Page 31 of Claiming His Lost Duchess
“Is that so?” Joan questioned lightly, trying not to sound too intrigued.
The older woman nodded, smiling a little
“Because he is Scottish, many believed that he would result in the downfall of the honor of the Rutledge name, but His Grace has done nothing but work hard to make his legacy even greater than when he arrived.”
Penelope turned around a corner then, followed closely by another maid, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the duchess.
“Good morning, Your Grace! How are you this fine morning? I thought you would be resting a little more, savoring the bliss of your marriage!” she said with a grin.
Joan blushed and shook her head.
“I’m not sure I know what you mean, but I merely intended to familiarize myself with my duties… as a duchess. I do not want to be a hindrance to anyone, especially the duke— my husband. It is best if I begin early, so that I can make myself useful to the household,” she explained gently, feeling nervous all of a sudden.
Penelope gasped and clapped her hands with glee.
“Oh, how fortunate we are to have such a hard-working duke and duchess looking after us. We were often concerned about His Grace, as he seemed quite lonely most of the time. I am very glad he had someone who was gentle and as determined as he is, just waiting for his proposal,” the maid sighed dreamily.
Joan laughed incredulously.
“He was lonely? That cannot be. A man as… charming as he would surely have his choice of interested women practically throwing themselves at him.” She paused before letting her curiosity get the best of her. “Perhaps some he might’ve brought to the estate in a bid to show off his wealth and prestige?”
The other women exchanged glances, and then the housekeeper spoke up on their behalf.
“Never, Your Grace. The Duke has never expressed any interest in any other woman before you. He mostly kept to himself, seeing as thetondid not look upon him kindly. They did not trust him, and they regarded him as unworthy of his honor. We have all heard the tales, but I can assure you that the Duke is nothing like that. We are all fortunate to be employed by someone as gracious as His Grace. He treats us all with respect and care — qualities not many would believe servants deserve. And it has made us so immensely happy to find that he did indeed have someone to entrust his heart to. He deserves all the happiness in the world.”
Penelope nodded along, moving closer to defend her master. “His Grace might be a tad stiff and something of a recluse, but he is as reliable as they come. And I do not believe I have ever seen him as thrilled about anything as he is about yours and Lady Sophia’s presence.”
Joan was surprised to hear his servants speak so highly of him. While she had done all that she could to ignore the rumors she had heard about him, it was quite difficult to dismiss them completely.
She wondered if they held any potential, wondering why he was viewed so harshly, enough that he was seen as nothing more than vile and cruel. But hearing his staff share how much they valued him and their thoughts of his personality, it reminded her of the reasons that had led her to give herself to him that firstnight they spent together. He had made her feel strangely safe in a way Joan had never experienced before, coaxing her to lower her guard and seek his embrace.
It was the same air she had felt between them the night before when he listened to her refusal and stepped away.
Joan couldn’t understand why a man with so much wealth and power would want someone as useless as she was.
“I want to do my best to ensure that he is viewed in a kinder light. He has been nothing but generous to me and my – our child. I am not sure if… I am as worthy as he deemed to be his duchess. But I know that I want to make sure he doesn’t regret his choice,” Joan said, holding her head high.
Mrs. Wintersdown nodded, looking rather proud.
“He will not,” she nodded with a smile. “You have nothing to worry about, Your Grace. We are more than happy to teach you all you need to know about being a duchess and more.”
Joan inhaled deeply, wondering if she had what it took to do the needful in order to remain at her husband’s side without looking or feeling inferior.
There was only one way to find out.
Exhaling, Joan pointed down a hallway, her shoulders squared in preparation for what was to come as she prompted.
“Lead the way.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“These are… quite a large number of duties.”
It did not take too long for Joan to find herself completely overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of her new responsibilities as the Duchess of Rutledge. Despite how carefully she tried to maintain her focus, Mrs. Wintersdown's patient explanations left her feeling winded and out of her depth.
From what the housekeeper said, Joan’s responsibilities fell within the scope of managing the household staff, overseeing the estate's social functions, and maintaining relationships with tenants. Despite the clear-cut methods offered on how to carry out all those activities, Joan thought that getting used to her new life would be as complicated as learning a new language.
“Your Grace, the most important aspect of your role is ensuring harmony between His Grace and his tenants,” Mrs. Wintersdown explained as they strolled through the estate'sgardens. “The previous duchess, God rest her soul, was beloved for her charitable works and her ability to mediate disputes.”
