Chapter 6

“The carriage driver told me that he took you to visit Kerling Estate,” the Duke’s mother observed as they met for dinner in the evening. “Is that the case?”

“Why would the driver willingly lie to you, mother?” Duncan shrugged his shoulders. “I do not like the fact that you are keeping tabs on me like this.”

The Dowager Duchess gave her son a weary look.

“I was merely curious to know as you left quite abruptly without explaining anything to me.”

“Mother, it is not your place to keep track of my movements, nor should you be getting information covertly like this from the driver.”His tone was irked.

His mother pursed her lips.

“In any other circumstances, yes, I would not, but since it concerns a matter as serious as your reputation, then I believe I have the right to intervene. What business did you have at Kerling Estate?” she inquired.

“What business did you have spying on me?” he countered.

“Son, I asked you first. Please, think of it as a mother’s concern.”

“Well…” Duncan sighed, finally relenting. He knew that she would not rest until he told her. “I went to ask for Lady Sophia’s hand in marriage.”

Duchess Anna let out a loud gasp.

“You are not serious?” she asked, her eyes widened with shock. “You did not even consult me before doing so.”

“I did, mother. When I told my intention this morning, that was my way of consulting you.”

Duchess Anna shook her head, disappointed.

“Oh, and she must have agreed to the match? Because of course, she must have.”

A wry smile played on the Duke’s lips.

“She did not seem that happy about it, but of course, she agreed to it,” he said. “But I see it as an overall good. She is going to be my wife, and your wish to see me get married will be fulfilled.”

Duncan could see that his mother was very unhappy with his decision. She could not even bring herself to fake a smile.

“Are you absolutely sure about this decision, Duncan?”

“Mother, it is a bit too late to go back on my word now, is it not?” he asked. “It is best that you accept it.”

“If that is what your mind is set on, then I will support you in your decision,” she sighed. “But there are still a certain number of things that Lady Sophia must do before she is to become the Duchess.”

“I don’t want you to scare the poor girl. She is not even a part of this family yet.”

She shook her head gently.

“I am not intending to scare her, but it is for her own good. You know what whoever the new duchess is will be subjected to extreme scrutiny by the public. I know this because I had the same experience. She must be prepared.”

Duncan did not seem convinced.

“And how do you propose to do that, exactly?”

“Well, I will take matters into my own hands and prepare her for her future role myself. I am certain that once she undergoes training with me, she will be a great fit.” She smiled. “I will teach her everything from poise to proper manners to the art of diplomacy.”

“And how do you know she will be willing to learn?” His tone was concerned.

“My dear, I will never force my decision upon you. You are free to make your own decisions and marry who you want to. But once you bring someone into this family, then it becomes my responsibility to make sure that she is a great fit.”

Duncan knew that there was no use in arguing with his mother. Once she had made up her mind about something, it was almost impossible to get her to change it.

“Very well then.” he conceded. “But I only have one demand from you. Do not scare her away.”

“Oh, dear God. If I knew meeting with my mother-in-law was going to be this stressful, I would have never agreed to the marriage,” Sophia whined as Clara made the final touches to her hair in front of the vanity.

“Calm down, Sophia,” her aunt laughed. “It is not as nerve wracking as you are making out to be.”

“I have never met the woman before,” Sophia replied. “Who’s to say what her intention is in coming here? This whole situation has been so whirlwind.”

“I am sure that her intentions must be noble, for her son intends to marry you, and she should honor that,” her aunt assured her. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“I must say, My Lady, the Viscountess’ mother-in-law was quite the nightmare,” Clara chimed in. “I felt as though I had to walk on eggshells around her my entire life. In fact, I was quite happy when she finally went back to God.”

Sophia and her aunt both gasped in horror before bursting into peals of laughter.

“Oh my goodness, Clara. Please never say anything of that sort in public,” Aunt Rose laughed.

“I am just being honest. Perhaps Lady Sophia’s fears are not unfounded.”

“You may be right,” Aunt Rose shrugged. “But there is no point in trying to determine that beforehand.”

Sophia was happy that at least she had such a loving family. She knew that it would be nearly impossible to go through this alone.

When the time came to finally meet her mother-in-law, Sophia tried to dial down the embarrassment she felt. She hoped that she would not bring up what had happened at the ball as the mere idea of it made Sophia want to hide away.

“Your Grace,” Sophia greeted the older woman, who awaited her in the drawing room of Kerling Estate.

“It is lovely to meet you again,” Duchess Anna replied. Her tone was much softer than the last time they had spoken to each other.

“Indeed so.”

“I am glad that we got a chance to see each other in day light,” the older woman noted.

She seemed to be observing Sophia, her keen eyes studying Sophia with a mixture of scrutiny and curiosity.

“I thought that it would a good idea for me to come meet you since my son has already made the decision to marry you.”

“I hope you find our humble home to your liking,” Sophia replied, her cheeks burning. “Would you like something to drink?”

The Dowager shook her head. “No, thank you. I am only here to see you alone. In fact, I was hoping to get to know you better. As you know, weddings are grand affairs, and everything must be planned out.”

“Of course.”

“It is also true that Duncan is my first child to get married. He is my oldest, and this occasion means a great deal to everyone in not just the family but the community,” she continued.

Sophia nodded. She could not help but wonder what the Duke’s mother actually must think of her. She realized that she wished to make a good impression on her.

“I understand,” Sophia replied politely.

“Then I can be transparent with you and tell you that this role comes with its fair share of responsibilities,” the Dowager continued. “There are many things that will be expected of you. It is just the nature of the role. At all times, there will be many eyes scrutinizing you.”

“I have been scrutinized my entire life,” Sophia said with a casual shrug of her shoulders. “That part does not faze me much.”

“I see,” the Dowager muttered, seeming impressed. “Well, there are other things that we must discuss. First of all, I would like for you to show me yourself. Stand in front of the window, so I can see you properly.”

Sophia felt awkward at the demand but complied anyway. The Dowager stood up as well and began to observe Sophia from different angles.

“Very well then,” she muttered, nodding to herself. “I must say that you are quite beautiful. I did not notice that as well when we met the other night.”

Sophia rubbed her arm awkwardly, a blush forming on her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

“Can you turn your face to the side?” the Dowager demanded. “If it is not too uncomfortable for you, I would like to see your scar.”

Sophia felt a knot form in her stomach. She was not used to people seeing her scar up close, but not wanting to disappoint her future mother-in-law, Sophia did as she was told.

Sophia expected her to gasp or express disgust, but the Dowager did not react in the slightest. She seemed to be examining her with an almost clinical precision, not making her opinions immediately known.

“It is quite the big scar,” Sophia admitted, wanting to break the silence. Her anxiety was getting the best of her.

The Dowager shook her head.

“It is nothing like how people have described it. In fact, you still look beautiful, even with it. Without it, you would have been a diamond even.”

Sophia was taken aback by her high praise. She had not expected the Dowager to be so nice to her this afternoon.

“But even with it, I do not wish for you to feel any less than the other girls,” the Dowager insisted. “If anything, you will now be higher in status than them as you will be marrying a duke.”

“You are surprisingly kind to me,” Sophia blurted out before she could stop herself.

“I am merely noting what I see,” she shrugged. “Can you walk for me?”

“Pardon me?” Sophia muttered, confused.

“Walk, darling. I would like to see your posture.”

Sophia agreed and walked to the end of the drawing room and then back.

“Hmmm, your posture could be worked on. Do not worry, I will train you to walk in the heaviest of dresses. On flat land or on the steepest incline, you will be taught to carry yourself with grace,” the Dowager noted.

“I see.”

“You are a slender girl. Perhaps we can change your hair to make you appear more beautiful than you already are.”

Sophia was beginning to feel as though her mother-in-law had adopted her as her own. She felt like a doll, being turned around and scrutinized with her every move.

“I agree with your dressing sense. You seem to carry yourself with poise, Lady Sophia,” the Dowager continued in a measured tone. “But remember, marrying into the nobility comes with certain responsibilities. The legacy of this family is one that should be upheld with diligence. I expect you to be quite careful with it.”

It was at that moment that Duchess Anna noticed the nervousness that was evident on Sophia’s face. She softened up immediately.

“I did not mean to imply doubt, my dear. Merely a reminder. I was put through the same scrutiny when I married into this family. I merely wantto prepare you for what is to come.”

“I am not doubting your intentions in the slightest, Your Grace,” Sophia noted. “In fact, it appears to me that you have my best interests at heart.”

“I am glad that we are able to understand each other early on. A lot of young girls would take my comments as criticism and therefore personally. I am happy that you are not the sort,” she noted.

“Oh, Your Grace, I have heard all sorts of criticism my entire life. I think I have developed the ability to discern when it is well intentioned and when it is not.”

Just then, Aunt Rose entered the living room, followed by the servants who brought in some tea and refreshments.

“I am sorry to interrupt you two ladies,” Aunt Rose smiled, “but I believe that a break is much needed. Is it not?”

“Yes, of course,” Duchess Anna agreed. “We have only just started.”

Sophia began to feel nervous about how the two women would interact. She wondered how strange it was that she already wanted the approval of her mother-in-law and how badly she wanted Aunt Rose to get along with her.

There was something about Duchess Anna that exuded class and kindness. She could see that a woman like her had raised the duke to be a proper gentleman.

“There are many things that we must decide before the wedding takes place,” Duchess Anna mused as she calmly sipped on her tea. “In fact, there is an entire list’s worth. I believe the sooner we begin talking about it, the easier it will be to execute.”

“Certainly, Your Grace. We can discuss everything,” Sophia agreed with a smile.

“We must finalize the guest list, choose the flowers, select the menu, and of course, decide on the seating arrangements,” she listed out. “The invitation list needs to be drawn up, and we must send out invites in time so that everyone can attend. There is the question of what music we’ll play. I know that Duncan has some preferences, but of course, we must stick to the traditional pieces as well…”

As Duchess Anna continued listing things, Sophia felt herself getting a headache just listening to it. As a little girl, she had never really dreamed of getting married, but she tried to put on an interested expression for her mother-in-law.

“Of course. You should not worry about anything. I shall attend to each detail with the utmost care,” Sophia assured.

“I must say that you continue to surprise me,” Duchess Anna noted, once again observing her carefully. “You appear quite calm, and most brides would be on the brink of a nervous episode. Especially for a wedding that was decided as hastily as yours. Is it just on the surface?”

Sophia shook her head, adopting a solemn expression.

“Trust me, I am taking everything that you are saying quite seriously. The last thing that I would wish to do is disappoint you in any way.”

“Are you sure?” the older woman asked, trying to tease out some kind of a reaction out of Sophia. “I must tell you, there will be scrutiny. A lot of it.”

Before Sophia could answer for herself, her aunt jumped in.

“Sophia is perfectly capable of dealing with any sort of pressure,” she stressed. “In fact, she does it so well that I often have to go to her for advice.”