Page 169 of His Grace, the Duke
He smiled too. She could sense the want in his look, his touch. “You are fierce, wife.”
“This is my house now,” she replied, keeping her arm around his waist as she turned to watch the caravan approach. “You wanted a duchess, and you have one. It’s your own fault you picked one who prefers to solve her problems by hurling fists rather than whispering gossip.”
“I think James has excellent taste,” Burke said from his other side. “I could not have picked a more perfect duchess for you.”
“You claim credit for this?” James said with a raised brow.
“Of course, I do,” he replied. “I was the one who discovered her in that back-alley brawl. I practically served her to you on a silver platter. You should be on your knees in gratitude to me every day of the week.” He flashed James a sly smile that had James rolling his eyes.
Rosalie ignored them. The front carriage rattled past, the wheels crunching on the pea gravel. In moments, the doors of the front two carriages were open, and the footmen were fishing out the passengers. The dowager duchess was the first down the steps of the first carriage.
James let go of Rosalie and descended the steps, offering his mother his arm. “Mother, you’re late.”
“A horse went lame and had to be changed out at Newbridge,” she replied, her bright blue eyes settling on Rosalie.
Rosalie felt that look pierce straight through her very bones. The dowager duchess had a sense about her, a knowing. It had unsettled Rosalie from the moment of their first meeting. Shesawpeople. She saw through disguises and artifice. She saw Rosalie. In fact, Rosalie may as well have been waiting naked on the stairs, for no amount of fine fur-trimmed coats or feathered hats could disguise what she was: a nobody, unworthy, wholly undesired for this lofty role. Rosalie swallowed back the negative thoughts as the dowager had her gaze pulled away by James.
“What is the meaning of all this, Mother?” he declared with a wave of his hand.
She lifted her chin most haughtily. “George denied me the joy of one wedding. I’ll not let you deny me a second time, James. I am here to see that I get what I want.”
Rosalie’s eyes went wide, glancing from James back to his mother.
“And what is it you want?” James replied, leading her up the stairs. “Rosalie and I are already married. We’ll not be repeating the act just for your benefit.”
She paused, turning on the stair to look up at her son. “I want an apology. A heartfelt one.”
He stiffened. “An apology?”
“For not inviting me,” she replied. “I am your mother, James. With Rosalie’s mother gone, I am all she has too, or did you forget this? It may be too late for me to see you both married, but you will not deny me this chance to see youcelebrated. A new duke and his duchess, and thus, a new era of the Corbins begins.”
James glanced back over his shoulder at the pooling guests. “So, you brought half thetonwith you to what? Offer us their congratulations and drop off a few belated wedding gifts?”
“No, I am hosting a ball,” she replied. “Tomorrow night, we shall celebrate Christmas, as well as the new Duke and Duchess of Norland.” She let her eye settle on Rosalie. “Does that suit you, Your Grace?”
But Rosalie was distracted, watching as the passengers from all the carriages were escorted out. One lady had just exited the last carriage. Her shockingly pink pelisse instantly drew Rosalie’s eye. “Is that... Madame Lambert?”
“Of course,” the dowager replied with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “Madame Lambert is the best modiste in town, and I wanted the Duchess of Norland dressed by the best. We have a reputation that must be maintained.”
“Of course,” Rosalie replied with a growing smile.
“I’ll go welcome her,” Burke said, trotting down the stairs towards the modiste.
The dowager huffed. “Well, is someone going to show me inside, or shall I expect my feet to freeze here on this stair?”
Recovering himself, James offered out his arm again, leading his mother past Rosalie and into the house.
Rosalie watched as the rest of her house guests began climbing the stairs. There was the Viscount and Viscountess Raleigh, with Madeline smiling between them. The Marchioness of Marlborough and her two young children. The Duchess of Somerset, a close friend of the dowager, was instructing two footmen on the care of her pair of corgis. The Countess of Waverley stepped past her, flanked by a giddyElizabeth and Mariah, who came bounding up the stairs to give Rosalie hugs. Rosalie greeted them warmly, shooing them inside with promises of hot chocolate and dancing after dinner. Her attention caught on Burke.
“Rosalie, you remember Paulette Lambert,” he said, climbing the stairs towards her.
“Of course,” she replied, offering out her hand.
The modiste took it, dipping into a slight curtsy. “A pleasure to see you again, Your Grace.” The one and only time they met, the lady had been so sure James meant to court Rosalie with his extravagant wardrobe purchase. Now here Rosalie stood, his duchess.
Burke patted the lady’s gloved hand. “Let’s go inside where it’s warm.”
“I shall find you in an hour, ma chérie,” said Paulette over her shoulder. “I ‘ave a new gown for you and we must get you fitted. I call itLes Trois Diamants,” she added with a wink, letting Burke lead her into the house.
