Page 59 of An Innocent Maid for the Duke
A commotion at the front door brought the old lady awake with a start. She patted at her hair to see if her cap was straight. Rose put the book aside and went to assist, replacing a couple of pins that had come adrift.
‘Great-Grandmama!’ A dark-haired little girl lunged across the room and buried her face in the old lady’s lap. ‘I thought we would never get here, Mama made so many stops along the way.’
Rose retreated behind the Dowager Duchess’s chair at the same moment an elegantly tall woman swept into the room. An eyebrow lifted at the sight of Rose, but a sweet smile curved her lips, and her eyes lit up when they fell on Her Grace. ‘Grandmother. Here we are at last.’
Rose sidled out of the room. This was a moment for the family, not for her to intrude. Head down, hurrying towards the stairs, she would have collided with Jake had he not caught her by the shoulders.
‘Rose? What is it?’
She gazed up into his face, unable to explain why she hurt so bad inside and forced a cheerful smile. ‘Good news. Lady Eleanor has arrived.’
He glanced eagerly towards the drawing room from where a high-pitched voice was to be heard, though the words were indistinct.
‘And Lucy, too. I’m glad. I thought she might not bring her, after all.’ He frowned. ‘But where are you going?’
‘On an errand,’ she said vaguely, not wanting to admit she was running away from her own feelings. ‘I will see you at dinner.’ She slipped out of his grasp and headed up the stairs.
He followed after her, then stopped, one foot on the bottom step. ‘Rose. Is something wrong?’
‘Nothing is wrong, Your Grace,’ she said, hoping she sounded calm and sensible instead of full of inexplicable tears. ‘Go and greet your sister.’ She turned and carried on.
He did not follow. He couldn’t. Not with half the household standing in the hall looking on. But she did think she heard him curse softly.
She kept going. She needed a bit of time alone. Time to remember who and what she was.
* * *
By the time she needed to help Her Grace down to dinner, she was perfectly composed. As they had when Mr Gregory had joined them, they gathered in the drawing room. Jake was already there with Lady Eleanor. Rose curtsied deeply when he introduced her to his sister. Inside, she winced as the young woman took her hand. What on earth would she think if she knew the truth about her and Jake?
‘Rose has been such a help to me these past few weeks,’ the Dowager Duchess pronounced. ‘I do not know how I managed before she came.’ To Rose’s ears she sounded a little defensive. Did she know? Cold fingers walked down Rose’s spine.
Heat travelled up to her cheeks. ‘Thank you, Your Grace.’ She risked a glance at the statuesque Lady Eleanor, who seemed to notice nothing amiss.
Strangely, Jake looked rather stiff and starchy. Tense.
If the circumstances had been different, she might have given him a poke in the ribs and told him to relax. But it wasn’t her place.
She helped the Dowager to sit and stood behind her with the old lady’s shawl over her arm, ready to place it around her shoulders if she showed the least sign of feeling a draught.
Eleanor smiled at her. ‘I am so glad to meet you, Miss Nightingale. Someone needs to care for Grandmama. Jake has a great deal to keep him busy, these days.’
‘Are you hinting that I am neglecting Her Grace?’ Jake asked. There was a twinkle in his eye. Clearly, despite his unbending posture, he was fond of his sister. Rose couldn’t help feel a pang of sadness. The man had a family, yet could not seem to fully enjoy it.
A footman walked around with a tray of drinks. Sherry. Rose shook her head when offered a glass, but the others partook and Jake raised his glass. ‘Welcome to London, Eleanor.’
‘Where is Lady Lucy?’ Rose blurted out, realising they were one person short.
Jake frowned.
Eleanor looked down her nose very much in the way Jake did when he was displeased. ‘Miss Lucy,’ she said, her voice calm. ‘No title, Miss Nightingale.’
An awkward silence descended, finally broken by Lady Eleanor. ‘My daughter is in the nursery. She was tired after the journey and I gave her an early dinner and put her to bed.’ She straightened her shoulders. ‘I hope you don’t mind, Your Grace, but she does usually eat dinner with me.’
Jake stiffened. ‘Do we have to stand on ceremony, Eleanor?’
Rose flinched at his stern tone.
Eleanor seemed to take it in stride, though her expression held sadness. ‘The sooner you get used to who you are, Jake, the easier it will be for you and the rest of us, but, no, we do not need to observe the formalities at home if you do not wish it.’
