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She would be expected to throw lavish balls, dinner parties, house parties, and support a number of charities. From what she gleaned of the duke’s politics he was a liberal, and with the call for reform in many sections of society, she would be expected to host political parties. Adel had already made a note to order subscriptions to the magazines his articles had appeared in, namely the Cobbett’s Political Register, The Gentleman’s Magazine, and Transactions of the Royal Geographic Society.
The dowager duchess had apologized for overwhelming her, and Adel stated firmly that she welcomed her direction within reason. Lady Harriet initially seemed shocked at Adel’s forwardness, then the dowager duchess beamed in approval.
Relief filled her at the warm reception of Edmond’s family so far, now if only the duke himself would follow suit. Adel made her way to the schoolroom, after knocking briefly she twisted the knob and opened the door. All heads swung her way, and Adel smiled. The room was large and cheery with the walls decorated with bright strange animals such as Indian elephants and tigers. There was a desk and several chairs, a large bookcase, a globe on a stand, blackboard, cupboard, and a rocking horse in one corner.
“Hello,” she said softly.
The tutor frowned. “May I be of assistance, Your Grace?”
A desperate flutter wormed its way through her heart. She now had children and from the look on their faces they were uncertain of her. She had hoped their time together yesterday would have dispelled some of their anxiety. Adel was suddenly grateful for the atrocious way Lady Margaret had treat
ed her. Otherwise Adel might not have known when to push and when to retreat. “I thought I would bid Lady Sarah and Rosa good afternoon.”
The tutor scowled. He was a short rotund man who seemed like the serious sorts. “Very well, Your Grace,” he muttered, clearly wishing she were elsewhere.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” she said, walking farther into the room.
They rose from their desks and dipped into elegant curtsies. She was charmed.
“I thought we could have luncheon together today, if it is to your liking.”
They peered at each other considerably and seemed to communicate before facing her.
“We would be obliged, Lady Adeline,” Rosa said with a tentative smile.
Adel gave them approving smiles. “I will be taking a tour of the house with Mrs. Fields. I shall arrange it so I am in the smaller drawing room within the hour. Does that meet your approval, Lady Sarah and Rosa?”
“Yes!” they said together.
With a nod to the tutor, she exited, and then exhaled a sigh of relief. That had gone much better than she had hoped.
In short order, she met Mrs. Fields below stairs, and her tour of Rosette Park began. With two wings and over one hundred rooms, the hour spent with her housekeeper passed in an exhausted blur.
Adel had to cut the tour short, and hurried to the drawing room to meet with Sarah and Rosa. Walking through the immense foyer she spied a footman, removing a painting that looked a lot like her husband’s daughters, only the lady painted had been older, and very beautiful.
“What are you doing?”
The footman paused. “I was ordered to remove the portrait, Your Grace, and mount it in the gallery.”
Emotions tightened her throat. She still remembered the day she had entered her home and realized her mother’s smiling picture had been removed, to be replaced by a cold and beautiful hauteur. Her mother had been placed in a lesser room, and it was Lady Margaret whose portrait would grace the fireplace in the entrance hall. Oh, how Adel resented her father and his new wife their happiness.
There was a sharp gasp behind Adel, and she did not need to turn to know it was one of the girls. There were several rustles and she deduced both girls were someplace behind her in the hall. “Yes, please take down the painting—”
An inarticulate cry slipped from one of the girls.
“And have the frame thoroughly cleaned and then remount it. I am sure whoever gave the order for it to be removed, meant just that.”
The footman’s eyes flicked behind her, and then back to her face. Adel was startled at the depth of relief that filled his eyes. But he still hesitated. “And where will your portrait hang, Your Grace?”
Her portrait? He must have spied the confusion on her face.
“I was told the painter Mr. Thomas Lawrence will be visiting later in the week to capture your likeness, Your Grace.”
Oh. Even she had heard of Mr. Lawrence, from what Adel could recall he had painted the Queen and even the Prince Regent. And he was coming to paint her? You are now a duchess, she reminded herself sternly. Affixing a smile to her face, she spoke, “Then we will make room for them to hang side by side.”
He nodded sharply and walked away with the painting. She composed herself and then faced the girls. “My goodness, you girls certainly did your sums in a quick fashion. I have not yet taken my morning stroll, would you care to join me?”
“Stroll?” Rosa asked with a frown.
