Page 31 of Her Duke By Accident
Alicia felt herself lose her breath at the sound of her husband. She had not seen him that morning, since their last outburst with each other. For a moment, she almost just turned away, but she told herself she was the duchess, and it meant being a part of the house.
Alicia slowly approached the entrance, turning the corner to see the duke standing stoically beside the doors, his hands held tightly behind his back.
A young girl entered the manor with a wide smile on her lips. Her skirts were ruffled and flowed as she walked, almost as if she had always danced. Her hair flowed down her back, looking unbrushed and wild in the late morning’s light.
Suddenly, the girl’s gaze flashed over to Alicia.
“The new duchess!” she shouted, running over to greet her. With a clumsy bow, the girl grinned, and lunged, throwing her arms around Alicia’s neck in a tight embrace. “How happy I am to finally meet you!”
Alicia let out a startled laugh, looking over the girl’s shoulder to see Matthew approaching gingerly, a look of distress on his face. “I assume you are Lucy,” she said, breathlessly.
The girl pulled away and nodded. “I apologize if my quick return has ruined your honeymoon,” Lucy said, giving a look over her shoulder to her brother. “But I missed home too much!”
Matthew scoffed.
“I was sad not to have met you sooner,” Alicia said. “I am glad you are here now.”
Lucy squealed, pressing her hands together in excitement. “To have another lady in the manor will be the greatest fun!”
“Lady Lucy,” an older woman called out from the door.
Turning, the young girl nodded, looking back at Alicia with a more muted expression. “I apologize if my excitement was too much of an outburst, Your Grace,” she said with a bow.
Alicia’s eyebrows rose. “No apology necessary,” she said. “This is your home.”
The woman who spoke before approached coolly, blonde hair pinned delicately at the top of her head. “I am Lucy’s governess, Your Grace,” she said with a bow. “Sophia Ayles.”
Alicia nodded to her. “A pleasure to meet you.”
The duke eyed the governess skeptically before he glanced at Alicia. “Did you see the gardens?”
Surprised that he spoke to her, Alicia nodded. “And the roses.”
He flushed slightly. “I’ll leave you to get acquainted.” The duke wasted no time and practically ran from the foyer.
Alicia sighed, crossing her hands behind her back.
Lucy, a small smile on her lips, touched Alicia gingerly. “Do not look so worried,” she quietly said. “He is very much like a turtle.”
Alicia allowed herself to loudly laugh. “A turtle?”
“Well, yes!” Lucy exclaimed. “When he is comfortable and at ease, he will be out of his shell. But the moment something becomes personal—” Lucy snapped her fingers together, “Snap!He’s locked away in his shell.”
Alicia nodded. “A turtle.”
“Exactly.”
Alicia caught the duke turning around the corner as he disappeared into the manor. A new piece of her bristled with hope at the idea of having the young Lucy around. Suddenly Garvey Manor was brighter, no longer quiet or mysterious. Despite the duke being locked up of his own accord, Alicia took the return of Lucy as a sign that things would get better.
CHAPTER 10
Luckily, after Lucy’s arrival, there was still a great amount of sunlight left in the day. It took barely any time for Alicia to realize that the young lady preferred her time outdoors rather than cooped up within the manor in stiff dresses and laced shoes. As Lucy led her outside to walk along the estate’s property, with her quiet and cold governess in tow, Alicia felt more and more at ease.
A light path went around the manor, going towards stables in the east and the gardens in the north. Lucy twisted her arm around Alicia’s and led her out the front of Garvey to follow the route.
“I know we have not known each other long,” Alicia said within the comfortable silence, “but you remind me of my sister.”
Dirt and dust puffed up around them as they walked along, earning a few coughs and snorts from Miss Ayles behind them.
