Julian blew out a breath. “Nothing nefarious, I can assure you. I’ve spent the past year learning how to fulfill my duties as a duke. And my estate manager convinced me to take some time away. I realized I needed a respite, so I came to Bath using my mother’s maiden name.”
“Not so incognito now that my mother and her friends have hired you to paint their portrait,” Richmond said, with a grin.“You’ve charmed the Golden Duchesses, and something tells me, they’d sell tickets to their friends to that portrait sitting they arranged with you.”
Julian shook his head. “Truly, I don’t intend to take payment for the work. But one would be hard-pressed not to like the Golden Duchesses.”
“Well, I can assure you, they sang your praises to the skies last night over dinner.”
Julian wondered if Serafina had told her guardian anything.
“She didn’t say a word to me,” Richmond said as though reading his mind. “Which I found quite telling, given how the GDs were expounding about the handsome young artist named Mr. Kerr.”
Julian felt his face heat once more.
“I think we should discuss this further. But my role in this is essentially done.”
“What do you mean?” Julian asked.
“I don’t need to remind you how stubborn Serafina is. So, I wish you luck in winning her heart,” he said with an arched brow. “But I have faith in you. I’m certain that by the end of your visit, we’ll have an announcement to make in the papers.”
“She’s a unique young woman…” Julian said, a little in awe as he realized his growing feelings toward Serafina. “I’ve never met anyone like her.”
Richmond smiled. “You have my permission to court her…but don’t break her heart,” he added in a warning tone.
“I won’t.”
“Good man.”
CHAPTER 7
The next day
Serafina smiled into the warm sunshine, enjoying the afternoon and the company. Her eyes drifted over to the adorable puppy, who slept peacefully at her feet, despite the occasional bump in the road from the crunching of gravel beneath the wheels of the carriage they were riding in. Willow was tucked snugly on a pillow inside the wicker basket that had become her traveling bed.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing…” Serafina began, then lowered her voice, reminding herself not to wake Willow. She’d tired herself out after “announcing” every bystander they’d passed and every horse and carriage.
“Everyone is out and about, enjoying the bright, crisp weather. I’ve never ridden along the Crescent in a carriage before. But I hear it’s much like Rotten Row in Hyde Park,” she finished, glancing shyly at Julian.
“You’ve never ridden Rotton Row?” Julian asked.
“No. We’ve never spoken about my life before Uncle Carlton. But I was a vicar’s daughter and lived in the countryside in Essex. I can’t recall many trips to town,” she said with a wry smile.
“Now I’m intrigued. How did you end up being the ward of Richmond? Julian asked.
“I suppose I suppress that part of my life because it makes me sad.” Just thinking of her family brought moisture to her eyes. “My dear parents died tragically when the vicarage we lived in caught fire. The maid was screaming and pounding on my door. She woke me up and pushed me out of the window, telling me she would wake my parents. Later, when she found me outside, she told me it had been too late. Their bedchamber was already engulfed in flames. They suspected a candle caused the fire. I was twelve and had no sisters or brothers. After being bounced from relative to relative, I was finally placed with my father’s distant cousin.” She paused, trying to decide how Julian might react to her story. “After two years of working as one of his servants, I met my guardian’s father, the previous Duke of Richmond, when I was in the employ of my late father’s distant cousin, when I was in town once, and I remembered his kindness, so I sought him out and asked for a job. That was five years ago.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell Julian what her cousin had tried to do to her, and why she’d been so desperate to leave his employ.
“So…your uncle…the duke made you his ward,” Julian said. “Whatever happened to your father’s distant cousin…the one whose house you left?”
“Yes. Following the wishes of the old duke, Uncle Carlton became my guardian. Except for the outskirts of Essex, Bath, and Uncle Carlton’s country estate in Sussex, I’ve never even seen Hyde Park—and certainly not in a carriage.” She didn’t mention her distant cousin.
“Then, we must make sure you enjoy the ride around the Crescent,” Julian said.
Serafina ran her finger along the edge of the passenger side door. “This doesn’t look like the same carriage from before, when I first met you,” she mused, taking in the shiny, lacquered black paint and the rich, dark leather trim.
“It’s a different carriage…but still part of the house I’m renting. I gained permission to use it with my lease,” he answered smoothly. “I thought you might enjoy riding in it.”
“I love the landau top that folds back. We can see everywhere around us,” she said. “And it’s a pleasant respite from the shop, although I do have a busy schedule to adhere to before the tearoom opens.” After the upsetting incident with Baron Grimsby at the shop, her aunts and uncle felt it was safest for her to stay away for a day or two, and no way was she to return without Peter. Peter Green was the footman she preferred to accompany her. He was big and burly and kept an eye on things, but he stayed out of her kitchen. Her experience with her aunts’ other footmen never went as smoothly.
Uncle Carlton had made it abundantly clear that if she didn’t allow Peter to escort her, he would delay the opening of her tearoom until she turned twenty-one—and didn’t care what it cost him. She’d have to wait two years! He’d also assigned a maid, Martha, who would accompany her when she went out. Up to this point, her guardian had been flexible on her having a maid full-time. Unless she was going to a Society event, she preferred to dress herself. But because of her lapse in judgment, a maid had become a fixture in her life. Martha was a lovely person, but Serafina was unused to so much attention.
