Tulip recognized several maids and footmen because their families lived in Burnham and they all attended the same house of worship as the Hesters.
She hoped their familiarity with her mother’s family would help rather than hinder her and Alex as they settled in.
“Tulip,” Alex said quietly, “you seem to be at ease here.May I leave you in Mrs.Granger’s hands for a while?”
She was surprised by the request, but nodded.“Yes, of course.”
“Good.”He asked Mr.Carver to join him in the study.“There is a study in this house, is there not?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” he replied.“I took the liberty of bringing all the estate ledgers over here yesterday and setting them on your desk.They are ready to be reviewed at your convenience.”
“Oh, I think now is convenient.”
Mr.Carver frowned.“Do you not wish to settle in first?Or have a tour of the house before we roll up our sleeves and get to work?”
“No, I’m fine.”Alex turned to Tulip.“Let Mrs.Granger show you around the house while I am holed up with Mr.Carver for the next few hours.”
She stifled her surprise once again, wondering why he would desire them to be apart for any length of time so soon upon their arrival.“All right.”
He next turned to Mrs.Granger.“Is our bedchamber ready?”
“Yes, Your Grace.Both the duke’s quarters and the duchess quarters are in readiness.”
He turned to Tulip, his eyebrow arched.“Set us up however you wish.”
“The duke’s bedchamber is probably the largest and likely to have the best views.I’ll have our belongings brought up there.It should be easy enough to move things around if we decide on any changes.”
He nodded and strode into the house with Mr.Carver.
The housekeeper cast her a sympathetic smile.“It is obvious you are newly wed and much desiring to remain in his company.I felt this way about my husband throughout all the years of our marriage.”
“Oh, then you are actually married?”She knew it was common for housekeepers to adopt the ‘Mrs.’for purposes of respectability no matter whether they were spinsters or married ladies.
“Widowed early on,” the woman explained with an obvious wistfulness to her voice and perhaps some resentment that her beloved was taken from her so soon.“Five years of wedded bliss before I lost him to a wicked fever.”
“I am so sorry,” Tulip said with genuine sympathy.
Mrs.Granger cast her a sad smile.“I started here shortly after he died.Work was a necessity if I was to survive in this world.Shall we go up to the bedchambers first?And then I will show you around the rest of the house.Are you thirsty, Your Grace?Or hungry?Shall I have refreshments brought up to you?And what about His Grace?”
“No refreshments necessary for either of us.We stopped at a nearby coaching inn for a bite to eat less than two hours ago.We were not certain of the preparations made in expectation of our arrival.”
“Ah, you thought we might all be slovenly and lazy.”
Tulip winced.“We hoped this would not be the situation, but did prepare ourselves for the worst.”
“I think you will find us to be a very good staff.We are all pleased to welcome you here.Mr.Carver has had nothing but nice things to say about you.”
“That is good to hear.He will come to admire my husband, as well.You all will, once you get to know him.He is incredibly intelligent and a very hard worker.I would not be surprised if he had this estate flourishing before the year is out.”
Mrs.Granger regarded her dubiously.“I hope you are right.The prior dukes did quite some damage through their neglect and wastrel ways.”
“Were you here through all four of the last dukes?”Tulip asked.
She nodded.“Yes, most of us were.”
“You must have been only in your mid-twenties when you started here.”
“Late twenties,” she said with a sadness in her eyes.“I was desperate to find work and had to take whatever position I was first offered.It happened to be as housekeeper here.I was hired because I was pretty and for no other reason.It had nothing to do with my competence or years of experience.In truth, I had almost no experience.But I was eager to learn and caught on quickly.I think His Grace’s grandfather, the old duke, was pleased with my services and appreciated seeing a smiling face.”
