Chapter 3

" Your castle… It is quite easily the grandest house I have ever seen in the countryside," Nancy remarked with awe as she stared out the window.

Wexford Castle stood proudly atop a vast expanse of greenery.

Just by looking at that pale brown structure and the surrounding well-groomed grounds, she could tell how much effort had gone into maintaining such a magnificent property.

Her husband gave her an odd look and followed her gaze but did not respond.

He disembarked from the carriage first, holding out a hand to assist her. Reluctantly, she slipped her hand into his and carefully stepped out of the carriage, glancing nervously at the man and the woman waiting by the front doors to greet them.

"Welcome back, Your Grace," the woman said to the Duke, before turning to greet Nancy with a bright, warm smile. "And to you, Your Grace, welcome to Wexford Castle. It is truly an honor to have you here. I hope you had a pleasant journey?"

Nancy thought back to the argument and the accident that followed and nodded stiffly. "Somewhat. Thank you."

The man beside the older woman sighed in relief. "You are likely exhausted after a day like today. Whatever it is you might need, or whatever might make you more comfortable, please do not hesitate to let us know. I am Ernest, the butler." He gestured towards the woman, who curtsied politely. "This is Mrs. Silverstone, the housekeeper."

Nancy nodded back politely, thankful for their warm welcome. "It is a pleasure. Thank you for receiving me so well."

The housekeeper turned to the Duke. "She is quite beautiful, Your Grace. We are thankful that you were blessed to have found such a pretty bride," she remarked with delight.

The Duke simply sighed and walked away, leaving Nancy with the staff.

She watched him until he was out of sight, a little embarrassed and annoyed by the disregard he had displayed. The least he could have done was make the introductions himself or tell the staff that she was in their care.

Barely hours into this marriage, she already felt incredibly stifled and drained.

Mrs. Silverstone exhaled deeply and turned back to Nancy with an apologetic expression. "It might be a tad too much to ask this of you, but… please be patient with His Grace. He is doing his best, given the circumstances. I am sure that with time, you both will find happiness in this marriage."

The older woman's words reminded Nancy of what her mother had told her after the Duke had come to propose, and she accepted.

" Although our reasons for wanting this marriage are different, just do your best to take good care of him. The rest will naturally fall into place. "

"Thank you. I really appreciate that," she replied with an air of honesty she did not know she had that day.

"It is my pleasure, Your Grace. Now, come, let us show you to your quarters," Mrs. Silverstone urged, leading the way into the castle.

The interior was decorated with vibrant hues of blue, accentuated with strokes and trimmings of gold. Something about it gave it a cold air, despite the beautiful designs and expensive ornaments that spoke volumes about the wealth of the Wexford family.

The castle seemed more like a house on display and less like a lived-in home.

On the way to her quarters, Ernest pointed out several parts of the house, showing her the most important rooms. He gestured down the hallway that led to the library, showed her where the drawing room and sunrooms were, and mentioned that the Duke had a number of horses in case she wished to ride sometime.

He soon left her with Mrs. Silverstone, who took her to her assigned chambers. There was a young, bright-eyed girl waiting for her in her assigned quarters when she arrived.

The girl curtsied excitedly."Your Grace, it is an honor to meet you and an even greater honor to serve you," she said with a grin.

"This is Paula, your lady's maid," Mrs. Silverstone announced with a little laugh at the girl's excitement.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Paula."

"You should get some rest, Your Grace. Dinner is in about an hour, so you can freshen up whenever you are ready and then?—"

The girl's lively spirits reminded Nancy of her younger sister, and she began to miss her family, speaking up to distract herself from the ache within her chest.

"Oh, I do not think I will require a meal before bed. I… I do not have any appetite, and I would much rather retire early. It was a long day," she expressed hurriedly, desiring nothing more than to be left alone with her thoughts.

All this day had done was chip away at the fortitude she had tried to hold onto since her father's passing, and every interaction she had had since she awoke that day had left her feeling weary.

She had done it. She had married the Duke and had achieved most of what she had set out to accomplish within the first few hours of their marriage. But the mess of what remained for them to sort through made her tired, and the lack of any good feelings between them made her heart crave the presence of her family.

"Of course, Your Grace. Are you sure you would not like something small and light to nibble on, though? We could fix a refreshment platter for you," Mrs. Silverstone offered kindly.

"I am certain I am all right. I just wish to rest. Anything else can be dealt with tomorrow."

Mrs. Silverstone nodded. "As you wish, Your Grace. Once again, it is truly wonderful to have you here with us."

The housekeeper's words were incredibly kind, and they managed to soothe Nancy's frayed nerves enough for her to sincerely express her gratitude before the older woman took her leave.

Nancy exhaled and turned to Paula, who was staring at her expectantly with wide eyes, and she tugged at her wedding dress.

"Please help me get out of this dress."

Paula moved quickly and efficiently, chattering happily about how she hoped Nancy would come to love Wexford Castle and all that it had to offer. Nancy listened for a bit then she asked a question that had been floating in her mind since the carriage ride earlier.

"Paula?"

"Yes, Your Grace?" the maid asked, her eyes wide with eagerness.

"The Duke… what is he like?"

Paula hesitated, seeming as though she wasn't keen on speaking up about her master, scared that she might upset the Duchess.

Swiftly, Nancy eased all of the maid's worries.

"Do not worry, I won't be offended. Whatever you tell me cannot be worse than what I have heard in London."

"Well…" Paula began, looking over shoulder conspiratorially before she continued, "he is… quite distant. Always in a foul mood about one thing or the other. He spends most of his time in his study by himself. But whenever a mistake is made within the estate, everyone receives a scolding, and the culprit is sent away. He isn't as tolerant as his brother—from what I've heard, at least. I joined the household only five months ago."

Nancy nodded, further disconcerted by the image her maid had painted of her husband. "I see. Thank you."

Later, as Nancy lay in her bed, her gaze fixed to the ceiling as she pondered all that had transpired earlier that day, as well as all that she had heard.

And she began to wonder if the arrangement she had made with the Duke was worth it.

"I have brought you our best bottle, Your Grace. Your brother kept it for special occasions. And this certainly counts as the most special of occasions," Ernest, Richard's butler, said as he crossed the study with a silver tray in hand.

Richard held out his glass and watched as the liquid sloshed around, his mind not as numb as he would have liked it to be when Ernest spoke up again.

"She is just as lovely as your brother described. He always had an eye for beauty. And he would be very happy for you if he were here, Your Grace."

Richard downed the contents of his glass. "Well, William is not here. If he were here, we wouldn't be in this damned mess," he replied, unable to fight against the bitterness that seeped into his tone.

If his brother were there, Richard would still be living his life—fulfilling his whims. Not trying to be someone he wasn't.

His butler sighed and poured him another glass. "Is it truly such a bad thing, Your Grace? To be married to a pretty young woman?"

The question took Richard back to the carriage when Nancy was pressed against him. His hands had fit perfectly on her hips, and it was all he could do not to claim her perfect heart-shaped lips. Her beauty had been evident, not just by her good looks but also by the way her wedding dress had hugged her ample bosom.

Ernest is right, she is pretty. But…

Richard shook his head, chasing away the glowing embers of desire within him before they could set his mind aflame.

"I did not want a wife. I never did. I married her for the sake of the dukedom and nothing more. I advise you to get rid of whatever expectations you may have. I will never view her as more than a convenient option."

Ernest nodded quickly. "Of course, Your Grace. I did not mean to imply?—"

"Yes, yes. I know what you did not mean to imply. Now, if you would please leave me alone, I would rather drink in peace."

The butler bowed hastily and took his leave, setting the bottle of whiskey down on the desk before he exited the study.

Richard inhaled deeply, miffed by how much clarity his mind still possessed, despite all the liquor he had drunk.

He had thought that he would be able to maintain a mildly cordial relationship with his wife, but her character had caught him off guard. Most women held lofty ideas of love, dreaming of a life that included a caring man who could easily provide for them.

He had expected his wife to beat around the bush or that he would have to coax what she needed from him out of her.

Yet, her boldness disconcerted him far too much, and he despised how much it reminded him of his brother.

William never knew when to take no for an answer. It was one of the things that separated them, one of the qualities that made him Richard's better.

A name he could never hope to live up to.

Richard reached out for the bottle of whiskey and lazily dragged it towards himself.

"I should not go to her tonight," he muttered to himself, refilling his glass. "It is better for the both of us if I do not."

And so, he continued to spend his evening as he would any other time, tossing back drink after drink until the world darkened around him.