Frances stopped what she was doing immediately, smoothing her dress as the woman looked around the foyer.
“Where is she?” she barked at the butler, who trailed behind her as if he already knew who she was.
The woman’s eyes then landed on Frances, who looked quite confused by the entire scene. She marched up to her immediately.
“Good morning,” Frances said, offering a confused but polite smile. “Welcome to Huntington Estate. How can I help you?”
“Where is Christopher?” the woman demanded.
Her sharp eyes took in Frances from head to toe, a look of disdain crossing her features as she did.
“I am afraid that he is not home at the moment. However, I am his wife. Frances Grant, the Duchess of Huntington. Would you like to sit down?”
A shrill laugh escaped the woman’s lips. “Oh, are you going to tell me what to do in my own house now? Little girl, my name is Teresa Grant, the Dowager Duchess of Huntington. I am sure that you must have heard about me.”
Frances felt a jolt of surprise but maintained her composure. Christopher had never really talked about his mother much, barring the random mention here and there. But what she did know was that he had not been in contact with her for a long time now. Her visit, then, was not planned. That much was certain.
“Would you like to sit down, Duchess? We can speak in the drawing room,” Frances suggested.
She did not know what the purpose of the woman’s visit was, but if she were to cause a ruckus, Frances wanted to make sure that it did not happen in front of the children. It was important to her that she protect them from any kind of conflict.
The Dowager Duchess ignored her suggestion entirely, now focusing on the half-done vase of flowers behind Frances. “God, were you arranging the flower vase yourself?” Her tone dripped with condescension. “Such a task is highly irregular for a duchess. It is suited better for the servants, not the lady of the house.”
Frances steeled herself, maintaining her smile. “I was merely overseeing it.”
Though it is hardly a crime, even if I decided to do it myself.
Teresa continued to look around the room, her gaze finally landing on Ernest and Edwin, who seemed quite confused by the sudden interruption.
“These are the children, I presume? The twins my son so foolishly decided to take in?” she asked.
Frances bristled at the comment but kept her tone even. “Yes, these are Edwin and Ernest. They are wonderful boys.”
The twins, sensing the tension, clung closer to Frances.
Ernest, ever the bolder of the two, looked up at Teresa with a frown. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Teresa’s eyes flashed with irritation. “I am your grandmother,” she said sharply. “And you will address me with respect.”
Frances started, panic now coursing through her veins. “He is only curious, you know. As children are. He did not mean any offense.”
Christopher, where are you?
Frances got the sense that the Dowager Duchess was a woman who was quick to anger. She did not know how to deal with her on her own and wished that her husband was here.
Teresa rolled her eyes, glancing around the room. “What have you done to the place? The furniture, the paintings, they’re all in a different place than what I had left them in.”
Frances scrambled for a defense. “I thought to give the place a little change. Christopher encouraged me, and he thought that the changes were quite lovely.”
Teresa rolled her eyes. “Of course, he did. My son’s trust in you is misplaced, though he shall find that out for himself soon enough. However, as far as I am concerned, you have turned this prestigious manor, which has been in the Grant family’s custody for centuries, into some tacky dwelling.”
Her words stung, and it was getting harder for Frances to not show a reaction. After all, what did she even do to deserve a verbal lashing like this? But Frances knew that she had to maintain her composure. When it came to herself, she could take whatever the Dowager Duchess hurled at her on the chin.
“I am sorry that you think that way. Perhaps you can give some suggestions as to how I can make it better.”
Teresa groaned loudly, rubbing her temples as though she was recovering from a bad migraine. “Oh, it is going to take more than a suggestion to turn you into someone worthy of being a duchess. Unfortunately, my son is the one who is to blame the most…”
Frances pressed her lips together, unsure what to say. She did not want to anger the Dowager Duchess even more.
