Page 24 of A Duke's Scandalous Obsession
“It is unlocked,” Mrs. Jenkins revealed. “You may enter whenever you wish.”
Catherine didn’t know what she expected to see upon entering. However, what she did see left her speechless. She was still standing in the doorway, with poor Mrs. Jenkins behind her, unable to enter. But Catherine was frozen in time and space as she took in the sight before her.
The chamber she changed in and got ready for the wedding was lovely, but simple. It was nothing like her chamber back home. However, she refused to ask for anything other than the few belongings she wanted to take with her and bring them there. This chamber, on the other hand, was something beyond her wildest imagination.
It was a bedchamber of unparalleled beauty, adorned with the finest fabrics and furnishings, each obviously chosen with care to evoke a sense of refinement.
The bed, draped in layers of sumptuous silk and velvet, stood as the centerpiece of the room, its towering canopy decorated with cascading fabric and delicate lace. Pillows of the softest varieties beckoned to Catherine’s weary soul, promising a night of restful slumber, especially after everything that has happened.
Atop the bedside tables, there were bouquets of freshly cut flowers filling the air with their sweet fragrance. The vibrant hues only seemed to add even more resplendence to the soft, unassuming tones of the room. Crystal decanters and silver traysgleamed in the soft light of the sun that trickled through the open window.
But that was not all. Along the walls, shelves lade with leather-bound tomes of book spoke of old stories, providing answers to age-old questions if one only wished to pose them. A plus armchair nestled in a cozy corner, perfect for lingering and losing oneself in the pages of a captivating tale.
Every detail of the chamber was sheer perfection. There was no other way of describing it.
“Is it to your liking, Lady Catherine?” Mrs. Jenkins suddenly spoke from somewhere behind her, and Catherine realized only then that she had been rudely standing in the doorway all this time, preventing poor Mrs. Jenkins from entering.
“Oh, I am so sorry!” Catherine rushed inside, turning to the housekeeper, who didn’t seem to mind this interruption.
“It is quite all right,” Mrs. Jenkins smiled. “The room really takes one’s breath away, doesn’t it?”
“Oh… most certainly,” Catherine immediately nodded. “Everything is absolutely wonderful. I have no words to describe it. You all shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for me.”
“It was no trouble at all,” Mrs. Jenkins replied and her smile assured Catherine that it was the truth. “His Grace has given us more than enough time to arrange for everything and make sure that every detail was to his liking.”
“His liking?” Catherine was starting to feel silly, just echoing the lady’s words, but that was all she could do. Had he supervised the renovation of this chamber just for her arrival? What did that mean? Why would he do such a thing? It simply didn’t make any sense.
“Why yes,” Mrs. Jenkins responded cheerfully, as if able to read Catherine’s mind. “His Grace was supervising the entire process, giving us all the detailed instructions so that your personal quarters could be… well, like this.”
“The duke has arranged for all of this… himself?” Catherine could not believe it. That stood as a stark contrast to the man she knew, the man who forced women into a marriage by blackmailing them, the man who considered his own wishes paramount and more important than anyone else’s. And now, here he was, pampering her with posh sleeping quarters. It just didn’t make any sense.
“Yes,” Mrs. Jenkins nodded again, walking over to the big wardrobe in the corner, then proceeding to open it. Catherine almost gasped loudly. It was filled with gowns of all colors, different fabrics and designs. Up, on the highest shelf, there wasa row of perfumes, dainty little bottles, and along the bottom shelf, there were several pairs of the most beautiful shoes Catherine had ever seen.
“Is all this for me?” Catherine asked, although she immediately realized how silly that question sounded. Of course it was for her. Who else would it be for? But then again, why did the duke go through so much effort? She was already his wife. She had nothing else to give him.
“Yes, and your own belongings are there by the door,” Mrs. Jenkins pointed at a small suitcase. “We were not certain how private you were about your personal belongings, so we did not wish to pry. If you allow, I will be happy to tell one of our servants to put everything in its place… unless, of course, you wish to do it yourself.”
The custom was that these things were usually done by the servants. If she refused this service, Catherine feared that they might see it as her not trusting them, so she simply nodded with a smile. After all, she had nothing to hide anymore. She felt as if her life was laid bare for the world to see, so what were a few unmentionables to be stored away by the servants? She didn’t care one bit about those, when she had lost the only thing she cared about.
“Oh, there are just a few gowns there and some jewelry, nothing too private,” she assured her. “You may send someone to help me unpack. I would welcome the help.”
“I am very happy to hear that,” Mrs. Jenkins beamed. “I shall send Nora over immediately. In the meantime, I will let you rest a little. If you need me for anything, please do not hesitate to call for me, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins,” Catherine gushed, unable to stop herself. She walked over to Mrs. Jenkins and took the woman’s hands into her own. “Thank you for making me feel so welcome here and being so kind. I… I was a little hesitant as to what my first day here will look like, but you made it beautiful.”
“Oh, it is our pleasure to have you here, Your Grace,” Mrs. Jenkins repeated with even more conviction this time. “Marriage, although a beautiful occasion, can be hard for women. After all, they leave the comfort of their own homes, of their own family, and venture into the unknown. It is brave, if you ask me. Braver than many things men are capable of doing.”
At those words, both ladies chuckled to each other. Catherine felt that she had found a kindred spirit in this sweet, kind housekeeper who had welcomed her with open arms.
Perhaps things won’t be that bad here,she thought to herself joyfully. If she were to spend her days with a good book inside the confines of this lovely chamber or perhaps the garden, she might be all right.
“If you perhaps wish to take a stroll through the estate, I would be happy to join you and show you where everything is,” Mrs. Jenkins suggested.
“I would love that, but tomorrow,” Catherine said a little apologetically. “I think I shall rest for a bit now.”
“Of course,” Mrs. Jenkins nodded sympathetically. “You shall be called for dinner when it is served. The duke likes to have it every day at the same time.”
Catherine had no appetite now, and she was certain that she would not have any appetite later on. However, she didn’t want to end her first day there on an aggressive note by refusing to appear at the dinner table with her husband.
