Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"D uchess. Mrs. Silverstone," Richard's voice came from the doorway of the library.

Nancy was so caught up in conversation with Mrs. Silverstone that she hadn't even heard his sturdy footsteps echo across the hallways of Wexford Castle.

He leant against the doorframe, far more casually than what he had made Nancy accustomed to. It gave him a lightness she had not seen in him before.

Nancy couldn't help but notice he was in more casual wear too, having shed his typical coat, and only donning his vest and white shirt, with its sleeves rolled. The way the sleeves tightened around his sculpted forearms…

"Your Grace," Nancy mumbled with a swift curtsy, snapping herself out of her thoughts before they got too indecent.

"Good afternoon, Your Grace," Mrs. Silverstone mirrored.

As Nancy lifted her gaze back to him, she saw Richard's gaze rake all over her body. Although he remained expressionless, something in his eyes darkened.

"Might I ask what plans you have today, Duchess?" he asked as he stood straight.

"My plans?" she asked back in confusion.

"Yes. That is what I asked," he answered.

Nancy blinked. Was it possible that…

"Well, um. Mrs. Silverstone and I just finished going over some of the decorations for the ball," she said.

"Finished? Are you done with the preparation duties for the day then?"

She glanced over at Mrs. Silverstone.

The past few weeks had turned out to be a busy time for Nancy. She fully committed to the organization of their ball, meeting with decorators and planners in a bid to ensure that the event would not only be greatly enjoyed but widely talked about by all who attended.

At first, she had concerns over being put in charge of such an important task. She had helped her mother plan a few dinner parties when her father was alive, but nothing that could even come close to the scale of the grandeur of the ball she was planning to host with her husband.

"Your fruit tarts are always a lovely dessert to have after a meal and I think they will be a magnificent addition to the ball refreshments," she had told the chef during a taste test.

"These flowers are lovely, and they will match the drapes we will have hung on the night of the ball. Let us go with this one," she had said next, gesturing to one of the special bouquets prepared by the florist.

"No, no," she had stopped the footmen from moving a table in the opposite direction of where she wanted it to be. "It will look better on the other side."

She was motivated by the fact that this would not only be her first event as the Duchess of Wexford, but she also had to assure her family that she was doing well. Her husband's reputation was also on the line, and she was committed to proving to everyone that their marriage was real and that he was a fit and capable duke.

Perhaps she did not know her husband all too well, but she did see how hard he worked in his study, more often than not, or away from the property to handle business matters.

Despite his seemingly callous air, he did seem to take his role seriously, once more greatly muddling the impression that she had of him.

She really did want to know more about him, but she never knew where to start.

And perhaps, this was her chance to do so, if she had guessed correctly that he wished to spend time with her.

"I do not believe I have anything that requires my immediate attention," she spoke carefully—even though what she'd said was far from true—with a quick glimpse at Mrs. Silverstone, who had taken on a rather encouraging facial expression.

It felt as though the housekeeper was telling her whatever else needed to be done, she would take care of it.

"It appears you have some time on your hands, then," Richard responded, "I have to go into town to meet some of the locals who have been facing some problems with their businesses and livestock. And ever since your arrival, I've been informed that they've been rather anxious to meet you. Perhaps today would be a good opportunity to introduce the people of Wexford to their new Duchess."

The request was unexpected, and it made her a little emotional.

"I… I would very much like that, Your Grace," she heard herself say.

"Very well. We leave in an hour. I shall meet you at the carriage then," he said.

"Excellent," she couldn't help but smile.

Richard offered both her and Mrs. Silverstone a swift nod and walked out.

* * *

Nancy kept fidgeting with her gloves.

The carriage ride into the town was quiet, as Richard did not know exactly what to tell his wife. Either way, she seemed distracted, so he fell silent and chose to admire her instead.

She was dressed in a lovely shade of blue with a matching cloak that made her beautiful, fair skin gleam beneath the rays of sunlight that filtered through the carriage windows. Her hair, which was usually hanging loose in pretty blonde curls, had been held up with jeweled pins.

He was torn between going down on his knees and worshipping her or stripping her of her dress and having his way with her until she was writhing beneath him and screaming his name.

He shook his head, trying to clear it from his less-than-decent urges and focused on his wife's face.

He hadn't seen her this nervous since their wedding day.

"Duchess," he called softly, and her unfocused blue eyes shifted to him.

"Yes?"

"You should know that Ernest has made that very clear to me that the people you're about to meet are kind. He is quite certain that they will be fond of you."

Nancy bit her lip, "Do you truly think so?"

"Well. You are their duchess. They haven't got much of a choice."

"That is a poor attempt at making me feel better."

"Well," he mumbled awkwardly then cleared his throat, "I would take Ernest at his word."

She eyed him carefully and then her features softened.

"Since Ernest has lived all his life here… I shall believe him," she said somewhat pointedly, as if she knew the meaning behind his words.

He nodded.

Then, he felt a tingle of satisfaction when he noticed that her mood had improved.

It was just in time too—because moments later, the carriage rolled to a stop.

* * *

"Your Grace, it is an honor to have you in our humble town," a man greeted, seemingly thrilled to be in their presence. "I'm Jonathan Hanes, the Headborough."

"How do you do, Mr. Hanes?" Richard nodded. "I apologize that it took me this long to visit. I have been rather… occupied with other matters."

Mr. Hanes shook his head fervently. "Oh, no, Your Grace. It is all right that you wished to wait until you were ready. We understood… that you might have been slowly adjusting to your new role after the passing of your brother, God rest his soul. We did… send our condolences through your steward. But please allow me to express them once more to you. We were very sorry to hear of the former Duke's passing. He was always so kind to us, and he often told us how he wished you would return to Wexford because he hoped you would find happiness here."

It was strange how it was after his brother had passed that Richard realized William had thought of him ceaselessly. His older brother had always worried about him, concerned with all matters that concerned him, and meanwhile, Richard had had no idea.

Suddenly, he felt Nancy's hand tentatively brush against his arm. He glanced at her and saw her give him a look that spoke volumes. A look of understanding, of knowing the depths of grief.

For a moment, he was reminded that part of William's thoughtfulness had given him a gift too.

And yet, this gift of his, it terrified him. She terrified him, with her sparkling eyes that saw right through him.

"Yes. He was kind like that," his voice came out much more somber than he intended, so he cleared his throat and put on his most polite smile.

"Mr. Hanes, allow me to introduce my wife and the Duchess of Wexford, Nancy Harrington," he added, placing his hand on Nancy's lower back, gently pressing her forward.

She immediately shuddered at his touch. His eyes slithered to her face, and he noticed that her cheeks were slightly pinker than before.

All this from touching her waist? Heavens, what would she sound like if his hand wandered further down, to those delicious curves of hers?

He quickly chided himself as he felt the stir of need within him. This wasn't the place to ponder about groping his wife.

Mr. Hanes practically gasped in joy. "Your Grace! It is an honor—oh, no. We were only expecting His Grace, and we hadn't prepared anything special?—"

"Oh, that is fine," Nancy assured him with a smile. "I am merely here to accompany my husband and meet you, fine people. There is no need for anything out of the ordinary?—"

"That simply will not do, Your Grace! This is your first time in our town! We must be perfect hosts to ensure your comfort." Mr. Hanes shook his head, looking around wildly.

"Do you like cakes, Your Grace? We have a tea shop just down this street, and they sell lovely cakes! They might not be as classy as the ones in London, but ours are certainly as tasty."

Richard noticed how his wife's eyes lit up at the mention of cake.

Somebody has a sweet tooth then , he thought.

Nancy sputtered, seemingly overwhelmed by the attention. "I do love cakes, but really, it is no trouble?—"

"The Duchess will have five of the finest cakes the tea shop has to offer," Richard said. "Please have them put it in a basket to take with us when we leave."

These were his tenants. Who was he to refuse their generosity?

"Excellent!" Mr. Hanes grinned, already beckoning an errand boy over. "Now, let us begin the tour."

* * *

Richard's tenants really were the sweetest people.

Some had looked at him skeptically at first, but as soon as it became evident that he meant well, their demeanors softened, and they began to view him and his intentions in a better light.

"I think some crop rotation will help fix the cultivation issue with the lands," Richard explained to some farmers who had brought up the problem they had been facing with low yields that year.

"And when the fields are being left alone to replenish their nutrients and begin to grow weeds, they can serve as grazing areas for the livestock," he added.

"An excellent idea, Your Grace. Thank you again for coming all the way from Wexford Castle to listen to our little problems," a farmer said gratefully.

"Your problems are mine to solve. They are not little or to be dismissed as insignificant. Otherwise, I would serve no purpose. And I should have come much sooner. I had no idea things were this dire," Richard responded.

"Not usually, Your Grace. The last few months, it seemed all our efforts were falling short, and we were running out of options. We really do appreciate your presence, but next time, it would be all right to send your steward as you usually do, Your Grace. We derived enough comfort knowing that he was delivering all our complaints to you, and you were sending possible solutions in turn," Mr. Hanes said.

"Well, you can rest assured that I will be handling all matters that arise as efficiently as possible," Richard promised.

His words were earnest and sincere, and in the two hours they had been in the town, he had managed to win over everyone he crossed paths with.

"They really are such wonderful people," Nancy noted as they walked around the town after his meetings. "And you, Your Grace… You've been very generous with them."

He blinked at her, his face taking on a surprise that saddened her a bit.

Had he never heard words of praise before?

"Yes, well… That is my duty," Richard shrugged, staring off in the distance.

"Still, you did very well today." She stopped walking and smiled when he stalled his steps as well.

His face was blank for a moment then he nodded with a crooked, awkward smile, which perplexed her even more.

The more time passed, the more confusing the Duke seemed to her. Because the man she saw today… She was proud of him. And she wanted to know him better.

The problem was…

Would the Duke allow that to happen at all?