Page 46 of The Duchess' Replacement

Miss Cordell dropped her eyes out of embarrassment. “This is terribly unprofessional of me, Your Grace. I am so ashamed.”

Sarah walked over to Miss Cordell and embraced her. She lowered her voice and whispered in her ear. “Love, or even the hint of love, can have us acting out in the most bizarre ways.”

As she pulled away Sarah her whispered words took on a different meaning when she applied them to her own situation.

Surely, she wasn’t in love with the Duke. She only knew him a few days. Yet, she had never let anyone affect her in the same way this man had. Even only after a few days he had her scheming an entire room renovation simply as an act of revenge.

She may have let her imagination get the best of her in the past, but this was a bit much even for her.

Miss Cordell pulled away, a bashful smile with blushing cheeks met William’s awkward stance. Now that it was open knowledge that Miss Cordell was interested in William it seemed the young man forgot how to stand.

Wanting to take the attention from William, Sarah walked over to a bright pink fabric. “Is the same as the dress out front?”

Miss Cordell nodded. “It is, Your Grace.”

“This is will be perfect. Do you have any ruffles that match?”

Miss Cordell’s face brightened. “I do! Lizzie, will you help me get this box down, it has the exact color ruffles in it.”

The two women reached up to a top shelf to bring down a box.

William coughed. “If you two are going to get things that are out of reach why am I here?”

Lizzie stuck her tongue out. “You’re the moral support.”

Sarah giggled. The easy talk and growing camaraderie between them strengthened her resolve. She missed the familiarity of having family nearby and these people were beaming her family.

Lizzie pulled out a long strand of ruffles. “Is what you were thinking, Your Grace?”

Sarah looked over and her eyes widened. “Absolutely!”

“How much will you need?” Miss Cordell asked holding up two rolls.

“All of it.” Sarah grinned.

CHAPTER 13

Sarah plopped down on the sofa in the study. “Just put that last one over there, William.” She threw her arm over towards the window. The three of them spent two hours with Miss Cordell looking through countless bolts of fabric the modiste had. When Sarah closed her eyes she saw rolls and rolls of ribbons, lace, and ruffles. She couldn’t be happier.

“William,” she called out to him before he left. “I have a question for you.”

The young footman stopped in the doorway and began to rub his neck. She found it endearing she made him nervous. He reminded her a lot of Charles. Both liked things in order and maintained and hated when things didn’t go according to plan.

Sarah motioned to the room around her. “A lot of this looks very old and well used. When was the last time the Duke decorated?” A corner of her lip quirked up. “Or, I guess a better question is, has the Duke ever changed anything in this house?”

Her mind went to the rooms upstairs, untouched, stuck in a time she was not allowed to learn about.

William dropped his hand. “To be honest, Your Grace. The Duke doesn’t redecorate or change anything, really. It’s been this way for as long as I remember.” He squinted his eyes. “Although, I do remember hearing about someone changing the curtains and rugs in one room.”

Lizzie appeared behind him carrying the last package from the carriage. “That’s not what happened. You weren’t even alive when that room was redone.”

William scowled. “Neither were you.”

Lizzie rolled her eyes. “True, but I know more about the comings and goings that happen within this manor than you.” Lizzie set the package on the Duke’s desk and turned towards Sarah.

“From what I was told, by Mrs. Bates, mind you.” She threw her words at William before refocusing on Sarah, “that the previous Duchess hated the decorations in the Duchess’s wing. However, the Dowager Duchess insisted she keep them up. It wasn’t long after the Dowager’s death the previous Duchess took them down.”

William scoffed. “I heard the Duke ordered their removal because they were too feminine.”

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