Page 24 of Maid for the Duke

Marie scowled at him but Harriet broke out into a wide, beaming smile and gave a little curtsey.

‘Good morning, sir. I am Harriet Somersham. It is a pleasure to meet you.’ Her refined accent and perfect social manners seemed completely out of place with her raggedy clothes and their run-down surroundings. It was horrible to think they had been born into a comfortable life and that it had been torn from them.

‘It is a pleasure to meet you too, Harriet. I am Lord Beescroft, but I would be honoured if you would call me William.’

Marie’s eyes narrowed. ‘Are you a lord?’

Will turned to Amelie sister. ‘Yes.’

‘Baron? Marquess? Earl?’ she snapped, making it clear she did not believe him.

‘Duke,’ he said.

Marie scoffed before her sister elbowed her in the ribs. ‘Amelie said she works for a duke.’

Marie’s eyes widened but she was saved from having to interact with him further by Charles barging his way past. The little boy had a charming smile and he looked up at Will with expectant eyes.

‘I’m Charles,’ he said, reaching out and taking hold of Will’s hand. ‘I expect you want to see my toy soldiers.’

Without waiting for an answer, Charles led Will over to the corner of the room and proudly pointed out half a dozen toy soldiers that were lined up.

‘That is an impressive regiment,’ Will said, crouching down to inspect them.

‘This is my favourite. He lost his arm when we left our old home, but I pretend he lost it in battle.’ The little boy held out a battered soldier without his left arm. Once, the models would have been beautifully painted, but these treasured possessions had been played with and held until half the paint had rubbed off.

Amelie emerged from the kitchen, her mouth set in a grim line. He could see she was barely holding things together.

Will straightened and looked down at the little boy next to him. ‘How about a trip to Hyde Park? We can take a stroll along the Serpentine and perhaps go for ices.’ He turned to Charles, ‘Have you tried an ice before?’

The little boy shook his head, his eyes alight with anticipation.

‘I do not wish to impose on your time,’ Amelie said quietly. He could see she was almost at breaking point and he had to resist the urge to take her in his arms. Instead, he smiled brightly. ‘There is always time for a walk in the park and an ice.’

Chapter Twelve

Amelie had expected awkwardness. Lord Beescroft—Will—was normally courteous but formal, with every word he uttered carefully measured and thought out. It had taken weeks of living together under the same roof for him to shed some of that formality with her, so it was a surprise when he exhibited such ease with the children.

As they made their way to the quieter areas of Hyde Park it was as if he’d become another person. The smile on Will’s face as Charles raced back and forth, gathering any little curiosity he could find to show him, was wide and genuine and he did not seem to tire of the little boy’s chatter.

He won Harriet over almost immediately by offering her his arm as if she were a lady of the aristocracy, and even Marie warmed to him as he spoke to her like an equal, asking questions and listening carefully to the young girl’s answers.

Amelie was content to revel in the children’s happiness. She could remember the carefree days before they had lost their home, taking Harriet and Marie out for long adventures in the countryside, seeing their faces light up as they hopped over streams and made castles out of the fallen branches in the woods.

Charles had always begged to come along on those outings and Amelie wished more than anything that she could give him those happy memories now. He’d been so little when they had lost their mother, barely more than a baby. That was when Amelie’s life had started to change, although she had not begrudged the need to look after her younger kinsfolk.

She’d tried to give them the same experiences their mother had given to her when she’d been a child: swimming in the heat of summer in the local pond; long games of hide and seek in the vast gardens and woodland that surrounded the manor house; even starting cooking lessons for Marie and Harriet. Amelie had treasured the time with her mother when she’d been young, even though she had been eccentric and prone to quick mood changes.

Their father was mostly uninterested. When she had been young he’d sometimes swung her up onto his shoulders whilst they’d gone for a stroll as a family, but he had not shown the same interest in his younger children. When Amelie was feeling more generous she told herself it had been due to the grief of losing his wife, but in truth she knew the gentle neglect had started long before their mother had passed away. Mr Somersham had been a selfish man, and the only person he had ever truly cared for was his wife.

They stuck to the quieter paths, both silently acknowledging the need for discretion. Will’s social position meant he was one of the most recognisable men in London, and the gossip would be uncontrollable if the wrong person saw him out with a young woman and three scruffily dressed children. Most would not know what to make of their strange group, but some would assume something scandalous was occurring. Amelie did not want Will’s kindness to smear his reputation.

Slowly, as the morning progressed, Amelie found herself relaxing. The children were happier out in the fresh air, more relaxed than when they had to stay cooped up in Mrs Creedy’s set of rooms. Before long all three were running across the grass, laughing and chasing one another.

‘Thank you,’ Amelie said as she and Will dropped into step beside one another.

‘I have done nothing except escort you to the park.’

‘That is not true. I was ready to shout and rail at Mrs Creedy, to ruin the arrangement we have. It would have been a disaster. I doubt she would have forgiven me and then Marie, Harriet and Charles would not have anywhere to live.’