“Of course, My Lady,” Mrs. Hawkins said quickly, her face creasing into a smile. “I shall have a carriage arranged for you. And I will see to the household in your absence.”
Relief rushed through Caroline and she flashed Mrs. Hawkins a bright grin. “Thank you, Mrs. Hawkins,” she exclaimed and rubbed her hands together. “I think I shall quickly rush to my bedchamber and dress more appropriately—if you will arrange that carriage swiftly.”
Mrs. Hawkins merely nodded, and Caroline rushed to her bedchamber where she exchanged the rather plain dress for one more appropriate for tea. Within the hour, she was seated in a carriage, watching the familiar countryside roll by as the carriage moved towards her family home.
As the carriage came to a halt in front of Wentworth Manor, Caroline felt a sudden rush of nervous anticipation. For some reason, the manor that she had grown up in suddenly felt different and she wondered whether she should have let her family know that she was coming to visit.
Nonsense, she decided as she alighted from the carriage and made her way up the stone steps. They‘re still my family.
Before she could reach the knocker, the door swung open—the butler lifting his brows in surprise when he noticed her.
“Lady Caroline,” he exclaimed, and a grin appeared on his face. “We were not expecting you, but I am certain you will be welcome. Please, do come in.”
“Thank you, Louis,” Caroline muttered as she stepped into the foyer. Though everything looked exactly like she left it, the familiar comfort of her home seemed to be gone.
“Caroline? Is that you?”
She turned at the sound of her mother’s voice and a smile appeared on her face when she saw Lady Wentworth descending the grand staircase easily. “I did not expect to see you today.”
“Mother,” Caroline said warmly, though she suppressed the urge to rush forward and embrace her. “I do apologize for coming unannounced. I just… I suppose I wanted to see you.”
A fine frown took residence upon her mother’s face. “Darling, your wedding was a day ago,” she said coolly and Caroline felt her cheeks flush.
“I know, I just… I was hoping we could talk about… the intricacies of running a household. I am afraid I feel quite in over my head,” Caroline admitted and her mother sighed, her gaze softening.
“I ought to have spoken to you about this before the wedding,” she admitted softly. “I do apologize, darling. Let’s go to the parlor. I will have Anne bring us some tea.”
Caroline nodded eagerly before following her mother to the drawing room. Only once they were seated, each armed with a delicate cup of tea, did she ask the question she had wanted to since the carriage had come to a standstill in front of the manor.
“Will… will Beatrice join us?”
At once, her mother’s face fell and she shook her head with a sigh.
“Beatrice… is not quite ready,” she admitted but quickly forced herself to smile. “Besides, this is not a conversation to be had with unmarried women. The running of a household will not interest her at this time.”
It was true, Caroline knew. It was not so much that Beatrice would not be interested in the conversation, but she was rather certain that her sister would only be pained by the conversation seeing as it ought to have been her running Sebastian Fairchild’s household.
“How is father?” Caroline asked, avoiding her mother’s eyes and attempting desperately to postpone the insecurities that brewed within her. Her mother flashed her a smile–one that seemed to suggest she understood her daughter’s worries.
“He is healthy,” she answered, though the smile vanished and she looked at Caroline curiously. “It was odd for us both to not have you in the house anymore, but we accept that you have your own family now.”
Caroline flashed her mother an uncomfortable smile. “We’ve been having lovely weather lately.”
“Indeed, lovely as ever,” her mother said with a knowing smile. “Though I believe the cold is on its way. Now, Caroline. What is it you really want to ask?”
“How do you do it?” Caroline finally asked with a sigh, foregoing all hope of small talk. “How do you manage to make everything seem so utterly effortless?”
Her mother simply laughed at this, then shook her head. “It is not effortless, Caroline,” she admitted. “In fact, it is quite hard work. But we are Wentworth women and we do all that we do with elegance and grace.”
Caroline frowned slightly at this and she leaned forward, her entire demeanor pleading with her mother.
“I just… It is different there,” she admitted. “The housekeeper, Mrs. Hawkins is nothing at all like Mrs. Smith. She’s brisk and busy and I am not quite certain I will be able to be the lady of the house, tell her what to do.”
At this, her mother shook her head with a sigh. “Nonsense, Caroline,” she admonished. “You will simply have to. She is one of your workers.”
“You’re right,” Caroline said, taking at least a bit of heart. “I am in charge and I will simply run the household in a way that makes me comfortable.”
“Exactly,” her mother agreed. “You run it in your own way.”
