Page 4 of The Marquis' Game of Seduction
Duncan popped off the edge of his bed and bowed his head, looking somber, like he was on the brink of prayer. “I trust I will see you soon,” he said, as Rose tapped the top of his head and followed Judith out into the hallway. He continued to make heavy eye contact until Rose finally had to drop it and turn her head toward the staircase that led back to the second floor.
For reasons she couldn’t fully comprehend, she felt very drawn to the boy—perhaps just because of his oddities. It was obvious that because he’d grown up in the West Indies, he had marvelous stories, and perhaps didn’t stitch so easily into the cultural backdrop of Londoners.
This was something Rose understood a great deal, as she’d grown up in an orphanage.
When they reached the second floor, Judith let out a twinkling laugh. “I’m terribly sorry. I’m only just getting used to him after five days. He can be quite… intense. Perhaps that’s the word I’m looking for, although I can’t be certain.”
“He’s quite lovely,” Rose insisted. “I dare say I haven’t met another boy like him in all my years of governess-ing. I imagine it will be an adventure.”
Judith sniffed and spoke sarcastically. “An adventure of the highest order, I imagine so.”
At this, Rose had a moment of apprehension. After all, wasn’t Judith meant to be on her and Duncan’s side? She gave Judith a strange look, clenching her cheeks, and then said, “But I imagine he’s also just like all the other boys. Just a bit lost in the wake of his mother’s illness…”
Judith waved her hand, as though she was casting the entire incident under the rug. “No, no. Silly Rose. Obviously, he’s a very strange boy with a very strange curiosity and creativity. I hope you can manage him. Otherwise…”
“You won’t have to send for anyone else,” Rose blurted, frightening herself with her certainty.
“I certainly hope not. It’s rather difficult to find an upstanding governess—and certainly one that the Marquees trusts…”
“But he hasn’t yet met me!” Rose couldn’t help herself from saying this. She spread her fingers out on the fabric of her dress and sanded it down.
“As I’ve already said,” Judith said—not entirely unkindly—“He’s incredibly busy. Shall we proceed?”
Judith finished giving the grand mansion tour to Rose nearly 30 minutes later—through the greenhouse, past the stables, toward the study (where Rose was meant to stay far away from, since it was imperative that the Marquees receive enough quiet time by himself). Outside the kitchen door once more, their feet spread out on the grass, Judith smacked her thighs and said, “I suppose you’ve seen as many nooks and crannies of this estate that I can think of.”
The air filled, growing pregnant with the smell of baking bread. The smell was like a pillow in the air, cushy and cozy. It also reminded Rose of those lost days at the orphanage. They’d strained for nights on end, lying down and staring up at the ceiling, aching with hunger. When the air filled with this such smell from the baker down the street, it was as though they were allowed an alternate reality—one in which baking bread was an everyday reality.
“I don’t suppose I’ll be able to meet the—“
“You should really stop requesting it,” Judith said, although her manner wasn’t unkind. “Here, darling. Have a biscuit. I can’t imagine that you’ll be needed for anything else today.”
Again, she dotted a biscuit on the top of Rose’s palm and nodded toward it. Rose held it on her flat palm for several moments, completely nonplussed. Finally, Judith said, “Oh, goodness me. I’m meant to show you where you’re going to be staying. I can’t believe I forgot. Come along.”
Rose followed Judith down the second floor hallway, back toward the foyer, and then up a separate staircase, which wound around and around in the corner of the mansion. Rose couldn’t help but think of herself as kind of abandoned out there, so far from the rest of them. The shadows seemed to grow longer as she and Judith marched up the thin staircase. The air was thick with darkness.
The stairs ended at floor three. Judith kicked at the door and it squeaked open. Rose took several delicate, very soft steps into the room, feeling her heart sink into her belly. The room was perhaps the most boring, blandest of any room she’d ever seen. The bedspread was completely white; the walls were bare; the side table was a bit rickety, as though someone had made it their mission to bust it but had given up halfway.
Even so, it was largely much better than the rooms Rose had stayed in over the years. She nodded her head with intense delight, thankful that they’d set aside this space for her.
“Thank you, Judith,” she said, drawing up the most genuine smile she could muster. “I really do believe that I’ll like my time here.”
Judith returned her smile. “Tomorrow, it’s essential that we sit together and discuss Duncan’s education, along with what’s expected of you here at the Marquees’ estate. I know you’ve done this a great deal before, but you can imagine, we like to ensure that you have all the rules and structure set before we begin.”
Judith glanced around the room. Rose realised she’d neglected to answer, as her thoughts had taken on an anxious swirl. She swallowed and said, “That’s quite lovely of you. Thank you. I look forward to speaking tomorrow.”
“I’ll leave you here, then. You’ll be called for dinner later. The servants ordinarily eat in shifts, so that nobody is taken from their posts for too long. Perhaps you can eat with Anna, as she’s closer to your age. It’s been a terribly long time since Anna had a friend.”
Rose’s heart beat like a rabbit’s. She thanked Judith and watched as the older woman clipped out into the hallway, drawing the door closed behind her. The moment Rose was all alone, she sprung back on the bed and stretched out, extending across the entire tiny thing. She gazed at the ceiling, feeling both morose and terrified. There was nothing to do but press forward, and live in the excitement this world could bring her. She had nothing else but this.
Chapter 2
When Rose awoke the following morning, the birds outside chirped in a severe manner, almost as though they were trying to warn her of something. It was curious. Although she’d grown up in the city, she’d grown accustomed to the soft well of the sound of birds conversing in the morning. These birds sounded much different. It was as though she’d embarked on an expedition, arrived on another planet.
Her first night in the estate had been rather bizarre, as only firsts can be. She’d met Anna for dinner and had begun to open up to her, little by little. But Anna was soon robbed from the dinner table to attend to her own chores. Since Rose’s duties hadn’t yet begun, she’d stared sadly down at her food and felt strangely alone. She knew that this feeling always passed, that it wasn’t around for long. She’d had to learn to live with the feeling, especially after her sister had left her at the orphanage and she’d had to fend for herself.
This first morning in the estate, Rose dressed in a dark frock and splashed water on her face. She tapped down the staircase toward the kitchen, where she’d agreed to meet Judith for a light breakfast.
Already, the tiny table had been set with toast, eggs, and tea. Rose sat in one of the empty chairs and watched as the cooks scrambled about, apparently preparing a breakfast feast for Duncan and his uncle, the master. Again, Rose found it peculiar that she hadn’t a clue who the Marquees was. She couldn’t even visualise his face.
