Page 54 of His Scottish Duchess

And it was rather unfair. She had not asked for any of that, but she was determined to remain worthy of all that was now in her possession—especially the attention and affection of her husband and the right to remain at his side.

Still, a ball was proving to be a rather daunting task to pick as the means of proving all those who lacked faith in her wrong.

Just as she was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the undertaking, a familiar carriage pulled up to the front entrance. Catherine watched, confused, because Sampson was out and about on business, so she did not know who would come calling without prior notice.

To her surprise and delight, it was Eleanor, the Duchess of Ironvale, whom she had met briefly at the ball. Eleanor radiated a warmth and genuine kindness that Catherine had immediately been drawn to.

As Catherine rose to her feet, excited to see a friend with whom she could share her current woes, she noticed that Eleanor was not alone. Accompanying her were three other elegant ladies, all of whom carried an air of untouchable beauty and grace.

It made Catherine hesitate as she looked down at her dress, hoping she looked presentable enough to entertain guests and wishing she had chosen a more vibrant color, rather than the pale pink dress that hung on her body.

Eleanor spotted her in the garden and immediately waved at her with a bright smile. “Catherine, darling!”

Catherine couldn’t help but smile, already swept by Eleanor’s gentle charm.

“Eleanor, how lovely of you to visit!” she greeted, feeling happy to see the other woman.

“I do apologize for not sending a note first. You see, Sampson had mentioned to Frederick in passing that you had plans to host a ball, and my husband told me. I immediately thought you might need some assistance.” Eleanor frowned slightly, looking uncertain all of a sudden. “Was I being too forward? I would have called, but?—”

“Oh, no. No, I promise, you have come at the right time. I was getting rather overwhelmed with all the preparations, and frankly, your appearance right now is a godsend,” Catherine said, sounding close to tears.

Eleanor laughed, a light tinkering sound that somehow made her seem even more elegant. She took Catherine’s hands in her own and squeezed them gently.

“Do not worry, dearest. We are here to help in any way we can,” she promised, before gesturing to the women standing around them. “Catherine, my dear, allow me to introduce my friends. This is Selina Bolton, the Duchess of Crauford; Thalia Pratt, the Duchess of Ravenwood; and Nora Gale, the Duchess of Bancroft.”

Catherine, initially shy and feeling somewhat out of her depth, bobbed a polite curtsey, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Eleanor, however, immediately put her at ease. “Nonsense, Catherine! No need for such formality. We’re here to help you organize your ball! Hosting can be such fun, you’ll see!”

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Catherine found herself smiling despite her earlier anxieties.

“All right. It is such a pleasure to meet you all. And… welcome to my home,” Catherine said, waving over a maid to fetch them some refreshments as she led them into the house and made for the drawing room.

It did not take long for the tension to leave Catherine’s shoulders, and she settled into comfortable conversation with the other women, although she was often happier to sit back and simply listen to them.

Just like Eleanor, they each had their own striking personality, and their closeness filled Catherine with an indescribable desire to have such wholesome friendships.

“I have not enquired in a while—how is your garden, Eleanor?” Nora asked as she stirred sugar into her tea, before turning to Catherine. “You simply must attend her annual spring house party, Catherine. She has an exceptional green thumb, and her garden blooms beautifully during that time.”

“I do hope your Aunt Cheryl has no intention of gracing us with her presence again this year. While I do love to watch a confident woman with high aspirations, it is rather annoying to fight one off when she expresses interest in your husband,” Selina huffed as she reached for a biscuit.

“That was a rather disturbing display. I was convinced you were going to pull her by her hair into the courtyard and throw her into the fountain.” Nora grinned.

Thalia sighed, smiling a little at her sister. “Oh, she had every intention of doing so. It took the intervention of my husband Benedict, Aaron,andme to stop her from outright ripping off dear Aunty Cheryl’s wig.”

“Knowing our dearest Selina, she likely would’ve done substantial damage—which would’ve put Aunt Cheryl off men forever,” Eleanor pointed out with a grin.

“You all know me too well, and it is rather disconcerting.” Selina pouted for a moment, then she grinned. “But you’re not wrong.”

“Oh dear,” Catherine gasped, very intrigued by the story.

They clearly had known each other for a long while, the familiarity and ease with which they interacted making her hope she could be just as close with them.

“So, why did you want to throw a ball so suddenly? There is nothing wrong with it, I promise. But you might feel more comfortable waiting for a little while until you get used to your title and familiarize yourself with all the important members of the ton,” Nora advised gently.

Catherine blushed, not sure how to articulate her reasons without seeming childish.

“I think that was the precise reason. Or, at least, one of them. I haven’t done much here since I arrived from Scotland. I simply remain within these walls, on these grounds, with the staff and my husband for company. That is not to say that I have been forbidden from going out, but… I am not sure I would be comfortable venturing out on my own here. But still, I would like to meet new people and make new friends. And what better way to make friends than at a party?” she explained quietly.

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