated in the same paper. “This is wonderful, thank you.”
Pleasure lit the woman eyes. “I will ask the duke what I am to do about the duchess’s chambers when he gets in.”
Adel froze. “These are not the duchess’s rooms?”
“No, Your Grace.”
Her heartbeat quickened. “Why am I not in the duchess’s quarters?”
Mrs. Fields appeared flustered. “I received no orders to clean the chambers, Your Grace. The missive the duke sent only said to prepare a chamber.”
“I am certain he meant the duchess’ apartment, Mrs. Fields,” Adel said kindly. “I would have you direct the maids to deposit my luggage there and call for a bath.”
The housekeeper’s wariness grew even more pronounced. “The rooms are not ready for you, Your Ladyship.”
Mrs. Fields refused to meet Adel’s eyes and sudden curiosity burned through her.
“Take me to the rooms.”
With a firm nod and flattened lips, Mrs. Fields continued along the corridor. They turned left and walked a few paces down before they stopped at a door. A bunch of keys jangled, and Mrs. Fields twisted one in the ornate brass door and it swung opened.
She stepped back and allowed Adel to enter. She walked in and faltered. Everything in the chamber was covered in white sheets. Cobwebs draped from the ceilings and the dust was so much, the windows that covered half of the left wall seemed covered in cinder. Adel was unable to credit what she was seeing. “Good Heavens, when last was the duchess’s chambers aired and cleaned?”
“Almost three years ago, Your Grace.”
She turned incredulous eyes to Mrs. Fields. “Are you saying no one has entered the rooms since the death of the last duchess?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Adel was at loss for words. “Are the duke’s rooms connected to here?”
