Isadora hated to admit it, but she missed him—arguing with him or whatever it was that they did together.
But she had taken his absence as an opportunity, and used it to bring her vision for the manor to life. She had spent the past several days buried in fabric swatches, sketches, and consultations with the staff, overseeing every detail of the changes she wanted to bring to their home.
“You have really put all your efforts into this, Your Grace,” Mrs. Wilson commented later in the day. She was in the parlor, making the last-minute adjustments.
“You think so?” Isadora asked, biting down on her lip. She did not have any prior experience with undertaking changes in an estate this size, but she had a strong imagination—which was enough, she felt. “I really wanted to open up the space so that more light enters. Do you see what I have done with the windows?”
Mrs. Wilson nodded eagerly. The two women had grown close over the last few weeks—and Isadora felt that her days were incomplete when she did not get to speak to Mrs. Wilson, even if it was over something trivial.
“I have, Your Grace,” Mrs. Wilson noted approvingly. “And you have re-done the walls as well. I quite like the palette you have chosen.”
“Do you?” Isadora asked again. She was not sure why she felt so self-conscious, only that she did. “Is the color too light? I was worried that would be an issue.”
Isadora had replaced the darker colors with fresher, brighter ones. It was certainly an improvement as it had transformed the look of the room in its entirety.
“I think the lighter color looks better,” Mrs. Wilson nodded.
“Mrs. Wilson,” Isadora started slowly, “do you really mean that or are you just saying that to make me happy?”
Mrs. Wilson let out a short laugh. “Your Grace, while I really do wish to make you happy, I would not lie in order to do that. I truly believe this.”
“So you agree that this is a better color option then?” Isadora prompted, fiddling her thumbs as she spoke. “Do you think that the Duke will agree?”
Mrs. Wilson gave her a knowing smile, as though she was suddenly in on the secretthat Isadora was trying to keep.
“I believe it would be a better idea to ask him yourself, Your Grace,” Mrs. Wilson suggested, still smiling.
“Oh, I will,” Isadora sighed and then muttered under her own breath, “if he ever decides to come back home, that is.”
“I am not sure if I caught that, Your Grace?”
“Nothing,” Isadora jumped up. “I…” She closed her mouth again.
At this point, she had learned to stop interrogating the staff about her husband’s whereabouts. Not only did it not help in the slightest, but it also landed her into trouble more times than it ought.
“I suppose I shall wait for him to come home,” she announced with a sigh. “Until then, I will continue working to make changes around the manor.”
“If you require any help, Your Grace, then I am at your assistance,” Mrs. Wilson offered.
Isadora waved her off. “Thank you, but this will have to be entirely my own undertaking.”
If anything, it kept her busy. And that was what she needed, right? Distractions. Lots of them.
Though, it was ironic that the person whom she wanted to show the changes to the most had not seen them.
An idea struck her then. In order for her to get his attention, she would have to change the place that he frequented the most.
His study.
“Mrs. Wilson!” she called out, excitedly. “Oh, gather the house staff. There is an urgent… and exciting project that we need to start on and finish by the day’s end.”
When she had finished briefing the staff on the changes that needed to be made, there was only silence at first. Everyone was staring at her, dumbfounded—as though she had said something that should have never been uttered out loud to begin with.
“His study, Your Grace?” Mrs. Wilson was the first to speak, albeit hesitantly.
“Yes, I have already thought of what changes I wish to make,” Isadora confirmed. “We do not have much time, however, so we must get started immediately. We need a fresh wash of paint, and we need to re-organize the furniture. Perhaps even change the paintings.”
“Is that truly wise, Your Grace?” one of the maids asked carefully. “His Grace is… particular about his study.”
