Page 56 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
Nash resisted the urge to protest, biting his tongue and merely nodding instead. Ellie smiled in victory and pulled the rope hanging beside him, not bothering to be precise. Nash had a system for the upper and lower servants, and a few had a specific rope call.
Isabella was two long pulls and three short ones, but Ellie had made only one rope pull, calling any lower servant. It was rather foolish when Isabella was counted among the upper housemaids, but there was no use in arguing about it.
“You do not mind if I leave, do you?” asked Nash. “I’m confident you and Isabella can handle the details without me.”
“You are perfectly correct, brother dear,” said Ellie. “Isabella and I are undoubtedly capable of handling everything ourselves. You go ahead and do whatever it is you that you have set out to do for the day.”
Nash stood up, belatedly realising that this was his study. “Perhaps you should be the one to leave the room.”
Ellie frowned at him before she chuckled. “How foolish of me! This is your study, after all.”
The soft knock on his door told him that Isabella had arrived. Someone must have asked her to answer the call as she was in charge of cleaning the study and was usually nearby. Nash shifted in his chair, feeling the need to hide his face. It was laughable, it truly was, but Nash could not ignore the unsettling feeling that having Isabella plan a party for him to select a bride seemed like an offence against her.
Of all the ridiculous notions to have! Perhaps I need to do a little introspection to explain away these nonsensical ideas.
Ellie met Isabella at the door and ordered the woman to follow her to her private parlour. Isabella never looked at him once, which was likely best because Nash didn’t know how long he could keep up his aloof expression.
***
Juliana was pleasantly surprised to be called into the duke’s study again, only to find out that it was his sister who wished to see her. That was enough to wonder what she had done this time to earn the woman’s time! For one silly moment, Juliana considered the duke had told Lady Stratford that she had come upon him while he was eating, but she soon dismissed that idea.
The duke had proven himself to be fair and kind— why would he heap trouble upon her head? Besides, it had not been her fault that she had interrupted the duke, but Kitty’s mistake. The poor woman received some bad news about her brother this morning and hadn’t been herself since then.
Mr Stevens had notified Kitty about the duke taking his breakfast in the study, and Kitty was meant to tell her, but the woman had forgotten.
“I have some exciting news, Isabella,” said Lady Stratford as Juliana followed behind her.
It was surprising that the woman was calling her Isabella and not “you, come here,” or “maid, do this!”
“I am glad to hear it, My Lady,” Juliana replied.
“Oh, I have not told you anything about it yet,” the woman said, sounding mightily pleased with herself.
Something told Juliana that she didn’t want to know what the woman had to say, but that was not an option. She entered the room behind Lady Stratford and stood as docilely as she could to the side.
The duke’s sister was like an agitated snake who could strike at any moment. Unfortunately, Juliana seemed to be the one that Lady Stratford usually sank her verbal fangs into, but it was now such a common occurrence that she no longer concerned herself about it. Looking solemn and nodding seemed to be good enough in most situations.
“Take a seat, Isabella,” Lady Stratford ordered. “We have much to discuss.”
Juliana sat on the edge of the hardest seat she could find lest the lady protested that she was making herself far too comfortable.
“Are you settled?” the woman asked.
“Yes, My Lady.”
“Good, good. I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that the duke wishes to have a dinner party soon. It will not be just any dinner party, but one where he will find the woman he will marry.”
Juliana grew still. “Indeed, My Lady?”
“Yes, indeed!” the woman said with a gay chuckle. “I cannot tell you how happy I am to know that I shall soon have a sister-in-law.”
“How lovely, My Lady,” Juliana answered bleakly.
“I certainly think so, and best of all, you shall help me organise this party. Well, perhaps that is not the best thing, but that’s neither here nor there. Now, I must tell you how beautiful these women are— my brother will have many options to choose from.”
The more the woman spoke, the more unhappy Juliana grew. She couldn’t understand why she felt the way she did, but Juliana wished the duke’s sister would stop this talk about eligible women.
“I’m trusting you with the arrangements, you see,” Lady Stratford continued. “This dinner party must be perfect. There can be nothing but the best for my brother.”
