Page 35 of The Duke's Impossible Deal
“Good.” Rowen nodded and left the room.
The scent of violets lingered long after she had disappeared, and Tobias found his eyes drifting to the doorway.
This is not permanent.
He knew that, and he did not want it to be permanent. Why would he want to invite the chaos of a family into his life forever?
“That is not the life for me.” His eyes flicked to his brother’s portrait, and he felt the numbness return. “We will go our separate ways, but I would be shirking my duty if I did not take an active role in the children’s lives.”
His eyes drifted back to the door, the scent of violets filling his nose.
“I do not want them to be ill-equipped to handle their titles and roles. I have to ensure they are ready. That’s all. Besides, Rowen is the one who suggested we be cordial, and surely that extends to her children?”
He looked back at his brother’s portrait and sighed. “Who would have thought that having a wife would be so complicated?”
Eleven
“Where the devil is the tea set?” Rowen massaged her temples with the tips of her fingers.
Mrs. Patmore flushed, wringing her hands as she shifted from one foot to another.
They were standing in the dining room of Kidlington House, one of the few rooms that had any furniture in it. Rowen had been doing an inventory of all the crockery and plates that remained in the house.
It had been a few days since they had moved in, and she had decided that it was high time she invited the other widows. She missed her friends, and though they did not stand on ceremony, she would be dead before she invited them somewhere and did not serve them refreshments.
“We do not have one, Your Grace.”
Mrs. Patmore winced as Rowen turned to her, sure she must have misheard.
“What do you mean we do not have one? How can we not have one?” She shook her head, feeling like she had stepped into a parallel universe. “Is this not an English household? How on earth can we not have the dishes required for afternoon tea?”
“His Grace got rid of most of them, and our last remaining set broke a few months ago. The Duke felt it was not necessary to replace it, as no one would be entertaining at the house. He goes to the club for such things, and when there are meetings here, the men drink scotch, not tea.” Mrs. Patmore cast a look at the door and then back at Rowen.
“He got rid of them?” Rowen gaped at her. “What kind of person gets rid of good china? No, do not answer that, Mrs. Patmore. Of course, a man would make such a foolish decision.”
No tea set, no furniture. Next, she will tell me that the man does not even have a proper pantry!
Rowen could not tell if it was exasperation, amusement, or horror that was twisting her stomach into a tight knot, but she suspected it was a combination of the three.
“He has been a bachelor for a long time, Your Grace. If you will pardon me for being so forward.” Mrs. Patmore swallowed, clearly nervous.
Rowen closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.
Please, give me strength.
She exhaled through her nose and opened her eyes, her voice clipped with the effort of keeping her temper in check. “And do all bachelors live like this? That is hardly an excuse. The lack of furniture is one thing. It gives me a reason to only invite my closest friends to visit—but I cannot even do that!”
“You can always host a dinner party, Your Grace. The dining set is still intact.” Mrs. Patmore brightened and gestured to the table and chairs, and the cupboard that contained the dishes in question.
“And after dinner? What will we do? Am I to simply ask them to leave after pudding?” Rowen pressed her knuckles to her forehead. “If I cannot provide refreshments, there is no chance of games. Which would not be a problem if we could provide music, but there is not an instrument in sight. And it would not change the fact that not everyone enjoys evening social calls.”
“I am sorry, Your Grace.” Mrs. Patmore hung her head.
“It is not your fault.” Rowen made a mollifying gesture and then shook her head. “But I have no intention of letting things continue like this.”
“Your Grace?” Mrs. Patmore’s brow furrowed.
Rowen looked around the sparse dining table, then at the housekeeper, who was clearly embarrassed by all the things they lacked, and something inside her snapped.
