Page 48 of Cold November Rake

"Aye, we shall."

They crossed the hall and passed through a door into the garden room, a small, bright chamber with glazed doors opening onto the terrace, where dust sheets lay thick over the chairs. It had been meant as a quiet corner for reading and letters, and the duchess walked its length with her hands clasped behind her, looking at the bare walls.

"I have ordered hand-painted Chinese papers for this room," Temperance said. "With delicate flowering trees and birds. The papers are still at the India warehouses, awaiting release, and Mr. Downing says a fortnight at the outside."

"Hm," the duchess sniffed, which Temperance chose to take as approval.

"And that's all," Temperance said. "We've finished all the rooms. I shall tell Mr. Whitlow to hire more men, so that everything is ready a week before the party. Most of the papers and hangings have already arrived, and the paintings for the drawing rooms are coming from the gallery at Sutton Hall in a couple of days, weather permitting."

"Good. Very good." The duchess pursed her lips. "What about yer bedchamber?"

"There is no time to trouble about that." Temperance waved a hand. "With the party approaching, it's important we finish all the first-floor rooms first, the guest rooms second. The rooms you are occupying now—my husband's suites and mine—can wait."

"Humor me, lass."

Temperance had no choice, as the duchess swept out of the room and marched upstairs, with Temperance and Mr. Downing hurrying behind. The duchess pushed open the door, and they stepped inside.

The duchess turned to the upholsterer. "Mr. Downing. Fetch more warm samples frae downstairs, if ye please. The ones I looked at in the morning room."

"Of course, Your Grace." Mr. Downing bowed himself out and closed the door behind him.

"Why the sudden move tae London?" the duchess asked after his footsteps faded, feigning complete interest in Temperance's wall-hangings.

Temperance stumbled. "I... I decided it was time I assumed my role as countess."

"And Sutton just welcomed ye in, did he?"

"He did not have much of a choice," Temperance said with a shrug.

"Aye, he did. He could have arranged tae switch households while ye were here. I ken fine how that works. My husband and I lived in separate households for decades."

Temperance's head whipped around. "You did?"

It sounded absurd. She could not imagine such an affectionate couple wanting to be apart for a single day.

"Aye, we did." The duchess's mouth quirked. "A marriage o' convenience, ours was."

Temperance's brows shot up. "I never would have guessed. You look a love match."

The duchess sniffed. "It is now. Marriage, o' whatever kind, requires a great deal o' work."

Temperance swallowed. "I can agree with that."

"Is that why ye came? Tae work on yer marriage?"

"It is. And since Sutton needs an heir, he allowed me to stay."

"Hmmm. And what about ye? What do ye need?"

To win back my husband's affections.

Then, because the duchess's gaze was unflinching, she said it aloud. "To win my husband's affections."

The duchess raised a brow. "And yer own affections?"

"My affections for your son have never changed."

"That's nae what he told me."