“I sincerely doubt it,” Nancy admitted, rubbing her hands over the puppy as they washed him. “He seems to rank quite high on that list.”
She had suggested bathing him as soon as he had been fed, and when Paula had stepped up to take on the task, Nancy could not pass up the opportunity to join her, already hopelessly enamored with the puppy and unable to entertain the thought of being apart from him.
He had been incredibly good since they placed him in the tub, sitting mostly still as they cleaned his fur, making more of his whiter patches show and letting the brown sides gleam cleanly. Every now and then, he would use a paw to swipe at the water, giddy with excitement at the way the water would splash.
“I am very glad you managed to convince His Grace to let you keep him. He has visited the property multiple times in the last two weeks, and each time, he was chased away. Mrs. Silverstone even instructed that we have him removed as soon as he was spotted before the Duke found out. Apparently, he doesn’t like dogs,” Paula said, gently lifting the puppy out of the tub and placing him on a dry towel.
Nancy frowned at the fact. Nevertheless, she’d managed to convince him to keep Dash, and that was all that mattered for now.
She sighed. “I, too, am thankful that he let me keep Dash. I hope that moving forward, Dash will try to repay him for his kindness.”
Paula nodded, using another towel to dry Dash’s fur, beaming at the puppy. “Mrs. Silverstone also informed me that His Grace is going to hire a dog trainer to ensure that he is raised to be a well-mannered pup. That was kind of him, was it not?”
It was certainly a good idea, and perhaps if Dash learned to act properly, the Duke would be able to see how lovely dogs can be.
“It really was. I look forward to the trainer’s arrival then,” Nancy agreed.
ChapterFive
“Ifear I might have spoiled you,” Nancy mumbled with a little smile, watching as Dash curled up at her feet while she read a book, refusing Paula’s summons to come over and collect a treat.
It had taken a few days for the dog trainer to arrive.
In that time, Nancy had grown acquainted with Dash, obviously so fond of him that she could barely stand the idea of being separated from him for more than a few minutes. And Dash clearly felt the same way if his attachment to his owner was any indication. He always trailed after Nancy, trotting a few steps behind her, hardly ever willing to do anything if his Duchess was not in the vicinity.
Her point of having spoiled him was soon proven. Dash sat up eagerly the moment the treat was placed in her palm, his tail wagging in anticipation.
The Duke was keeping his distance, and she could not tell if it was because of Dash or her, unsure if she preferred things this way.
They had made no more efforts to eat together. There were many things she could endure, but a stiff meal was her limit.
And so, when the butler came in on a warm afternoon to announce the arrival of the dog trainer, Nancy was excited to meet someone else with whom she could converse about something she loved dearly—animals.
“Your Grace, this is Mr. Martin Aldridge, an expert dog trainer. He is highly recommended and will be staying with us throughout the duration of Dash’s training. Mr. Aldridge, meet Her Grace, the Duchess of Wexford,” Ernest announced.
“It is an absolute honor to meet you, Your Grace.” Martin smiled politely, his expression lighting up at the sight of Dash. “And you must be my student! Aren’t you a charming little pal?”
There was something about him that appealed to Dash because, for the first time since Nancy had taken the dog in, he willingly left her side, trotting over to Martin curiously.
“Oh, he is a stunning breed. Where did you find him, Your Grace?” the trainer asked.
“The courtyard,” Nancy replied, nearly chuckling at the confused expression on the man’s face. “He was a stray that had apparently been spotted on numerous occasions roaming around the property. I asked my husband if I could keep him as a companion and was given permission to do so. His Grace insisted on a trainer to ensure that he was always on his best behavior.”
“That was an excellent idea. Usually, it is not ideal to take in random strays as they could be carriers of infectious diseases—mostly in the city. He seems to be in excellent health, and he looks about the perfect age to train—just a little over two months,” Martin noted, going down on one knee to get a closer look at Dash.
The puppy seemed to like the attention, shuffling closer to his trainer with a little huff.
Martin laughed, bringing his hands up to ruffle Dash’s furry, floppy ears, pleased when the puppy stuck his tongue out in excitement.
“He seems eager for his first lesson. Since it is our first day, it will be very brief. I simply want to test how receptive he is to instructions and commands,” he said, rising to his feet.
“Oh. That sounds nice. Would it be all right if I join you, Mr. Aldridge?” Nancy asked, wanting to be a part of Dash’s training but not wanting to impose or cause any distractions.
“Of course, Your Grace,” Martin replied immediately. “I would even go as far as to encourage your presence, as he is more likely to do his best with his owner around. He will most likely want to impress you.”
It sounded rather sweet when Nancy thought about it, and she could not wait to witness how the training would go.
“I am more than happy to support him in any way I can,” she replied.
