The Duke She Left Behind by Fish Aileen & Publishing Inc. Wolfebane

Author:Fish, Aileen & Publishing Inc., Wolfebane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Medieval, Romance
Publisher: Wolfebane Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Eliza rose earlier than usual the next morning, her hands trembling in excitement to see Beck. Her body hadn’t adjusted to the difference in time between England and Massachusetts, but this morning one would never know she’d lived anywhere else. Her maid, Susan, heard her movements and entered from the dressing room adjoining the bedchamber.

“My lady, you didn’t give me a chance to bring your chocolate upstairs. Or would you prefer to have breakfast in the dining room?” Susan carried Eliza’s wrapper to her and helped put it on.

“Downstairs, please.” She padded barefoot across the bedchamber and into the dressing room. “I don’t know what to wear. Which of my day gowns is prettier? I have nothing to wear! Oh, I should have taken Marjorie’s suggestion yesterday and gone shopping, although I doubt I would have found any gowns my size available.”

“Shall I fetch something from her grace’s wardrobe? I’m certain she wouldn’t mind.”

“No. I’m so much taller than she, the hem would be extremely short. Help me decide among these.” Eliza held up a peach lawn gown with embroidered hem, then a pale green one with a soft pastel yellow ribbon at the waist.

“The peach is lovely,” Susan said. “It makes your cheeks rosier.”

“Perfect.” Eliza carried the gown to her bed and left Susan to gather her underpinnings and shoes. In no time, she was dressed, her hair styled, and she added a gold pendant around her neck. She trotted down the steps, pausing to compose herself as she reached the bottom of the staircase before continuing on her way.

The dining room was empty except for covered dishes on a sideboard. A footman appeared from a door discretely tucked in a corner and he picked up an empty plate. “What would you prefer, my lady?”

Could she eat anything without upset, or should she just have coffee? She wasn’t hungry, but dinner was a long way off. “Some toast, please. And maybe an egg…and a sausage.”

The more she thought about food, the hungrier she grew. Her stomach growled, confirming the need to eat, since she’d consumed so little at supper the night before. She took a seat at the elegantly set table and, once she was served, began to eat.

Then Beck appeared. “Good morning.”

She should stand, but before she could, he took the seat opposite her. “The sausages are excellent,” Eliza said once she’d swallowed. She hadn’t expected to see him so early.

“I’ll take three,” he said to the footman. “Would you care to ride with me this morning? Either on horseback or in a curricle.”

“That would be lovely. I haven’t been on a horse in years, so the curricle would be pleasant.” She would have time alone with him, and so soon after her arrival. And she couldn’t think of a thing to say now when there was no one nearby to overhear. Why was it she and Marjorie could talk as if they’d never spent a day apart, yet her tongue knotted when Beck appeared? She took another bite of egg and chewed slowly.

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