The Duke I Once Knew_Unlikely Duchesses by Olivia Drake

Author:Olivia Drake [Drake, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1250174376
Amazon: B07DN9TNHV
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Published: 2018-12-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

After leaving the kittens in the kitchen under the watchful eyes of a footman, the girls had a delightful time trying on gowns in Lady Gwendolyn’s dressing room. The young maidservant who was assisting them seemed to be having as much fun as they were, so Abby slipped out to go to her own bedchamber directly across the corridor.

The pretty room had pale yellow walls, rosewood furnishings, and sky-blue chintz hangings on the canopy bed. With the rain clouds bringing an early twilight, a lighted candle lamp had been left on a table by a servant. Abby had been surprised at first to be assigned such grand accommodations, rather than an austere cubicle near the other servants. But this had been Miss Herrington’s room. And now that she knew the former governess was the sister of one of Rothwell’s old friends, it all made sense.

Abby winced at the memory of her wrongful assumption. She had thought the worst of him when the truth had been quite the opposite. The duke might be a hardened rake, but he was to be commended for his kindness in giving Miss Herrington a position after the death of her brother in battle. And for securing the special license for her elopement, too.

The fact that Miss Herrington had wed Mr. Babcock left Abby feeling out of sorts. Like Rothwell, the man had broken his promise to her. How could this have happened to her a second time? Yet when she searched herself for anguish, she found only a trifling sense of relief. In all honesty, she’d never developed a strong affection for Mr. Babcock; he had merely been a way to escape the role of the maiden aunt, dependent upon the largess of her siblings.

Pondering her future, she picked up the candle and went into the dressing room. She balked at the notion of returning to Linton House to live with Clifford and his wife, Lucille. Though she loved her family dearly, she yearned for something more. Something of her own choosing.

If only it were possible for her to stay in the role of governess to Lady Gwendolyn! But she doubted Rothwell would change his mind. Too much acrimony remained between them.

Abby opened the wardrobe to examine its modest contents. Having seldom had occasion to attend fancy events, she possessed little that was suitable for dinner at a duke’s table. But there was an indigo-blue silk that she’d worn to the village Christmas ball the year before her parents had died. The gown might not be in the latest stare of fashion, but its classically simple elegance had always pleased her.

While dressing, she settled on a plan. She would accept Rosalind’s request to help with the preparations for Valerie’s debut. Then she would accompany them to London in the spring, so that she might finally see the city that her siblings had described in glowing detail. She would partake in the dancing and parties and sightseeing that she’d missed while caring for her infirm parents.

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