Chapter 12

The Duke of Banbury's estate was huge, far bigger than Baron Atterbury's home. It seemed to be twice the size. Maggie wasn't one to follow architecture, but it reminded her of Georgian paintings she had seen in the baron's home of his ancestors. It looked stunning, with whitish bricks that seemed to glow in the sun, along with a double staircase that curved around to meet at the top where the front door was.

Tall, thick pillars lined the front and down the side that Maggie could see. She couldn't see beyond that, the house sitting on a slight hill, but she was sure that the garden would look just as splendid as the front did. Everything looked immaculate, pristine in its glory. There was a gardener meticulously trimming a line of hedges to get them exactly right.

This felt incredibly grand and, just like the first time she arrived, almost overwhelming for Maggie. Part of her wanted to leave immediately. She knew she didn't deserve to be here, even if she was only a visitor. This was too much.

And yet Banbury had wanted her to come here. She was here to help him with his problem, and Maggie couldn't deny the duke that if she tried. Both because of his position and because of how handsome he was. Once those beautiful eyes looked at her, Maggie knew she would struggle to maintain her composure. She would agree to anything he asked for, even if it was ridiculous.

That was dangerous. She knew that. Maggie was not unaware of what was happening to her, and she knew that the attraction building for the Duke of Banbury was not good. Nothing could come of it, and she should dismiss it and carry on as normal. Unfortunately, it was not going away, and Maggie felt she was heading for heartbreak if she kept entertaining this attraction.

She wouldn't be surprised if she weren't the only woman who had been affected by Banbury's presence. Lady Phoebe had certainly taken a shine to him. Despite Maggie's feelings about Lady Phoebe, the girl was more suitable for him than a simple maid, and Banbury would be appropriately focusing his attention on her. If Maggie started getting ideas above her station …

It would prove disastrous.

You're here to help Banbury with someone attacking him and his property. Nothing more. Do what you came to do and nothing more. Don't entertain anything further.

But what if the duke wants me to do something with him that's not what I came for? I don't think I would be able to say no.

As Maggie got out of the carriage, a flash of green appeared at the top of the steps, and she heard hurrying footsteps coming down on the stones. Then Lady Sabrina appeared around the huge stone banister, jumping onto the gravel and running over. She was beaming at Maggie.

"Miss Maggie!"

"Lady Sabrina."

Maggie felt her body warm as she smiled at the girl. She liked the duke's sisters. They were sweet girls, and Lady Sabrina was such a bundle of life. She reminded Maggie a little of herself when she was much younger.

"Adam said you were coming to stay for a while." Lady Sabrina practically bounced up and down on her toes. "You're going to be our guest?"

"Adam?"

"The Duke of Banbury." Lady Sabrina giggled. "My apologies, I'm so used to calling him Adam that I forget you can't address him like that yourself."

"It's fine." Maggie tried not to think about the duke in such an informal manner. Now she felt flustered. "Yes, I'm going to be here for a while. Not too long, but long enough for your brother and I to sort things out."

"So will you have time to come out with Eleanor and me for walks and riding? We can show you the estate properly if you want."

Before Maggie could say anything, she heard Banbury's voice coming off to her right. Her heart began to thud against her chest as she turned and saw him walking towards them, his strides confident and sure of himself. Even though she had seen him like this before, the mere sight of him was enough for Maggie to stare at him.

How was it possible to find someone more attractive each time she saw him? It didn't make sense, and Maggie wasn't sure she liked it.

"I think you might have to wait a little for Maggie to be available for anything like that, Sabrina." Banbury touched Lady Sabrina affectionately on the head. "She's here to help me, not to play with you."

Lady Sabrina huffed.

"Why are grown-ups so boring?"

Banbury laughed, and Maggie tried to ignore the shiver down her spine. That sound should not be legal.

"You'll understand more when you're grown up yourself. And this is important, Sabrina." He winked at his little sister. "Maybe later, but right now, I need to get Maggie inside and set up in the guest bedchamber."

Lady Sabrina brightened.

"She's going into the guest bedchamber near my room, isn't she? I saw it getting prepared earlier."

Maggie frowned, wondering where this was going.

"Guest bedchamber?"

"You're a guest in my home, so I'm having you put into one of our guest rooms." Banbury shrugged. "To me, it's no question that you should have the best hospitality while you're here."

Maggie wondered if she had hit her head on the way here. Now, she had no idea what was going on. She would be sleeping in one of the rooms reserved for the guests of the duke? Sure, she was a guest, but she wasn't a lady.

She spluttered.

"I … I thought … but I'm …"

"You think you don"t deserve the best because you're of a lower social standing?" Banbury smiled at her, his eyes drifting over her face. "And seeing as you're going to be a guest, and I'm asking for your help, it's only fair that you get to be in one of the best rooms we can provide."

Maggie didn't know what to say, which made Banbury laugh. Lady Sabrina swatted him hard on the arm.

"Don't do that, Adam! You've embarrassed her now!"

"I … it's fine." Maggie shook herself. "It's only temporary, anyway. I don't think it's something to make a fuss about." She managed a slight smile. "Besides, if this is going to be the only time I'll get to sleep in one of the grander rooms, I would be a fool not to take advantage of it."

Banbury grinned, his eyes lighting up.

"That's the spirit. I'm glad you're saying that. And I would definitely agree with taking advantage of it." He turned and put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Why don't you go on ahead and let the housekeeper know that we should have the tea tray ready in the morning room? I'm going to make sure Maggie gets settled in."

"Yes, Adam."

Lady Sabrina gave Maggie a sly smile before hurrying back to the stairs, her hair flowing out behind her. Maggie watched her go, unsure whether to be amused or concerned.

"To be that young and full of life again."

Banbury chuckled.

"You're not full of life right now?"

"I'm grown, and I work myself to the bone. I don't even remember being that carefree when I was seven years old."

"Were you never allowed just to be a child?"

Maggie snorted.

"Your Grace, I didn't have that luxury of growing up where my only responsibilities were my lessons. I had to work from a very young age along with any lessons I received so my family could eat and have money to keep alive. As I got older, if I wanted money, I had to go out and earn it so I wasn't starving. Things were not that easy."

She had no idea where the diatribe had come from or the sharp tone, but it was enough for the duke to wobble a little with his smile. Then Maggie realized what she had done and glanced away. She had not come here to insult the host or remind him of how wealthier he was than her. The gap between them was ever widening.

Maybe that was a good thing. That was something they needed to have between them, so Maggie could remember that she wouldn't become anything remotely close to a duchess. Despite what she had niggling at the edges of her mind and daydreaming about it, Maggie was pragmatic. She wouldn't be able to get rid of the fact that she was a maid, and she had no business promoting herself further in life in an inappropriate way. Whatever attraction she had needed to stop.

Although being around Banbury when she had such an attraction was not a good idea, but what could she do about it?

Banbury was the first to react, and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I … I spoke a little out of turn, didn't I?"

"Just a little bit, Your Grace." Maggie gulped. "I apologize for lashing out as I did. That wasn't intentional."

"No, I should be apologizing for saying what I did. I sometimes forget who I'm talking to, and I need to remember that." Banbury looked past her towards the driver, who had taken the small bag Maggie had packed with her belongings down from the back of the carriage. "I'll take her things."

"Yes, Your Grace."

The driver passed over the bag and moved out of sight. Banbury hefted the bag, his expression one of surprise as he weighed it in his hand.

"You've not got much here."

"I don't have much." Maggie shrugged, trying to hide her embarrassment. "People in my social standing can't afford to have so many clothes."

"Ah. I …" Banbury's cheeks went a little red, and he turned away abruptly. "Shall we? I'll show you to your room, Maggie. Then I can take you on a tour of my home."

Sensing that he was equally embarrassed and remembering their statuses, Maggie hurried after him, almost tripping over her feet as she reached the bottom of the stairs. When she had last been here, she had been following Lady Phoebe and in awe of what she had been walking into. The sensation was stronger this time, and Maggie could feel it pressing onto her shoulders.

And she was sure it had nothing to do with the handsome gentleman walking up the steps ahead of her, carrying her battered bag as if she were an honored guest. Nothing at all.

Hopefully.

#

"How are you finding our hospitality, Maggie?"

Maggie looked up and immediately shot to her feet when she saw the tall, graceful figure of the dowager duchess walking towards her. She bobbed a curtsy and wobbled in her haste in a way that almost made her fall over.

"Your Grace," she mumbled. "I didn't realize you were coming outside …"

"It's fine. And you don't need to constantly stand on ceremony." Lady Banbury wrinkled her nose. "It's something I'm going to have to get used to eventually, sadly. I was surprised to find that I don't miss that part of being in Society with everyone."

Maggie didn't know what to say to that, but she tried.

"I can't say I've been in that position, Your Grace."

"I suppose not. It must be nice not to have to worry about a title or anything similar. I know you have your own worries, but …"

"I understand what you mean, Your Grace. And I'm glad I don't have to deal with people scrutinizing me so much." Maggie shrugged. "We do get it, but we can often be ignored because we're not as important in some people's eyes."

Lady Banbury smiled. She seemed to soften and look younger when she did that. In the five days since Maggie had come to the estate, the dowager duchess had ventured out of her room to spend time with her children and, by extension, Maggie.

It was a surreal experience to sit in the same room as someone like the Dowager Duchess of Banbury and talk about everyday topics like it was normal. And Lady Banbury was such a relaxed, calm person despite her sadness, and Maggie liked her.

It was clear to see that she and Banbury were related; they were more similar than either of them realized.

"How are my daughters behaving?" Lady Banbury asked, looking across the garden towards Eleanor and Sabrina, chasing each other around the trees. The squeals could be heard very clearly. "They're not exhausting you, are they? We didn't bring you here so you could look after them."

"It's absolutely fine. I don't mind." Maggie smiled, watching the two sisters playing. "They're good children. I like spending time with them, even if they're a little over-excited."

"It's only because we have a guest. Even before their father died," something passed across Lady Banbury's face before it was gone as quickly as it came, "they liked having someone different in the house."

Maggie could understand that. Especially when they had just come out of mourning. She understood the mourning period, but it could be somewhat isolating. She hadn't been through it herself, so Maggie wasn't sure how she would feel in that situation.

"I'm glad that I could bring some enjoyment for the week," she said. Then she remembered her manners. "Would you like to sit down, Your Grace?"

"That would be nice." Lady Banbury went over to one of the chairs Maggie had set out and sat down, smoothing out her skirts. "Come and sit with me and talk to me, Maggie. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

"Right. Of course." Maggie settled on the edge of the other chair. Even after all this time sitting alongside the dowager duchess, she was still not used to it. "I guess it's going to take a while getting used to being treated like everyone else."

"Oh, it's fine. I think you would blend into London Society with no problems. You've got beauty and grace, which you definitely need when you're in social gatherings with everyone waiting for a mistake."

"Beauty and grace? I have that?"

"Of course you do. I was impressed with how you composed yourself before, and I'm even more impressed now." Lady Banbury gave her a sly smile. "I can see why my son is quite taken with you. You certainly know how to draw someone's attention."

Maggie sat up so suddenly she almost fell off her chair. She caught herself before she ended up on the ground, her heart racing fast.

"I … I don't know what to say to that, Your Grace."

"You don't need to say anything. Just let it sink in, that's all."

Maggie wasn't sure if she could let it sink in. Banbury was taken with her? She had hoped, deep down, that this was the case, but she knew it was impossible. They were worlds apart. And yet, hearing it from someone else …

Her head was spinning. The last few days had been lovely, and Maggie was surprised at how easily she joined in with everyone else. The sisters had wanted her to come with them when they went riding, went for walks, or were doing something in the house they considered fun.

It was either chasing Sabrina around as she hid and wanted to be found or sitting with Eleanor just relaxing in the library. Things were chilled, and Maggie didn't think she would ever experience something so slow and calm again.

They monopolized her time more than the duke wanted, resulting in some amusing situations where it was Banbury trying to steal Maggie away from his sisters and not vice versa.

They did manage to spend enough time talking about what they were going to do to find this thief and vandal, although there were plenty of ideas that sounded just ridiculous, and they ended up laughing about them. That was after they had dinner together, walked through the gardens, or even spent an evening playing cards, Maggie surprising the duke by how deft she was once she was instructed on how to play.

But seeing Banbury like that was worth it. Maggie knew this situation was pressing down on him, and his sisters weren't aware of it.

His mother did know now after Banbury explained it to her, and he wanted her to know what he was up to; it was going to be difficult to explain why he had brought a maid into the house without explanation, and even Lady Banbury would have some questions about it. But the duke didn't want his sisters to know someone was targeting them.

Maggie had thought it would be a respectful thing to do, given that Eleanor was twelve and Sabrina was bright enough to know what was going on. They deserved to know that there was a person out there who could hurt them and ruin their family.

But Banbury was adamant that he didn't tell them anything. Maggie thought it was a bit of a disservice to treat his sisters like they were babies, but they weren't her relatives. She would have to trust him on this.

"I know you're not here for that, though," Lady Banbury went on, tucking her hair behind her ear as she squinted in the sun. The sounds of laughter and squealing from her daughters floated across the garden, a warm and lighthearted sound. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're not one of those girls who's going to get their heads turned because a gentleman is paying attention to you."

"I'm not like that at all!" Maggie said hurriedly. "And I know my place. I'm just helping because your son asked me."

"That I understand, and I'm glad my son has someone to bounce his ideas off. He's the sort of person who likes to think things through, but his ideas can be a little … mad."

Maggie giggled.

"I know all about that. I've heard about his daft ways to catch this person, even tying a net high above the entrance to the stables and dropping it when the vandal goes under."

Lady Banbury laughed.

"Now that sounds like he's been reading too many adventure novels. I wouldn't put it past him to try one day."

"Is he always like that?"

"He can be like a little boy sometimes, but I think all men are the same. My husband …" she let out a sad sigh. "He was pretty much the same as Adam. It was quite adorable if I'm honest. Like father, like son."

Maggie observed the dowager duchess and saw the sadness in her eyes. She dearly loved her husband, and she was still crushed about his death. There was no time limit on when to recover from the death of a loved one, and it would always be there.

But Lady Banbury was better than she was when Maggie first met her, wearing black and keeping herself hidden away in her chambers while intermittently coming out to greet the guests. Now she was wearing some colour with her black, a few blue ribbons in her hair, and a white sash. It clashed a bit with the black, but it was a start.

"Who do you think could be doing this, Your Grace?" Maggie asked, shifting on the chair to a more comfortable position. "Anyone in the ton? Or is it just a stranger?"

"I would have thought it was a simple thief who had decided to target our family because of how rich we are." Lady Banbury frowned. "But with the word ‘traitor' painted and someone stealing my son's horse … this is beginning to feel more personal to me."

"Does anyone have a grudge against your family?"

"Not that I know of. People in Society can make a grudge out of nothing but to steal and vandalize our property? That is something coming from a place of rage."

Maggie hadn't thought about it like that. She thought it was a crime of opportunity, and the thief kept returning because of the treasure inside. But was it because someone was angry? Maybe she should mention this to the duke.

"You're not making Maggie uncomfortable, are you, Mother?"

Maggie jumped, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling when she heard the duke's voice. Her heart pumping, she looked around to see Banbury walking towards them, his strides confident and self-assured. How was it that simply walking could make him attractive?

"Of course not." Lady Banbury smiled at him as Banbury pressed a kiss to her cheek. "We were just having a nice chat about how awful Society is and how everyone thinks it's the way of life."

Banbury groaned.

"That's what I was worried about."

"What?" Maggie was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's just something Mother talks about when she finds an opening." Banbury sat on the low wall surrounding the terrace, stretching his long legs in front of him. "She has an opinion about Society not exactly shared by everyone else, and I swear she tries to recruit people to her way of thinking once she's sucked them in."

"But you do agree with me that Society is just so pretentious, don't you?" Lady Banbury protested. "People think high status is everything, and that's how you should live your life, but is anyone genuinely happy? Do they think that money is going to make everything better?"

"You're a dowager duchess, Mother," the duke reminded her. "I don't think you can speak about high status."

His mother snorted.

"I didn't care about status when I met your father. I just saw a good-looking man, and I fell in love. We were incredibly lucky to have each other. You know if he were a simple man with very little to his name, I would have married him regardless. I wouldn't care what anyone else thought; I'd do what I wanted to do."

Maggie listened to this in growing bewilderment. She had never thought the dowager duchess would speak like this. Nobody else in the ton that Maggie had interacted with had spoken in such a manner. It was surprising that a dowager duchess, of all people, would say she would choose love over money.

Banbury sighed and looked at Maggie.

"You're going to have to forgive my mother, Maggie. She has a lot of strong opinions. I hope she doesn't make you uncomfortable with them."

"Not at all. I'm surprised," Maggie admitted. "But I'm not uncomfortable. It's actually quite fascinating how Lady Banbury thinks."

The dowager duchess smiled and leaned over to pat Maggie's hand.

"I have a feeling that you and I will get along just fine, Maggie, dear."

Her tone was warm, and her smile was genuine. And Maggie hoped that she was right.