Sally swallowed hard, unsure if she should be relieved or feel rejected again. This was the arrangement; she knew it. Still - it only made her realize that her life wouldn’t be as she’d imagined.
“Sally,” he said, his tone now soft. “I do not want to make you uncomfortable.”
She gulped down the lump in her throat.
“No, you are not. Not in the least. We will make do, all will be well,” she said, willing herself to believe it. If she said it often enough, would it be so?
Leonard offered her a sympathetic smile, his eyes soft with understanding. “We will,” he agreed. “We’ll make the best of this situation, Sally. Together. And now, I really ought to let you rest. If you like, this evening we can explore the grounds.”
She nodded her head once and then went toward her chamber, a storm of conflicting emotions swirling through her. Would she and Leonard find a way to live together in harmony? Could it be that somewhere beneath that distant, cold exterior the man she used to know still existed?
She glimpsed him in the library, that cheerful person who’d thought him to be. She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself, feeling for a second his arms there instead. She closed her eyes allowing herself to feel that warm sensation that had rushed through her in the library after he’d caught her – but then, she shook her head.
No, it was foolish. She should not take comfort from such an embrace, it had not been romantic after all. He’d caught her to keep her save, to keep her from coming to harm – and still, their brief embrace gave her a glimmer of hope. Hope that perhaps, with time, she and Leonard would find a way to live in harmony and perhaps find a semblance of happiness along with it.
CHAPTER10
Sally
As the first light of dawn filtered through the grand windows of her bedchamber, Sally was roused from her slumber by a soft but insistent knock on the door. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she rose from her large four-poster bed and made her way to the door, the plush carpet beneath her feet muffling her footsteps.
The previous day had passed quickly. She had spent some time in her chamber becoming familiar with everything. Then, her trunks and wedding trousseau had been delivered and she’d set out to make herself comfortable. After a light dinner, which she’d taken alone after Leonard sent his apologies, she’d retired to her bed exhausted from the day.
Indeed, her bones still felt heavy and when she raised her arms to open the door, they felt as if they were weighted down by sand. In addition, her ankle ached more than usual. Suddenly, just as she was about to open the door, it came to her – her tumble down the library steps. No wonder her body hurt so much!
She shuddered as she thought back to her clumsy behavior but pushed the thoughts aside to open the door. On the other side stood a woman, dressed in a neat black dress and an apron.
“Good morning,” Sally said while the woman curtsied deeply.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” the woman greeted her respectfully. “I am Mary, your lady’s maid. I’ve been assigned to assist you with your morning preparations. I know you arrived yesterday but I was away to see my family and wasn’t made aware there was a new mistress of the house until I returned.”
“I was not expecting to be mistress of a grand home myself until recently, so we are even,” Sally returned Mary’s smile with a nod.
“Ah, I heard. Well, you need not worry. I was lady’s maid to the last duchess and I can assure you, I will tend to your every need. I know it can be a lot,” she said as she stepped inside. “Shall I ring for some hot water and a wash ball? I did not want to presume, that is why I did not bring it up with me.”
“Of course,” Sally replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over her at the sight of her capable companion.
As Mary stepped into the room, Sally took a moment to appraise her appearance, noting the meticulous attention to detail evident in her neatly coiffed hair and immaculate attire. Mary’s features were kind and weathered, with laugh lines etched around her eyes that spoke of a life well-lived. Her eyes sparkled with warmth and intelligence.
She knew Leonard’s mother? I wonder if I can learn anything about her from Mary. It might help me understand Leonard better.
“I’ll send for it now. Then I’ll help you get dressed for your first day as Duchess.”
“Thank you, Mary,” Sally replied with gratitude. “I appreciate your assistance.”
A few minutes later, another maid entered with a porcelain bowl and a jug of water, along with towels and a wash ball. While the two maids set up for her morning toilet, Sally glanced around the room. The chamber was elegantly appointed, with intricately carved furniture and sumptuous fabrics that spoke of luxury and opulence. It was certainly grander than her own home, which was by no means shabby either. Still, this was another tier of wealthy.
Once everything was set up, Sally sat on the stool in front of her sideboard upon which an array of patch boxes stood, many to them brought from home.
“I will help you unpack the rest of your things today, Your Grace,” Mary said while letting down Sally’s hair. “My, what a cascade of lovely locks you have. Reminds me of the former Duchess, she had lovely hair like this also.” She smiled as Sally looked at her reflection in the mirror. In what other ways was she like the late Duchess? Or did they share any similarities?
“How long did you work for her?”
“Ten years I did. A lovely woman. Kind, gentle, a true lady. She had a difficult lot in life but she bore it with such grace,” Mary said and Sally squinted. She wanted to ask what she meant but bit her tongue. It would not look favorably on her to be asking such questions so early on in her tenure as Duchess.
“I aim to be like her, a good Duchess,” she said. “Although I am not sure what that will entail. I imagine it is not unlike the duties of a Countess.”
“Not very different at all,” Mary assured her. “Today, we will go over your usual day. You will tell me what time you like to get up, how you take your meals, what sort of makeup you prefer, how to do your hair and such. Of course, we will unpack and organize your armoires. I suggest one armoire for everyday wear, another for evening attire and …” Mary continued on listing a variety of tasks they had to attend to. Sally wanted to crawl back into bed just from listening but knew that would not do.
