Page 12 of The Duchess' Replacement

Sarah was left alone in the hallway, staring at the closed door.

The footman opened her door and placed her bag just inside the door. “Your room is ready for you, Your Grace.”

Sarah broke her stare and turned towards the footman, plastering on her best smile. “Thank you.” She breezed past him and into her room and closed the door behind her.

She leaned against the door and took her first cleansing breath of the day. Her eyes fluttered shut and a small smile broke free.

No, it was not the wedding she always imagined. There were no flowers, no big gathering. Heavens, she didn’t even know her husband and she wasn’t particularly fond of what she did know of him. But she was finally married. It was done.

She wasn’t looking forward to having a wedding a night with a man she barely knew, so she was relieved when she learned they’d be spending the night in separate rooms.

Sarah opened her bag to make sure she had the appropriate things for the night ahead. Her thoughts drifted to the man across the hall. She couldn’t help but question if the Duke ordered separate rooms on purpose.

Perhaps he was being a gentlemen and planned on wooing her, easing her into their marriage? Maybe all the romance books she read didn’t saddle her with high expectations of what love was after all.

There are many different ways to love. Perhaps the Duke had the chance to revisit how he treated her and found it callous, as it was, and is offering her some time to come around to this new arrangement?

She sighed as she sat on the bed. “Maybe he is a gentleman after all.”

There was a knock on the door.

Sarah opened and found a young girl on the other side.

“His Grace wanted me to remind you that dinner will be served soon. Would you like me to bring it up to you, or will you take it downstairs?”

Sarah peered over the girl and looked down at the galley below. Men were huddled over tables drinking and carrying on with each other. It did not seem like a suitable place for a woman to be.

“Will His Grace be joining me?”

The girl quirked her eyebrow. “His Grace always eats in his room. He’s already been served.”

Sarah’s heart sank.

“Oh. For some reason I thought…” Sarah shook her head and waved her hand. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. Thank you for you letting me know. If you could, could you please bring the meal to me.”

The little girl dipped her head. “It will be my pleasure, Your Grace.” Sarah watched as the little girl skipped down the steps and disappeared behind swinging doors.

Her eyes landed on the door across from hers.

Sarah shut the door. Her mind kept replaying the day in her mind to try to understand her new husband.

He watched her like a hawk coming down the aisle, but then he kissed her to save her from her nervous rant when custom didn’t require him to. He didn’t speak on the way to the inn, but he seemed just as uneasy with their pairing as she did.

Were the separate rooms for her, or him? Would he come to her? Or was he giving her space?

Would he expect to consummate, regardless of them having separate rooms? At first she thought he was being chivalrous, but now she didn’t know what to think. After a few hours of waiting, her nerves were wearing thin.

With every squeak of the hallway, every phantom voice that drifted in from below, she expected it to be her husband on his way to knock on her door.

She crossed the room and sat at the small vanity that was set up for her and rubbed her temples.

Sitting in the chair she began to unpin her hair. Her hair was not as elaborate as her first wedding, but it did take quite a few pins to keep her hair in place.

There was a slight knock on her door.

“Come in.”

She continued taking out her hair. “If you could, just put it on the table next to the door. Thank you so-” Her words died on her tongue as she turned towards the door.

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