Page 15 of The Duke and his Muse
He thought about the stark contrast between Caroline and Miss Hayward’s station in life. One brought up in wealth and privilege, the other in well, normalcy. Miss Hayward appeared to be happy in her life while Caroline’s happiness had been for show. It pained him to think he knew more about Miss Hayward than he’d known about his own wife.
Chapter Eight
A sennight later, Jane found herself once again at Bartlett House, portfolio in hand. The dowager waited for her in the drawing room yet again. Jane supposed she was there as chaperone. She noted the dowager had the same shade of blue eyes as her son, the same black hair.
Tea cup in hand, Jane placed it on a nearby table when the duke entered the room alone. She stood up and curtsied, regaining her seat as the duke took a place beside his mother on a settee.
“Daniel won’t be joining us today. We spent the morning in the gardens and I’m afraid I tired him out.” The duke waved off his mother’s offer of refreshment.
The dowager picked up a sewing basket beside her on the settee and pulled out a piece of embroidery.
“You have read the synopsis?” the duke asked her, brows raised.
“I did. It is very well done. I did wonder about Iris’s reaction to the hedgehog joining their little group.”
It was decided that since Iris the bird was quite opinionated, she would have objections to adding to their group, but the loyalty of the hedgehog would wipe her doubts away.
“And you think Leopold should be the one saved from drowning?” She paused. “He is usually clever enough to save himself.”
“Perhaps the fox allows Daniel to save him so the hedgehog will find a place in the group,” the duke replied, thoughtfully.
“That is an excellent idea.” She nodded and then pulled a few sketches from the portfolio next to her on her own settee. “These sketches are of Daniel being lost, stumbling into the clearing where Iris is speaking to the others from the stump, and being comforted by Betsy the deer.”
The duke looked over the sketches. “I like how Daniel is not portrayed as being overly scared of his situation.”
“He is shy, but always optimistic about the kindness of others.”
“Perhaps naïve, but happy,” the duke replied.
Their gazes met, and she felt a flush on her cheeks. Was he referring to her?
“I see your publisher is Davis and Sons in London.”
She nodded. “A small house, but they’ve been with us since the beginning. My father believed in loyalty to those that had served him well.”
“A wonderful philosophy.” The duke paused. “Should I keep these sketches as inspiration? I’m not sure how to proceed.”
“Keep the sketches. Write up what you can within the next fortnight, and then we can meet again and see where we are.”
“That sounds like a good plan. I’m sure Daniel would have liked to see you again.” The duke looked surprised by his own statement.
“You must bring him along when we meet again. He is a sweet child. I hope he has been happier these last few weeks.”
There was a short silence and Jane noticed the dowager’s attention was now upon her.
“He is not so forlorn as he was,” the duke replied quietly.
Jane was soon ensconced in the duke’s carriage on the way home, Maisie chatting away on the bench opposite her mistress.
“The duchess wants her son to go to London,” Maisie said, shaking her head. “The cook says to get a new mother for Daniel.”
She frowned. “The child has been through so much. A new woman in the house would surely disrupt his care.”
“Mrs. Blight is against it as well, from all accounts.”
Jane changed the subject by commenting on the lovely weather. The idea of a new duchess at Bartlett House was disquieting for some reason. She was surely just worried about Daniel.
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