Violet laid her hands on her belly.“Pregnant women don’t travel well, especially with roads this poor.”She batted her eyelashes and attempted to look as distraught as possible.
The duke sighed and tapped the ceiling with his fist.The hatch opened, and a face appeared.“Yes, sir.”
“We will stop at the next respectable coaching inn.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”The hatch closed.
“Thank you,” Violet said primly.She had tried her best to slow them down as much as possible today.Rhys must be in pursuit by now.She hoped.
The rest of the day went in a similar pattern.Stopping for short respites out of the carriage, Violet took her time using the necessary and walking to stretch her legs and breathe in fresh air.At supper, she forced herself to eat a small amount of food.Rhys’s voice telling her she needed to feed the baby echoed in her mind.
The duke glowered at her across the small table in their private dining room.“Thanks to all your stops, we will have to stay overnight.What should have taken one day will now take two.”
She was exhausted and cranky and in no mood for his tantrum.She shrugged one shoulder.“You are the one who insisted I come.”
He drained his glass of wine and slammed it down on the table.“Go to your room.”
Happy to be dismissed, she rose and curtsied.“Good night, Your Grace.”Then she made a hasty exit.Ginny waited for her in the corridor.She gave her maid a wide smile.“I think I annoyed him enough for one day.Let’s go to bed.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The next morning,she was dressed and ready to travel by the time the duke’s man knocked on the door to collect her and her trunks.Rhys hadn’t shown up last night.She had sat at the window, watching the yard for his tall, lean shadow to make an appearance until she could no longer keep her eyes open.
Ginny had come over and gently helped her into bed.“Well, how would he know where we have stopped?Don’t worry, my lady.I am sure he will show up at the estate.”
Violet’s head was much clearer this morning.She was anxious to arrive at Eastwell Park.Certainly, that was where Rhys would head to look for her.She climbed into the carriage with her head held high.The duke was already inside.“Good morning, Your Grace.”
“Good morning, Violet.Ready to travel?If we continue without too many stops, we should arrive by midafternoon.”
She nodded and settled her skirts around her.Ginny climbed in and took her seat with a nod to the duke, who completely ignored her.His attitude toward staff was strictly “only speak when spoken to.”Otherwise, they did not exist in his presence.Violet turned and gazed out the window, determined to do the same to the duke.
As promised, they turned down the long gravel drive to Eastwell Park by three o’clock that afternoon.She was shown to her usual rooms by Mrs.Wells, the housekeeper.A kindly older lady who had worked for the Lavensham family her entire life, her mother having been the daughter of the previous duke’s land manager and her father the stable master.Once they were in the suite, she turned to Violet.“Lady Sommerset, you are blooming!We were all saddened by news of your husband’s death but buoyed by news of your pregnancy.”
“Thank you, Mrs.Wells.This trip was unexpected.The duke insists I spend the duration of my pregnancy here.For the fresh air, no doubt.I would dearly love to lie down.”
“Of course, my dear.You just have Ginny let me know if you require anything.”
Ginny led her to the edge of the bed.“Here, sit.”She untied her half boots and removed the dusty stockings.
Then Violet crawled onto the covers and laid her head down on an impossibly soft pillow.At least she would have all the luxury of the ducal residence while she waited for Rhys to come and get her.She shut her eyes and pictured his features—the sharp cheekbones and slashing eyebrows, the thin white line of his scar, and his soft lips and wicked tongue.Tears welled up as she wished for his strong arms to be around her now.To hear the soft words he whispered into her hair when he thought she was sleeping, of how beautiful she was, how strong, how sweet she tasted, how he would worship her all his days.Where are you, love?
Two days later, Violet walked in the park and wondered the same thing.Where was Rhys?The footman who had been assigned to watch her trailed behind as she made the turn onto the path that circled the lake.The sunlight sparkled off the water.The peace of the setting did her heart good.Halfway around, she spotted a patch of strawberries growing wild.There were so many ripe, red berries that she bent down and popped one into her mouth.Delicious.
She gathered three more and savored each bite.There had been so little that had appealed to her appetite while eating at the duke’s table.The dinners were heavy with greasy meats and boiled potatoes.Last night, they had brought out a whole roasted piglet with a bright red apple in its mouth.The smell of charred meat had made her gag, and she had to excuse herself and run out of the room in order not to vomit.
Ginny had brought her soup and a piece of crusty bread later, but she could not survive on bread and jam.Didn’t the man believe in vegetables?Violet pulled her shawl from around her shoulders and filled it with bright, juicy strawberries.Tying it into a bundle, she turned and headed back to the house.
The servant who followed her seemed confused by her abrupt turn back.“Everything all right, my lady?”
“Yes.Can you tell me which way to the kitchen door?I want to drop these berries off.I can’t believe my luck coming upon the patch.”
“Yes, they grow wild all over the estate in early spring.Follow me, ma’am.”
They walked back to the house in companionable silence.As they approached the backside of the manse, he led her through the kitchen garden and to a large wooden door.“This is it.”
“Thank you…what is your name?”
“Bernard, my lady.”
