Page 32 of Three Rules to Wed a Duke

Anthony was quiet for too long, and Frances began to fret that she had upset him. She’d never thought that someone would be so attached to any particular room, for she hadn’t had a home of her own since she was a little girl. They waited in silence for something to give, then finally Anthony spoke.

“I want you to be happy. If you would like to make any changes, of course that’s what we shall do.”

“Thank you,” Frances said quietly, though she couldn’t ignore the feeling that she’d wounded him somehow.

Mr. Vickers arrived with a tray laden with their dinner, and Mrs. Barrett came in behind him with another tray. Both were set down on the sideboard and the plates served before being placed in front of Anthony and Frances.

“My apologies for the lateness, Your Grace, but Miss O’Reilly needed my help urgently this afternoon and I didn’t get to start cooking the dinner on time,” Mrs. Barrett said, looking at the duke pointedly.

Anthony quickly snapped his attention to the housekeeper. He looked at her as something unspoken passed between them.

“Was everything all right?” he finally asked.

“Yes, Your Grace. This time.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Barrett.” Anthony rose to his feet at once, then stopped and looked around. “My apologies, Frances, but I’m afraid I have something I need to attend to. Mrs. Barrett, will you please take my plate to my study? I will eat it later.”

And then he was gone.

“What was that all about?” Frances managed to whisper after several moments of sitting alone at the table.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace, but this is what I tried to speak to you about this afternoon. I was called away to help Miss O’Reilly and didn’t finish explaining.”

“Explaining what exactly, Mrs. Barrett?” Frances was near tears with the whirling storm of emotions she’d endured in just a single day.

The housekeeper looked around for a moment, then gestured to the chair beside Frances with a questioning glance. Frances nodded, and Mrs. Barrett pulled the chair out to sit down beside her.

“Your Grace, as you become accustomed to residing here at Cadmoor House, you will come to discover that the duke is rather particular in his ways. I’m sure it comes from his many years of being a bachelor and residing here… alone. He is quite unique in some of his mannerisms, and in my own opinion, that is what makes him such a special man.”

“Unique? Or do you mean strange?” Frances pressed, glaring slightly.

“I wouldn’t call it that, but then again, I’ve known His Grace for quite a number of years. I know him to be kind and very caring, but people who don’t know him so well might think his ways strange.”

“But, you don’t mean… cold? Cruel? Anything of the sort?”

“Good heavens, never! His Grace would never hurt anyone, nor even utter an unkind word. But sometimes, he might say or do something that he does not realize is so unconventional that others might take offense.”

“Like just now, you mean,” Frances said, gesturing to the empty table.

“Precisely!” Mrs. Barrett answered happily. “You and I might think it quite odd for someone to simply leave the table at the very start of the meal, but His Grace does not see anything wrong with it. He had something urgent to attend to, and simply felt he must see to it straight away. But he most certainly did not mean any harm, and he would be greatly grieved if he thought he had upset you.”

“I see. So, he has some very unusual ways about him, but I should spare his feelings by not complaining. Is that what you mean?” Frances asked, her voice somewhat cold with the hint of accusation.

Mrs. Barrett winced. “I’m terribly sorry, Your Grace. I did not mean to upset you. I was only trying to help you understand your husband better for I know he is different from others in a few ways.”

“It’s all right, Mrs. Barrett. I’m very sorry I spoke harshly,” Frances said with a sigh. “If I might confess it, this has all been a lot for me to accept. First, marrying at all, and to a stranger atthat. But then the upheaval of losing favor with my only family, sorting through the chaos of my wedding day, and now this. I know you were trying to be helpful, and I do appreciate it. I promise!”

“I’m so relieved, Your Grace. I do want you to be happy here, and to feel as though this is your home. But you must also understand that the duke has his own ways of doing things. I’m sure in time you will not even notice!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Barrett,” Frances said as an afterthought when the housekeeper stood to return to the kitchen.

But I’m afraid I do notice it, she thought unhappily,and I can only long for the day when I find it not so strange! There must be a way to cause his stone exterior to crumble.

CHAPTER 13

The following morning dawned with a heavy, overcast sky. It wasn’t the sort that seemed to threaten rain, but it was still uninviting at best. The weather wasn’t the only thing that tamped down Frances’ already dismal spirits, however.

“Good day to you, Your Grace,” Mrs. Barrett said sweetly after she knocked and Frances bade her enter. “I’ve come to wake you and let you know that breakfast will be ready in one hour.”

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