He glanced at her, then at Henry. “Are you perchance headed in that direction?”
Rose smiled. “We are actually heading there.”
“Splendid!” the man exclaimed joyfully. Then he proceeded to introduce himself without even being asked to do so. “You see,I am an old friend of the good duke. My name is Mr. Stephen Trent.” He extended his hand in greeting, and Rose could see the sincerity in his eyes.
She proceeded to introduce herself, then her brother, explaining that they were employed at the manor house. As they continued their journey together, Rose couldn’t help but wonder what Mr. Trent wanted with the duke. He rarely had any visitors, and this sudden arrival piqued her interest.
“Is the duke expecting you?” she tried to inquire as politely as she could, although she could suspect what the answer would be.
“Well, no, not really,” Mr. Trent smiled nervously. “You see, we served together during the war,” he told them as they neared the manor house. “I have been traveling abroad and only recently returned to England. I thought it was high time to pay him a friendly visit.”
Rose’s curiosity only grew with each passing moment. She had heard a little about the duke’s past, and the arrival of an old friend seemed significant. “He’ll be surprised to see you, I’m sure. The duke doesn’t get many visitors.”
Mr. Trent nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, I imagine he keeps to himself these days. But I hope our old camaraderie will bring some light into his life.”
As they continued up the path, the imposing silhouette of the duke’s manor house came into full view. Rose could feel a sense of anticipation building inside of her. What would the duke think of this unexpected visit? Would it bring joy or unease to his otherwise secluded life?
Chapter 11
“A visitor?” William frowned as he was sitting in his study. He couldn’t imagine anyone from the village coming to see him. There was a higher chance of snow in June. “Does he have a name?”
“I asked for it,” Mr. Hancock said apologetically, “but he said that he would rather keep it a surprise; that he is an old friend of Your Grace.”
William sighed. He didn’t know that he still had any friends left. That was news to him. “Fine,” he nodded, deciding to take a chance on whoever it was. “Show him in, Mr. Hancock.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Mr. Hancock nodded politely, then left the room and William lingering in his own doubts regarding the identity of the mysterious visitor.
As the door to his study opened once more several moments later, William’s eyes befell a familiar figure. He blinked heavily, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him or not.
“Stephen?” he called out, a broad smile spreading across his face. “Is that really you?”
Stephen’s own face lit up upon seeing him. “William, my old friend!” The man strode forward, clasping William’s hand firmly, locking his eyes with William’s. “It has been far too long.”
“Indeed, it has,” William agreed, his heart lifting at the sight of his friend. “I… I don’t even know where to begin. My mind is swarming with all sorts of questions, and I don’t know which one to ask first.”
“I know the feeling,” Stephen replied with a grin. He began to look around the opulently furnished study, his eyes taking in the rich tapestries, the ornate furniture, the tomes of priceless books resting on the shelves. “You’ve done well for yourself, William. It must be quite something to have all of this in the palm of your hand.”
William hesitated, caught off guard by the comment, knowing all the events that had led to him becoming the duke and inheriting all of those riches. He forced a polite smile, offering a response. “Not all that shines is gold, my friend. Despite what you might think, I am not in a position many would be envious of.”
Stephen continued, seemingly oblivious to William’s discomfort. “But still, it looks like it all turned out well for you. You came back from the war just a little over a year ago, with a few scars, and now you’re the duke.”
William’s expression darkened. He didn’t like where this was going. He was surprised to hear his friend talk in such a manner. He felt a sudden wave of anger and sorrow intertwined as it rose inside of him, but he struggled to keep his voice steady. “Stephen, I only became the duke because my father and brother died. I wouldn’t say things turned out that well at all.”
He couldn’t believe that he actually had to say that aloud. He felt as if someone had punched him in the gut, forcing the air out of his lungs, making it increasingly more difficult to breathe. That was when Stephen’s face fell, and he took a step back, raising his hand in a gesture of apology, only then realizing the gravity of his words.
“I’m so sorry, William. That… was a thoughtless comment. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that… you look well and I’m happy to see you settled like this,” Stephen clarified.
The unexpected tension in the room was palpable, but William took a deep breath in an effort to clear his mind. He tried to remind himself that Stephen was an old friend. He couldn’t have meant what he said. It was merely the longevity of the time they had spent apart and the sudden awkwardness which sometimes led people to say things in a way they didn’t mean. That had to be it.
“I appreciate the sentiment, old boy,” William nodded. “It’s just been a difficult adjustment.”
Stephen nodded; his eyes filled with genuine remorse. “Of course, Will. I didn’t mean to undermine the depth of your loss. It is good to see you again, truly. And I hope that we can put this foolishness behind us.”
William managed a faint smile. “Consider it forgotten. It is good to see you as well, Stephen. Let us sit down and catch up. There is much to discuss, and I could use the company of an old friend.” He proceeded to get up and walk over to the cellarette, opening the door and revealing an array of crystal decanters. “Would that old friend accept a glass of brandy?”
“That sounds splendid,” Stephen replied, his smile widening.
William selected a decanter and poured two generous measures of brandy into crystal glasses. He handed one to Stephen before settling back into his chair with his own glass. They raised their glasses in a silent toast before taking a sip.
