Page 39 of The Artisan and the Duke
“Oh,” Gregory said with a smile. “They were released. I got Maxwell to change his mind on a few points.”
Jules eyed the man incredulously. “Truly?”
“Yes,” Gregory said with a smile. “There will be other struggles, but for now, I thought we might just pretend that things are peaceful.”
Jules thought about it and sighed. “I don’t suppose the world will right itself any faster with our presence.” She let the man lead her to their chambers. At the door, he scooped her up causing Jules to laugh. “Your Grace, what are you doing?”
“You are my wife; you can call me by my name, I would think,” Gregory said with a chuckle as he pushed the door further open with his leg.
Jules wrapped her arms around the man’s neck and smiled, “I think I shall, Gregory.”
***
The next morning with the first rays of the sun, Gregory came into the kitchen and gave his mother a smile. “Good morrow, Mother,” Gregory said jovially as he snatched a piece of peach off the platter.
“And to you, Gregory,” Lady St Claire said with a smile of her own. “Where is your bride?”
Gregory bit the peach and laughed. “She is getting ready for our journey. Will you be accompanying us to Thornton Hall or remaining here for the season?”
“Oh, I think I shall stay here the remainder of the season to give your household time to adjust,” Lady St Claire said wryly. “I may take up permanent residence here. I love being close to the centre of things, after all. I have not yet made up my mind fully.”
Gregory shook his head at his mother. “You are always welcome at Thornton Hall.”
“I will return,” Lady St Claire promised her son. “Just take the time to make sure that the young lady is adjusting and that she knows how you feel, Gregory. That is all I ask. Well, that and grandchildren.”
Gregory chuckled. “I would advise against asking about grandchildren in front of the new Duchess. She might faint.”
“She’s a hearty sort,” Lady St Claire said dismissively. “She can handle most anything, I would wager.”
***
Thornton Hall, the country estate and family manor of the St Claire family, spread over more land than Jules could believe. She was certain that if she lived there a hundred years that she would never see all of it, but she was determined to try.
With Georgie and Tally in tow, Jules set off each day to make it as far as she could in each direction. That was how she passed the first week.
Gregory and Fredrick spent a good bit of the first week at the country estate going over financial matters and balancing books. It seemed tedious to Jules, but the men insisted that it needed to be done first thing. Fredrick could surely manage it, but Gregory was always checking to make sure things were running smoothly.
Jules fell in love with Thornton Hall immediately. It was an old-fashioned home that sprawled out and upward with grace and splendour to spare. Lady St Claire had talked of how the manor looked when she first saw it, and Jules had to agree that Thornton Hall was a sight to behold.
It was hard to imagine that not only her sisters, but someday her children as well would grow up on the grounds of the grand estate.
For a time, it was everything that she imagined life could be. With all things, there has to come a moment when things change. Although the St Claire family treated its servants and employees well, it took little time for Jules to realize that some of their nearest neighbours did not.
Jules had gone visiting the Whatley household which lived a few miles away with Gregory a couple of weeks into their stay at Thornton Hall.
Lady Whatley was a stern woman who handled her children and her staff with a firm hand. Jules had feigned illness to get away when there was an incident with a serving girl that clumsily tripped and spilled a touch of brandy on Gregory’s trousers.
Gregory had simply laughed off the incident, but Lady Whatley had ordered the girl to be whipped, and Jules could take no more of the Whatley household.
Now she had committed herself to simply enjoying the estate and would not be persuaded to socialize with the members of the local families who were not enjoying the London season. If Gregory took issue with her attitude, he did not speak about it to Jules. She carried on contentedly exploring.
“There you are,” Gregory said as he walked up to where Jules was resting under a shaded tree. “Come,” he held out his hand. “It is high time we got down to business and got you a horse.”
“A horse? But I can’t ride,” Jules protested as she let the man pull her to her feet.
Gregory nodded and said, “That is precisely why you need to learn, and to learn you need a horse to learn on. I think we have a very nice mare that you would like. She is quite a calm creature.”
Jules could see that she was not going to get out of this, so she simply nodded and went along with the man. She had always admired horses, but they were so tall that they frightened her too. Nervousness settled in the pit of her stomach.
