by Abby Ayles
The duke wondered if his idea for a trip would prove the evidence he needed or would be an utter waste of time. Whatever the result in the end, he knew that he would have a stronger sense of his wife.
But as the play continued on, the duke could not help but watch his wife. She was absorbed by the performance and seemed to live in every moment of it. Her face and emotions were far grander than any that played out on the stage to him.
She was so expressive of these emotions. He wished that it could be him to make her feel so deeply about things.
The performance heightened, a moment tense with suspense and danger. His wife gasped then, and, without realizing what she was doing, grasped his hand. Her grip was firm and the scene caused her to tighten it even more.
The duke observed her and realized that she had not even noted her action. He did not wish to ruin the moment. Her grasp was strong and comforting and she had needed him without even realizing it.
And then the spell broke.
His wife realized suddenly what she had done.
“I- I am sorry, Mr. Tyndale,” she stammered, embarrassed by her action. And yet, it took a moment more before she unclenched her hand and released that of the Duke.
“It is quite okay, Mrs. Tyndale. Do not worry yourself,” he whispered to her with a smile.
But as they both turned to watch the play, the duke noted how her eyes lingered on his hand for a moment, as if she wished to reach out all over again.
They watched the play, but the duke could feel the tension that remained. The turmoil of emotions within him was unbearable. The embarrassment, the thrill, the curiosity.
Would she ever grasp his hand and mean it?
Chapter 23
The theater had been an incredible display that Thea had never before seen. Attending the show was the highlight of her life thus far and she remained grateful to her husband, no matter how she felt about him otherwise. The gift of attending had been such a joy.
She had spied a little from her box as was to be expected, but for the majority of their time, she was focused on the show that played out on the stage before them. It was riveting and she could hardly imagine something grander.
What had surprised her the most, however, had not been what occurred on the stage, but rather the invitation issued by her husband prior to the start.
A short trip away together. What was his purpose in suggesting this? She could not very well have refused him, but the idea of it seemed somewhat strange. They had been living as mere strangers for the majority of their marriage thus far.
And yet, the night of the performance at the theater, they had not been strangers as such. When she had grasped his hand, Thea felt such a jolt of something she could not quite describe. She had not wished to let go, despite knowing that she must. It had been so difficult.
The embarrassment that followed was a challenge as well.
It was true, the life of the wealthy was vastly different to the life she had lived until now. Who was she to say what was or was not typical? Perhaps this was the suit of all noblemen in their marriages.
While Thea was quite uncertain as to how she felt about it all, she also knew that it would be nice to get away.
Having a break from the home in which she spent all her time was necessary. More than that, being away from the prying eyes of society would be refreshing.
Her husband had still not taken her out very much and Thea had quickly realized that this was a mercy. The night of the performance had been tremendous, but she had been aware the whole time of the fact that she did not quite fit as she might have liked.
Society knew her as the usurper. She had somehow fooled a lovesick duke into marriage. Of course that was the thought. It was not as though the duke ought to have taken responsibility for the fact that he had been the one to discuss the marriage once her father had broached the subject.
No, indeed, Thea knew that she was ill thought of. She knew that others believed her to be some sort of trickster. She had even heard whispers as she walked past some of the women on the way out and a rude comment from one gentleman that he would not risk his reputation on her as a wife but she would make a fine mistress.
These offenses were great, but Thea did her best to push past them. She had known she would face such criticisms. And what’s more, she had things that mattered to her far greater than simple gossip and wasteful speech.
“Your Grace,” Mrs. Markley called from behind her.
Thea was startled, but she turned away from the window she had been staring out of as the thought passed through her mind. Facing Mrs. Markley, she recovered herself.
“Oh dear, forgive me for startling you!” Mrs. Markley exclaimed.
“It is nothing,” Thea replied with a calm smile. “Is it time, then?”
“Yes, Your Grace. The Duke of Sandon has already gone out to the coach. He awaits you,” she replied.
Thea nodded and left her parlor. Exiting the estate, she saw that her trunk had already been loaded into the coach. The coachman helped her inside where the duke was already sitting.
He smiled at her and Thea smiled back, although beyond that, they simply each looked out the window beside them. She was still acutely aware of the moment she had held his hand and worried he might think she would do so again.
The view outside the window was beautiful and Thea admired it the whole journey. They passed through rolling hills and beyond rivers and trees. There were a great many estates like the duke’s that held such a beauty in their design.
Thea could hardly imagine one would ever want to step inside for gazing on the outside was so exquisite.
She had driven through country before while coming to live with the duke and a few ventures they had had since, but nothing like this.
The hours ticked by and they stopped at a small inn to get lunch. Thea was taken by the quaint building made of stone and held together by ivy.
“Have a seat,” the duke instructed, choosing a table and pulling out the chair for his wife.
Thea did as she was told and the Duke of Sandon sat across from her with a confidence that she had grown accustomed to from him.
“Are you looking forward to the time away?” he asked.
“Yes, indeed, Mr. Tyndale. I think the air will do me well. And I do like a change of pace now and then. Things appear…different out here,” she replied.
“Yes. We are nearly halfway through our journey, but the place we are going is similar to this town. Only the home in which we will be staying is a little beyond. But you will have every opportunity to walk about in the town and see things as you wish,” he explained.
“Thank you, Mr. Tyndale. I do look forward to it,” Thea said again with a smile. “May I ask, how long do we expect to be gone for?”
“Not long. Perhaps five days. Maybe six,” the duke replied.
To Thea, that seemed a great deal of time. She hoped that she would be able to write to her family and to Margaret so they all understood why she was not inviting them over to visit. She had never imagined such a world in which a man could afford to run off for five or six days without financial consequence.
The innkeeper came and told them what was available to eat. They ordered and waited for the meal to come. In the meantime, they tried to think of things to discuss.
“Am I correct in my assumption that you should like to find another performance in town when we return?” he asked.
“Oh yes. That was absolutely the most brilliant thing I have ever seen,” Thea replied, still unable to shake the awkwardness of taking his hand.
They discussed all manner of aspects to the show and how it had been an excitement and the duke promised to take her to another as soon as he was able. Thea was thrilled by the promise and their conversation left a surprisingly pleasant mark on the rest of the day’s trip.
Once back in the coach, the Duke of Sandon informed Thea that they would go first to the home the duke owned in which they would stay before going into to
wn for dinner that evening. The following day, she would be free to roam as she wished.
“There is an exquisite circulating library that I’ve no doubt you will love,” he told her.
“I should very much like to see it. Have you been in it before?” she inquired.
“Oh many times. I never do bring books with me from my home when I come to visit. Rather I enjoy browsing through the volumes there and choose one work which I might have the pleasure of reading for the week,” he answered.
“Yes, that does sound delightful,” Thea said, thinking of the three volumes she had packed in her trunk. Had she known about the library, she might have done the same as the duke suggested. She considered that she might as well anyway. It was not as though the duke was lacking for anything in his collection, but perhaps she might find a work she had not yet seen at the estate.
Light began to grow dimmer and Thea saw that they had come upon a remarkable meadow. There were flowers throughout the grass in every direction and a small pond where geese were floating peacefully. In the midst of it all lay a small cottage, covered in ivy and rosebushes.
“Here we are,” the duke announced.
Thea turned to him and marveled.
“We shall be staying here?” she asked in delight.
“Yes, we shall,” he replied.
Thea’s excitement was quickly cut short when she noticed something about the cottage.
It was small. Very small, in fact. And there would be little opportunity to have space for herself.
Thea could see that there were a few rooms from the outside, little windows peeking in to perhaps three rooms lining the top floor. But she imagined that there would be little privacy and the duke would be able to hear every creak of her step.
Swallowing hard, Thea allowed the coachman to help her down and she followed the Duke of Sandon as he led her inside the small home his father had purchased years before for times away from the city life.
A small staff of three women greeted them at the door.
“Your Grace, how lovely it is to have you again. It has been such a long time,” said the housekeeper.
“I am glad to have returned,” the duke replied. “And you must meet my wife, the Duchess of Sandon.”
“Your Grace,” the women said, curtseying in unison.
“All is ready according to your letter, Your Grace,” the housekeeper announced.
“Thank you, Mrs. Hudson. I shall show my wife to her room first,” he said.
He led Thea up the stair case on the right side of the house and to the end of the little hall to where her room would be.
“I shall be in that room, at the top of the staircase. Should you need anything, you may simply knock or call for Mrs. Hudson, the housekeeper,” he informed her.
Thea realized then that she had been correct. She would be at the very end where not a sound would go unnoticed by the duke. If, for instance, she felt a rumble of hunger in the night, he would be awakened by her feet on the steps and would come out to scold her.
She would not have any semblance of freedom as she did at the estate in Cambridge. Thea would be subject to her husband’s noticing.
It did not matter much. She had nothing at all to hide. And going into her room, she saw on the desk a bowl filled with fruit and nuts and treats that would help her pass the time in the night if such a concern did occur.
Nevertheless, she could not help but feel somewhat trapped by the duke. It would be difficult to have any peace when she felt that he was watching, waiting, and listening for her.
The duke instructed her to get changed once her trunk was brought up and that they would go into the town for dinner. She did so and made herself ready before they journeyed into the town just beyond the meadow.
It was small and quaint, the sort of town that Thea loved. Similar to her own town, the primary difference was that this one showed of solid upkeep and wealthier residents. They were the sort who could keep their homes in decent condition regardless of their circumstances.
They reached another small tavern and ate their dinner. This was a quieter meal, with Thea still feeling a sense of unease from the way she had been positioned in the house. But she pushed it all aside and once they had finished their dinner, the duke had an idea.
“What do you think if we walk for a bit? You might have a chance to see the town, to get an idea of anything you wish to do tomorrow. What do you say?” he asked with charm.
“That sounds lovely,” Thea replied.
Darkness had fallen but the air was still and warm. Thea wished it could be thus always and that the cold of England would dissipate into a perpetual spring and summer like this.
“So, what do you think?” the Duke asked.
“It is lovely. Very lovely,” Thea replied politely.
“I had thought you would find it so. Indeed, have you seen that shop across the way? They have the most delightful caramels. You ought to take some home for when you see your family or Margaret next,” the duke suggested.
Thea thought it was kind of him to offer a thought for her family and agreed. He had promised to give her an allowance for their time away with which she was free to purchase anything she wished.
Thea wished only for a little more privacy.
Chapter 24
The Duke of Sandon woke early the next morning to the sound of a very nervous Mrs. Hudson unable to contain herself.
“What is it?” he asked, opening the door to her anxious face.
“Y-your Grace!” she said, trembling from what it was that she needed to tell him.
The duke waited, but Mrs. Hudson seemed to be battling her own mind in the struggle to get out the words she needed. He began to grow worried. Soon, as she stammered about the duchess, he was frightened that something terrible had happened.
“What is it, Mrs. Hudson?” he demanded.
“Your Grace, she is…she is cooking! She demanded we leave the kitchen and allow her to do the work herself!” the woman finally announced in a fit of terror.
The duke was silent for a moment, then sighed heavily, unsure if he found it frustrating or amusing that Mrs. Hudson would be so at odds with this.
“Please do not worry, Mrs. Hudson. My new wife has some…peculiar ways, you might say. I shall speak with her,” he said to the horrified housekeeper.
Mrs. Hudson nodded and the duke closed the door behind her so that he might be able to dress himself.
After a short time, he descended the stairs and made his way to the kitchen. He found his wife already preparing breakfast with the eggs and bread that he had purchased the day before. He watched as she cooked and finally greeted her.
“Good morning,” he said carefully, making sure not to startle her.
“Oh, hello, good morning,” she replied in a rush. “I have breakfast almost ready. Is there anything else you would like to go with it?”
“No, it smells and looks lovely,” the duke replied, wishing he had also bought bacon for them to enjoy. He was, however, enjoying watching her so lively and energetic. It was a side he had not seen often.
“I certainly hope it tastes as lovely. I am not so good a cook as my mother,” she warned him with a small wince.
“I very much doubt that,” the duke replied. “I can see that you know exactly what you are doing.”
“It helps that we were never able to afford much help in the home. Now and then my mother would have a lady come, but that was only on special occasions and has been rare since we were all very young. Of course, when we were very young, she did have a great deal more help,” his wife said, speaking freely for once.
“From whom?” he inquired.
“Well, I had many aunts who lived nearby. My mother is one of four girls and my father has two sisters as well. All live very close to our town. Well, some have moved on. But when we were young, they all lived close. Oftentimes one aunt would take the children of every other for a day to give the rest some time to relax,” she said with a laugh.<
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“Your mother needed that as well, I expect?” the duke asked with a hint of a smile, knowing how stubborn his wife was.
“My poor, dear mother needed it more than any of them. Delia was an easy enough child, but the rest of us? You know that I am strong-willed. Georgette loves to be doted on. And my brothers are quite rambunctious. I do believe that school has tamed them somewhat, but they remain rather energetic,” his wife laughed.
“I do not hear you speak often of your brothers,” he commented.
“Sadly, I do not see them very much,” his wife replied. “I should like very much to be able to, but I fear that it is not to be so. Life for boys is so very different than that of a young woman,” she answered.
