Page 24 of Yours Truly, the Duke
She didn’t know what had gotten into her. Except for the fact that it felt divine. His languid approach and comforting warmth had seeped through her body and bones, filling something inside her she’d never known was empty. When she’d opened her eyes after the kiss and looked into his, she hadn’t expected to see a glow oftenderness and concern for her. It made her feel wanted. Something she hadn’t often felt.
The delicious sensations he evoked lingered inside her.
Longing wasn’t the feeling she’d expected to be left with, but she was sure that’s what it was. Especially since it was clear from the Society pages and scandal sheets she read each week that her husband hadn’t given her a minuscule of thought since returning to London with news of his marriage. He was constantly being mentioned for having attended party after party and all without his mysteriously missing bride.
Some of the reasons speculated for her absence were so outrageous she had to laugh at the absurdity of them. One such rumor was that she had suffered a horrific facial burn after the ceremony and now couldn’t be seen in public. Though the article failed to mention how said burn might have occurred. Another scandal sheet speculated Fredericka had lost her sanity right after they married and had to be kept in a dark room so she wouldn’t harm herself or anyone else. Perhaps the most ridiculous of all was that, unbeknownst to the duke, before the wedding ceremony she had grown a gray beard.
She remembered the duke saying not everything written in the gossip pages was true. He was right!
Shortly after that, she realized she must stop reading the gossip or she would truly go insane. Though not being able to read the pages was a loss. With living at Paddleton and away from Polite Society, the gossip sheets had been an enjoyable pastime. She looked forward to the columns each day, reading every word with relish many times during the week. Upon reflection, she realized she had wanted to believe most of what was written in them was true. Until now. It all changed when she became one of the main topics in the articles.
So, she stuck to her poetry books and writing her verse. She found pleasure there too. Just a different kind.
She turned and looked back to her desk. Underneath all the interviews and notes was one letter from the duke. His proposal about marriage that she hadn’t opened until her wedding night. After everyone had gone to bed and the house was quiet. Somehow, reading the few terse words he wrote made her feel that eventually everything was going to be all right. That she would be able to keep the children and bring them up the way Angela would have wanted.
It was truly miraculous, and totally unreasonable, how her life had changed in little more than a month. Sometimes she’d awakened in the middle of the night with her heart pounding and her breath running at a rapid pace, wondering how in the world she’d become a duchess. It had happened so fast. Even the ceremony had appeared far too short while seeming to last forever at the time.
But the changes were a reminder she was indeed a duchess. Dressmakers, milliners, candlemakers, and a host of others were coming to Paddleton daily wanting to know what they could do for her. Mrs. Dryden now had three helpers in the house, not one. So did the gardener and groom. The grounds and house had never been so tidy and splendid.
And Fredericka didn’t pay for any of the staff. The duke was taking care of them all.
The sound of voices from the front of the house and the quick stomp of footsteps coming down the corridor broke Fredericka’s concentration.
“It matters not to me she’s now a duchess. I will see her.”
Jane.
Finally, after weeks of silence, she was going to hear from her cousin. Fredericka had wondered why she hadn’t received an immediate response from Jane about her marriage to the duke. But then Jane had never been one to answer Fredericka’s letters, but was the first to complain if she didn’t receive one.
Mrs. Dryden appeared in the doorway, trying her best to keep Jane at bay, but the housekeeper was no match for Fredericka’s cousin. She swept through the door with her usual flourish and flair, her eyes shining with what Fredericka could only believe was simmering outrage hidden behind her best fake smile.
Mrs. Jane Tomkin, wife of a viscount’s younger brother, was beautiful, petite, and a lady you didn’t ever want to cross. As a child, she was selfish, vengeful, and spoiled to the core. If she had been disciplined a little more when growing up, maybe she wouldn’t think she was entitled to everything she wanted. Including someone else’s children. Years of being married to Nelson, a fairly sedate gentleman who adored her and counted himself the luckiest man in the world for having won her heart, hadn’t softened her one bit.
From the first day Fredericka and Angela had gone to live with her cousin’s family, Jane had taunted her with slights. She was missing a tooth, too quiet, too skinny, too young, too anything and everything. And most of all, Jane always said Fredericka was in the way—an inconvenience that had come into Jane’s life. As they grew older, it had only gotten worse.
Fredericka didn’t remember her mother at all and had only vague remembrances of her father, who had died when she was four and Angela twelve. Jane and Angela were the same age. They would talk, giggle, and do things together, always skipping about, and showing their ankleslike high-steppers. Never letting Fredericka join in any of their activities even if it was as effortless as sitting in the drawing room reading a book. Because of her sister’s and cousin’s closeness, Fredericka had felt Jane took Angela away from her. She still felt that way. And now Jane wanted to take her sister’s children too.
Yet through it all she and Jane were now the only blood kin the children had left, and Fredericka didn’t want to sever that tie. It was best to get the visit over with.
“I tried to stop her, Your Grace,” the housekeeper offered with a worried expression.
“It’s fine, Mrs. Dryden. Jane is always welcome to come inside the house and find me.”
She looked aghast. “But you’re a duchess now.”
Fredericka smiled at the older woman. “It’s still all right. She’s family. Please prepare tea.”
“No, no. That’s most kind of you, Fredericka.” Jane walked farther into the room, untying the ribbon of her fashionable black straw bonnet trimmed with red silk roses. “I’m not staying for tea.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Fredericka said, matching her cousin’s pleasant tone. “You never stay long enough for a cup when visiting with the children.”
“Really, how much visiting could I possibly do with you watching every second I’m with them. Besides, I want to spend all the time I can with the little darlings.” She plopped her bonnet onto one of the chairs opposite the desk and started unfastening her short cape. She then paused.… “But, please, allow me first to offer my respect.” She gave a deep curtsey. “Your Grace, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”
Fredericka didn’t mind Jane’s insincere tone or false smile. She expected her cousin to be angry that she’dbeen outmaneuvered. “You know you don’t have to stand on formality with me.”
Jane smoothed the sides of her dark-brown hair back into place. “No, I don’t know that.”
“Oh, gooseberries, Jane. We slept in the same bed at times when we were growing up. There was never a thunderstorm when you didn’t come running into my room. We can’t start being so formal with each other now.”
