“It must be a lot. What would make your life easier?”
She stole a glance at Mrs. Carter, who smiled encouragingly. “Well, if you would really like to know, this place is rather spread out. I know a lot of newer houses have passages the servants can use to get around better.”
“Do you think something like that would be feasible to do in a place like this?”
“I can’t be sure. I don’t even know what would need to happen to add such a passage.”
“I suppose we could always add a doorway, allowing for rooms to connect with a larger number of other rooms instead of just hallways. Or even keep the cleaning supplies closer to the areas that need them, so you don’t have to carry as much. Is there anything else?”
“A lot of the drapery and upholstery on the furnishings needs to be replaced.” offered Mrs. Carter, “The girls do their best to keep them nice, but they are very difficult to clean, so we could get new ones.”
“And maybe even try to see if there is a new mechanism for taking them down and putting them back up again! That would save hours!”
They continued on till the sky had darkened and most surfaces were littered with papers full of notes and ideas. And by then it was time for Mrs. Carter to leave and for Daisy to prepare her for bed.“Daisy,” she started. “I do apologize if my talking about the duke earlier made you uncomfortable.”
“Its alright. I’m sure you had a long journey and must be rather tired. That was what His Grace said when he asked Mrs. Carter to prepare a tray for you to take in your room.”
“Is that what he said?”
“Yes,” she blinked in confusion. “He said that was what you told him. Why? Is something else wrong?”
“No,” she said a bit too quickly. “Of course not. It has just been an incredibly long day and I need some rest.”
“I’m sure! The pair of you have been betrothed for so long! It must have been a relief to finally be together.”
Veronica tilted her head to the side in surprise. “Has he mentioned our engagement before then?”
“Of course he has!”
“When?” she asked too quickly.
“Pardon?”
She shook her head. “It was nothing. Forget I said anything.”
Daisy grinned. “I Heard him talk to his best friend about you once.”
Veronica couldn’t help herself. “What all have you heard?”
Daisy chuckled. “I’m not sure his grace would like me talking about this,” she said, moving on to brush out her hair.
“I won’t tell him what we talk about if you don’t tell him.”
She just shook her head a smile on her face. “I will only tell you this: he was very excited to marry you. He went on and on about what you talked about and what you liked.”
“I remember meeting a friend of his. Admittedly very briefly, but he seemed nice. Not sure what his name was...”
“Alexander. They all but grew up together. But since the fire, I think they must have had a falling out. Because he hasn’t come around, and we are so far away from London that gossip doesn’t usually make it here.”
“But surely you all go there for the season.” Though even as Veronica said so, she was reminded of the fact that her husband had not had a proper season in years. “Oh. I’m sorry, that was a silly thing to say.”
“Not at all, your Grace.”
“Why did he become such a recluse?” she asked as she moved to the vanity, where Daisy started undoing her complicated hairdo.
“I don’t know Your Grace. I only know that after the fire there were no more guests of any kind. We always assumed by how he acted that he was getting ready to bring you here as his Duchess, but as the years passed, first with his studies, and then the three years after the fire, we started losing hope.” She looked down. “I… I miss it. When the Duke had hope, so did we.”
Veronica couldn’t help herself. She sighed, shaking her head. “I think you all give too much credit to his affection for me.”
