With the staff awaiting their arrival, a footman Henry didn’t recognize rushed forward as soon as the carriage ceased to move and opened the door to assist the new duchess. Henry laughed at the young lad’s eagerness and the way he blushed upon seeing Grace.
“Your Grace, we are so glad to welcome you,” he said with a bow as he took her hand to help her down the steps.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile, looking at the footman directly.
Henry had to keep himself from laughing as he knew this young footman would be charmed just as quickly as Hudson had been at Geffen House. Grace took Henry’s arm after he exited the carriage, and they walked toward the manor to greet the staff. Standish, the butler for the past fifteen years at the manor and in service there even longer, stepped forward.
“Your Graces,” he said with a bow. “On behalf of the staff, I would like to welcome you home and to congratulate you on your marriage.”
“Thank you, Standish,” Henry replied with a nod. Looking up so that he could address the staff as a whole, Henry said, “I would like to present to you Her Grace, Grace Ellison, the new Duchess of Carrington.” The staff smiled and looked at Grace with curiosity while she predictably blushed and nodded in greeting.
“I just now realized how ridiculous my name sounds next to the honorific,” she whispered to Henry. “The double Grace is a bit much.”
Henry let out a small snort at her wry observation, and he saw several of the staff members noticing the easy way they interacted, and smiling in approval.
At Standish’s beckoning, Mrs. Green, their housekeeper, stepped forward. Standish introduced her along with their cook and under butler, before turning things over to the housekeeper. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” she offered. After quickly introducing the remaining members of the staff, she dismissed them back to their work and led Henry and Grace into the house.
Turning back toward Grace, the housekeeper immediately endeared herself to her new mistress when she said, “I imagine after the journey you would like a quiet evening to rest, so we can save the house tour for tomorrow. For tonight, we have prepared baths for you in each of your rooms, and I will have some supper sent up shortly. Standish will arrange for the footmen to bring up your trunks.”
Smiling in gratitude at Mrs. Green’s thoughtfulness, “That sounds lovely,” Grace said in relief. “I find I’m rather worn out after two days on the road. A quiet evening and bath sound like the height of luxury at the moment.”
Mrs. Green led them both upstairs and showed them to the Duchess’s suite of rooms. “I hope everything is to your liking, but we can change anything to make you more comfortable.”
“Thank you, I’m sure you have thought of everything I could need for now. I look forward to getting to know you more tomorrow and seeing the house.” Grace smiled at her, and the housekeeper left looking pleased. As Mrs. Green exited, the footman who had assisted Grace earlier appeared with her luggage. She thanked him as he deposited the trunk, and he gave a shy smile before scampering out of the room.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Henry let out a long sigh. He was happy to have a moment alone with Grace after the hustle and bustle of the last few days—staff and service people with them at every turn. “How are you feeling?” he asked her as he helped remove her wrap.
“I’m glad that’s over,” she admitted. “I’m not sure why, but I was quite nervous to meet the staff for the first time. Perhaps because I feel like an imposter only playing the part of duchess.” She sagged into one of the chairs in front of the fire.
“You very much belong here,” he said, “and I can tell many of them are already enraptured by you.” She sent him a look of disbelief, but he would not have it. “I promise you are worthy of being a duchess,” he said as he crouched before her, taking her hands in his. “I’ve seen how strong you are, even if you doubt yourself. I know you will soon master this new position.”
Grace leaned into him and rested her forehead against his, seeking comfort. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Henry sat there unmoving, soaking in the peace of being able to sit still and connected with her in this moment. “I will leave you to your bath,” he finally said, rising but not releasing her hand. “Would you like to dine on your own, or should I join you here in about an hour?”
“I would like it if you joined me,” she replied. “In unfamiliar surroundings, as nice as they are, it would be nice to not feel so alone.”
“I would not think to leave you alone unless you wished it. I will see you in an hour then,” he said, leaving her to see to his own bath and wash off the weariness of travel.
Feeling refreshed, he returned to her room at the designated time, eager to spend more time with Grace, and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he knocked again. Hearing no movement in the room, he grew concerned. Calling out her name as he knocked a third time, he opened the door and saw that she was curled up on the bed, fast asleep. With a smile, he tiptoed out of the room.
CHAPTER25
Grace’s first full day at Highland Manor certainly kept her busy. It started off bright and early at breakfast, as she was famished. She felt bad at falling asleep before dining with Henry last night, tiredness had overtaken her for the second night in a row, causing her hunger this morning. Entering the small breakfast parlor at a footman’s direction, she was happy to see Henry was already there, immersed in a paper.
Looking up, he greeted her with a smile. “Good morning, wife,” he said in the same way he had the first morning they had spent together. “I hope you were able to rest well.” He set aside his paper to give her his attention.
“I did, thank you. I’m so sorry that I fell asleep before we could share dinner, I hope you did not have to eat alone.”
“Please don’t worry yourself over it. Smyth and I ate in my room after he finished unpacking from the trip. And I was glad you were able to get the sleep you so obviously needed.”
She noticed a silver pot full of coffee already in front of him, and she could smell delicious things coming from the sideboard.
“Would you like me to make you a plate?” he offered.
“Oh, no, please don’t get up. I can make one for myself,” Grace said, picking up a plate from the place setting already laid out on the table. Wandering over to where the buffet was spread, she was astounded by the sheer amount of prepared food before her. There were both scrambled and poached eggs, rashers of bacon, two different kinds of sausage, kippers, porridge, fruit, and a mound of pastries alongside a rack of toast. As she was trying to take it all in, a footman entered the room carrying yet another dish. As soon as he had set it down, he bowed toward her.
“Good morning, Your Grace. Can I get you anything else from the kitchen? What do you prefer to drink in the morning?”
