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Millicent turned out not to be interested in the small babe. She held her for a moment, then handed her back to Isabel and dashed outdoors to play with Button and the other children her age.
Now she bounced around the carriage, telling Isabel everything she had done and seen. As the carriage rolled into the driveway, Isabel noted another carriage rolling away. Someone must have disembarked.
More guests? Or more worried family members?
She entered the hall, with Button pushing at her side and running in ahead of her, barking.
“Button, no!” A soft but firm feminine voice brought Button to a sudden halt.
Isabel opened her mouth in surprise. That treacherous fiend! He didn’t listen to her commands, but he listened to… She looked up, and her face split in a smile. “Evie!” She went to embrace the duchess, then threw a side glance at her dog. “How did you do that? I can’t seem to make him do anything.”
Button sat at Evie’s feet, happily wagging his tail. Millicent ran up to the duchess then and bobbed an uncoordinated curtsy.
Evie reciprocated, gracefully sinking to the floor. “My lady,” she said with a bright smile, and Millicent giggled.
Had Millie just curtsied? On her own accord and without any reminders? Isabel’s mouth fell open, and she couldn’t quite close it before Evie’s husband, the Viscount St. Clare, appeared behind his wife. He took off his hat and bowed with a flourish. “My ladies.”
He put his hand on the small of Evie’s back and smiled down at her.
Isabel sighed inwardly. That man was very much in love with his duchess.
Millicent turned her face toward Isabel and exclaimed with unconcealed awe, “She’s a duchess!”
“Yes, she is.” Isabel turned to her guests. “Have you just arrived? I think I saw your carriage roll away.”
“Yes, we just stepped into the hall a moment before you did.” Evie was smiling, but Isabel could see clear lines of fatigue on her face. And she looked slightly green in the face.
“A lovely coincidence. But you must be tired. Let me show you to your rooms!”
“If you excuse me, I shall go find Vane,” St. Claire said. Then he turned to Evie. “You don’t mind settling in by yourself, do you?”
“I prefer it.” Evie grinned, then added at his pouting grimace, “I am rather tired, and I know you wouldn’t let me rest.”
“I sure wouldn’t,” St. Claire said in a low voice, placed a quick kiss on her cheek, bowed to Isabel and Millie, and sauntered away.
Evie turned to Isabel. “Shall we?”
Isabel led the way, Evie and Millicent following behind, and the dog closed the procession. Millicent chattered happily, telling Evie everything about her life, and Isabel couldn’t help but feel jealous.
That little girl had barely said a word to her for the first few weeks of their acquaintance, yet she barely paused in her narrative to the duchess. More than that, she listened to Evie and tried to parody her in the way she walked and talked.
Even the blasted dog, who was adamant about killing Isabel, was enamored with the duchess.
They approached one of the guest rooms, and Isabel opened the door. “Welcome, Your Grace.”
Evie chuckled and entered the room. She looked around in awe. “This is beautiful.”
“I helped decorate,” Millie said proudly. Which was true. She’d helped pick out the paintings and the flowers for the surfaces.
“You are going to be an exemplary hostess one day,” Evie complimented her.
Millie beamed at first, then shyly looked away and scratched behind Button’s ears.
“You must be fatigued after the journey, and I know how you feel about carriages, so I shall leave you to rest,” Isabel said.
“Thank you. I wish to speak with you as soon as possible, but I wouldn’t be very good company at the moment.”
Isabel smiled. “I understand.”
