The formal gardens were as extensive as Elizabeth had suspected, and everything was far too ordered for her liking. There was a mix of colours in flower beds, but like colours were in rows. The rose garden was very pleasant, especially the wonderful scent of the myriad of blooming roses. Much to her approbation, the rose garden was not nearly as organised as the rest.
At the rear of the house was a large hedge maze, something Elizabeth would puzzle out—it never took her long to solve them—another day.
From the one side of the house, Elizabeth could see the wooded area about a mile distant. She struck out in that direction at her normal blistering pace. She looked over her shoulder and could see she had surprised the men with her speed but they soon increased their pace and then kept up with her.
Just before she entered the treeline, Wickham instructed each of the guards to take up positions parallel to the Duchess while still maintaining the envelope of distance.
Walking among her friends—the trees—Elizabeth had not felt so relaxed since before she had met her husband and had no choice but to marry the pig of a man. The sun was still climbing into the eastern sky so thanks to its angle the forest was cool.
The one thing she had noticed on the drive into the estate—well of what she had seen of it—there was no equivalent to Oakham Mount for her to climb in order to watch the sunrise in the mornings. Of course, she could watch from anywhere with an unobstructed view of the east, but it was not the same.
Nothing was the same, nor had it been sincehehad disrupted her life. Until and unless she was rid of him, it would not be good again.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Did I give permission for my wife to go tramping around my estate like a hoyden? What will people say when they hear my Duchess has such wild ways?” the Duke demanded. Wickham so much wanted to point out that no one ever visited his master but he bit his tongue. “At least you had the good sense to escort her, but why did you not stop her?”
“If Your Grace had left instructions Her Grace was not to leave the house, it would have been so,” Wickham pointed out. “If I may, Your Grace.”
Hertfordshire nodded.
Wickham thought quickly, it had to be the master’s idea. “I have heard women who have regular exercise are able to become with child quicker than those who do not. I overheard two eminent London physicians discussing this some months ago.”
“That is why I have decided to allow her to walk out in the mornings. As long as you and her guards continue to escort her, I will not rescind my permission,” the Duke decided magnanimously.
“By your command, Your Grace,” Wickham bowed to his master. “Her Grace does not ride, would you object if she were to learn? The head groom is an excellent teacher and that exercise is very good as well.”
“I think the Duchess should learn to ride; arrange it with the head groom.” The Duke waved Wickham away.
Once his back was turned to the Duke, Wickham grinned to himself at how easily he had manipulated His Grace.
Chapter 16
Hertfordshire was getting more and more frustrated. He had been married to the spitfire for more than seven months and she was not yet with child.
Of one thing he was certain, the failure was hers, it could not be his fault. Even though he had celebrated his seven and sixtieth birthday in January 1807, he was sure he was as virile as he had ever been.
He had come close to punishing her for her failure, but his desire for an heir had won out. If something occurred to end her life before he had an heir, Hertfordshire was sure no woman would ever again join herself with him. It was times like this the Duke wondered if the harpy of a mother—Mrs. Bennet—as his wife referred to her—had not been right and he should have chosen the older sister.
As he did whenever he had these thoughts, the Duke reminded himself he would not have enjoyed being married to the insipid one and as such, he would not have been able to rein in his proclivities until she bore him a son.
Even the fact the mother had birthed five daughters and no sons did not cause him to waiver from his determination thatwhenhis duchess bore him a child, it would be a son.
When he had considered taking away her privilege to send and receive letters via the post again—what cared he ifthe settlement stated she could, Wickham had suggested the chances of his wife becoming with child would be reduced if she was unhappy. That information had stayed his hand and Hertfordshire had allowed his wife to continue to communicate with her sisters unimpeded.
The nights he went to her, he had considered demanding she open her eyes when he was joining with her, but he had remembered what Wickham told him about the cause and effects of being unhappy, so he had not given the order.
He had hoped to be in London pursuing his preferred entertainment by now, but Hertfordshire had sworn to himself to remain with his wife until she was confirmed to be with child. His cravings to have his needs met were increasing daily. All he could hope was he would be able to continue to control them until his wife was in the family way.
The Duke tamped down his desires reminding himself he was doing this for the very survival of his name and line.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Aunt Maddie was with child again, and having a devil of a time with sickness in the mornings, necessitating Jane’s assistance. Hence the only park the Bennets and Gardiner offspring had visited for the past few months was the one opposite the Gardiners’ house.
Three of the four Bennet sisters living at Gracechurch Street had become a year older since coming to live with their aunt and uncle. In July 1806, Lydia turned eleven. In October, Jane turned nineteen, and lastly, in November Kitty reached the age of thirteen. The only sister not to celebrate her birthday with the Gardiners was Mary who would be fifteen in April 1807, a little more than a month after Lizzy turned seventeen.
Jane was somewhat sorry she had not been able to return to Hyde Park and possibly spot the Viscount who had saved her from falling.
