But that wasn’t his problem.
"Have your memories returned yet?" he asked, realising that neither of them had spoken in some time.
She shook her head. "I’m afraid not, Your Grace," she said, her eyes cast downwards. "I had hoped they would after such a good night’s sleep."
James nodded. He hadn’t really expected a different answer, for he presumed she would have told him if she had remembered who she was. But it still seemed prudent to check.
"Do you have a busy day ahead?" she asked, and he paused for a moment, unused to being spoken to at breakfast time. He was so often alone, and when his sisters were in residence, they tended to chatter amongst themselves without concerning themselves with what James might be doing unless it directly impacted them or their social calendar.
"I need to speak with some of my tenant farmers this afternoon," he said, thinking through his day’s tasks. "And I have some correspondence to deal with, too."
"You seem very busy, Your Grace," she said, before taking a sip of the tea that had been poured for her.
"There is a lot to do when you are a Duke," he said. "And with three younger sisters, I must look out for their interests, too – ensure they have dowries, good prospects… There always seems to be something more that I could be doing." He took a bite of toast and then realised he probably ought to ask her about her plans.
"And do you have any plans for how you will spend your day? I’m afraid, as I said, I will be absent for much of it." He did not wish for her to think he had the time to entertain her; she would have to pass the time herself.
"I thought I might explore the grounds. The weather seems fine, and I love to be outdoors…"
So she clearly remembered something of her tastes, even if she did not remember her name or home.
"Take a horse from the stables, if you like."
"Thank you, Your Grace," she said with a smile that lit up her whole face. "I think I shall remain on foot…but if I wish to explore further afield, I will certainly do so."
"Just don’t go getting yourself into any trouble," he said after a brief pause. He didn’t know why it mattered to him; she wasn’t his responsibility. And yet she seemed the type to wander into trouble without even realising it.
???
"I must go and attend to important paperwork in my study," the Duke said after they had broken their fast, and he had once again asked whether her memories had returned – and she had lied to him again. She felt guilty for doing so, but she comforted herself with the fact that it would not be for long. She just wanted to get to know him.
"When Albert or Simon comes to clear the table, could you please ask them to ensure luncheon is at one, and that they remind me when it’s ready?"
"Of course, Your Grace," Penelope agreed. "I will stroll in the gardens this morning, since the weather is fine. If that is acceptable."
The Duke frowned slightly. "It is of no consequence to me. I am not your guardian."
She was rather taken aback by his rude response; after all, she had planned to go anyway, but thought it courteous to at least inform him.
"Well, good day," he said, pushing back his chair and rising from the table.
It was then that Penelope had the idea for the first of her tests: to see whether this man was good and kind underneath his admittedly prickly exterior.
Albert came in to clear away the plates, bowing to her as he did so.
"Good morning, milady. Can I get you anything else?"
Penelope shook her head and smiled sweetly at the young lad. "No, thank you. But His Grace asked me to request that luncheon be at noon, and that you remind him when it’s ready."
The footman gave a brief nod. "Certainly, milady."
Penelope practically skipped from the room. She would wander the gardens and think on her plan. She just needed to be back inside before noon so she could see how the Duke reacted to the mistake. Of course, she told herself, if the boy got into real trouble, she would step in and admit it had been her mistake, not his. But she was very intrigued to see how he treated his staff in such a situation. After all, was it not better to judge a man by how he treated his inferiors, rather than how he treated his equals or betters
???
It was confounding. No matter how many times he checked the figures, the numbers simply didn’t add up. Something was missing. The castle’s outgoings were outstripping its income, when that had never been an issue before.
Dealing with numbers was his least favourite part of his title. Arithmetic had been the bane of his boyhood, often earning him reprimands from both his tutor and his father. He just didn’t have a natural head for figures, try as he might.
