Page 27 of The Duke and the Scarred Bride

“Your Grace?”

Louisa turned towards the door to see Anne poking her head into the room and staring at her quizzically.

“What is it, Anne? You can come in,” she called.

“I came to ask if you need help disrobing,” Anne said, a high flush on her cheeks.

“You are right on time.” Louisa smiled kindly at her. “I was wondering how I would go about unfastening the numerous buttons on the back of my dress.”

Anne laughed softly and stepped into the room.

Louisa was grateful that she at least hadn’t intimidated the girl into losing her sense of humor.

“When you get married, insist on a much easier dress, Anne,” she joked.

“Mother says that they make wedding dresses this way so the husband learns patience.”

“Why? Can’t he learn it in some other way?”

“She says that a man wants nothing except food and flesh, and since using food can be cruel, there’s only one way to teach him a lesson.”

Louisa laughed and shook her head, wondering whether her husband would have been patient with her dress or ripped the entire thing off her.

Her wedding dress was beautiful, no doubt, but the modiste must have taken too much liberty with the buttons, for so many tiny buttons that ran along the back of the dress. Even with Anne’s help, it took several minutes to completely unfasten the infernal dress.

Louisa breathed deeply, rubbing at her middle once she was finally freed of the offending garment. She was tempted to retire to the bed that was newly dressed and looked oh so inviting, but Anne seemed to have other ideas.

“Perhaps you want a bath, Your Grace?” Anne asked, folding the dress neatly and hanging it in the wardrobe.

Louisa was about to refuse, but her body felt cramped from the long carriage ride and the tension that had settled inside her. The idea of relaxing in hot water seemed extremely appealing at that moment.

“I would love that,” she replied with a sigh, but then she remembered the shortage of staff in the manor. “How will you bring up the water, though? I would hate to make you and your mother haul water upstairs.”

“You do not have to worry about that, Your Grace. I will just ask the young men below stairs to help bring up the water,” Anne said with a reassuring smile.

“What men?” Louisa asked, confused.

“Gabriel and Lawrence. They are Mr. Tobias’s nephews. They come every day to help us women with tasks that require a lot of strength.”

“That’s kind of them,” Louisa remarked.

“They are very kind. Very handsome and kind,” Anne murmured, a shy smile tugging at her lips as her blush deepened.

Louisa might not know Anne very well, but she was willing to wager that her rosy-cheeked maid had a tendre for either one or both of the brothers.

“And one of them has managed to catch your fancy?” she inquired with a wide smile.

“Oh no, no,” Anne declared fervently. But when she saw Louisa’s smile, she relented. “Indeed, but my mother would never agree.”

“Why?”

“Lawrence is handsome, but he hasn’t finished his apprenticeship with the blacksmith. She doesn’t want me to become a blacksmith’s wife.”

Louisa nodded, understanding why Mrs. Owens would want her daughter to secure a match of higher status.

“Do not despair, Anne,” she urged. “Who knows? She could agree with time.”

“I doubt that,” Anne muttered with a pout. “But I intend to weary her with my pleas.”

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