Page 44 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
Chapter Fourteen
“Have you ever seen such a house?” Eliza asked with a breathy gasp.
“I certainly have not,” Amelia sighed from where she sat beside Eliza in the carriage. “Look at this estate. The mistress of this house someday will certainly have a wide estate to take care of.”
Rebecca smiled as she watched her mother and sister together. They were both so excited about the prospect of spending two weeks at Lord Herberton’s country estate, they could barely sit still. Rebecca leaned back on the carriage bench she had all to herself, from where she sat opposite her family, rather relieved that their father had decided he was too busy with work to come. It meant she would be free of his comments and his insistence that she should marry. At least for the next week.
The carriage came to a halt on the driveway and the door was quickly opened, where a footman appeared and helped them down, one at a time. As Rebecca stepped down, she pulled the blue shawl the Duke had gifted to her tighter around her shoulders, blocking out the spring wind as she looked at the house.
It was true Lord Herberton certainly had a fine house. Not dissimilar to their own in design, the Palladian-style structure dominated the estate, with the white stone gleaming in the afternoon sun. To one side of the house, formal gardens stretched out, where Rebecca could spy a maze and a knot garden. On the other side was the wide expanse of the estate, where the stables marked the entrance to the sweeping parklands.
They had come far out of London now, into the Wiltshire countryside and these Salisbury plains that were lush with greenery and dappled with forest.
“Grand indeed,” Rebecca said, feeling her happiness for her sister grow. As she looked back to Eliza, she saw her sister was not looking at the house at all, she was searching through the other carriages that had gathered on the driveway, looking for someone in particular.
“Is it not wonderful?” Amelia said, appearing at Rebecca’s side and linking their arms together. “She will be Lady Herberton. Mistress of this house!”
“You forget he has not proposed to her yet, Mama,” Rebecca warned. “What is that phrase, about not counting your chickens before they have hatched?”
“Oh, tush,” Amelia waved her concern away. “Anyone would have to be blind not to see the way they care for each other.”
As if in emphasis to Amelia’s words, Eliza at last found Lord Herberton amongst the other guests that were in attendance for the week. She hurried to curtsy, whereas Lord Herberton seemed eager not to bother so much with the formalities anymore, taking her hand instead, making other guests whisper around them.
“Are you not happy for your sister?” Amelia asked, elbowing Rebecca for good measure.
“Of course, I am,” she said insistently. “I would dearly like to see her settled here, as happy as she is now.”
As Rebecca watched her sister and Lord Herberton together, her eyes danced away, looking at the other guests. She spied Lord and Lady Melbury, a couple of Lord Herberton’s acquaintances, recently married. Behind them, there was another carriage, from which Rebecca could see the Duke’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Frampington, as she stepped out of a carriage, followed by the Countess of Elkins.
“Oh…” Rebecca murmured in realization, watching as the Countess was followed down by her daughters, Lady Harriet, Lady Beth, and of course, Lady Esther.
“Is all well, dear?” Amelia asked as she drew her forward a few steps away from their own carriage.
“Yes, Mama,” Rebecca lied, feeling that envy begin to take hold as she noticed just who took hold of Lady Esther’s hand and helped her down from the carriage. It was the Duke of Frampington.
The two of them held hands for what Rebecca felt was a beat too long, before they released one another.
“So many people!” Amelia gushed. “It has been a long time since I have attended an event such as this. How pleasant it shall be, and we shall get to examine Eliza’s new home in detail.”
“I’m tempted to repeat the phrase about counting chickens, Mama.”
“Your tone is kind, but your words are not helpful, dear,” Amelia said in just as soft a tone. “Look, your friend the Duke of Frampington is here. Perhaps you should busy yourself with him. Best we give Lord Herberton and Eliza lots of chances to be alone together.”
“Very subtle, Mother,” Rebecca said with a laugh. She was about to take a step forward and go to the Duke when he looked her way, smiling and calling to her. As she returned the wave, he looked ready to come to her, but he was intercepted.
His mother took one arm and Lady Esther took the other. They participated in such eager conversation that the Duke was forced to go with them as they moved to enter the house. Rebecca felt her smile vanish, noticing the way the Duke shot her an apologetic glance, before returning his focus fully to his mother and Lady Esther.
Rebecca lowered her hand, falling completely still.
“Are you sure all is well, dear?” Amelia asked. Rebecca felt that perceptive gaze and looked at her mother.
Could I tell her the truth?
Rebecca found she rather liked the idea of sharing the burden with someone else, just to have someone know what she was going through, and maybe offer a few kind words of encouragement.
“Well, actually –”
“Ah, Eliza wants me,” Amelia said, cutting across her words. Amelia was already smiling, disentangling herself from Rebecca’s arm.
