“Oh, Mr. Hancock!” Rose exclaimed upon seeing the man leave the stables and head towards the house. “Please, may I have a word?”
He turned around in time to both see her and hear her, but she could tell from the look on his face that he wasn’t particularly keen on discussing anything with her. Still, he stopped and waited for her to approach him.
Rose’s heart was beating nervously as she wondered if she should even ask. Perhaps not. Perhaps it would be too early. After all, her brother had been there only a single day, his work being to help out in the stables. Asking if he had done a good job seemed like a superfluous question that couldn’t have a reasonable answer yet. Still, curiosity won over.
“I’m sorry to intercept you like this, but I wanted to ask about my brother.”
“What about him?” Mr. Hancock wondered, his face stern, his lips tightly pressed against each other and his manner grave. There was nothing about him that left even the smallest opening for a hope that he might ever become a friend.
“Well,” she started apprehensively, “I know it was just his first day today, but I was wondering if you feel he did a good job. I mean, with the duties you have given him, and taking everything into account, and I know—”
“Apparently,” he interrupted her, after which she immediately stopped talking, realizing that she was mumbling without much sense, which didn’t help her brother at all. “He did… well.”
“Well?” Rose smiled, her eyes widening at the word. Never in her entire life had the word enthused her so, mostly for the fact that she knew Mr. Hancock would never lavish higher praise upon either her or his brother. Well was more than she could have hoped for. “Thank you, Mr. Hancock.”
“Yes,” he nodded curtly. “But one day’s praise means nothing the following day,” he reminded her.
“Of course,” she agreed. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“If that is all…” he said, his voice trailing off. He was already half turned away from her, returning to his task.
“Yes, yes, of course,” she nodded. “I just wish to go and see His Grace, to bid him good evening before I go.”
Mr. Hancock raised an eyebrow in disapproval. “I could tell His Grace that you have left.”
“Oh, well…” His suggestion caught her off guard. The truth was, she wanted to tell him that herself. “If you don’t mind, I would like to do that myself. My late parents have always taught me manners, and when one leaves someone’s home, the proper thing is to say goodbye. Also, I would like to thank him again for the opportunity he had so generously given to my brother.”
Mr. Hancock didn’t seem to like that very much, but he didn’t argue. She appreciated that.
“Very well,” he said instead. “His Grace is in his study.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hancock,” Rose smile with gratitude, although the man obviously didn’t like either her or her brother. He had made that perfectly clear from the moment he laid eyes on her. “I shall head there immediately.”
Mr. Hancock didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned around and disappeared into the house. Rose shook her head to herself with a smile. The man was filled with prejudices without basing them on anything.
Well, not really, a little voice inside reminded her. The gossip from the village was enough of a deterrent to him. After all, sheand her brother were from that same village. He couldn’t know whether they believed the rumors, or whether they spread them themselves. The man was a loyal servant, and if nothing else, Rose could appreciate at least that much about him.
Rose entered the mansion, climbing up the grand stairwell. She had not seen William all day, and despite all common sense, a knot of worry formed in her chest. She knew that he had a visitor that morning, who claimed to be an old friend of the duke’s. Curiosity poked at her from all sides as she wondered what their conversation had entailed. Perhaps a trip down memory lane?
Making her way through the quiet halls, she finally reached his study. Mustering the courage, her hand lingered a few inches away from the door when she finally knocked. A moment later, she could hear his voice from inside.
“Yes?” he called out.
She gently opened the door, revealing herself. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace, I hope I am not interrupting…”
“Ah, Rose,” he said, looking up from his desk. His face was pale and there was a drawn look about his eyes that made her heart ache. “Do come in.”
“I just wanted to let you know that my brother and I are done for the day and we shall be leaving,” she told him. “We will, of course, be back in the morning.”
“Yes, of course,” he nodded. “That is fine. Good night.”
She was about to leave when she noticed the pallor of his face and the way his shoulders slumped. Concern flared in her eyes. She wondered if he was having an onslaught of pain again, but being the stoic man that he was, he tried to hide it from everyone, as he usually did.
“Are you feeling well, Your Grace?” she inquired gently. “If you don’t mind me saying, but you look a little pale.”
He forced a smile, although it did not reach his eyes. “I’m fine, Rose. Thank you for asking.” He paused for a moment or two, then he continued. “It is getting late. You and your brother should leave before it gets too dark outside. The roads can be a dangerous place.”
Rose wasn’t convinced. There was a lingering sadness in his expression that she couldn’t ignore. “It is not that late,” she told him, suddenly remembering something. “Please, stay here. I’ll be right back.”
