Page 49 of The Perfect Rose

She set her mind to her task of preparing for the day as her maid helped her to dress and pin up her hair in a simple chignon as Rose requested. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She carried a different confidence today. Dressed elegantly but with her hair simply done, Rose saw a spark of determination shining back at her. If anyone had been raised to accomplish their goals, it was Rose Gardner, and she would finally put that skill to good use.

Rose entered the breakfast room to a gaggle of voices. It seemed she was the last one to join the party. The duke stood upon her entrance, and a hubbub of scraping chairs followed his movement. The duke, Frederick, and Lord Hanby all stood with their eyes on Rose. “Good morning.”

A chorus of echoes rumbled back to her. Rose looked down the table to where her mother sat. The countess only nodded her head slightly to acknowledge her. Rose went to the sideboard to fill a plate.

The duke met her there. “Allow me, Lady Rose. What would you like?”

Rose furrowed her brows. Was her mother correct? Why would the duke show Rose special attention? “Thank you, Your Grace . . .” Lady Rose looked past him to where Miriam sat eating her toast without so much as a glance toward them. Something was not right. “I . . . I would enjoy a muffin and some eggs.”

She turned back toward the table and took an open seat next to Miss Haybury. Not that the open chair next to her was a surprise. The woman had driven people from her since the first day here. The aspirations Miss Haybury had were only overshadowed by Rose’s own, actually, but less gently pursued. Rose felt compassion for her. Owen Redford helped Rose into her chair and she smiled at him. “Thank you, Mr. Redford.”

“My pleasure, Lady Rose. You look different today.” Mr. Redford’s brow knit together.

“Yes, I’ve done something different with my hair.” She turned so that he could see the simple twist. “How are you today?”

He smiled. “I’m well. Thank you.”

“Ah, here is your breakfast, Lady Rose.” The duke stepped up beside Owen. He bent over Rose’s shoulder and placed the plate before her. He patted Mr. Redford on the shoulder. “Owen, I was hoping you could show me what you are working on this morning.”

Mr. Redford’s eyes lit. “Certainly. At your convenience.”

“Excellent, where do you keep your tools?”

“I always have my knife, Your Grace.” Owen said as if there couldn’t possibly be a reason to go to breakfast without it.

The duke smiled. “Let’s go outside, shall we?”

The two gentlemen walked out the door without so much as a backward glance at Rose. No, Mother has to be wrong. The duke had no designs on Rose, although serving her breakfast was certainly an interesting turn of the morning. She turned back to her plate and noticed the flower arrangements that lined the center of the long table. At least seven bouquets of wildflowers decorated the table. All of them matched the bouquet Rose had received this morning. Someone had been busy. Likely, each woman attending the house party was gifted an exact replica of the purple and yellow flowers today. “Aren’t these flowers beautiful?” Rose asked Miss Haybury.

The blonde-haired beauty raised her chin even more than usual. “They are wildflowers, nothing to be exclaimed over, Lady Rose.” She sniffed. “Then again, I’ve been partial to the hothouse flowers that have decorated my own room these past two weeks.”

Did that mean that the hothouse flowers did not decorate her room any longer, or that she really was unimpressed by the beauty of these blooms? And Rose’s room had never had hothouse flowers. She’d always been given wildflowers. Nothing as substantial as today’s arrangement, but she’d grown to love them more and more in the time she’d spent here. “Well, Miss Haybury, I believe these flowers are the most beautiful arrangements I’ve seen this season. There is something to the humble nature of a wildflower that makes it endearing.”

Miss Haybury tilted her head to look at Rose. “I can see why they attract your attention, as you have not experienced a day in your life as humbly as those flowers.”

Rose bit back her retort. Having already given her opinion, Rose would not retract her words. And Miss Haybury had a point. Rose had never been compared to a wildflower; that was her sisters’ jobs. But that didn’t mean Rose couldn’t appreciate the beauty of the wildflower anyway. She took a bite of her eggs and noticed Miriam watching her from a few seats down. It was possible that Miriam had overheard the exchange, and Rose wanted to encourage her friend’s decorating choices. “This table is beautiful, Miriam.”

Miriam smiled. “It is, isn’t it? I only wish I knew who decided to decorate for me.”

Miss Haybury leaned forward. “I knew it wasn’t you who decorated. You would have picked flowers with more substance to them, I was certain.”

Rose closed her eyes and prayed for patience. Miss Haybury was certainly riled this morning. The last thing Rose wanted was for Miriam to take the brunt of her displeasure. “Why don’t we take a turn about the garden, Miss Haybury, I’d love to learn more of your opinion on flowers.”

Miriam’s head tipped to the side in obvious confusion. Rose could help her friend have a pleasant last day of the house party if she removed Miss Haybury, and it would be helping Frederick to help his sister as well. This was just the type of moment Rose needed to improve: helping others and not worrying so much about herself.

A chair scooted back across from Lady Rose. Lord Hanby stood. “Might I accompany you, my ladies?”

Miss Haybury batted her eyelashes. “Of course. You are always welcome, Lord Hanby.”

Miriam jumped to her feet. “Why don’t we make a game out of it? What do you think about playing hide and seek in the garden?”

Rose’s mother dabbed her still clean mouth with her napkin, all the while spearing Rose with a look of warning, clearly saying that she’d best make the most of the situation. “I believe I will go read a book in the library. Do enjoy yourselves.” Lady Gardner helped Lady Gilfordshire up from her seat and the two elder women left arm in arm toward the library.

Lord Hanby offered Rose one arm and Miss Haybury the other as they stepped outside. The sun’s warmth enveloped Rose in a comfy cocoon. If only she were left to her own devices, she could seek out Frederick’s company. They found the Duke and Mr. Redford sitting on a bench and invited them to join in the game. Miss Trenton and Mr. Quentin Redford were also located outside, milling about the roses, and agreed to play.

It didn’t quite fit with her new plan to be less selfish, but a game would surely be far superior to listening to Miss Haybury complain.

Chapter Thirty-four