Chapter 10

When Christopher returned home, he found Frances asleep next to the twins. She seemed to be fast asleep, her face showing signs of exhaustion. Edwin and Ernest were nestled close to her, their small hands clutching her dress.

Christopher stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the scene. The weight of responsibility and care she carried was evident, and he felt a pang of guilt for not realizing sooner how much she had been doing. Quietly, he exited the room and sought out Mrs. Bellum.

"Mrs. Bellum," he asked, his tone serious, "what has my wife been doing to be so exhausted?"

Mrs. Bellum looked up from her work. "Your Grace, Her Grace has been attending to all her duties as the Duchess, on top of taking care of the children. She has been working tirelessly."

Christopher frowned and waited for her to explain a bit more.

"She's been overseeing the staff, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that everyone's needs are met. She's meticulous, making sure that every detail is perfect, from the daily menus to the upkeep of the estate."

"The staff is there to help her. I assume that is the case?" He raised an eyebrow.

He had never considered before just how much work it took to manage a household. His mother had never been too interested in it, and he had not spent much time with her to know either.

"They are." Mrs. Bellum nodded

"And how are the children?"

"They are well, thanks to her care. But even I must admit, as much as I am strict, that Her Grace needs help. The twins need a governess, someone who can share the burden."

Realization dawned on Christopher."You're right, Mrs. Bellum."

He had not been taking care of Frances at all and had left her to manage the entire household by her lonesome. It was not fair for her, and he was beginning to see the effects of his actions.

Mrs. Bellum gave a slight nod. "It's my duty, Your Grace. Her Grace has been doing her best, but she cannot do it all alone."

Christopher sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I want her to rest for the next few days. See to it that she has no duties other than to relax and recover. I'll handle the children in the meantime."

Mrs. Bellum's eyes softened slightly, showing a rare glimpse of approval. "Very well. I will make sure she gets the rest she needs."

Christopher returned to the room where Frances was sleeping next to the twins. He gently lifted her into his arms, careful not to wake her or disturb the boys. As he carried her to her bedroom, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked in his arms.

Once they reached her room, he laid her gently on the bed. As he pulled the blankets over her, Frances stirred, her eyes fluttering open slightly.

"Where am I? Where are the children?" She seemed wholly confused.

Christopher cracked a smile at her innocence. "You had fallen asleep in their room, so I brought you back to your room. The children are fast asleep as well."

She blinked at him a few times, dazed. And then began to roughly tug at the side of her corset.

Christopher's eyes widened, and he froze, unable to tear his gaze away from her. For a moment, it looked as though she was about to tear off her dress. He felt a jolt inside of him at the thought alone.

"Franc—"

"My corset," she whined in a groggy voice. "It is far too uncomfortable."

Christopher gulped. With just how tight it was, he would not be surprised. "It does not look ideal."

She shrugged her shoulders and then looked up at him with a pout on her face."Could you help me untie it?"

Christopher hesitated for a moment, then carefully began to untie the laces of her corset, trying to be as gentle as possible. He could feel her silky soft skin under his fingers.

For a moment, he was tempted to let his fingers linger longer than they needed to, but then quickly controlled himself, and the fabric fell open.

As the tension eased, Frances let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she murmured

"You're welcome." Christopher took a step back.

She looked so… inviting in her bed.

"I should let you get some rest."

Just as he was about to walk away, Frances stopped him by gently grabbing his hand. "Christopher," she said softly, her eyes still half-closed.

"What is it now?"

She was being more honest than usual. The tiredness had done much to let her walls down.

"Why don't you want to have an heir?"

He had not expected her to ask that.

"Is this really the time?" he challenged.

"It is something I have thought about a fair amount, and I only wish to know your reasoning."

Christopher sighed, hearing the sincerity in her voice. He took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "I feel guilty," he admitted quietly.

"What is it that you are guilty about?"

Truthfully, he did not know the full answer to that either. But just that it was a constant emotion for him.

He managed a small, sad smile and leaned down to kiss her forehead gently. "You should rest."

With that, he quietly left the room, not waiting for her response.

It was hardly the time to talk. One thing that was difficult to deny was that Frances had a way of bringing things out of him like no one else.

Somehow, it felt safe to admit things to her. Perhaps part of the reason was how motherly she was—her interactions with the children proved that she was a very trustworthy person.

And perhaps a part of it was that he specifically felt something when he was around her that made him want to open up.

It was a dangerous line he was walking, but at least he was having a good time.

* * *

The next morning, Frances woke up late. The sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already time for lunch.

She shot up in bed immediately, rubbing the side of her head in confusion.

How did I sleep in so late?

Frances never really had a problem with waking up on time. But she had been so exhausted all week that it had really taken a toll on her body.

Just then, her maid entered the room.

"Good morning, Your Grace." She smiled cheerfully. "I have brought you breakfast."

"Why did you not wake me sooner?" Frances questioned as the maid set down the plate of food on the table.

Frances slowly climbed out of bed, clutching the front of her robe tightly.

"The staff was given express instructions to let you rest for the day."

"Who asked you to let me sleep?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"His Grace," the maid replied, setting the cutlery. "He insisted that you needed rest and ordered us not to disturb you."

Frances felt her cheeks grow warmer. It was so thoughtful for Christopher to do this, when he had no need to.

"Well, thank you. I will enjoy my breakfast now."

The maid curtsied and stepped out of the room, leaving Frances to her thoughts.

She kept thinking of Christopher, and then the children.

The children.

"Oh, they must be wondering why I did not show up for breakfast." Frances shoveled the remains of her toast into her mouth and then quickly got changed.

Taking care of the children was a full-time commitment, and she did not want them to worry. Rest should come later.

She hurriedly finished dressing and then made her way downstairs. At the dining table, Christopher was having lunch with the twins.

She felt relieved to see them there, looking calm as ever.

Perhaps I overreacted, just a little.

"Good afternoon, Frances. So pleased to see that you have joined us," Christopher commented as he spotted her in the doorway.

She nodded, walking over to them.

Christopher pulled out the chair next to him for her. "Please, sit down."When sat down, he asked, "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded. "I have to admit, the sleep did me wonders. Thank you for arranging that."

He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "It was nothing. You deserve far more. In fact, there is some news I would like to share with you after lunch if it's alright with you."

Her curiosity was piqued, but she resisted pressing him for more details.After all, it could be something that he did not want to discuss in front of the children, and so she should be careful.

Edwin was in a talkative mood and kept making little remarks about the lunch to Christopher.

Ernest, as usual, kept to himself.

Frances nudged him gently."Are you not enjoying your food?"

Ernest shrugged his shoulders. "I am not too hungry."

"Well, why is that?" Frances asked, smiling. "Perhaps you need to work up an appetite first. Why don't you play outside with your brother after lunch?"

Ernest nodded eagerly at the idea. "Would you join us?"

"As soon as I can."

He ate the rest of his lunch quite quickly after that.

Christopher stared at Frances, quite impressed once lunch was over.

"Remind me again how you do it…" he trailed off as he led her upstairs to his study.

"It's not too difficult, you know. You just need to give them the right incentives."

They entered his study, and he turned to face her with both his hands clasped together.

"I believe you could make a shrewd businesswoman if you were so inclined. Your skill for knowing the right thing to say must be studied."

Frances shook her head, laughing at his exaggeration. "You said that there was something that you needed to tell me."

"Oh, yes." Christopher nodded. "Well, actually, I have some good news for you."

"You must not keep me in suspense a moment longer," Frances pressed.

"I found a potential governess for the children. I would like you to meet her and approve of the choice before we hire her."

Frances looked at him in surprise, her tone faltering slightly. "You found a governess? That's wonderful news."

He shot her a look. "You do not seem too enthused. Why?"

Frances shook her head, straightening her back.

Truthfully, she had no right to be upset. But somehow, it felt like taking care of the children was her job, and no one else's.

"I just did not think that you were going to hire one, considering I am here now…"

Christopher smiled gently. "You are here to be their mother, not their governess. And you are also my wife. You have your own duties and deserve to have some time for yourself as well."

She blushed. It happened each time he referred to her as his wife.

Was she ever going to get used to that?

"What is she like?"

"The governess? Oh, the very best. Of course, that is what the condition was as well. It took me a long time to find her, but I am confident that she is capable."

Frances was silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"Frances?" Christopher prompted. He seemed unsettled by her long pauses. "I cannot read your mind, and you have an excellent poker face. So would you please instead tell me what you are thinking yourself?"

She bit her lip. "Your Grace, I… I was just thinking that you seemed to have put a lot of thought into choosing the governess. So then why did you want my word to the final one?"

He looked at her as though she had just asked a ridiculous question.

"We are taking care of the twins together. Your opinion holds equal weight in this, if not more."

She blushed again and muttered a quick "thank you" under her breath.

Christopher was, in all ways, the perfect gentleman. He always put her first, and she was realizing now just how nice it made her feel.

"No need for any formalities," he said, sinking into the sofa behind him. "I think we are far too formal with one another."

Her eyebrow shot up. "I do not see why that is a bad thing?"

"No, of course, it's not a bad thing. But we should consider each other as friends." He smiled. "There is not much room for formalities between friends, is there?"

For a split second, she felt her heart sink. There was something not right about being referred to as a friend by her husband.

Still, she was careful to not let it show on her face.

"No, I suppose there is not."

"Happy to be on the same page then." He nodded. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Another one?"

He chuckled lightly. "This has to do with your duties as a duchess. If all goes well with the governess, then you will be free to attend to your duties as a duchess."

She gulped, holding onto the hem of her skirt. "Go on, then."

"There is a ball in London in the next few days that the both of us must attend. This, of course, will be our first public appearance, so it is vital that you make a good impression."

Her grip on her skirt tightened. "I see."

"In fact, I have ordered a dress for you already. From one of the finest dressmakers in town—Madam Belfry."

Frances's jaw nearly dropped. "You cannot be serious."

He gave her a boyish grin. "I have no reason to joke about this."

Frances had a take a moment to soak in the information. Madam Belfry was the best dressmaker in the whole of London. It was every young lady's dream to wear a dress made by her, and her dresses cost more than half a year's wage for a normal person. It was the ultimate dream, and Christopher had made it come true so effortlessly.

"I like it when you are at a loss for words," Christopher commented, amused. "It's endearing, actually. The way your eyes widen."

Frances shook her head, still in disbelief. "I apologize. I am still trying to process what you have told me. You did not have to do this, really."

She left out that this was perhaps the nicest thing that anyone had ever done for her.

"I wanted to," Christopher insisted. "Besides, you must be dressed in your best for our first public appearance."

He was smiling at her how, and Frances realized that this smile was genuine.

Did he like seeing her happy? The idea made warmth rush through her.

"Thank you." She nodded once.

"There you go with the formalities again." He chuckled. "No need for any of it. Should you need ten more dresses from the same shop, then I shall see to it that you have them as well."

Their gazes locked again, and neither of them looked away immediately.

Frances felt a jolt of something—a spark, a connection. And then Christopher smiled at her.

She realized just how much she loved seeing him smile like this.

"I should see what the children are doing…" She hastily tore her gaze away when she found herself getting too lost in the moment.

He looked disappointed, but only for a brief second.

"Off you go, then. Godspeed."

She hurried out of the room, her heart fluttering with excitement.

The dress. She was not sure if she was more excited to wear it, or for him to see her in it.

* * *

The next day, Frances found herself in the drawing room, waiting to meet the potential governess Christopher had mentioned. She felt a mix of anticipation and nerves, hoping this woman would be the right fit for Ernest and Edwin.

Mrs. Bellum escorted the governess into the room, and Frances stood up to greet her. The woman was in her mid-thirties, with a calm and composed demeanor. Her name was Miss Margaret Harper, and she carried herself with an air of quiet confidence.

"Good afternoon, Miss Harper," Frances greeted, offering her a warm smile. "Please, have a seat."

"Your Grace," Miss Harper replied, curtsying politely before taking a seat opposite her. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me."

Frances nodded, folding her hands in her lap. "Thank you for coming. I've heard good things about you, but I'd like to get to know you a bit better before making a decision. Could you tell me a little about your experience with children?"

"Of course," Miss Harper said, her voice steady. "I have been a governess for over ten years, working with various families. My most recent position was with the Crawfords, whose three children I looked after for five years. I believe in a balanced approach to education, focusing on both academic and personal development."

Frances looked over at Mrs. Bellum, who did not show any emotion at all.

"I see. And what experience do you have with boys specifically? They can be quite mischievous, but their upbringing must have the right balance of encouragement and discipline."

Miss Harper nodded. "Yes, I agree with you. Though I am not too fond of using discipline."

Frances nodded at once. "That is the right attitude to have."

"I am glad that I have your approval."

Frances continued to ask her a series of questions. At one point, she felt as though she was asking too many. But she had to be thorough.

After nearly an hour, she finally felt satisfied that she had all the information she needed.

"Well, Miss Harper, I have to say, I am very impressed with you."

Miss Harper smiled. "I am glad."

"I believe you can get started right away. In fact, Mrs. Bellum can introduce you to the children."

"That would be ideal."

After the governess left to see the children, Frances wasted no time and marched straight up to Christopher's room.

She wanted to tell him the news. Knocking on his door, she was met by his curious gaze just a few moments later.

"Christopher!"

He became more alert at once. "Is something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite. I just had a meeting with the governess, and it could not have gone better."

Christopher looked relieved, and then amused. "Well then, we have the stamp of approval from the masterwoman herself."

Frances blushed when he called her that."Must you call me that?"

"Is it not true?" he countered.

"The important thing is that we have found someone," she pointed out.

In her excitement, she felt the urge to jump into his arms, but she quickly controlled herself.That would be embarrassing and, not to mention, unwelcome.

"I am happy that I will get to have more of you to myself now." He smiled at her, and then he caught himself as well. "For the duties that are expected of you, of course."

But it was too late. She was blushing hard now.

"I just wanted to come up and tell you the news myself.I told her that she can start right away."

He nodded at her, taking a step back. "Well, I am happy as long as you are."

Without hesitation, he reached out and squeezed her shoulder slightly, before heading back into his room.

She stood there, frozen. Still reeling from his touch.

It was a friendly one, and nothing more. But still, the impact it had on her was significant. Her heart thudded against her ribcage.

As she walked back to her room, she felt dazed.

The fire that burned between them was getting stronger by the day, and she did not know how much longer she could hold it back.

Or end up getting burned by its intensity.