The Duke's Bidding

Chapter 14

John guided the girl down the hall to the water closet his parents had commissioned. They were a few feet away from the door when Mrs. Watson came rushing towards them, nightcap askew and still in her nightclothes.

"May I be of assistance my Lord?" Without waiting for a reply, Mrs. Watson draped a pelisse around the girl's shoulders to cover her more appropriately.

Relief coursed through John as Mrs. Watson took over and helped the woman towards the privy. Earlier that evening, Mrs. Watson had returned home from her sister's and helped watch over their guest. From the looks of it, though, Watson's irate disposition from earlier was then directed at his wife, which explained her rushing over to help in her disheveled nightclothes. John shook his head. Watson's sensibilities were surely becoming a nuisance. John felt annoyed at the older man.

It was strange being back in his childhood home. He felt like the staff was watching his every move. Had they changed or had John just never noticed? Maybe he was not accustomed to being served any more, so it was more obvious.

He had been away for so long that at first he thought it natural for the staff to hover, but to keep watch over the girl like mother hens was out of character.

Do they not trust me? On second thought, he was almost sure that was probably it. As a youth John had caused scandals, but for the most part it was all rumor. He enjoyed how people exaggerated and turned the minor details into giant topics of gossip. In those days, he allowed rumors to circulate about him to get a rise out of his father. Not all of them were true, but it had been fun to cause mischief and speculation, all things hated by the Duke. At the same time, he didn't think that after eight years, the people working for him would assume those rumors were true and eye him warily. John acknowledged that trusting someone to do the right thing wasn't easy. So in retrospect, he suspected that his staff needed time to adjust and build trust in him. In the meantime, there was nothing he could do. He would just let them get to know him again.

Appeasing the older man was going to be challenging.

John sighed. The image of Watson's distress the first night and his continuing hovering brought a smile to John's lips.

He had been gone a long time, but to think that he was being protective of a stranger and his butler's reaction was this! Well, it was disconcerting—for both of them. They are taking too long, where are they? Realizing his impatience didn't help, John walked back to the ducal suite and stoked the fire in the grate. He needed more wood.

John pulled the bell summoning the footman.

A few minutes later a breathless younger man appeared, bowing his head, "Yes, my Lord?"

"Get more firewood," John stated and walked back out to the hall, this time leaning against the wall. What if something had happened in there? Just when he was about to head over to check for himself, they stepped out of the privy. John strode to their side, grasping her elbow, helping support the younger woman's weight.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"I shall be fine, I think I took walking on my own feet for granted. That's all, I am afraid." Just as she said that, her stomach churned bringing attention to its plight.

They both laughed. "I am famished," she said sheepishly.

"I suppose we can remedy that. I hope you don't hold a grudge after seeing the meager fare. Cook was rather stingy with the ingredients. She sent broth and bread, and said some nonsense about starving a fever."

"Oh dear—Mabel is at it again. She will never listen to reason." Mrs. Watson mumbled.

John pushed the double doors open and guided the girl to the makeshift dining table, adjacent to the fireplace. He helped adjust her seat and grabbed a throw for her legs. Her face was flushed with the exertion from the walk. John could still make out the yellow and green markings around her face, although they were fading gradually. She closed her eyes and faced the fire, lingering for a moment while enjoying the heat.