Page 72 of A Duke for Hire

“And certainly not red. It irritates His Grace. Hydrangeas. Blue and Green, to represent our eye color.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” the two maids said in unison, curtseying.

They both turned around at once to fix their mistake.

“Well, well,” Seraphina heard a familiar voice chime, “Look who is getting a hand on things.”

Seraphina’s smile grew as she turned and found Leah walking toward her.

“I took your advice and found my determination,” she said cheerfully, opening her arms to embrace her sister-in-law.

Leah embraced her warmly, giggling.

“And things are better?” She asked.

“More so by the day,” Seraphina assured her. “I did not know you were coming today. Hugo and I were going to have another picnic, but I can change our dinner plans.”

“No, no, I shall be gone then,” Leah said, taking her arm. “I simply wanted to stop by and see how you were faring. The ride from the country is not long and very pleasant. It is of no trouble.”

Seraphina marveled at her sister-in-law. She was fearless. Even unmarried, she had discovered that Leah often took long rides alone, even sometimes into the towns to do her own shopping.

“Come,” Seraphina urged, patting her hand, “Let us take some tea in the garden. “I want to hear of your adventures.”

She stopped the next passing servant, no longer timid to do so, and gave her instructions confidently before she and Leah ventured out to the small table situated outside between the roses and tulips.

“My adventures can wait,” Leah insisted as they sat down. “It is yours I want to hear about. Tell me, how is my brother treating you?”

The right corner of Seraphina’s lips drew up, but she could not bring herself to a full smile.

“We are finding our way,” she confessed. “He still is not very talkative about quite a lot of things. But he is not as brutish as before. We have our moments.”

Leah nodded, giving Seraphina her full attention.

“My brother is not one to share his feelings. It is good that you are even making progress. He…he does not trust easily.”

“I do understand that,” Seraphina acknowledged. “Sometimes when he does share certain things he then grows quite inward on himself. As if guilty of something.”

“He gets that way sometimes,” Leah agreed. “He wants to protect you, but then draws away when he finds himself becoming affectionate.”

Seraphina could not have said it better herself. It was the mystery of her husband that she could not quite unravel: How someone could be so protective yet so distant.

“I just wish that I could make him feel as safe as he makes me feel,” she confessed as their tea arrived. “It truly is a dream living out here. Away from my mother and theton.It is everything Hugo had promised.”

She waited until the servant arranged the tea and plate of treats and went back inside before she added,

“I am determined however, that if we cannot be as traditional man and wife, that we can at least be friends. And that he sees me as someone he can rely on,” Seraphina said, her tone resolute.

Leah gave her a supportive smile as she picked up a tiny cucumber and tomato sandwich.

“Well then, dear sister, I believe that you are indeed well on your way to such a friendship,” Leah told her.

Giggling, Seraphina picked up a sandwich, and the two leaned forward, to touch them together, toasting her resolution.

“What’s all this?” Hugo asked, looking Seraphina up and down. She looked lovely as ever, once more dressed in a blue gown.He’d mentioned once that he was fond of the color on her, and ever since, she’d made a point to wear it.

He had just arrived back home in a hurry, knowing there was still hours of paperwork to attend to before he could call it a day, and nearly ran into his wife holding a picnic basket.

“We are having a picnic tonight,” she stated matter-of-factly, holding up the basket.

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