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The carriage stopped, and moments later, a footman opened the door, and let down the steps. Lord Greenleigh stepped out, and turned to offer her his hand. She took it, and went down the steps, her eyes on the tall façade of the house before her. It was of five stories, with a delicate iron edged balcony on one of the upper floors. Imposing. She shivered as he led her up the steps and, behind her, the footman helped Lina down, and then set about unloading her luggage. Most of her belongings would be sent over tomorrow - tonight, she had just the minimum necessary.
The door opened, and a line of staff awaited her in the marble floored foyer. Lord Greenleigh nodded to the butler, and led her through the door. For a large house, the number of staff was quite small, but Iris smiled, hoping that they were pleased for their master, rather than regarding her as an interloper. Lord Greenleigh touched her arm.
“My dear, let me present the staff.” He turned towards the staff, who stood in silence. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is my wife, Iris, Lady Greenleigh – your new mistress.”
Iris drew herself up, and assumed her best smile.
“I am delighted to meet all of you. Husband, might I know the names of each person?”
“Certainly – this is our butler, Mr Jarrett, and this, our housekeeper, Mrs Earnshaw, and this our Cook, Mrs Harding. These are the footmen, Jones and Fogg, and the maids, Emma, Annie, Jenny, and Abby. You’ll meet the stable master and the grooms tomorrow, as well as the kitchen maids.”
Iris regarded each of them, trying her best to memorise all of the names.
“Thank you for welcoming me. I will want to spend some time with each of you over the next few days, to come to a good understanding of the running of this household. But for now, if we might have a tea tray in the parlour, and if one of you would show my maid, Lina,” Iris indicated Lina, who had just come through the door, followed by a footman with her two trunks, “to my rooms, and the room that will be hers, I would be most grateful.”
There was a moment of silence, as if they all assessed her, then Mrs Earnshaw stepped forward.
“Yes, my Lady. Abby, you see to the tea tray once Cook has it ready, and Lina, if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you the rooms now.”
They turned, and the staff scattered about their work. Beside her, Leon released a breath – had he been afraid that the staff would not accept her orders? His hand gently caught her by the elbow.
“The family parlour is just up one floor – it will be far more pleasant than the big parlour down here, and Mrs Earnshaw will have made certain that the fire is laid in there.”
“Thank you. Tomorrow, you’ll have to show me where everything is. It is the strangest feeling to stand in a house that is now my home, and not have the least idea where anything might be found.”
“I will show you everything… tomorrow… but – there is one thing I would like to show you tonight.”
Iris looked up at him, suddenly uncertain of everything – what did he mean?
“Yes?”
“The Music Room.”
The uncertainty retreated as she nodded, and he led her up the stairs.
>>>
Leon had not realised just how worried he was about the staff accepting Iris’ new status as the mistress of the house, until the moment when Mrs Earnshaw had paused before accepting her orders. Now, relief filled him as he led his delightful new wife up the stairs. That was one potential hurdle dealt with. Admittedly, those that remained were large, and might yet destroy all hope he had of happiness, but it was at least a beginning.
Telling her about Maggie’s existence could come later, once they’d had a few days to get to know each other a little. He frowned, worried again – but this time, about the matter of the marital bed. He would not, he decided, make any move to take what was a husband’s by right, until Iris made it obvious that she was receptive to such things.
He desired her, that was unquestionable – he had, almost from the moment that he had first seen her, and the alignment of their musical abilities had intensified that feeling, but he had no knowledge of her feelings on the matter. That she cared for him to some degree was obvious, and he was very glad of it, but he would not presume on the degree of that care. Indeed, perhaps a courtship was in order, now, given that there had been no chance for anything of the kind before their marriage.
How she might react to that choice on his part, he did not know, but he hoped that she would be glad of more time to get to know him, and for them to indulge in music together, before facing things far more emotionally complex.
They went in through the door of the music room, and he turned his thoughts away from doubts and darkness, to focus on her appreciation of the instruments she saw before her.
Chapter Six
“This is a beautiful pianoforte.”
The slight echo of the last notes they had played faded away into silence. The room was dark around them, lit only by the single candle they had brought, but it seemed to Iris a comforting darkness, wrapped in the warmth of shared music.
“I commissioned it specifically for this room – music has always been my solace, no matter what else happens in my life.”
His voice, as he said those words, seemed to carry a greater depth of meaning, to imply that there had been many things which had driven him to seek solace. A shiver ran through her, as it brought home to her just how little she knew about the man she had married.
“Should we not go to the parlour? If they bring the tea tray and do not find us…”
