Page 34 of Snowed In with the Jilted Duke

"Thank you, Teasdale."

The butler moved to open the front door. The sky was overcast, but the clouds were not heavy and snow did not appear to be in the offing. A Nordic-style sleigh with a pair of horses stood at the door with a stableboy holding their bridles, and Oliver escorted her down the front steps and into the sleigh. He accepted the reins with a nod and sprang into the seat. The storage area behind the seat was packed full with baskets and boxes for the tenants' St. Stephen's Day gifts.

To her surprise, the stableboy tipped his cap and stepped back to return to the stables.

"Does he not need to come with us to hold the horses?"

"Not at all," Oliver replied. He clucked to the horses and they began a brisk walk, their breath turning white in the chilly air. "There will be plenty of boys eager to hold the horses at each farm."

Pippa nodded. She had rather hoped for the extra company so she would not have to have the necessary conversation with Oliver, but now it appeared she would have the opportunity after all.

She took a deep breath, but before she could speak, he said, "Are you warm enough?"

"Er... yes. Yes, I am. Thank you."

"If you become chilled, Jenkins included some blankets under the seat."

"I shall be fine." Indeed, despite the gray skies, the weather was almost pleasant without the icy bite of the winds that had driven the snow into high snowbanks only a few days ago. She was warm and cozy in Penny's cloak and fur muff... but that thought only reminded her of the conversation she must have with him.

“We shall visit the Kilmartins first,” Oliver said. “I have been told that Mrs. Kilmartin was safely delivered of a child shortly before Christmas Day.”

“How many children do they have?”

“At least eight. I cannot recall if this is child number eight or number nine for them.”

“Oh, dear.” Pippa glanced towards the back of the sleigh. “Do we… have enough?”

“For Christmastide? Of course.”

Still, Pippa fretted. She had not packed the boxes herself. Was the dowager generous to her tenants, or stingy? And would Pippa and Oliver look stingy themselves when they presented the boxes?

“You can do the boxes your preferred way next year,” he said carelessly, and it took a moment for the words to make sense to her.

“You mean Penny can. Because she is your intended wife.”

He glanced sideways at her. “Yes, of course,” he said in the tone of a man trying to ward off an impending argument.

Before she could protest, they were pulling up in front of a farmhouse. The door burst open and a flood of children spilled from it, the older ones speeding to the gate as the younger ones trotted after them.

The tallest boy, who was no more than twelve years old, snatched the cap from his head and bowed. He nudged the next smallest boy, who followed suit as the girls curtseyed.

“Good afternoon, your grace.”

“Good afternoon, Johnny. Would you be so kind as to hold the horses for us?”

“Of course, your grace.” With the way the boy’s eyes shone as he stepped forward to take hold of the nearest horse’s bridle, Pippa suspected Johnny might aspire to be the next stableboy at the manor house.

Oliver swung down from the sleigh and rounded the back to hand Pippa down as well. The children all stared at her in awe, and she cleared her throat.

“This is Miss Montgomery. The next Duchess of Kendal.”

The children gaped as Pippa’s head turned to glare at Oliver, who would not meet her eyes.

“Where’s the old duchess?” a child at the back piped up, and was quickly shushed by his siblings. “But I want to know!”

“The dowager duchess was not feeling well enough to travel in the snow, so she sent Miss Montgomery in her place.” Oliver turned back to the rear of the sleigh. “Jimmy, Robbie, I will need your assistance.”

“Yes, your grace!” The boys jumped forward to accept the parcels Oliver pulled out, speeding back inside with them as the rest of the children followed, pushing and bickering. Johnny watched them with wistful eyes, but the horse whose head he was holding whickered softly and the boy turned to stroke its nose.