Page 54 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
Quietly, she crept out of the room, her mind reeling. As she emerged into the hall and walked towards her chambers, she found herself completely lost in her own thoughts.
She barely noticed the stares of the servants as she strode through the house in her nightgown. The smell of amber haunted her, and she found herself touching her fingers to her lips. As she rounded a corner, a voice called out and jerked her back to the present.
“Ah! Andrea, just the woman I was looking for!” The Dowager Duchess beamed at her, pulling Andrea into an embrace as she drew level with her.
“Your Grace, I was not expecting to see you here. I mean, today. I know you live in the Dowager Cottage, but well, I thought you were in London for the rest of the season.” Andrea’s cheeks reddened as she saw the old woman glance behind her in the direction Andrea had just come from, clearly taking in her rumpled clothes.Oh God, I am covered in scone crumbs. And I am still in my night clothes!
“Dear, you are family now, and more to the point, we share a rank. I have been trying to get you to call me Agatha for nearly three years and now you have no excuse.” Andrea felt about two inches tall as the Dowager Duchess’s eyes roved her body, a small smirk playing across her lips. “A word of advice, if you wish to slink back to your rooms without notice, it is best to do so in the early hours of the morning.”
Andrea was fairly certain she was dead, and this was in fact some sort of purgatory.Maybe I am still sleeping and this is just some horrible nightmare.
She spluttered, her cheeks so red she was sure they would burst into flame. “I did not plan on—I do not- I mean I- this… It is not what you think. I was just-last night I had a bad dream and well, I wanted a snack and then I happened to bump into Frederick, in the kitchens I mean, and well he finished the biscuits and I was hungry but then the cook came and she was shouting and so we ran and then we were in his rooms and-”
Andrea cut herself off sharply as Agatha’s eyes widened, her smile broadening as she clapped her hands together. She groaned internally and waved her hands in front of her. “Not like that. I just… We talked and I threw a scone at him and it was nice and then I suppose I must have fallen asleep because I woke up this morning and I was in his bed – he was not in it; he slept on the sofa. And it was so thoughtful and so sweet, but I do not want you to get the wrong impression but then I do not even know what impression I have of what happened and my chest it feels full, like it might burst and- and-and.”
Agatha moved towards her and gently took her hand. “My dear girl, draw a breath or you are going to faint.”
Andrea did as she was told and drew in a deep, shaky breath, biting her lips to prevent any further incessant babble tumbling from her mouth. She peered at the Dowager Duchess, her eyes wide.
“Why not get changed, and then you and I shall talk a little in the garden.” Agatha gestured towards the stairs, her bearing making it clear that the words were not a request.
Andrea nodded and fled to her rooms, clutching her chest. She sped into her chambers with such speed that she startled a very confused looking Lucy. Without bothering to answer Lucy’s questioning head tilt, she began pulling out an outfit and asked for help changing.
“The Dowager Duchess is visiting.” Andrea breathed as Lucy helped her into her corset.
“You ran into the Dowager Duchess in your night clothes?” Lucy’s fingers slipped on the fastenings.
Andrea nodded, unable to bring herself to say more.I should never have let myself fall asleep.As soon as she was changed, she sprinted back to the hall where Agatha was waiting for her.
Panting slightly, she held out an arm to the older woman who took it and together they walked into the dazzling sunlight.
“Now tell me everything, from the beginning. I do not think I have ever seen you so flustered.” Agatha patted her arm reassuringly. “And please, try and remember to breathe.”
Andrea let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through her hair as she did. “I hardly know where to begin. I do not even really understand it myself. One moment, I was standing over Frederick, looking at him all asleep and reading the note he left me – did you know he talks in his sleep?”
Agatha nodded. “He gets it from his grandfather, my darling William used to do it all the time. It is partly why we had separate rooms, sometimes I just needed a good night’s sleep.”
She winked at Andrea who felt her ears redden as she continued, “but in general, I found it rather endearing. The nonsense he would come out with, I recall one evening he sat bolt up right and shouted, “the caterpillar has a gun!” And then collapsed back and started to snore.”
“Frederick was murmuring about a cas in a sherb. I have no idea what it meant.” Andrea found herself smiling at the memory and unbidden an image of an older Frederick, curled up beside her murmuring in his sleep poured into her mind.
The thought pulled her up short and she stumbled. Agatha arched an eyebrow at her, her lips pursed. “You sound like you have grown quite fond of my grandson. A rather easy thing to do, of course.”
Andrea nodded. “I have. I… Agatha, I… When I woke up this morning and found his note, I thought I would burst. Just thinking about it makes my eyes all teary, but that makes no sense. I know I am not sad but, every time I think about that moment it is like something inside me is breaking.”
“Sometimes, we cry when we are full of too much emotion. Even pleasant ones.” Agatha was looking at a nearby plant, her lips pursed.
Andrea sighed. “I do not even know what this emotion is.”
“I have a few guesses.” Agatha looked at her, and chuckled. “But I think it is best to let you figure it out on your own. After all, you are a rather clever girl.”
“I feel completely at sea. This was supposed to be a convenient arrangement, one where we both got what we wanted and there was no chance of well… Anything different.” She swallowed as understanding crashed over her like a wave. “But there is a chance of it… No, no… More than that.”
Andrea was aware of Agatha’s eyes on her as her eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “I think… I think Icarefor him.”
“I knew you would get there in the end.” Agatha nodded approvingly and gave her a sympathetic look, as her own eyes misted over. “Cavertons have a way of winning over even the most reluctant hearts.”
“But I… I never wanted a real marriage. And everything it would entail.” Andrea’s mouth was dry and she licked her lips. “That… That is too much to think about.”
