Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

S leeping in the grandeur of one of Castle Stanhope's vast bedchambers proved a far more uncomfortable task than Amelia had thought.

She didn't dare to leave her chambers after her embarrassing encounter with Gideon and had spent the rest of the day burdened by how desperate she had made herself seem. Those shameful memories followed her into her sleep, making for a restless night full of tosses and turns. All she could see were deep gold eyes. All she could hear was his husky voice asking her if she thought of him as often as he did. Again and again, until the morning sun arose.

Now, she sat perched at her ornate writing desk, trying to get her mind off yesterday's humiliation. Amelia delicately folded a letter, setting it atop the polished wood. She had written to her father's solicitor yesterday and was rather pleased when Jenny came by earlier this morning to deliver the swift response, leaving it by Amelia's bedside table thinking that Amelia had been asleep. The letter was to the point—now that she was married, she could receive her inheritance within four weeks. Roughly thirty days of marriage to the Masked Rogue and it would all be worth it. Surely she would be able to last that long?

Amelia didn't know how often he thought of her—and now that her mind was unclouded by lust, she didn't think it was very often. And if asked again, Amelia planned to lie right through her teeth by telling him that she hardly spared him a thought. All she needed to say was that she hadn't thought once about the sensation of his lips against hers, and his firm chest against her bosom, and the way the timbre of his voice made her skin prickle with heat…

She sighed, shaking her head to banish the reminiscent thoughts once more. She had stayed in her bedchamber for most of the day again, even though she was tempted to finish exploring the castle. But she didn't dare heighten her chances of running into Gideon, even though being in her chamber hadn't stopped him before. Late afternoon was already upon them and, soon enough, the sun would set. Then she would be another day closer to her goal.

A knock sounded at the door and Amelia shot upright in her chair, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. Her tongue went dry, her mind going blank when the knock sounded again. Surely she hadn't summoned him by thinking about him so much?

"Your Grace?" Jenny's soft voice filtered through. "Your Grace, are you awake?"

Amelia let out a low breath of relief—and ignored the pinch of disappointment. "Yes, Jenny. Please enter."

Jenny opened the door just wide enough to enter, slipping through before curtsying respectfully. The sight threw off Amelia so much that she was momentarily left speechless.

"I bring tidings, Your Grace," Jenny explained as she straightened. "His Grace requests your presence later this evening when he returns to the castle."

Amelia swallowed, hoping Jenny didn't see the trepidation in her eyes. "Any particular reason?"

Jenny blinked, clearly taken aback by the question. "I do not know the reason, Your Grace."

"I see," Amelia murmured, trying to mask her unease.

"Will you require assistance with getting dressed?"

"Getting dressed?" she repeated, her thoughts still lingering on her impending meeting with Gideon. She knew very well that if she missed it, he would only come to see her. And Amelia had no plans of risking his wrath. Her inheritance depended on the arrangement lasting at least four weeks.

"Yes, Your Grace… unless you do not mind…" Jenny's voice wavered, her cheeks coloring as her insinuation became clear.

Amelia's face went hot. She'd almost forgotten that she hadn't left her bedchamber all day. "Oh! A-ah, certainly. I wouldn't dare to leave my bedchamber in only my nightgown."

"Forgive me, Your Grace! I did not mean to offend!" Jenny bent nearly perpendicular to the floor. She looked just about ready to lower to her knees.

Amelia quickly rose from her chair, slightly mortified. "Oh, no need to worry. I understand your concern, and yes, I will accept your help this time," she assured, attempting to alleviate her maid's apparent distress.

Jenny straightened once more, a small smile touching her lips. "It would be my honor, Your Grace."

Just then, a mad idea sparked in her mind. Amelia clung to it, despite the sliver of apprehension that ran through her. "But perhaps you could help me with something else before then. We have some time before my husband is due back, correct? I would like your help with another matter in the meantime."

Jenny perked up at that. "Certainly, Your Grace."

"I was wondering, could you perhaps show me around the east wing? I've yet to explore that part of the castle."

"It would be my utmost pleasure, Your Grace!" With a broad but fleeting grin, Jenny hurried over to Amelia's wardrobe to begin the task of preparing a dress for her.

Amelia couldn't help but smile at that. She felt odd talking so openly to Jenny, she realized, and supposed it had a lot to do with the loneliness she had experienced over the past two years. Dorothy was her sister, but also her only friend right now, and letters from her were few and far between.

It only took a matter of minutes for Amelia to get dressed in a simple morning gown more appropriate for roaming the castle's hallways. Once ready, Amelia and Jenny exited the bedchamber together, walking in quietness for a short while.

Breaking the silence, Amelia ventured, "You must have been quite surprised when I first arrived, weren't you, Jenny?" Her voice held a hint of nervousness. She would like to befriend Jenny, to find some comfort in her maid's company during her short stay. Yet, she was uncertain how to initiate such a friendship.

"What do you mean?" Jenny asked, sounding tentative herself.

Amelia laughed awkwardly. "Well, I am nothing like what a Duchess should be, am I? I hope that doesn't make me sound pitiful."

"Oh, not at all, Your Grace. You carry yourself with grace and kindness, just as a lady should."

"You're just being kind," Amelia deflected lightly, but Jenny shook her head.

"Forgive my forwardness, Your Grace, but I do think you are quite lovely. As do many of the servants. Though…" Her voice trailed off, hesitance creeping back in.

"Hm?" Amelia raised a brow at her maid. Jenny kept her brown eyes trained ahead, her cheeks coloring as if she had spoken out of turn. Amelia kept up with Jenny's long strides, the rooms they were passing by already familiar to her. They were approaching the east wing now, she understood, which Amelia knew would be open to guests when they visited.

"I…well…" Jenny seemed to struggle with her words.

"There is no need to hold back now," Amelia said with a soft laugh, hoping that would put Jenny at ease.

It worked, a little. "It's just Mrs. Jones. She's a bit worried about you."

"Mrs. Jones?" Amelia struggled to place the name. "The housekeeper?"

"Yes, Your Grace. She worries that you are unwell, or perhaps that you are unhappy, since you have barely left your chambers and hardly eat."

"Oh. I did not even consider that my actions were affecting others." Amelia felt a pinch of guilt. "Well, since I am neither sick nor unhappy, I suppose I should make more of an effort to take care of myself, if only to ease the worries of others."

"And His Grace— he must be worried too," Jenny gently added.

Amelia coughed suddenly at the mention of Gideon. Jenny regarded her curiously as they stalled to a halt, but Amelia was quick to regain her composure. "I'm not so sure about that," she responded, avoiding her maid's eyes. She attempted to change the topic, gesturing down a staircase that would lead to the ground floor of the east wing. "Here we are, aren't we?"

Jenny took a moment to answer. "Yes, Your Grace. This wing includes two quaint libraries, a parlor, and a small ballroom. I believe this wing was used for hosting guests." She began descending the stairs, pausing on the half-landing to open a tall, rosewood door. "This is one of the libraries, the smaller of the two."

Amelia stepped over the threshold, eyes sweeping the room. It was indeed small, but she instantly felt at home. A subtle smile touched her lips as she wandered by the bookshelves, perusing the titles tucked within. She came to a stop in front of a table tucked in the corner, adorned with vases and candleholders.

"Jenny, could you join me for a moment?" Amelia called, her voice laden with excitement as a thought crossed her mind. Jenny was by her side in no time at all, frowning as Amelia began to clear items from the table. "Lend me a hand, will you?"

Jenny did so without a word and together, they swiftly emptied the table. Amelia then positioned herself at one end, bracing herself before lifting and tugging at the table with all her might. It shifted against the oak wood floor. "Your Grace!" Jenny cried out. "You might hurt yourself!"

"I shan't if you help," Amelia said with a playful grin. "If I pull it away from the corner, you can help lift the other end." She tugged again and the heavy table fell prey to her force, moving further away from the wall.

Jenny still wore a deep frown of worry but she quietly slipped into place on the other side of the desk. Together, they managed to lift the table. Amelia guided her over to an open window. They set the table down and Amelia pushed a potted plant out of the way to make more space for the desk. Once she was satisfied with its placement, she turned her attention to a leather elbow chair that had been sitting in front of the hearth. With Jenny hovering, Amelia managed to bring it over to the desk, setting it next to the window as well.

Satisfied with her hard work, she collapsed into the chair with a sigh. "Isn't this just perfect?" she mused. "Now I can write while enjoying the view from outside."

Jenny looked surprised, as if she hadn't even considered the point of all their hard work. "Yes, you're right," she agreed, sounding a little awed.

Amelia didn't want to abandon her little nook but she finally got the strength to stand, allowing Jenny to continue the tour. But now, she thought about the library—what now felt like her library—the entire time, wondering when she would be able to return.

Over an hour later, a maid interrupted their exploration to inform them that the Duke had returned and was requesting Amelia's presence. Jenny waited until the maid had departed to ask, "Should we return to your bedchamber to finish getting ready, Your Grace?"

Amelia barely managed to nod before the weight of her task settled on her once more. She didn't want to see Gideon. She didn't want to face these unusual emotions that kept plaguing her whenever he was near. Hiding away from him made things simpler. The days could pass with ease and, once the four weeks were over, she would have what she truly wanted. There was really no need for them to see each other at all!

Amelia's mind was far, far away as they returned to her bedchamber, where Jenny proceeded to sit her down at the vanity table, preparing to style her hair. It had been a long while since Amelia had someone else's hands in her hair. The last time was before her father's passing, when Dorothy would join Amelia in her chamber and brush her locks as they talked for hours on end. Those days were long behind her now, but the feel of Jenny's fingers weaving through her chestnut strands made Amelia feel a little sentimental.

Just hold on a little longer, Dorothy. Only twenty-nine more days.

The entire process went by far too quickly for Amelia's liking. By the end of it, Jenny had softly curled her hair and elegantly pinned up most of it at the back of her head, leaving a few rogue tendrils framing her face. It was a little better than what Amelia had ever managed on herself and, for a moment, she felt rather pretty. But then the overwhelming reminder of the fact that she was going to see Gideon pressed on her mind once more. It couldn't get any worse than this, she thought.

Rising from her seat, Amelia did her best to stifle a deep sigh. "Where does His Grace wish to meet?" she inquired, her voice steady.

"In his bedchamber, Your Grace."

She was wrong. It most certainly could get worse.