“There is so much I want to show you today,” he said with a wide grin. “I believe you will be impressed with what I have planned for the future of the village.”
Marianne smiled knowing that whatever he planned to do, whether it be great or small, she indeed would be impressed.
***
Marianne was unsure whether it was the sun or her eyes, but she had never noticed how William shone as they walked down the footpath of the main street of Chertsey. In her heart, she was proud of the gentleman he had become; his posture was now perfect, his obvious confidence as a Duke strong, and it radiated from him in great waves.
She was not the only one to notice. Many people of means, people of both the aristocracy and the Gentry, looked his way, smiles on their faces as they dipped their heads in diffidence, even if those nods were followed by a certain curiosity.
“Do you notice how they look at you?” she asked as they strolled at a leisurely pace. “I have never seen such public admiration for a man who is not of the Royal Family.”
He chuckled. “It is not me they hold in admiration,” he said in a low voice. “It is the woman beside me whose beauty calls to them.”
Marianne tightened her grip on his arm to keep herself from falling. At times the man could say things that made her insides seem to lack a skeleton. “Hush, you,” she said.
“You do not wish me to speak in such a way?” he asked. “Very well, I will remain silent from this moment forward.”
She giggled and slapped at his arm playfully. “No, you do not need to do that.”
He gave her a wide smile and patted her hand. “Good. I would hate to keep such thoughts to myself.” He stopped before a jeweler’s. “Let us go inside.”
Before she could protest, he pulled her into the shop, Julia following behind them with a grin to match that of any young child. A man stood behind a counter, hunched over as his fingers moved across a ledger. He glanced up at the sound of the small bell that jingled above the door and immediately set to smoothing his fine brown coat.
“Your Grace,” he said with a formal bow.
Marianne gaped at the man. How did he know William and that he was a Duke?
“It is an honor to have you inside my shop,” the man continued. “If I can assist you with anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask.”
“Indeed, there is something you can help me with,” William replied as he smiled down at Marianne. “This is Miss Marianne Blithe and she seeks the finest jewelry for finger and neck.”
“That I can do,” the man said. “If you can spare me one moment…” He hurried to a curtained doorway and slipped past it.
“William,” Marianne whispered in shock. “I cannot buy jewelry. Where would I come up with that kind of money?”
“I am buying it for you.” He held such a look of innocence that she could not help but be reminded of the first time they had met, when he wore the same look as he bowed to her on the stoop of his own house. She cherished such memories, for that was the man she had come to admire, the man who shared stories of his humble beginnings and his life as a gardener.
“Your kindness is great, and I am honored you would like to do this for me,” she said. “However, I cannot accept such a gift, for it is beyond what I deserve.”
He laughed as he shook his head. “So, you would defy a Duke?”
“No, of course not,” she gasped. “I would never…”
He interrupted. “Then allow me this, Marianne. All week I have thought of nothing but you and doing this to make you happy.”
She found herself nodding. If this was what he wished, then she could do nothing to make him reconsider. Furthermore, that look of wondrous innocence settled on his features, and she relented. “Very well,” she said with a sigh. She shot Julia a warning glance when the woman appeared ready to burst out laughing.
The shopkeeper returned and set a box made of fine, polished wood on the counter. “Your Grace, I believe this will be a piece in which you will be interested,” he said as he opened the lid.
Marianne gasped. Inside was a necklace lined with emeralds, the smallest the size of a dried berry and the largest the size of a chestnut, all set in silver. Beside it, nestled in the velvet cloth, rested a matching ring.
“For two years I have crafted this set,” the man said as he stared down at his creation, “never revealing it to a soul. In my thirty years of crafting jewelry, I have never crafted such a unique item.”
Marianne swallowed hard as she shot Julia a glance. The woman stared in utter amazement, seeming as shocked as Marianne.
“Truly this is a unique piece,” William said as he removed the necklace and held it up to the light. Then he turned to Marianne. “I believe it belongs on a unique woman, does it not?”
Julia held Marianne’s hair as William clasped the necklace around her neck. The metal was cool against her skin, the stones a great weight on her bosom. She did not know what to say, and then he was slipping the ring on her finger. Without warning, she gazed at the ring as if were a wedding ring, their vows having been completed before the words were sealed with a kiss.
“Do you like it?” William asked, a concerned look on his face.
“Yes,” she whispered. “It is beautiful.”
Smiling, William turned back to the shopkeeper. “If Miss Blithe calls in here again, she may put any purchase on my account. For now, send me a bill for these pieces and I will see you compensated.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the man said with great enthusiasm. Marianne could not blame him; she was certain he had made a fortune with this single sale. “Shall I have the box delivered or will you take it with you?”
“I believe you can have it delivered to her residence,” William replied. “Do you know her house?”
The man gave a wide grin. “I do. My cousin lives nearby. I will send it out immediately.”
“Thank you,” William said. “Come, we have more places to visit.”
Once outside, Marianne glanced down at the ring on her finger. “William, this is too much,” she said. “I know you wish me to have them, but these are not the type of gifts one gives a woman he is courting.”
He snorted. “No, it is exactly what I wanted for you. Please, accept it without complaint, for otherwise I will be highly offended.” He wore a mischievous grin, and she could not deny that arguing with him over the matter would be fruitless.
“Very well, I am happy and thankful.”
“Good,” he said with finality. “You deserve it for all you have done for me.” They stopped in front of the butcher’s shop and he looked through the window. “Now, do not forget, do not call me William.” He did not look at her as he said this.
His words struck her as odd, but she pushed it aside as the door opened and a rotund man in a bloody apron came out the door.
“Your Grace,” he said with an awkward bow, “I’m honored to have you look upon your shop once more. Are ye well?”
“I am,” William replied. “Now, Lawrence, do you recall what I said your Duke would do for you?”
Marianne frowned. William’s tone had taken on a sense of superiority she had never heard before from him.
“I do, sir,” the butcher replied. “You said that we could sleep well at night, that you wouldn’t allow another butcher top open a shop in the village.”
“You are right,” William said as he clapped the man on the back. The man stared at him with bulging eyes but made no comment. “I have kept my word. The Dowager Duchess, after words from me, has decided it is not in her best interest to open a second butcher’s shop. You may continue to sleep well.” Somehow, his chin rose with each word until he could have been looking up at the sky, or so it seemed to Marianne. “Your Duke looks after everyone he cares for. Make sure all know of your good fortune, and my good graces.”
“Sir,” Lawrence said in a reverence that was well beyond what was necessary, “my grandchildren will sing praises of yer kindness and consideration.
” He glanced inside his shop. “I must return to my work, for there’s money to be made for you.”
“Then be off and make me more money,” William said with a laugh.
The butcher gave him another bow, rushed back inside, and was soon back to chopping a large portion of what Marianne assumed was a side of venison.
Marianne pursed her lips, but she used the conversation to ask the question that burned in her mind. “So, you spoke with the Dowager Duchess?” she asked nonchalantly as they returned to their leisurely stroll. He nodded, and when he did not elaborate, she continued. “It appears it went well? With her, I mean.”
William stopped and turned toward her, and for the first time she saw a scowl on his lips that he directed at her. “She is a kind woman, lovely and misunderstood,” he said with a touch of anger behind his words. “I will be doing business with her in the future, so you may as well acclimate yourself to it.”
His sharp words brought tears to her eyes. She blinked them back but not before he noticed. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. “Marianne, I am sorry. Please understand that I am under great pressure. But I still should not have spoken to you in that way.”
She nodded. “I am simply worried for you,” she said.
“I know, and I can assure you that the woman only has my best interests in mind.”
Somehow, his words did not encourage any more now than they had before. She did not believe William would fall for the woman’s charms of seduction, but he could be led as easily as a lamb to slaughter, for he was much too new to the ways of the aristocracy—and women such as the Dowager Duchess of Durryham.
“We are having a dinner soon,” William said as if the previous incident had not taken place.
“We?” Marianne asked.
“Well, I am hosting it, of course, but it was Sofia’s idea.” The fact that he referred to the woman by her Christian name did not escape her notice, although she said nothing on the matter. “You and your family will be invited. In fact, I already told your father of it earlier when we were talking.”
“I look forward to it,” she said absentmindedly.
“I want you to wear those jewels,” he said as he flicked the chestnut-sized pendent. “Now, come, there is something else I want to share with you.”
***
Their leisurely stroll soon became a quick walk, and Marianne worried she would stumble as they made their way to the cobbled street. This time as passersby looked at him, she wondered what they truly thought, for she noticed more scrutiny on their faces than earlier.
William must have sensed her thoughts, for his words spoke directly to her heart. “I do not care what they think,” he said. “It does not matter, nor does it concern them. It is what we know that matters.”
She nodded. He was right. She had never been one to be concerned for the thoughts of others, so why should she begin now? “I agree. I forgot that rules are meant to be broken.” She smiled up at him and her mind turned to when they had met in the library that final night before she returned home. The memory held a feeling of freedom, and she would not deny him, or herself, that feeling again. “Now, tell me, why are we standing in the middle of the street?”
“All of these shops,” he said as he spun around in a circle, “are mine. That is, I own them, buildings and all.”
Marianne stared around her in shock. She had never realized how vast his wealth was, but it was great, indeed.”
“My grandfather and the Dowager Duchess had plans to expand, to bring in new shops and businesses for the village. It was his dream, one which I will continue, for I believe he wished to give everyone the chance for employment.”
“I am proud for you,” Marianne said as she placed a hand on his arm. “You have already made great gains that I could never have imagined possible, especially in such a short time.”
He stared down at her. “It is because of people such as yourself that I have become the Duke who stands before you. The Duke that people look to, admire, and strive to be like.”
Marianne shook her head, confused at his words once again. “I do not understand.”
He laughed, and the sound hurt her, for it was as dismissive as the words which followed. “There is no need to try to understand the ways of a Duke,” he said. “Sofia told me as much. But know this,” his smile widened into a grin, “like the butcher, many here need their Duke to be strong and to be a great leader. One who will allow them to have peaceful nights of sleep. Do you not see, Marianne? That is my role as a Duke; I must hold my head high, to let them stare in awe and whisper about my deeds. For it is that which I can provide that will make them happy, and in that endeavor I will not fail.”
“I…that is…good,” Marianne said, unsure as to how to respond. He had indeed changed, for she had never seen this side of him, nor had she had an inclination that he had been thinking as such.
“With you on my arm, and Sofia’s wisdom as a Dowager Duchess guiding me, there is no doubt I will become a far greater Duke than my grandfather could have ever dreamed of being.” He took her hands in his. “All I need to make my life complete is to know you believe in me, as well. Do you believe in me or do you not?”
Worry coursed through her veins, and she considered advising him to take another look at himself, to see that he had changed. As she had suspected, the Dowager Duchess seemed to have taken some sort of hold on him, for the way he spoke of himself and the burden he wished to place upon himself for the village was beyond what could have been expected for any one man, even one in his position.
However, peering into his eyes, she saw the man for whom she cared, and she found herself nodding, a smile on her lips. “I do believe in you,” she said. It was not an untruth, and perhaps she was being hasty in her judgment of him. “And I will remain by your side.”
“That was what I needed to hear,” he said, offering her his arm. She slipped her arm through his. “Now, come, let me introduce you to a few more people, and then you may purchase a new dress in the dress shop I also own.”
Chapter Fifteen
William came to call on Marianne twice in the following two weeks, and she was delighted. During the first visit, they remained in the parlor as rain beat against the window, discussing the latest books they had read.
They had strolled through the gardens when he called the second time, and it was as they walked and he told her of his various meetings that she realized that, despite the happiness she saw in his eyes and heard in his voice that he was able to call upon her, the stress of his new role was clearly taking its toll on him. His tired appearance only emphasized it even more.
Now she stood beside her parents amongst the other guests in the foyer of Silver Birch Estates as William made a grand entrance down the stairway. His dark tailcoat complemented his hair, and the air of confidence that he exuded was catching. Yet, like the previous two times she had seen him, there was a tiredness around his eyes, and his jaw, which usually held a smile, was tight.
To her left stood the Dowager Duchess, wearing a light-blue gown with silver threads embroidered throughout and a neckline that was much too low for a woman of her age. Beside her stood Lord Matthew Campbell, the Earl of Wipford, and his wife, Lady Lydia Campbell. On the other side of Marianne’s parents stood Lord and Lady Dowding, the Marquess of Bronstoke. Both were silver-haired and hard of hearing, but Marianne found the latter couple to be endearing, unlike the former who looked down upon Marianne and her parents as if they gave off some sort of foul odor.
William came to a stop at the bottom step, his gaze running over each of them, although he paused and his solemn face lit up when his rested on Marianne.
She returned his subtle nod and hoped that the green gown she had purchased specially to wear with the jewels he had procured for her would please him. It appeared it did, for he gave her an appreciative smile before he broke the gaze and began to speak.
“Distinguished guests,” he said in that authoritative tone he used as of late, �
��I am happy you have joined me this evening, for tonight we celebrate the relationships we have formed over business.” He had a complete speech prepared, which he had given her as a form of practice, and she found herself staring at him in awe. Gone was the gardener who spoke without thinking, and in his place stood a Duke so noble, it took her breath away. A gentle nudge from her mother broke Marianne from her thoughts as the guests followed the Duke into the dining room.
The long oak table was beautifully set with crystal wine goblets and a large candelabra in the center, the flames of a dozen candles flickering in it. A footman pulled out a chair for her, and within what seemed like only a few breathes, the women were seated. Beside her sat the Countess of Lesterly, who stifled a yawn, her powdered wig sitting on her head in the fashion of the previous generation.
Soon, all the guests were seated, and William, who had remained standing, looked over them once again.
“In times past,” he said in that formal tone he had adopted, “the Duke’s guests were few, and those who sought his ear would often find the wait long. Each of you may rest in knowing that I am here to listen to whatever needs you may have.” He retook his seat and signaled to a nearby footman, who in turn signaled the other footmen.
Marianne found William’s speech odd and she glanced at her mother to gauge her reaction. However, the woman stared straight ahead, showing no sign of her thoughts. As the footmen poured the wine, Marianne’s father spoke up.
“Your Grace,” he said in a simpering tone that made Marianne cringe, “to be in your home is indeed an honor. To do business with you is yet another.”
William laughed, which caused her father to redden considerably. The Duke raised his glass to her father. “Blithe, always seeking to win me with his words,” William said. A few people gave awkward chuckles. “Do not worry, for you are the first and only man without title I will allow in my home, which should tell you how much I favor you.”
Marianne clenched her fist as the Dowager Duchess let out a laugh. Although her father was prone to excitement when it came to discussions of business, the fact this woman found humor in what William had said angered her. She took a sip of her wine to cover the scowl that spread on her lips.
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