A large doorway led out to a balcony that overlooked the gardens.
“I own it all?” he asked in awe.
“As far as the eye can see,” Mr. Ludlow replied.
If there was not so much more to see, William would have remained standing there looking at the gardens for the remainder of the day, but Mr. Ludlow moved him on.
The remaining rooms were not as large, but just as grandly decorated, as his own, and he imagined how many people there would need to be to simply fill all those beds. Each room had a theme and was named as such. The China room was filled with reds and yellows and strange objects William had never seen before.
“What are these strange markings?” he asked.
“That is Chinese writing,” explained Mr. Ludlow. “I am unsure what they say, but your grandfather said that they would bring good luck to whoever sleeps in the room.”
This made William laugh. “That’s definitely odd,” he said, still laughing. “Who woulda thought it?” He shook his head in wonderment. His grandfather sounded an odd man as far as he was concerned.
Once the tour was completed, they returned to the library where William perused the titles on one of the tall oak bookcases. A large vase sat on a table nearby, a large bouquet of fresh flowers in it. “Look at this,” he said. “I bet this cost a lot of money.” He glanced over at Mr. Ludlow. “Do you think it’d be all right if I touch it?”
Mr. Ludlow chuckled. “Your Grace, it belongs to you. All of this is yours. You may do as you please.”
With a nod, William reached out and touched the vase with the tip of a trembling finger. That would be just the thing to happen, to break a fancy vase on his first day as a Duke. It was curious; he understood that everything in the house belonged to him, but he found the idea difficult to grasp.
“Your grandfather had it imported from Japan. Some of the finest wares come from that land. You’ll find that he was no stranger to expensive things.”
“I can see that,” William said. “I want to go back to the ballroom. Do you think we can?”
“Of course,” Mr. Ludlow said with a chuckle.
They made their way back to the large room, and William walked immediately over to the far wall where two paintings hung, one of an older man and another he easily recognized as his father, although his memory of the man was faint after so many years. A feeling of melancholy came over him as he stared at the man who had loved him so fiercely during his first eight years of life.
“My father never told me nothing about my grandfather or his life here.”
Mr. Ludlow came to stand beside him. “Unfortunately, your father and grandfather did not look at things in the same way, and thus your father shielded you from this life. There are many fine aspects of being a Duke, but if I can give you one piece of advice, it would be this. With power and wealth can come corruption. Understand that I held your grandfather in great regard, but your father saw that corruption take hold of your grandfather. Your father was a very different man, and that is why he followed his heart to your mother. I hope you do not allow your newfound wealth to corrupt you, Your Grace.”
William nodded and then turned to the adviser. Although he had known the man for just over four days, he could see why he had been entrusted with the estate. He was wise and kind, and William knew he would need that around him. Plus, what did he know of Duking? Not a single thing.
“Don’t you worry,” he said with a smile as he clapped Mr. Ludlow on the back. “I’m used to having nothing.”
Mr. Ludlow widened his eyes for a moment and then smiled. “Very good, Your Grace. Now, we have one more thing to do.”
“More?” William gasped. “I can’t imagine there being more.”
Mr. Ludlow chuckled and then led William out into the hallway. Several men and woman—William counted fifteen in total—stood in varying types of uniforms, from maids to footmen, or so William guessed, all of varying ages and each as different as the next. They reminded him of the servants he knew back at Millweed Manor, but none of them had ever looked at him the way these people did.
At the front of the line stood an older man, perhaps of the same age as Mr. Ludlow, with silver at his temples and wearing crisp black livery that consisted of a matching coat and vest and a starched white shirt underneath. The look was finished off with a crisp, white bow tie. Beside him was a stately woman of middle years, her graying hair pulled back into a severe bun at the nape of her neck. Unlike the other women, she did not wear an apron, but rather wore a black dress with a high collar that all but hid her neck.
“This is your staff,” Mr. Ludlow announced. “Mrs. Ingrid Templeton, your housekeeper. She will see to the everyday running of the household. If you need anything, you may make your request to her and she will see it done.”
“Anything?” William asked in confusion.
“That is, anything to do with the running of the house. If you would like a specific item on the dinner menu, she will see that Mrs. Patrick—she is the cook here at Silver Birch—prepares it.” A heavyset woman at the end of the line took a step forward, curtsied as well as her large size would allow and then took a step back.
“This is Mr. Patrick Barnsworth,” continued Mr. Ludlow. “He is your butler. He is also available to see to your needs.”
William looked back and forth between the housekeeper and the butler. “Who do I ask what?” he asked, his stomach already churning at the thought of asking anyone for anything. Or rather commanding someone. He had never been in a position to give orders and he was unsure if he would be able to do so. Besides Thomas, anyone who had ever been in a position of authority had not shown him all that much respect, and he could not imagine himself treating these people with such disregard.
“Do not worry, Your Grace,” the butler said in a congenial tone. “You may make any request of either of us and we will see your needs met.”
Mrs. Templeton shot the man a quick glance that showed that a bout of territorialism existed between the two servants. William could remember the servants at Millweed Manor being much the same, but they never seemed to take it very far. As long as Lord and Lady Garvey were happy, they were happy.
“Well, I appreciate that. I’ve got a lot to learn, so I hope you’ll all be patient with me.”
The servants mumbled their agreement, gave their courtesies, and left to go about whatever it was they needed to be doing.
“Would you like to see the gardens?” Mr. Ludlow asked when everyone was gone.
The idea excited William. “Oh, yes! I imagine they are so much grander than those at Millweed Manor, if that’s even possible.”
Mr. Ludlow gave him another chuckle. “I believe you will be pleased.”
William was surprised by the number of people working in the gardens. He saw at least seven during his stroll, some pruning the large hedges, others tending to the flowerbeds, apparently readying them in much the same way he had done before leaving the Garvey home. Red brick lined the path, and the sheer size of the gardens was overwhelming. The trek seemed to take forever, and when they finally reached the opposite end, a large gate looked out onto an open grassy field.
“Look at all that land,” William breathed. “Old Thomas woulda loved a cottage out there.” Far in the distance he could just make out several small cottages with dots of white and black sheep grazing outside of them.
“This is all your lands, Your Grace,” Mr. Ludlow said with a smile. “The size is immense, I assure you. While others of wealth kept their fortunes in the mines, your grandfather invested elsewhere, mainly in sheep and wool, several dealings in real estate, and he even invested in the shipping of textiles. Like the land, your new fortune spreads far.”
William shook his head in wonder. “I am thankful, but it’s all still so strange. How’ll I ever figure all this out?”
“Do not worry, Your Grace,” Mr. Ludlow said. “You will learn everything you need to know in no time at all. Now, I have some business I must attend to. Your
guests should be arriving in the next few hours, and then we shall go over a plan of sorts to get you to where you need to be.”
“Great!” William said, and the two headed back to the house. William just wished he had as much confidence in his abilities as Mr. Ludlow seemed to have.
***
Mr. Ludlow had retreated to the study, but William still wanted to explore. Therefore, taking his time, he strolled through the gardens, admiring the work of the men who were employed there. As he stood watching one man in particular, he was reminded of Thomas, and he hoped the old man was able to continue his work. William would be able to write to him soon to tell him he was welcome to come calling over whenever he pleased. One thing he needed right now was a friend, and Thomas was just that.
As he walked back to the house, he passed a man planting a row of flowers, though the lines were a bit crooked.
“Hello,” William called out.
The man stood and bent himself almost in half. “Your Grace!” he squeaked.
“What’s your name?”
“Jake, Your Grace. Jake Walkins.”
“Well, Jake,” William said in his congenial tone, “you’re doing excellent work with these flowers. But do you mind if I share some advice?”
The man stared at him for a moment and then nodded. “Of course, Your Grace.”
“That line there,” he pointed to one in particular that was far from straight, “is a bit out of sorts, but there’s a way to fix it.”
The man gasped and his cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry, Your Grace, and I beg your forgiveness.”
William laughed. “There’s nothing to be apologizing for. Here, let me show you.” He walked over and took the trowel from the man’s hand, bent over, and pressed the tool into the carefully turned dirt. “If you lay this down here like this, when you lift it, you’ll have a perfect line every time.”
The man stared at him. “You’re a genius,” he said. “Truly, I’m a fool.”
William smiled. Granted the man was being kind, but he was being overly solicitous as far as William was concerned. “Pass me the seeds,” he said.
The man nodded and poured a few seeds into his hand. William took the trowel, made his line, and then used the handle to measure the distance for the holes. In each hole, he placed a few seeds and then covered them with the dirt. After finishing the remainder of the row, he stood and wiped his brow.
“You see? A perfect line.”
The man swallowed and forced a smile. “Most definitely, Your Grace. I shall tell my children of your expertise.”
William chuckled. This made the man wring his hands. “Tell your children that their father is a master gardener and that the Duke’s pleased with his work.”
The man nodded, the anxiety gone, at least on the outside, for which William was glad. He did not want to upset the people who worked for him or make them feel less than they were, for he had lived that life for much too long. People tended to work better when they received praise than when they were chastised, even if they were doing the work they loved. Had he not learned that with Lord Garvey and his endless complaints? If it had not been for Lady Garvey, William was unsure if he would have learned as much as he had.
Bidding the man farewell, William headed back to the house. There was still so much more exploring to do, and he was unsure where to go next. Then he recalled seeing stables just around the corner when he first arrived at Silver Birch Estates. He had no idea if there was a side gate that would lead there, so he decided to find it from where he had seen it—from the driveway.
With excitement, he hurried through the house and out the front door only to stop dead in his tracks. Before him stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Blond hair peeked out from beneath a large bonnet in tiny curls, and her light-blue dress matched her eyes. For a moment he wondered if he were dreaming, for even Miss Garvey paled in comparison. He wished to speak but struggled to find any words behind the pounding in his head. When she smiled at him, her eyes sparkled, and he thought he might collapse where he stood.
From behind her came another woman, and although she had red hair rather than blond, she resembled the first woman but only a few years older.
“I was just going to the stables,” he muttered, only to berate himself as soon as the words left his lips.
The redheaded woman smiled at him and then she began to speak.
Chapter Four
The carriage moved along at a steady pace, and Marianne worked tension from her neck she knew stemmed from her concerns of what lay ahead. Although she did not believe that her parents would force her to marry this man, this new Duke of Stromhedge, nor would she be held captive, both about which Julia had teased her, but she could not deny that she was curious about the man himself. The former Duke who had died had been quite old, and she suspected his grandson had to be nearly forty years of age at least. Why a man of so many years had not already married she did not know, but it was not for her to judge.
“Remember, this is for your father, and we must make him proud,” her mother said, breaking Marianne from her thoughts.
“Yes, Mother, I am well aware of the importance of the outcome of this arrangement,” Marianne replied, although her expectations were somewhat different than that of her parents, she was certain. While they simply wanted the new properties for the businesses, she hoped she could earn her father’s trust and allow her to use one of those properties herself. What better way to show her abilities to run a shop than to help her father acquire said shop?
Her mother smiled and placed a hand upon hers. “You are a good woman,” she said, “and you always make me proud. Although I do wish you would find a suitor. Perhaps you can give Mr. Sharp another chance?”
Marianne held in a sigh. “I will think on it,” she said. “I promise.”
A few moments later, the carriage turned down a long, stately drive with tall trees lining both sides. The lane curved and brought into view a house, grander than any she had ever seen in her life. Made of red brick, it had large windows that lined the front and touted at least ten double chimneys. Ten! And those were the ones she could see from the front of the house, which meant that there were more beyond her view.
A large pond was located at the front of the house and sculpted trees sat in various places on a lush lawn. Rather than wind around in front of the house, the drive worked its way beside the house to a squared courtyard. Around the roofline were etched designs that reminded Marianne of flowers. She could never imagine living in such a place after what she considered a large home her parents had purchased before she was born. However, that house was more a cottage in comparison to the extravagance of Silver Birch Estates. No, not a cottage! A flat! She could not wait to see what the inside was like.
She had to admit, however, that it was not only the house that held her curiosity; it was also the man she and her mother would be helping. What she learned during her time with this new Duke could be applied later with whomever she married, for she had come to understand that few men came into a marriage prepared. According to her mother, her father had required extensive training to get him to be the man he was today. Then again, her mother could have been teasing as she explained this. Sometimes Marianne was not certain what to consider as truth when her mother spoke to her and what was said in fun, such was their relationship.
The carriage came to a stop and a liveried footman rushed out to open the carriage door. Marianne followed her mother, taking care on the small step the footman had placed in front of the door, and looked up, craning her neck as she stared in awe at the facade before her. How would they ever find their way around such a grandiose place?
“I must see to the luggage,” her mother said as she went around to the back of the carriage. She said something more, but Marianne did not hear, for her full attention was on the arched entryway at the top of a set of six stairs that led to the doors to what appeared the main entrance.
She walked up to the top of the stair
s and stared at the heavy wooden doors and the knockers attached to them. Made of bronze, each was shaped into the head of a lion with a matching bronze ring hanging from its mouth.
“Marianne!” her mother hissed from the carriage. “I asked you to wait for me!”
“I did not hear you,” Marianne replied. “But I am already here; I cannot simply turn around and walk away.”
“Yes, you can. No one has come to the door just yet, and how do you think it will look if His Grace comes to the door to find just you, a young unwed woman, standing on his stoop?”
Before Marianne could respond, the door opened, and a man who appeared to be around her own age stood there, his mouth gaping open. Marianne’s mouth went immediately dry when she took in his dark, wavy hair and wide smile. How she wished he could be the Duke, but she considered that it could not be so, for this man was only in his shirtsleeves, which were rolled up to the elbows, and his trousers were dirtied at the knees. He even had dirt on his forehead. However, despite all that, she could not pull her eyes away from the muscled chest that she could see defined beneath the shirt. He also had the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen in her life, and she considered that she could become lost in them if she allowed herself to do so.
“I was just going to the stables,” the man said, pointing past them, his voice quaking. “I’m sorry to startle you, Miss.”
Ah, a stablehand, thought Marianne. A pity that. Her father would never allow her to marry a stablehand, that much she was certain.
Regency Hearts Boxed Set Page 24