Page 13 of His Highland Duchess
Margaret stormed into the manor’s large library with a sense of command that she was certain even the duke would be proud of. It was a gigantic room with high ceilings, the walls lined by shelves crammed with hundreds of books. The curtains were pulled open, allowing the morning sun to shine across the room and light it fully. And there, seated on a couch under the largest window, his feet up and a book in hand, was an elderly gentleman dressed in a smart suit. His hair was bone white and receding. His nose was long and bent. His body was round, but his limbs were gangly. And most noticeably, he was giggling like a schoolgirl at whatever it was that he was reading.
“Mr. Jeffries,” Margaret announced as she approached him. “There ye are.”
He looked up from his book and frowned. “Ah, Your Grace. This is a most unexpected surprise.”
“Nae a bad one, I hope.” She came to a stop before where he was seated. He did not stand to greet her, as he should have done.So, I was right.
“Not at all.” He sighed as he closed his book. “I take it that you have set your sights on exploring the manor? If there is anything I can do –”
“I am glad that you said that,” she cut over him. “Although ye are wrong, regarding my intent. I am nae exploring, even if I may do so later. It is ye who I am here to see.”
“Oh?”
She looked down at him with a raised eyebrow, saying nothing, but instilling herself with a sense of command that she knew would be needed. The silence between them grew until finally Mr. Jeffries realized what was wrong.
Slowly, he stood and then bowed. “And what was it that you are after, Your Grace? How may I be of assistance?”
“I am afraid I have a wee problem,” she began, brow furrowed as if confused. “Ye see, I woke this morning to an empty room – an empty house, it felt like.” She laughed. “A shame, as I was very much hoping to have a bath prepared for myself. Alas, there was nobody there to see it made.”
“Ah, yes, about that –”
“Me wardrobe too,” she spoke over him. “Me luggage has been brough’ to me room but remains unpacked.” Another light chuckle. “How am I to choose an outfit for the day if my clothing remains stuffed in chests?”
“That is a shame, Your Grace, likely it was simply an accid –”
“And when I went to break me fast, would ye believe that there was na food left for me, nor would the kitchen staff prepare me anything.” She did not laugh this time, her tone turning toward reprimand. “I sent for ye, as I assumed this was all one big mistake, but ye did nae come. I can only assume the maid who I spoke with was unable to find ye…” She looked about the library. “Hidden away ‘ere, as ye were. I would nae dream that any of this was on purpose.”
Mr. Jeffries sensed the change in tone and mood both. His lip curled, but he straightened it. His eyes flashed annoyance, but he forced a smile. “I assure you, it is nothing more than a simple case of…” He clicked his tongue. “Getting used to a new body in the household. That is all.”
“That is what I thought,” she said, no smile, no sense that she believed him. “I ken that my presence here is unexpected. Perhaps it is even reviled – I will nae waste my time guessing what is being said of me.”
“Your Grace, I can assure that you –”
“What I would hope,” she spoke over him. “Is that I am recognized for who I am. The duke’s wife.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “And I would hope that I am to be treated as such.” Then, she smiled. “Is that understood?”
Margaret had some experience dealing with wanton acts of rebellion.I ‘ave spent most of me life lookin’ after my brother and sisters as if I was their mother, and this little demonstration put on by Mr. Jeffries is nae different to how they would act out when annoyed.The easiest way to deal with it, she had always found, was not to rise to anger, but to pretend that it was all just a misunderstanding, giving a chance for the right to be wrong without either side losing face.
“I apologize,” Mr. Jeffries said.
“Oh, there is nae need.” She waved him down. “As I said, I am sure this was all one big misunderstanding. I just hope that there will be nae more.”
He forced a smile and then bowed. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
“Wonderful.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “I will be leaving ye – I ken this is your hour, and I would nae wish to trouble ye. However, once ye are ready, I do expect ye to instruct the staff as is warranted. Just as I will expect to return to me room within the next two hours to find everythin’ unpacked, and even a warm bath waitin’ for me.”
“It shall be done.”
“Guid. See that it is.” Another smile, and she turned and left the library.
It was a small victory. Hardly even that, truth be told. But it had Margaret smiling to herself, a sense that finally she was getting control of her life. That she wasn’t completely powerless.
With two hours to kill, she decided to get some sun on her face. Still dressed in her nightgown, she decided to walk the back garden, as at least that way there was no chance of being seen by anybody. Or so she had hoped…
It was almost as soon as she stepped outside that she spotted a young girl of eleven years old lurking on the edge of the balcony.She had dark hair, was tall for her age, and stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze fixed across the garden as she rocked back and forth on her feet, a decision being made that she was trying to work up the courage to see through.
Margaret hesitated when she saw her.The duke explicitly told me nae to speak with his daughters. And I sensed that was one command I should nae challenge. And she very nearly turned and walked away with this in mind. Only…
The more that Margaret thought about it, the more ludicrous the command seemed. If she were to be living here for the entire Season, there was no way that she could possibly avoid speaking to his daughters. It was absurd! And besides, Margaret had always liked children; they had always liked her, and she felt that familial pull tugging at her in a way that she could not possibly resist.
