Page 27 of The Duke's Return
Along with the way even now his blue eyes made her heart skip a beat.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” Genevieve mumbled. She eyed the pansies by her feet that seemed to be looking up at her and mocking her. She had never cared for pansies. “I mean it, I do.”
It’s perfectly natural to feel this way, isn’t it? There’s a reason Julian is considered so charming. And we are married, so there’s nothing wrong about feeling… Oh, but what a farce this all is. What good is it to be drawn in by him? I cannot trust myown heart or the words off his lips. What a predicament I have put myself into!
Walking back to the house, she didn’t think she could last the rest of her time there living like this. Feeling intimidated by the house, anxious around her husband, and nervous about the new household. These feelings wouldn’t do.
I can’t control everything and everyone. But I can do something.
“Good morning,” Genevieve said as she strolled inside and spotted the housekeeper, Mrs. Waverly, talking to one of the maids. “I was hoping I would find you. I’d like a full house tour today. Could you arrange it in your schedule or someone else’s?”
“Oh, I would be more than happy to escort you about. We only talked about half of one floor yesterday. Would you like to break your fast first?” Mrs. Waverly asked.
“I suppose I shall do just that; I would hate to tire out in the middle of the tour,” Genevieve added playfully. The woman raised an eyebrow, and she flushed. “I only… I don’t tire out quickly, that is. I only jest.”
The woman gave a slight nod before smoothing her lips into a polite smile that Genevieve decided not to get too hopeful about as the housekeeper went on to say. “Certainly, yes. I’ll wrap up the linens situation and meet you outside the dining room in an hour.”
“Half an hour,” Genevieve suggested instead, not wanting to give the woman the idea she took very long to do anything.
“Very well, Your Grace. Half an hour.”
They separated then to attend to their own matters. A large splay of food was provided on the sideboard in the private dining room. It took a minute for Genevieve to decide where she should sit––typically, women kept to their chambers in the early hours of the day. She never had to worry about avoiding anyone once married and away from her husband. Now, she didn’t know if he would join her or if he had a preferred seat.
“Shall I prepare a plate for you, Your Grace?” One of the two footmen asked nearby when she still stood without taking any action.
Smiling in the hopes of hiding her flushed cheeks, Genevieve shook her head. “Thank you, but I shall do it myself. I’m afraid the entire sideboard smells too delicious, and I haven’t the stomach to enjoy a bite of everything here. Would the two of you have any recommendations of where I should begin?”
The kippers were apparently quite tasty, and so was the bread. She enjoyed thick slices of butter and eggs on her toast along with a side of the fish. After thanking the footmen and eating all that she could, Genevieve returned to the hall for Mrs. Waverly.
“My apologies I am late,” the housekeeper said when she arrived not three minutes later.
“Oh, you have nothing to apologize for,” she responded. “I didn’t need as much time as I expected. Is all well with the linens?”
Mrs. Waverly blinked before nodding. “Yes, only we’ll need to repair a few. Moths were discovered in the cupboard.”
“How dreadful! They are certainly a blight. What remedies do you use out here in the country to manage them?” Genevieve asked curiously. “I use a linen herbal spray in London.”
The two of them began to discuss moths and their destruction between the trailing conversation of Genevieve learning the household. Walking through the halls and trailing through each room, she discovered hidden away history mingled with beautiful architecture alongside lovely art.
“It’s so beautiful here, I wish I could paint every room,” she murmured when they moved up to the next landing. “You’ve done very well here, Mrs. Waverly.”
Blinking in surprise over the praise, Mrs. Waverly stammered for a heartbeat before saying, “That’s very generous of you. We were beginning to wonder if you might ever visit us.”
Right. The marriage. The union that is supposed to be a happy one.
“Oh, I wish I had.” Genevieve pulled the words out of thin air as she went on. She was surprised at how easy the smile stretched her lips. “After all, the stories from the duke were just darling. He cares very much for this estate. And all of you, of course. But we agreed upon wedding that I wouldn’t come here without him.”
That made the housekeeper frown. “Yes, and then he took up with the navy, we heard. How frightfully unexpected.”
“It was unfortunate, but he cares greatly about England. I could not fault him for that,” Genevieve added. Pausing, she considered creating more lies on top of lies as the housekeeper darted curious looks her way.
The entire household will know everything I say before the day is over. And with more servants coming in and out of town, I daresay the village will know everything by tomorrow. But Julian and I never went particularly over anything that neededto be discussed; hopefully, he won’t say anything contrary to whatever lies I’m making up. And I shall have to hope I remember everything I say.
“Shall we?” Mrs. Waverly said before leading her on. “Here is the ballroom. It’s connected to the conservatory.” She had her back to Genevieve a moment so she could smile in remembering Julian’s story the prior evening. “Perhaps one day we shall host a ball again.”
“Perhaps,” Genevieve echoed.
“Or I believe that London is your preferred home,” the housekeeper noted with such casualness it could only be feigned. “Do you enjoy the city?”
