Ellen smiled. “That sounds like Gerard.”
As if they had conjured him, Gerard entered. “My apologies, My Ladies. I was discussing last-minute details about the visit to the village today—I want to take Ellen to see the village,” then he turned to Ellen, “if you would like that, of course.”
Ellen nodded, pleased that he wanted the various estates he managed to know that he was married. “I would love that, My Lord.”
“Please, do well to bring her back in time; we still do have a lot to discuss. Oh, dear me! I almost forgot to mention it, The Earl of Bath, a distant relative of ours, sends his felicitations. He apologizes for his absence at the wedding and promises to come visit as soon as he is back from France,” the Dowager Countess said. “He also thanks you for taking care of that little matter in Bath before the wedding.”
Gerard nodded. “I shall look forward to his visit. I promise to be back in time as well.”
“That is all I ask. If you will excuse me, this old lady would like to take a nap,” the Dowager said and made to leave the table.
Gerard frowned uneasily. “She has been taking a lot of naps lately; I wonder if she is all right.”
“I am sure she is; it must be the whole work of the wedding finally taking its toll on her.”
Gerard nodded. He wanted to make Ellen’s first visit to the village memorable and had asked that Cook pack a picnic basket for lunch. They were soon finished at the table, and they set out for the village. Ellen, who had been there before at dusk, marveled at how delightful it looked at dawn. As Gerard pointed every boundary and landscape to her; she could hear in his voice his deep pride for the village and its people. As they got to the village, Gerard tied his horse to the center and was welcomed by the children again.
“It is the Princess!”
“Gerard brought the Princess!”
Gerard laughed. “Actually, this is Lady Ridlington, my wife.” They squealed and started running in circles around Ellen who was laughing.
“Did you say yes to our Lord, My Lady?”
“I sure did,” Ellen replied, and Gerard watched them run around the village telling everyone that Lord Gerard was married, and his wife was with him.
Everywhere they went, they were offered a gift, and Ellen felt overwhelmed with gratitude. “Surely, I cannot take all of this back with me.”
“You have to take it. It would hurt them to have their gifts rejected.”
And Ellen agreed, they wanted to braid her hair, to have her taste a new recipe from the village bakery, and when Ellen looked by her side, she found that Gerard had left. He had some business to attend to, and he was assured that she was in safe hands. They remained in the village for the next hour while Ellen got to know the villagers. When it was time to leave, she was exhausted. As she climbed into bed that night, she told Gerard how proud she was of him.
“They really love you; it is beautiful to watch you with them and the children as well. I cannot wait for us to have our own.” Gerard had murmured his acquiescence at that.
* * *
The first thing Marjorie noticed as the Duchess of Grant was how badly the rooms were in need of renovation. She informed Andrew of this, who told her that as long as she stayed clear of his study which was located in the west wing, she was free to do as she pleased. The next day, Marjorie had the entire household at her beck and call as she pulled curtains and folded rugs, and they rearranged the entire east wing. In a week, Marjorie had employed the use of a talented artist to redecorate the walls. By the time she was done, what had previously felt like a stuffy house felt airy and comfortable, and one could see the light inside the home.
When Andrew noticed on a casual walk to the east wing, he paid her a compliment. “I am impressed. I will admit, the house feels like a breath of fresh air.”
Marjorie nodded, pleased. “Did you notice that I left the art and portraits right where they were? I could not bear to move them. There is such a fragility to them, and that position is perfect.”
Andrew kissed her tenderly. “Take it easy; I do not want you on your feet too much.”
But Marjorie shrugged his concerns aside. “I am all right; all I do is show them where each piece of furniture and item is supposed to go. Besides, I will not be showing for a couple of months.”
“I know, but if I find out that you are pulling on more weight than you can possibly carry, I will have no choice but to move us to the countryside where all you will do is eat and prop your feet up all day.”
“I am pretty sure I will still find a way to get up to something while there, Your Grace. You forget the lady you married.”
“Oh, but I did not forget. I can assure you of that.”
“Can I do the west wing now?” Marjorie asked, changing the subject. She did not want to carry on with the conversation because she knew that deep down, Andrew was simply worried about her and their unborn child. She was no fool either; she was making sure to stay clear of any hard work, and she had been sitting all day, doing nothing, before she decided to redecorate. It was either that or losing her mind.
“No, My Love. I kind of like the way my study looks.”
“You told me yourself how you liked the changes I made to the east wing. Give me a chance to redecorate the west wing. If you do not like it, you can always change it.”
