Grace: A Regency Romance (The Four Sisters' Series Book 3)

by Audrey Harrison

  “You are pretty, just in a different way than them,” Annie replied, before moving towards Grace and giving her usual greeting to anyone she decided she liked, which was to throw her arms around them in an all-encompassing embrace.

  Rosalind smiled at Annie; she always spoke the truth as she saw it, and once again she was correct. Grace was pretty; her features were more delicate than either of her older sisters, but she was smaller in build was as well. Her auburn waves, green eyes and pale translucent skin always reminded Rosalind of mythical tales of other-world creatures. The fact that her sister loved the outdoors only added to her suspicion that her parents must have found her under a bush, having been left by accident by some careless pixie.

  After Annie had released Grace and she had been introduced to Annie’s companion, Mrs Fisher, they sat to have some refreshments. Annie chatted to Grace about what had happened since Rosalind arrived.

  “If Roberto is the true Duke, we are going to move,” Annie said happily. “I am to have my own house with Mrs Fisher, and I can have whatever furniture I wish.”

  Grace knew all the details about the claim on the title, so she was not surprised at Annie’s words. The Duke of Sudworth was making plans to remove the family to another property if the claim were proved correct. Rosalind had written that there seemed little doubt, but they were waiting for supporting confirmation from Italy.

  “It all sounds exciting,” Grace responded, more to keep Annie happy than at any thought about her sister being removed from what she now considered her home.

  “It is,” Annie said happily. “Mrs Fisher and I will have lots of fun. Will you come and visit?”

  “I would be delighted to; thank you for the invitation. Is there any news?” Grace asked turning to Rosalind.

  “No. Peter wanted to make sure there was no doubt, so he has asked for a substantial amount of information. He wanted the people involved to be interviewed and for them to sign legal documents to confirm what they are saying. He said he would rather delay things now and ensure everything is correct rather than cause upheaval without good reason,” Rosalind responded.

  “Rosalind will be a Lady if Roberto is Duke,” Annie informed Grace. “You may wish to marry Roberto then you can be Duchess and stay near Rosalind,” she suggested.

  “Maybe I will; marriage to a three-year-old doesn’t sound too bad,” Grace laughed.

  Later, Annie retired: she needed regular resting times to keep her from getting overtired; Rosalind gave her sister a guided tour of the huge house. Rosalind had come to love Sudworth Hall and had made improvements since her arrival. Even the threat of losing the house could not dampen her pleasure at showing each room to Grace.

  As they walked the conversation started earlier was raised again. “Annie doesn’t seem perturbed by thoughts of moving out,” Grace said.

  “No, she isn’t; she has surprised Peter with her enthusiasm. He was so used to shielding her from everything, he didn’t think she would receive the news very well. Until now, his main motivation has been to prevent any change in her circumstances upsetting her. She surprised him with her acceptance of the situation we face. As an outsider, I think I have more faith in her present abilities, but that may be because I have not seen the struggles she had to face in her early years,” Rosalind explained.

  “I suppose not. It’s obvious she has an innocent outlook, but she seems a lovely girl,” Grace said.

  “Yes. Even though she is older than Eleanor and yourself, in reality she is much younger; she is still a child in many respects and always will be,” Rosalind explained. “It is sometimes easy to forget that, particularly when she is relaxed and taking part in a conversation, but then she does something or says something that is without a doubt from an innocent. I’m not sure how much more she will mature; she has baffled the doctors by living beyond childhood, which we are all thankful for, but no one knows what will happen in the future. I know for one that my life is enriched with Annie in it.”

  “And what about you Rosalind?” Grace asked, looking at her sister closely. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, in the pink of health!” Rosalind smiled. “I’m being cossetted by everyone, especially Peter, although not too many know about my condition outside the family and the head servants as yet. I wanted to enjoy as much time with you as I could before I have to lock myself away.”

  “You don’t have to exert yourself on my account,” Grace said quickly. “I would have delayed my visit if you needed me too.”

  “I’m being very selfish, I know, but I wanted you with me and, even if I hadn’t, Annabelle made me promise to send for you immediately,” Rosalind admitted. “Annabelle was hardly with me before she was married to Lord Stannage. I know she will be settled only a few miles from here, but they intend being on a very long wedding trip, so there is no sign of them returning for a while yet. Lord Stannage doesn’t socialise very much, so even when they’re settled at home, we’re not expecting to see them very often. I need you here; I still need my babies around me,” Rosalind smiled, referring to her pet name she teased her sisters with.

  Grace smiled, “You will have to stop encouraging us to marry then.”

  “I hope you will choose someone who lives close just has Annabelle has done, so you will be only a short journey away,” Rosalind said with feeling.

  “What if I don’t marry?” Grace asked tentatively.

  Rosalind stopped walking and turned to Grace. “I hope you do marry,” she started, taking her sister’s hands in her own. “I cannot express the joy I feel every morning, waking next to Peter, but you will not be forced into marriage by me, that I promise. Father has his own ideas about Mr Wadeson, I know; but I would want a love match for you.”

  “What happened with Annabelle?” Grace asked. It had been hinted that there had been something amiss with Annabelle’s marriage; no details had been shared apart from that it was a compromising situation, but neither sister had written a great deal about it.

  Rosalind sighed. “It was the lowest point since my arrival here,” she admitted. “After promising myself you three would marry only for love, Annabelle managed to be compromised in front of the biggest gossip the area has ever known.”

  “Really? How awful!” Grace said.

  “It was worse; I left Peter and took Annabelle away, so she would not be forced to marry,” Rosalind said, flushing at the memory. She had never felt so alone during those bleak days.

  “You left your husband?” Grace said, obviously shocked.

  “Yes. Luckily for me, he is a wonderful man and, in a way, understood why I had done it, although it wasn’t an easy time for either of us. Annabelle was the one who decided there was never really any alternative; she had to be married. I was surprised, I did not think her foolish enough to place herself in such a position,” Rosalind said. “Lord Stannage is a decent man, but I don’t think they will have an easy life. I was reassured when I heard Miss Latimer joined them on their trip. She’s a new friend Annabelle made since visiting us. Lord Stannage thought it a good idea if Annabelle had the company of someone she knew. Although it is a new friendship, I hope Frances is able to offer Annabelle comfort.”

  “I hadn’t realised what happened, but I knew there was something not quite right. It makes sense of why Annabelle’s letters are so without depth,” Grace said, sorry for her sister.

  “Yes, it upsets me to know she does not love him; I hope Frances being with her is helping. I want you all to be happy. So, I’m hoping for far better for you!” Rosalind said, lightening the mood.

  “I think you should concentrate on yourself and the baby; leave me to enjoy my visit,” Grace pleaded.

  *

  Grace met her new brother at the evening meal. She had been a little unsure of how grand to dress, so she had chosen a cream silk dress with an organza overlay. It was simple, but elegant. She was reassured when Rosalind was dressed in a rich yellow gown; it was obvious that Rosalind did not let standards slip even when
no visitors were present.

  Grace was a little overawed by Peter at first. He was very tall, a perfect match for Rosalind, who stood around five feet ten inches, but he was quite intimidating for one who was only around five feet five inches, that Grace was. He was broad as well as tall, which only seemed to emphasise his height.

  It took only a short time before Grace realised Peter was in every way a gentle giant; he was so considerate and loving to his wife and welcoming to herself that she could not be anything but impressed with her new relation. She relaxed in his company and was able to enjoy the evening instead of being intimidated as she had expected to be.

  They settled down to their meal. Annie joined them when they were not entertaining guests unless the guests were close friends of the family. She chattered along keeping the three of them amused with her observations. Grace was able to join in without feeling self-conscious in any way.

  It was the first time Grace could observe Rosalind as officially the head of a household. She had done it at home, but it was very much in an unofficial capacity; here she was obviously in her rightful place. She had always looked regal, but it suited her to be in the surroundings of Sudworth Hall. Grace thought it would be terribly sad if Rosalind had to move and rescind the title of Duchess.

  Peter brought Grace out of her thoughts. “I believe you are a keen gardener, Grace?” he asked.

  “I am, although we have only a relatively small garden at home; so I’ve been quite limited to what I could achieve,” Grace admitted, lighting up at the mention of her favourite subject.

  “I hope you will take full advantage of our gardens while you‘re here,” Peter said with a smile. “I cannot say I’m an expert, but the gardeners who work on ours do a splendid job.”

  “I’m looking forward to exploring them,” Grace admitted. “If you can spare me tomorrow, I’d like to examine them at my leisure,” she said, aiming her request at Rosalind.

  “As long as you are with me to suffer the morning calls, you can do as you wish. I thought it would be good to give you a day or two before we started taking you to any gatherings,” Rosalind said.

  “Thank you,” Grace said with feeling; the longer she could delay it, all the better in her opinion.

  *

  Grace coped with rather than enjoyed morning visits. Those who visited were curious about the new addition to the household, especially as she came with a large dowry. Rosalind had wisely warned her sister about the visitors who considered them interlopers, trying to buy their way into the aristocracy. She did not wish the gentle Grace to be unprepared for their barely suppressed hostility. It made Rosalind smile that they still went through the farce of paying their respects by visiting; they did not like her background but could not openly reject her. She wished she could turn them away from her home, but etiquette was what it was; so they all went through the farce: Baroness Leyland, Mrs Ratcliffe and Baroness Talbot visited each day, all being happier when the visits were over.

  The final visitor to be announced was always Mrs Adams. Rosalind ensured Grace was prepared for the abrupt ways of her elderly friend. She was a dear friend to the whole family; Rosalind especially had a lot to thank the older woman for, but she was aware what an acerbic character Mrs Adams was: she was not to everyone’s taste.

  Mrs Adams came as expected and walked in with the aid of her stick. She approached Grace and looked closely at the girl, her open scrutiny making Grace blush. Mrs Adams turned to Rosalind. “Your parents may be lacking, but they certainly produce pretty children,” she said with an approving nod before sitting down.

  “You can relax now; you have the approval of our fiercest protector,” Rosalind said with a smile at her sister.

  “Humph,” Mrs Adams said, but there was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “There aren’t any more titled gentlemen in the area now though; your sisters have beaten you to the highest ranking ones,” she said looking at Grace.

  “Good!” Grace said quickly; she might be blushing, but she was not too timid to respond.

  Mrs Adams laughed, “There are still a few ‘Sirs’ and one or two Barons within a day’s travel. Would that be close enough?” The question was aimed at Rosalind; Mrs Adams was fully aware she wanted her sisters to settle near her.

  Rosalind smiled, “One day is better than four or five.”

  “Then again, I could remain unmarried and stay with you,” Grace offered hopefully.

  “You’ll marry; your father seems determined in that. Although you can’t be that pretty and rich and remain unwed with or without anyone else’s interference,” Mrs Adams said practically.

  “Even if I don’t want too?” Grace asked, her brow furrowing.

  Mrs Adams smiled, turning to Rosalind once more. “You said this one was the quietest of the family; I think you’re going to have your hands full with her nonetheless.”

  “Yes, I’m beginning to see that,” Rosalind said with a grin at Grace. “Although I wouldn’t object to her staying here, for a little while at least, before she sets up her own home.”

  “She’s of the age that she needs to be married.” Mrs Adams said.

  “I was five and twenty; she has lots of time,” Rosalind countered.

  “It would be easier if you had in mind some of the potential suitors in the area.”

  “If you are to continue to plan my future, I would rather not be here while you do it,” Grace said with feeling. “If you will excuse me, I would like to start my exploration of the garden.”

  The ladies let Grace leave. They were fully aware from her blushes the conversation made her feel uncomfortable. Rosalind wanted to invite Annie down to see Mrs Adams and to question the older lady on the news that her son had returned from the continent and was spending some time with the family of the boy he had tutored. Mrs Adams, not one usually to show excitement, had arrived with a letter from her son and was eager to inform Rosalind of its contents.

  Grace ran up to her bedchamber to collect her bonnet and pelisse. She slipped her pruning scissors inside her pocket; she did not expect any plant would need pruning, but she might want to gather a few flowers for her own room. She liked flowers in her bedchamber; it meant she was greeted with a lovely sight and smell as soon as she opened her eyes.

  She felt the excitement that always gripped her when stepping out into a new garden. The feeling of not knowing what she was going to find always made her blood flow faster. She followed the pathway to the side of the house. This was the area the drawing room looked out onto. Flower beds were enclosed in box hedges. The beds were laid out in geometrical designs, with a fountain in the centre of the pathways. It was lovely to look at, but Grace hoped to find more interesting areas farther away from the house.

  She walked through a large hedge which had been arched over the pathway and sighed. Here was perfection in her eyes; she smiled with pleasure: a huge garden area was sheltered by the enormous hedge that enclosed it. A deep border of plants surrounded a lawn that was impeccable. A gravel pathway separated the border and the lawn.

  As Grace walked slowly along the pathway, she examined almost every flower. The colours were matched in the differing plants to make a border rich with colour and contrast. Plants with varied leaf colours and textures filled the spaces the flowering plants did not. No soil could be seen; it was perfectly constructed in Grace’s eyes.

  After an hour or more in the grassy garden, she entered through another archway at the opposite end from where she had entered. This led into a rose garden, with more varieties than Grace could dream. This area had no lawn but had pathways and recessed areas and seating in the spaces created by growing the rose plants into arches. Grace did not spend as long in this area; she was keen to move onto the next.

  Leaving the rose garden behind, she followed the path to a charming water garden. Ponds of varying sizes were surrounded by a mixture of foliage and pathways interweaving, making each area seem private. The sounds of waterfalls and fountains made the whole area peac
eful and calming. Grace wandered along the paths, her interest being caught by the plant-life rather than the fish that swam to the surface in the hope of food at her passing shadow.

  She continued on, the smile hardly leaving her face. This was far better than Rosalind had explained. Another area led to an orangery, standing proud at the rear of a large lawn. Grace made her way over to the structure, anticipation building. Rosalind had said there were both exotic fruit and flowers growing in the orangery.

  The glazed doors opened onto a stone floor; she could hear water but could not see it. The smells that hit her as she stepped into the building made her nostrils flare with delight: the main smell was from orchids and was absolutely intoxicating.

  She took her time walking along the path. It was only narrow, foliage spilling over from the beds, allowed to grow wilder than the more formal parts of the gardens. There were plants there that Grace had seen only in books. She marvelled at each one, touching it as if it was some sort of precious jewel. Orange trees and pineapple grew along the walls of the orangery, their fruit a contrast to the delicate flower heads of the orchids.

  An hour passed before Grace felt the stirrings of hunger. She was not sure how long it had been since she left the house, but she correctly guessed it must have been some hours in total. She had discarded her bonnet and pelisse, the warmth in the orangery making both unnecessary. She moved along the pathways, returning to the bench where she had left her outer clothing. Before joining the final pathway, she noticed an orchid flower that had a snapped stem. Everything else was perfect; it had obviously only recently happened, or she was sure the gardeners would have removed it. Without pausing she took out her pruning shears and snipped the stem off at the base.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” came a booming voice to her left.

  Grace jumped in surprise and dropped her shears onto the stone floor; the clatter of metal on stone echoed around the building. She looked in the direction of the voice and was greeted with a glaring figure. He was a young man who stood quite a few inches taller than she, but then most men did. He was broad shouldered with arms and hands that reminded her of spades, they were so huge. His hair was longer than normally worn; it looked like it had been ruffled by the wind for hours. His brows were pulled together in a deep frown, and he wore the fiercest expression on his face she had ever seen. He would have probably looked younger without the frown, but Grace presumed he was nearing thirty. It did nothing to calm her when she met his gaze and could almost see fire leaping out of the clear grey eyes boring into her.