Page 26 of The Duke's Concealed Vow
Chapter Twelve
When Serena awoke the next morning, her heart leapt into her throat as she bolted upright in bed. Nothing looked familiar to her for a moment, and she struggled to break free from the fog of sleep and recall where she was and why. As she lifted her hands to rub her eyes, the morning sunlight glinted on a simple gold band on the third finger of her left hand. She remembered, with a jolt, exactly where she was. And why.
She fell back onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. Her first day as Rowan’s wife and duchess of Dalenwood, and she already felt as though she had lived a long, exhausting year in the roles. She wanted to hope that Rowan might try being a little bit warmer toward her now that they were bound to one another until death parted them.
However, he had never given her any indication that there was more to his personality than what he’d shown her. She knew that to hope for change now was futile and would only add to her rapidly mounting disappointment.
Reluctantly, Serena dragged herself out of bed and summoned Christine. Her lady’s maid entered her new chambers a few minutes later, and in less than an hour she was dressed in a pale yellow, high-necked satin day dress and matching slippers and gloves. Christine pinned up her hair in a chignon style, using brand-new, diamond encrusted hairpins that made it look like Serena’s blond hair glittered with large drops of water.
As she slowly made her way to join her new husband for breakfast in a dining room that was new to her, her mind raced with thoughts of the day ahead. She would need to be made familiar with Rowan’s family mansion. She considered askinghim when she might be able to explore or be guided around to learn her way around. But if he remained as reluctant about answering her questions as he had been the previous day, she’d be waiting for an answer to something so simple for the rest of her life. And with her uncertainty about her relationship with Rowan, she didn’t know how far she could push to get answers from him before she created more distance between them, and more discomfort and unhappiness for herself. The weight of it all felt heavier than a water-bogged sea craft, and it threatened to overtake her composure.
With a deep breath, she entered the dining room, wearing a polite smile. Her expression trembled when she saw that the dowager duchess was seated alongside her son. Eleanor Davenport had not spoken a single word to her as of yet. And the tension that Serena could feel in the air the second she crossed the threshold of the dining room told her that that was not likely to change.
She took her seat across from her mother-in-law to the left of her new husband. Rowan gave her an almost imperceptible nod but did not speak a word to her. Serena immediately wished that she had decided to plead a megrim and remain in her chambers for the day.
“Serena, dear,” the dowager said, breaking the silence so suddenly that Serena almost dropped the fork she had just picked up. “I had an idea that I would share with you, if you would allow me.”
Serena stared at her mother-in-law, stunned that she was speaking to her. She glanced at Rowan, who looked just as surprised as she was, but offered her nothing in the way of a glance that was either reassuring or warning. Serena cleared her throat, taking a sip of her water to compose herself. When she trusted herself to speak, she did so.
“Of course, Your Grace,” she said. “I would love to hear youridea.”
The dowager smiled, looking relieved.
“Please, darling, call me Eleanor,” she said. “I thought that perhaps we should host a ball in your honour, to formally introduce you to the ton as the new duchess of Dalenwood.”
If Rowan hadn’t been shocked before, the crash of his coffee cup to the ground indicated that he certainly was then. He leapt up as some of the hot liquid splashed onto his lap and he began rubbing it with his napkin. Once he was more composed, he sat back down, placing the napkin carefully over the stain on his knee.
“Mother,” Rowan said as a maid cleaned up the spill and broken glass, and another brought him a new cup and filled it with coffee. “Serena should have time to settle in first. I believe that a ball would be rather overwhelming for her right now.”
Serena looked at her new husband curiously. That was the first bit of concern he had shown for her or her feelings, however presumptuous it might be. She didn’t know how she felt about having a ball to put herself on display as the new duchess. But as she locked eyes with Rowan, the intensity sent her heart aflutter. There was clearly emotion in his gaze, for the first time since she had met him. Why had he chosen that moment to let down his guard, if only a little bit?
She knew that as her husband, Rowan got the final say in anything she did. However, it was also the first time her mother-in-law had engaged her in conversation, and she didn’t want to insult the dowager by rejecting her idea immediately. She braced herself for Rowan’s insistence or ordering her to comply with his wishes as she smiled sweetly at the dowager.
“That does sound like a lovely idea, Eleanor,” she said, looking at her mother-in-law once more. “I would love to discuss any details you might have considered later today.”
The dowager beamed at her, and Serena saw how beautifulshe once was. The expression took ten years off her face, and her blue eyes sparkled with delight.
“Wonderful, darling,” she said. “We shall meet for tea after Rowan has given you a tour of the manor and the grounds.”
Rowan looked up at the women, his jaw set.
“I have assigned the tour to the head housekeeper, Mrs. Jameson,” he said. “I have pressing matters to attend to, and I shan’t be able to conduct the tour myself.”
Serena looked at her new husband, feeling disappointed at his announcement. She knew he was likely lying; that he did not wish to spend any time with her that was not completely necessary. But even if he was telling the truth, she would be missing a chance to try to get Rowan to open up to her.
With her being married to him, she supposed that he would need to open up a little so they could have a functioning, if loveless, marriage. But that would never happen if he intended to avoid every situation where they would be alone. Had she lost any chance of being alone with him again by pressing him with questions about why he had married her the day before?
Nevertheless, she simply gave him a small smile and a nod.
“Very well,” she said, determined to prove to the dowager that she could stay composed and embrace her new role. “I am looking forward to the tour.”
Rowan seemed surprised at her lack of arguing or protest. She simply returned her attention to the meal, forcing herself to eat even as the food grew cold. Shortly after, Rowan excused himself and left the table, and the dowager wasn’t far behind. When they were gone, she herself fled the table in search of Mrs. Jameson.
A tall, wiry woman met her just outside the dining room a few minutes later. She gave Serena a tired smile, gesturing for Serena to follow.
“This way, Your Grace,” she said. “I’m afraid the tour willbe rather quick, as I must get back to give the other maids their assignments for the day.”
Serena nodded and smiled graciously.
