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She opened her mouth to tell him that he had not been on her side when she needed him but Bentley appeared in the doorway. “Your Grace,” he said and Jenny, Nicholas, and the dowager all perked up. Seeing that, he cleared his throat. “His Grace’s presence is required.”
Jenny thought he had come to announce dinner and she wondered what required Nicholas’s attention this evening. She had been feeling like a stranger in a home that was supposed to be hers and that feeling enveloped her again as the memory of hushed conversations between her husband and the servants in the past days surfaced.
Having endured enough of it, she made a note to talk to Nicholas about it. She was mistress of this house and the Duchess of Seaton. She was owed an explanation, at the very least. While Daphne and Ernest were occupied at the pianoforte, Jenny approached the dowager.
"Such perfect harmony," Jenny observed and the dowager immediately straightened, making a show of disliking the music. "I never saw two people more complementing of each other."
"And I have never seen such obvious attempts at matchmaking,” the dowager said. "But then amateurs are not versed in the art of subtlety." She turned to regard Jenny.
As Jenny had harbored the idea of making a match of Daphne and Ernest since before her own wedding, she did not pose an argument. Instead, she said, "From what I am witnessing, though, I might not need to do too much."
"If that were true, then you would not be here right now, looking hopeful,” she countered. "You need my help. But you are too proud to admit it."
Jenny laughed. “You believe yourself an expert matchmaker, duchess?”
“Indeed. I matched you and Seaton, did I not?” She looked almost proud of her efforts.
“I will beg to differ.”
“Because the two of you are too stubborn to allow nature to take its course. Now, back to those two. You will need my help, although I must tell you that I do not entirely approve of them together."
"Pity," Jenny mused, "Seaton and Hanover are united but one can never be too secure in this day and age. I thought you were an advocate for reinforcement." She carefully watched her grandmother-in-law's thoughtful features as she digested her words.
The dowager chuckled. "My confidence in you grows, Jennifer."
"Is that a compliment?" Jenny chortled.
"You're right," the dowager continued, ignoring her question, "I have not been looking past her father's scandals. Nicholas could do with more clout. A dukedom can never have too much influence.” Her gaze was on Daphne and Jenny could see the woman changing her mind.
"It is settled, then. We shall make a match of them.” Jenny grinned. She had something to keep her occupied, fortunately.
"You see that boy?" The dowager pointed with her cane in Ernest's direction. "He is more stubborn than a bull and a mule combined.”
“I know that.”
“Youhave some work to do.Ihave double." Her gaze did a slow appraisal of Jenny now. "Nothing has changed about our initial plan, of course. Just follow my instructions and we shall have a squealing infant and more wedding bells soon."
