“I’m afraid that was my fault,” Standish interjected, surprising all of them. “I was unable to find Her Grace and went to the dowager duchess for approval of the menu change. Unfortunately, the dowager was unaware of your allergy. She is most regretful that you were indisposed.” Grace gave Standish the full wattage of her smile.
“The whole lot of you are incapable. I’ll make sure the entirety of thetonknows how ill I’ve been treated here.” Camden refused to let go of the high ground he seemed to think he had gained overnight, but he didn’t realize his threats no longer intimidated either her or Henry.
“Feel free to do your worst,” Henry said. “It was an unfortunate incident but should make a charming and humorous anecdote for you someday soon.” How he managed to say that with a straight face was beyond Grace’s comprehension.
“No one will ever take either of you seriously. It’s clear this entire marriage is a complete farce. I always knew you were an ungrateful social climber,” Camden directed at Grace with a sneer.
“And what does that make you?” Grace asked him. “You’re the one who came crawling here to claim a relationship to me now that I outrank you, when previously you disregarded me. It seems you are the one currently seeking to elevate himself through thinly veiled blackmail based on an unintentional circumstance.” Camden spluttered while Henry beamed in approval.
“I can assure you,” Henry said, bringing Grace in even closer to his side, “this is most certainly not anything other than a very real and very loving marriage. There is no way for you to win here. What I told you yesterday still stands. I will not speak ill of you, nor will I claim any kind of relationship to you moving forward.” Turning toward the butler, Henry said, “Standish, will you please show our guest out and make sure he is seen safely to the road?” Standish bowed in acknowledgment, and Henry calmly walked Grace upstairs past an enraged Camden. They ignored his continued blustering as they ascended the stairs, too caught up in one another.
Arriving at their bedchamber, the events of the past twenty-four hours were catching up with Grace and she found herself flagging. Henry noticed she was starting to drag and suggested she lay down for a while.
Starting to blush, she looked up at him shyly through her lashes. “I had hoped we might be able to spend some time together,” she said. Henry grinned at her, understanding what she was intimating, but he simply leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“I know, sweetheart,” he said, using the endearment for the first time. “I’ll be here ready and waiting for you when you wake up, but it’s important for you to take care of yourself.”
“What about you?” she asked him. “You must’ve hardly slept last night either—why don’t you come and lie down with me?”
“That sounds like heaven,” he responded. “There is nothing I like quite so much as having you in my arms.”
Henry followed her into her room and helped her remove her dress so she would be able to sleep more comfortably before tucking her beneath the covers. Once he had also settled into the bed beside her, she nestled into his side and quite promptly fell asleep.
A few hours later, she awakened to find Henry still asleep. Grace took the time to simply drink in the sight of him, peaceful and at rest. He was so beautiful to her, inside and out. He showed her a level of care and respect she had never felt from anyone outside of her father. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world to be able to share her life with him and would do everything in her power to help him achieve his goals. Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips, and he stirred awake.
“That’s a lovely way to wake up,” he mumbled, smiling. He stretched his arms above his head and then turned back toward her to look at her fully. Reaching out to cup her cheek, he said, “I think I could get used to this.”
“Me too,” Grace assured him. “And we have the rest of our lives to do so.” Enveloped in her husband’s arms, she knew there was no place she would rather be.
EPILOGUE
LONDON- MARCH 1820
Grace took a deep breath and clutched Henry’s hand as he helped her out of the carriage. She was about to attend the first formal event of the social season as the Duchess of Carrington. While still a bit trepidatious as to how she would be received, she was more concerned about what the ball would be like rather than how others would perceive her. But she had Henry by her side, and that was all that mattered.
Much had happened over the past six months as she and Henry had settled into their life together at Highland Manor. Not long after what came to be known as “the event” with Lord Camden, Aunt Hester had moved to the Dower House, allowing Henry and Grace some much needed space to breathe and leaving Grace the mistress of the house. She had made a few additional changes as to how things were run around the manor, but she still maintained many of the traditions she learned about from the dowager.
Aunt Hester had continued to school both her and Henry on what to expect from thetonand shared many of the unwritten rules everyone followed. She was also happier now that she was living in the Dower House, as she was still close to the home she had lived in for many years but also had her own space to work through her grief. She enjoyed having her own domain once again and being able to tell Standish what to do. Grace had grown extremely fond of the older woman once they had cleared the air and come to an understanding about her role within the family. Grace valued her experience and wisdom, even if she did occasionally ignore her aunt’s advice in favor of a new way of doing things.
Henry had come into his own as the duke, finally feeling confident in taking charge now that he had the help and support of his beloved wife. He had made many improvements around the estate and modernized farming techniques wherever possible. He took the time to gather input from the tenants, ensuring any changes he made were in their best interest and with their blessing. And he continued to spoil Grace with books and brought her dahlias as the summer transitioned into fall.
Their friends and the dowager had worked hard to raise intrigue about the new Duchess of Carrington, showering praise on her to those who would ask questions about the mystery woman who had managed to snag a duke. Grace was also less concerned about her reception in thetonbecause of the way Henry had already made a name for himself. The previous November, a special session of Parliament was called in response to the events over the summer, including the Peterloo Massacre. Taking up his seat in the House of Lords for the first time, Henry won the respect of many of his peers, even though he was a member of the more liberal Whig party. This would no doubt help with the opinions of the wives of theton, as their husbands discussed the merits of the new duke.
His hard work and dedication to finding solutions that would benefit everyone within England garnered him the respect of men from all walks of life.
And now they were finally here, the first official event of the season, and Grace was more confident than ever. She had found a peace and strength in herself after feeling lost for so long. Knowing who she was, she no longer feared how thetonmay judge her. She also knew Henry loved her, and that was enough.
Moira would be here this evening, ready to stand by her, and Angeline would also be attending her first seasonal event since losing her husband. Henry had also informed her that the young woman from Reid’s estate who had so captured his attention would be re-entering society this evening, and Grace was eager to make her acquaintance. In the end, it didn’t matter if there were whispers about the new duchess and her unusual relationship to high society. She was surrounded by those who loved and supported her just as she was, and that was all she needed. With her head held high, she walked into the ballroom on the arm of her husband and went to find their friends.
* * *
