Page 52 of Beneath the Beastly Duke's Mask
"I agree," Jane replied. "Viscount Kersey is always prowling around the duke, and I'm confident I once heard the old valet say the viscount had tried to kill his own cousin."
Arabella's eyes bulged with shock. “Kill him? Isn't that taking it a step too far?”
“Not for someone like Lord Kersey,” said Jane. “He has wanted the dukedom for many years.”
The intense need to protect the duke nearly overwhelmed Arabella. She couldn't let anyone harm him, not when he had already suffered so much. It just wasn't fair.
"They cannot be allowed to go through with whatever they're plotting," said Arabella, her hands clenching by her sides. "Maribel needs to be watched as much as possible. She'll likely meet with the viscount again or receive some sort of communication from him, like a note. We need to intercept it."
Jane nodded. “I am willing to do anything necessary,” she said. “Rather than just protect the duke, we should try to trap Maribel and the viscount.”
“How?”
"I am sure an idea will come to us in time," said Jane. She looked at the door. "I need to return to the guest rooms, or Mrs. Cooper will have my head. I just thought to come and tell you about Maribel and the viscount."
"Which I'm thankful for, "Arabella told her. "I'll be down shortly to help you. I'm just about done here."
Jane looked around the room. “It looks full.”
“To capacity,” Arabella added. “The duke has allowed me to make necessary changes to the room. He said it needs updating.”
“That might make Maribel jealous,” Jane remarked. “However, we cannot live our lives in fear of what she or the viscount will do.” She smiled. “I know you will do a remarkable job of it.”
Arabella returned her smile, having a quick chat about changing the linen in the guestrooms before Jane left the library. Arabella quickly measured the window, wanting to send them to the carpenter with instructions about the seat. All the while, her mind was on the matter Jane had disclosed. Maribel's jealousy knew no bounds, but neither did Arabella's determination to ensure no harm came to the duke.
***
“I see why the Prince Regent is so fond of Chinese papers,” Jane commented, looking around the library in awe.
Weeks had passed since Arabella began redecorating the library and loving every moment of it. The paper-hangings she had ordered from London several weeks ago had just been installed, and even she had to admit that it looked better than she initially imagined.
“It is beautiful, isn't it?” said Arabella. “It's nothing like the repeat designs we have in England. I was worried the scene would be too much for the room, but it's perfect, isn't it?”
The paper-hanging depicted the daily life of a Chinese palace, with servants going about their chores, princesses painting in the gardens and playing musical instruments, and little masters having lessons with their teachers.
Old men appeared to be smoking, likely opium, in a lavish room, and young lords pranced about on beautiful horses on the outskirts of the palace. The building was surrounded by water and cultivated trees, with exotic and colorful birds taking to a pretty blue sky.
“It is perfect,” said Jane. “And likely expensive, but I'll bet the duke didn't bat an eyelash.”
Arabella smiled. "No, he didn't," she admitted. "Fortunately, it only covers part of the wall as I didn't want to hide all the woodwork. If the duke ever feels tired of reading, he can walk to this wall and gaze upon life in the Oriental world."
“It certainly brightens up the room,” said Jane, walking away. She bent down, feeling the Persian carpets that arrived a week ago. “I could gladly sleep on one of these. I didn't realize they make ones other than in red or darker colors.”
Arabella had not wanted the usual carpets found in most houses but something lighter. Fortunately, the merchant in Thetford had a few cream-colored carpets with light blue and just enough black to avoid looking dirty too quickly. These carpets immediately made the library brighter and complemented the paper-hangings.
“I was worried the carpets might make the room look too feminine,” said Arabella, “but everything is coming together well. It's neither feminine nor masculine.”
“What else is there to do?” Jane asked.
“Rearrange the furniture,” said Arabella.
The new furniture had been brought into the library but hadn't been put into place yet because Arabella wanted to find the perfect place for everything. The window seat had been assembled a few days ago and looked so comfortable that she wouldn't mind having a daily nap in the library.
The duke had stopped by earlier to try the seat and couldn't stop smiling. He had looked comfortable among the pillows with a book in his hand and looking out the window. Arabella had laughed, enjoying his delight. He usually dedicated an hour or more of his day to lend a hand with the library, which were moments she had come to love.
The only problem was her constant blushing and giggling around him. Arabella tried to control it because, frankly, it was embarrassing, but she was helpless around him. Eventually, she had simply accepted the glaring fact that she had fallen in love with the duke.
It was just like she read in stories and fairy tales—the butterflies in her belly, wanting to always be around him, feeling as if the sun rose and set on his head... it was rather overwhelming. If he wasn't near her, she was constantly thinking about him and wondering what he was doing. Arabella couldn't pinpoint when her admiration turned into love, but it had undoubtedly happened subtly and gradually.
