Page 15 of His Darling Duchess
It was raining outside, but a footman waited with an umbrella to ensure Aurelia remained as dry as possible, and Stowe handed her up into his carriage himself. She glanced briefly at the luxuriously padded and upholstered interior before settling into a corner, seemingly attempting to make herself as small as possible.
Stowe sighed as he took his own seat opposite, realising he had little choice but to instigate the uncomfortable conversation as soon as possible. Aurelia was obviously frightened, and he would not leave her feeling this way any longer than he had to.
“My lady,” he began, then changing his mind, “Aurelia.”
Brown eyes glistened with tears she was obviously working hard to hold at bay as she obediently turned her head to look at him. “Yes, my lord?”
“Please don’t call me that. Stowe will be fine, but my given name is Rhys, if you would like to use that. It’s been too long since anyone did, to be frank. I’d like to hear it from you.”
Her lips shaped Rhys but she didn’t say it aloud yet. He could be content with that, though.
“Please let me set your mind at rest, Aurelia. I have no intention of demanding my husbandly rights from you tonight.Circumstances see us wed, but the truth is we are strangers to each other.”
Those magnificent eyes inspected him again, and he wondered what she was thinking. “You will need an heir,” she said finally.
“You’re correct, but I’m not in any great hurry. There’ll be time enough for that once we come to know and trust each other.”
“You’re being very kind,” Aurelia whispered. “Thank you.”
“You needn’t thank me, Aurelia. For better or worse, we are married, and I’d rather not start our life together by being a demanding boor.” He hesitated, but then added “You need not ever fear that I will treat you as roughly as my cousin did. I prefer my partners willing.”
“I see.” She lowered her head to stare at her lap, hiding her expression and leaving him staring at the top of her bonnet.
Stowe had the sickening feeling he’d said something wrong, but couldn’t for the life of him puzzle out what. Silence stretched into awkwardness, and he was grateful when the carriage slowed to a halt.
The rain had stopped, albeit briefly, and Stowe jumped down before waving the footman off and turning to assist Aurelia down himself. She placed her gloved hand in his to accept his aid, but kept her face turned away from him as she stepped down and accompanied him up the front steps of the house.
Stowe muttered a curse under his breath when he realised the household had all assembled to welcome their new mistress; he should have guessed she would be weary and asked them to wait until tomorrow. About to dismiss them, he was stayed by Aurelia handing her bonnet to a waiting maid and saying;
“Oh, how kind of you all to come out to meet me! Will you present me to your housekeeper, Stowe, and she can tell me who everyone is?”
Her smile was bright, but he thought it brittle, as though the expression might crack at any moment.
“Are you sure?” he asked in an undertone. “They’ll understand you’re tired…”
“You may not have wanted me as your duchess, Stowe,” she replied equally quietly, though he noticed she still did not meet his eyes. “But to these people, that is who I am, and I’ll not disappoint them on my first day.”
He wanted to argue the point, tell her he could not think of anyone better suited to be a duchess, but she was already stepping forward to stand before the housekeeper.
“Mrs Tanwell,” Stowe said, conceding to Aurelia’s unspoken demand.
“Your Grace,” Mrs Tanwell curtsied deeply, and Aurelia surprised both the housekeeper and Stowe by laughing.
“Oh, pray, do not make such deep obeisance to me! I already know I shall quite depend upon you to teach me everything I need to know about my lord’s preferences, and what the household will need of me!”
“Anything you wish, my lady.”
She had enchanted his housekeeper with a laugh and a few words, and Stowe watched in amazement as she continued down the line of servants, listening as Mrs Tanwell listed the names and position of each. Every one of them was under her spell within a quarter hour, and Stowe shook his head in silent awe. Following in Aurelia’s wake, he thought he could learn a great deal from his wife. She might be over a decade his junior, but she’d lived her entire life learning from a master politician and one of society’s greatest hostesses. Undoubtedly, she had a far better idea of how to be a duchess than he did of how to be a duke.
At last, they reached the end of the line and a very overawed scullery maid who couldn’t have been more than twelve or so. The girl curtsied so deeply she almost fell, but Aurelia didn’tlaugh, reaching out to gently steady her with a hand on her elbow and a few kind words.
Mrs Tanwell caught Stowe’s eyes and gave him a look of unmistakable approval. He smiled in return, obviously surprising the housekeeper who looked briefly startled before hastily smoothing her expression.
“I’d be much obliged if you would escort Lady Stowe to view her rooms, Mrs Tanwell,” Stowe said. “It’s been a long day. And I believe we’ll both take a light supper in our rooms; no need to trouble everyone to lay out a formal dinner.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Mrs Tanwell bobbed a quick curtsy and turned to Aurelia with a diffident smile. “If you’d follow me, Your Grace?” With a swift gesture, she dispersed the rest of the staff, save for two upstairs maids who followed in her wake as she swept Aurelia off up the stairs.
Chapter Seven
