Chapter 12

The dreaded moment had finally arrived. Reginald was gone. All the other guests were gone as well, and Catherine was alone with her husband in her new home. She watched as all the servants were gathered in the grand hallway of the estate, all of them quiet and focusing their gazes on their master. Catherine stood by his side, unable to do anything other than to watch.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Dominic began in a voice that strangely titillated her as only a combination of authority and warmth could, "I have the pleasure of introducing to you my wife, Lady Catherine."

He gestured gracefully towards Catherine, who immediately smiled and did a small curtsy to greet everyone. The nerves in her heart almost made that simple movement impossible.

The servants immediately reciprocated, bowing and curtsying respectfully, their expressions filled with genuine warmth. Catherine realized that she actually felt welcomed there, in what had so unexpectedly become her new home. She was extremely grateful for that small act of kindness on behalf of everyone.

Dominic then turned to the housekeeper; a seasoned matron whose air of authority was evident in the way she was standing at the beginning of the long line of servants. "Mrs. Jenkins," he addressed her with a respectful nod, "please show Lady Catherine to her quarters and ensure that she is comfortable."

"Yes, Your Grace," Mrs. Jenkins nodded politely. "It would be my pleasure."

He glanced at Catherine. "I will be in my study, but if you need me for anything, do not hesitate to interrupt."

"Thank you," she said without any color to her voice. "That won't be necessary. You'd best focus on your work."

A part of her felt slightly offended that he would choose to leave her alone. He forced her to marry him, to come here and now he was leaving her alone on her first day there? That made no sense. Once again, she was angry with him. She kept adding more reasons to be upset with him. Why would he force her to marry him? Why was he leaving her alone? Why was he looking almost devilishly handsome in that wedding attire? The list seemed endless.

Mrs. Jenkins stepped forward with a reassuring smile, almost as if she could recognize all the doubt inside Catherine's mind. She extended her arm towards Catherine in a gesture of hospitality. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, Lady Catherine, I will see to it that you are settled in."

"Yes, thank you," she smiled back at the friendly request, feeling at the same time a wave of relief. It was probably for the best for her to be alone, to collect her thoughts and acclimate to her new surroundings without the duke present everywhere she turned.

With a hasty nod in the duke's direction, she proceeded to follow Mrs. Jenkins down the ornate hallway, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floors. Then, once they were out of earshot of both the duke and the rest of the servants, Mrs. Jenkins spoke again.

"I must say, Lady Catherine," her words were filled with genuine sincerity, "we are all delighted to have you here at last. We've been eagerly anticipating your arrival."

"You have?" Catherine echoed, as the kind lady's words felt like a gentle wave of warmth, soothing Catherine's nerves that had fluttered within her since her arrival.

"Oh, indeed," Mrs. Jenkins turned to her as she spoke. "Your chamber has been ready for almost a month, as per the duke's special request."

"Special request?" Catherine echoed again, lifting an eyebrow. "What special request?"

"Oh," Mrs. Jenkins chuckled sweetly, looking away as if her eyes might betray what her lips almost did. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything. I almost spoiled the surprise."

Catherine had come to learn that surprises were never a good thing, so now she feared them. But something in Mrs. Jenkins' voice assured her that this surprise was nothing to be afraid of. They kept walking through the labyrinthine corridors of the estate, until finally, Mrs. Jenkins stopped in front of a large, elaborately crafted door that held two lion heads as the doorknob.

"These are your quarters, my lady," Mrs. Jenkins announced.

"Here?" Catherine wondered, staring in awe at the door. "But… I changed and got ready for the wedding in another room. I was under the impression that was to be mine."

"Oh no, no," Mrs. Jenkins shook her head. "That was one of the guestrooms. The duke stated specifically that we show you to your chambers after the wedding."

"I see," Catherine nodded, slightly confused by this unusual order of things. Still, that didn't change anything. She was equally reluctant to be there, regardless of the chamber that was to be bestowed upon her.

"It is unlocked," Mrs. Jenkins revealed. "You may enter whenever you wish."

Catherine didn't know what she expected to see upon entering. However, what she did see left her speechless. She was still standing in the doorway, with poor Mrs. Jenkins behind her, unable to enter. But Catherine was frozen in time and space as she took in the sight before her.

The chamber she changed in and got ready for the wedding was lovely, but simple. It was nothing like her chamber back home. However, she refused to ask for anything other than the few belongings she wanted to take with her and bring them there. This chamber, on the other hand, was something beyond her wildest imagination.

It was a bedchamber of unparalleled beauty, adorned with the finest fabrics and furnishings, each obviously chosen with care to evoke a sense of refinement.

The bed, draped in layers of sumptuous silk and velvet, stood as the centerpiece of the room, its towering canopy decorated with cascading fabric and delicate lace. Pillows of the softest varieties beckoned to Catherine's weary soul, promising a night of restful slumber, especially after everything that has happened.

Atop the bedside tables, there were bouquets of freshly cut flowers filling the air with their sweet fragrance. The vibrant hues only seemed to add even more resplendence to the soft, unassuming tones of the room. Crystal decanters and silver trays gleamed in the soft light of the sun that trickled through the open window.

But that was not all. Along the walls, shelves lade with leather-bound tomes of book spoke of old stories, providing answers to age-old questions if one only wished to pose them. A plus armchair nestled in a cozy corner, perfect for lingering and losing oneself in the pages of a captivating tale.

Every detail of the chamber was sheer perfection. There was no other way of describing it.

"Is it to your liking, Lady Catherine?" Mrs. Jenkins suddenly spoke from somewhere behind her, and Catherine realized only then that she had been rudely standing in the doorway all this time, preventing poor Mrs. Jenkins from entering.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" Catherine rushed inside, turning to the housekeeper, who didn't seem to mind this interruption.

"It is quite all right," Mrs. Jenkins smiled. "The room really takes one's breath away, doesn't it?"

"Oh… most certainly," Catherine immediately nodded. "Everything is absolutely wonderful. I have no words to describe it. You all shouldn't have gone to all this trouble for me."

"It was no trouble at all," Mrs. Jenkins replied and her smile assured Catherine that it was the truth. "His Grace has given us more than enough time to arrange for everything and make sure that every detail was to his liking."

"His liking?" Catherine was starting to feel silly, just echoing the lady's words, but that was all she could do. Had he supervised the renovation of this chamber just for her arrival? What did that mean? Why would he do such a thing? It simply didn't make any sense.

"Why yes," Mrs. Jenkins responded cheerfully, as if able to read Catherine's mind. "His Grace was supervising the entire process, giving us all the detailed instructions so that your personal quarters could be… well, like this."

"The duke has arranged for all of this… himself?" Catherine could not believe it. That stood as a stark contrast to the man she knew, the man who forced women into a marriage by blackmailing them, the man who considered his own wishes paramount and more important than anyone else's. And now, here he was, pampering her with posh sleeping quarters. It just didn't make any sense.

"Yes," Mrs. Jenkins nodded again, walking over to the big wardrobe in the corner, then proceeding to open it. Catherine almost gasped loudly. It was filled with gowns of all colors, different fabrics and designs. Up, on the highest shelf, there was a row of perfumes, dainty little bottles, and along the bottom shelf, there were several pairs of the most beautiful shoes Catherine had ever seen.

"Is all this for me?" Catherine asked, although she immediately realized how silly that question sounded. Of course it was for her. Who else would it be for? But then again, why did the duke go through so much effort? She was already his wife. She had nothing else to give him.

"Yes, and your own belongings are there by the door," Mrs. Jenkins pointed at a small suitcase. "We were not certain how private you were about your personal belongings, so we did not wish to pry. If you allow, I will be happy to tell one of our servants to put everything in its place… unless, of course, you wish to do it yourself."

The custom was that these things were usually done by the servants. If she refused this service, Catherine feared that they might see it as her not trusting them, so she simply nodded with a smile. After all, she had nothing to hide anymore. She felt as if her life was laid bare for the world to see, so what were a few unmentionables to be stored away by the servants? She didn't care one bit about those, when she had lost the only thing she cared about.

"Oh, there are just a few gowns there and some jewelry, nothing too private," she assured her. "You may send someone to help me unpack. I would welcome the help."

"I am very happy to hear that," Mrs. Jenkins beamed. "I shall send Nora over immediately. In the meantime, I will let you rest a little. If you need me for anything, please do not hesitate to call for me, Your Grace."

"Thank you, Mrs. Jenkins," Catherine gushed, unable to stop herself. She walked over to Mrs. Jenkins and took the woman's hands into her own. "Thank you for making me feel so welcome here and being so kind. I… I was a little hesitant as to what my first day here will look like, but you made it beautiful."

"Oh, it is our pleasure to have you here, Your Grace," Mrs. Jenkins repeated with even more conviction this time. "Marriage, although a beautiful occasion, can be hard for women. After all, they leave the comfort of their own homes, of their own family, and venture into the unknown. It is brave, if you ask me. Braver than many things men are capable of doing."

At those words, both ladies chuckled to each other. Catherine felt that she had found a kindred spirit in this sweet, kind housekeeper who had welcomed her with open arms.

Perhaps things won't be that bad here, she thought to herself joyfully. If she were to spend her days with a good book inside the confines of this lovely chamber or perhaps the garden, she might be all right.

"If you perhaps wish to take a stroll through the estate, I would be happy to join you and show you where everything is," Mrs. Jenkins suggested.

"I would love that, but tomorrow," Catherine said a little apologetically. "I think I shall rest for a bit now."

"Of course," Mrs. Jenkins nodded sympathetically. "You shall be called for dinner when it is served. The duke likes to have it every day at the same time."

Catherine had no appetite now, and she was certain that she would not have any appetite later on. However, she didn't want to end her first day there on an aggressive note by refusing to appear at the dinner table with her husband.

"I will be there," Catherine nodded, wondering if she could perhaps try one of the new gowns that was hanging in the wardrobe. A flicker of joy appeared in her and she was grateful for it.

Mrs. Jenkins nodded, then silently left the room, closing the door behind her. Catherine turned around the room, taking a deep breath. She was steeling herself for the challenges that lay ahead. However, that flicker of hope was there. It refused to go away. Her brother was protected, and now she was a married, wealthy woman. For some, that was more than enough.

Still, she wondered if it was possible to keep her independence away from the responsibilities of her new life. The thought of relinquishing control over her life, of bending down to the expectations of society and the demands of her new role as a wife, filled her with a sense of unease.

You are a woman of strength and determination, she reminded herself. The only way they could take away her independence was if she willingly gave it away. She smiled at the thought, knowing that she would face whatever challenges came her way with courage and grace.