Page 12 of A Trap by the Rakish Duke
“No, that is all right.” Aurelia shook her head, feeling a pang of disappointment in her chest.
“Were you expecting a letter, You Grace?” Eilidh sounded sympathetic as she dusted the pillows.
“Not really. I thought my father would have written me. Then again, it is a bit soon. Perhaps it will come tomorrow.”
Aurelia took her seat at the table and glanced listlessly at the toast as she struggled with the disappointment in her heart.
Eilidh approached and poured her a cup of tea. “Och, I am sure your father wants to give you a few days to settle in, Your Grace. If he is anything like my father, he will be calling on you in no time at all.”
Aurelia couldn’t help but laugh at the strange expression, forgetting her troubles for just a second. “Are you sure you are not Scottish? It is not every day that I hear a maid saying ‘och.’”
The maid blushed an even deeper red that nearly matched the color of her hair. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace. It is my father’s influence, you see. He often calls us his bairns instead of his children. I am afraid that there are quite a few inflections I have picked up from him over the years. The other servants often tease me about it. I will try and be more mindful of it in the future.”
“There is no need to apologize, I quite like hearing something as unusual as that. There is no need for you to change the way you speak. You are bringing a smidgeon of color to an otherwise drab situation.”
Aurelia reached for her cup of tea and took a sip, relishing the way the warm liquid slid down her throat.
Eilidh’s eyes softened as she watched her. “Thank you, Your Grace. I know that the situation cannot be easy for you. I am certain that your father will soon be calling on you.”
Licking a drop of tea from her lips, Aurelia wrapped her hands around the cup as a thought occurred to her. “Eilidh, what do you know of my…situation?”
The maid looked uneasily from one side of the room to the other. “N…Not much, Your Grace. I have heard rumors aboutthe situation with your father and His Grace’s late brother… But that is not to say that everything I hear is true.”
Aurelia was about to ask the girl what the rumors were, when Mrs. Jarrow appeared in the doorway as though she had materialized out of thin air.
“Eilidh, have you completed your daily duties? One would think that you have with the way you keep chattering.” The older woman pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows in a reprimand that even Aurelia understood.
Eilidhis not supposed to be talking to me.
Eilidh curtsied respectfully to Aurelia and hurried out of the room.
Mrs. Jarrow unclasped her hands and curtsied to Aurelia. “I hope you enjoy your breakfast, Your Grace.”
She turned around to leave, but paused when Aurelia called out to her.
“Mrs. Jarrow, if you could spare me a moment?” Aurelia felt annoyed by the older woman’s curt tone.
“Is your breakfast not to your liking, Your Grace?” The housekeeper forced a stiff smile.
“My breakfast is perfectly fine, thank you. I do, however, have a few questions,” Aurelia reacted just as brusquely as the woman had the day before.
“Your Grace?” Mrs. Jarrow stood dutifully in the doorway, not stepping a foot into the chambers.
Clearing her throat, Aurelia turned in her chair and faced the housekeeper. “Does His Grace also take his breakfast in his chambers?”
Mrs. Jarrow shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “No, Your Grace. His Grace has his breakfast every morning at half past six in the breakfast room.”
“I see. Then why was mine served to me in my chambers?”
Mrs. Jarrow took a deep breath and pursed her lips. “His Grace thought you might want to stay in your chambers this morning, as you are still settling into your new home. He did not wish to overwhelm you with too many changes all at once.”
Overwhelm me, or burden himself with my presence?
“I see.” Aurelia’s irritation grew further as she stared at the toast on her plate.
“Is this arrangement not to your liking, Your Grace?” The bitterness in Mrs. Jarrow’s voice was almost palpable.
Whipping her head around, Aurelia glared at the woman. “No, it is not. And in the future, I would like you to ask me first before making any kind of arrangements on my behalf, Mrs. Jarrow. Despite what His Grace may think, I am not accustomed to having my breakfast in bed. Also, I would appreciate it if my maid was not interrupted whilst having a private conversation with me in my chambers. Do I make myself clear?”
