Page 19 of A Duke for Stealing
“Is this how you got so many women to bed you?” She asked, her anger flaring. “It is, is it not?”
Everett’s eyes widened, and Rose felt a glimmer of satisfaction as she watched him be the one who was flustered.
“I- no! How dare you-”
“Oh, stop,” she retorted, taking another step back. “I should have known better that kiss earlier had no true meaning behind it. You were simply trying to bend me to your will as you have so many others.”
“Rose,” Everett began, but she cut him off.
“I am not one of your simpering mistresses begging for your attention, Everett,” she stated icily, “And I will not be manipulated as easily.”
Everett frowned and took a step toward her.
“Fine. Noted. But that does not change a thing, Rose,” he replied. “I know I told you in the carriage that I needed your help with the girls, but after the mountain of work we both discovered today, I need you to accept that I changed my mind.”
“And I need you to accept that I am not just going to abandon them,” she replied, taking another step back.
“You will do your duty as the Duchess of this estate!” Everett yelled.
“Fine!” She yelled back, opening the door with gusto, “But I will find a way to be there for the girls as well, and you cannot stop me!”
She saw Everett move, but she slammed the door shut before he could follow her. With a huff, she hurried down the hall toward the rooms, angry with herself for believing that such a man might actually kiss for another reason other than manipulation.
CHAPTER FIVE
One Week Later
“These linens shall be perfect for the festival today, Mrs. Mulberry,” Rose stated, laying down the off-white napkin embroidered with purple thistles. “Place these and the matching table cloths on the tables outside, please, and bring out the second-best china and stemware. I want our people to feel as appreciated as possible.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Mrs. Mulberry replied, then signaled for the maids to come forward to gather them up.
Today was the annual farmer’s appreciation festival, an event the late Duchess of Stapleton had started five years ago. It brought all of the farmers that supplied the estate year-round together to feast on a meal with the Duchess and Duke themselves on the estate’s grounds. It was a tradition Rose was determined to continue and succeed at.
She had sent the invitation to Everett, but he had not replied. Nor had they seen another since their argument. She was not surprised that he’d ignored her, now that he knew he could not seduce her into obeying him. She imagined that for him, it was quite a blow.
“How is the cook doing on the feast?” Rose asked, focusing on the matter at hand.
“As you requested, we hired more help for him,” Mrs. Mulberry replied. “I suspect that he is doing just fine, but I shall go down to the kitchens and ask him if you would like.”
“Please do,” Rose agreed, getting up from her seat. “When you are finished, please join me in the garden. I want to choose our flowers for the table adornments next. I also want all the wives and children to be able to have their own bouquet to take home.”
“Very good, Your Grace,” Mrs. Mulberry replied, her smile proud as she curtseyed toward Rose.
Though they’d gotten off on a rather stiff foot, Rose felt as if she were proving herself to the stern housekeeper, and she was glad for it. A mutual respect between staff and master, she thought, was the best sort of relationship to have. After what she went through with her mother’s poor management, Rose was determined not to have a constant turnover in staff and to ensure that every employee was settled and remained for a considerable time.
With her small book and pencil in hand, Rose walked into the garden and began to note which flowers she wanted for the bouquets. She had just stopped to inspect a rather gorgeous bunch of lavender she considered for her own rooms when she heard a high-pitched scream.
Jolting upright, Rose looked toward the sound and found Diana running in her direction, tears trickling down her bright red face and a smudge of dirt on her white lace frock.
“Diana!” Rose called, dropping her notebook.
She hurried to meet the child. Without thinking, she went down to her knees and wrapped her arms tightly around the little girl. She stroked a hand down the little girl’s hair, trying to console Diana as her small arms wrapped around Rose’s neck. As she’d told Everett, she’d been trying to get closer to the girls a little every day, and it had been a great struggle. Any time she thought she was getting close to either of them, Leah would suddenly grow upset and demand that Rose leave them alone.
“Hush, sweet child, it is alright,” Rose soothed.
She pulled back just enough to pull out her kerchief and clean Diana’s tear-stained face.
“What is it? Tell me what’s wrong?”
