Page 21 of His Unruly Duchess
But perhaps he was calm because he knew he would not be marrying. Did he know, however, that I might step in?
That was the part that vexed Max the most.
As for how Caroline had felt that morning, before arriving at the church. He could not possibly know, nor had he thought to ask. But the very fact that she had been at the church at all suggestedthat she was reasonably happy to proceed with the match with Dickie.
“Who is to say?” he replied. “It cannot be changed now.”
And the sooner I have her out of my manor and my life, the better for us both.
Just then, through the open garden door, the sound of a whinnying horse reached Max’s ears.
He went to the door and made his way across the courtyard beyond until he reached the low boundary wall. Bracing his hands against it, he squinted out into the darkness, the moonlight fading in and out as it hid behind scudding clouds.
The sound rang out again. Max’s gaze darted in that direction, and as the moonlight dared to peep out for a moment, he saw a horse and rider at the very edge of the orchard. Too far away to shout, too far away to run to, but close enough that Max knew exactly who it was.
As the moon shrouded itself once more, the horse and rider were plunged into darkness, and when that silvery light illuminated the spot again, man and beast were gone.
CHAPTER NINE
It took three days for Caroline to break.
Anna had written back, apologizing profusely for not being able to visit. Apparently, she was in the midst of one of her matchmaking endeavors, and it had gone somewhat awry, keeping her in the north of the country for at least a fortnight. Matilda and Leah, however, had not yet written back.
Similar, but rather harsher, news had come from Westyork. A brief letter from her brother, stating that he had made the difficult decision to just leave her to her own devices.
I have made Mother, Phoebe, Olivia, and Evan promise that they will not visit until the month of your honeymoon is over. I feel it would be in everyone’s best interests, especially yours and your husband’s. You must get to know one another and having us there will be a diversion from that. I am sorry if that seems unkind, but I see no other way. Nor do I want you to see whatever may be written about your marriage.
Which was another point of frustration for Caroline—Max had the newspapers taken directly to his study each day, not bothering to ask if she might like to read them.
Whether or not there were scandal sheets tucked away in the newspapers, and he was trying to spare her, she did not know. But shedidknow that three days of near absolute solitude were about to push her over the edge into a strange kind of madness.
“Would you like to walk in the gardens today, Your Grace?” Mrs. Whitlock asked after Caroline had endured another luncheon alone. Eating simply for the sake of having something to do. “It is a beautiful afternoon for it.”
Caroline wandered to the sun room windows and peered out at the corner of the wildflower garden that could be seen from that angle. With autumn on the way, everything was dying or dead already, while the winter gardens had not yet bloomed.
“If I walk in the gardens again,” she said thickly, “I shall lose my mind. In three days, I have walked in those gardens more than I have walked through the Westyork gardens in my entire life.”
Mrs. Whitlock sighed uneasily. “Some embroidery, perhaps? Or some drawing or painting?” She paused. “The library? Failing that, I could ask His Grace if I could escort you into town?”
“What does he do up there all day?” Caroline wondered aloud, blowing a breath onto the windowpane. It fogged and in the condensation, she dotted two eyes and streaked a downturned mouth.
“Pardon?”
Caroline did not turn but pointed upward. “My husband.” The word still felt clumsy on her tongue. “What does he do in his study from dawn until dusk? He is a duke, is he not? What could he possibly have to occupy himself with? It is not as if he is a… cleric or a bookkeeper.”
“He is both and more, Your Grace,” Mrs. Whitlock corrected. “Unlike many dukes, he has business ventures that occupy him. Alongside those, he has the estate to tend to—rents, ledgers, expenses, etcetera. And he still runs his brother’s estate too, albeit from a distance. His brother had not yet taken on every responsibility, you see, so His Grace was assisting to make the transition smoother. I can only assume he is still doing so.”
Caroline finally turned, raising an eyebrow. “So, he is not merely avoiding me?”
“I have no doubt that he is very busy,” the housekeeper replied evasively. She was a clever woman; Caroline admired her for that.
Taking an anchoring breath, Caroline put on a smile. “Then, I shall offermyassistance to him. I used to help my brother all the time, and even he has admitted that my grasp of arithmetic is better than his.”
“Well now, I think that would be a fine gesture.” The housekeeper visibly relaxed, the burden of trying to keep thenew duchess company sloughing off her shoulders. “Unusual, certainly, but that seems to be the nature of things at present.”
Caroline had to laugh. “That is quite the understatement.”
“Indeed, Your Grace.” The housekeeper picked up the luncheon plate. “Shall I escort you to the study?”
