“Would you like some tea or something to eat?”
“No. I’m fine,” he replied. “I promise I won’t be long.”
She let a giggle slip and put her hand over her mouth.
“What’s so funny?”
“I promise I won’t be long. Really, Arthur?”
*
Charles stood inthe doorway of his suites, unsure whether to enter. Frazier pushed him aside and stepped into the small sitting room.
“Come on. I think you’ll like these rooms. I checked them out myself for you.” Frazier knew his charge better than anyone. The late duke had chosen him to act as a valet and friend to his second son. They’d been through thick and thin together and Frazier knew Charles was highly intelligent, but he had trouble interacting with others, and it was made worse if he didn’t know the person.
Walking into the sitting room, Charles immediately walked across the room to the window. It overlooked a large garden on the backside of the house. He would have to go outside for a walkand check out what was where. Knowing where everything was, was important to him. Made things seem a little less disorderly.
“Excellent.” He turned and began walking to the bed chamber. After that was the bathing chamber and storage closet. Everything had recently been cleaned, and he concluded the duchess, his sister-in-law, had something to do with it. It seemed Her Grace was a hands-on sort of lady.
“Would you like to clean up and change clothes?” Frazier asked from behind him.
“Yes, it was a dusty ride even in that fancy carriage my brother has.”
Frazier led the way to the bathing chamber where he’d already laid things out by the tub. “What are your feelings about Arthur?”
“I can’t say. I don’t know him.”
“Come on, Charles. You spent a long time with him. All the way from Wight. Surely you must have an opinion?”
He shook his head as he headed over to the copper tub. “It’s too soon to do so. I can tell you he’s articulate, intelligent, and seems to genuinely care.” Charles paused. “But you already knew all that.”
“I’ll let you have this one, but mind you, I will ask again.”
“I’m sure he had to be in shock when he learned about me. Anyone would, don’t you think?” Charles said.
“I know I would be, especially because you two are identical twins,” Frazier replied.
Climbing into the tub, Charles lowered himself in, leaving just his head showing above the water. “I suppose that plays into the grand scheme of things. I’m sure his colleagues and friends are going to be doing double-takes.” He laughed.
“You have a sister as well. Roxanne, she’s a couple years older.”
“Yes, so I’ve been told. I suppose we’ll meet her in the upcoming days.”
The fact was that Charles felt some hesitation in meeting his sister. He didn’t know what to expect from her, just as he wasn’t sure about the duchess either. Women were strange creatures. He hadn’t spent a lot of time around them but found them hard to understand. Some preferred to be docile and others were the opposite. Independent. Arthur’s wife seemed to be like that. Independent.
“Yes, if she and her husband are in London. You might want to get to know your brother’s wife, Lady Daphne,” Frazier said from across the room. Frazier was never the sort of man who stood sedentary. He was always doing something.
“I will,” Charles replied with a cheeky grin as he grabbed a bar of soap.
“Not in that way, milord. You won’t be able to fool her; at least not for long.” Frazier was referring to a scar Charles had along his shoulder on his back. It happened years ago and had faded, but it was still there. A long-ago training accident while learning to fence. Lord Denton had hired Charles tutors through the years, and this particular one did not believe in coddling his students. A hard lesson learned for Charles.
“You spoil everything, you know that?”
Frazier shook his head. “That’s what I’m supposed to do. Keep you from doing something stupid.”
“I don’t do stupid things. I think things through before I act on them.”
“Yes, you do. Now when you’re finished with your bath, I’ve laid out clothes. I thought you might like to take a walk in the gardens.”
