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"I hope there is some of that jam remaining for me."

Victoria looked up to see Anthony standing there. She stared at him in shock. For the week she had been married to him, she had never seen him in the dining room. She was beginning to doubt that he knew the way to the dining room. Since he rarely ate there.

When she recovered, she promptly closed her open mouth.

"I suppose there is still some remaining." she said in a mumble.

"I truly hope so, because I am starved." he said sitting himself.

"My apologies." he said seeming to remember his manners "Good morning Mother. Wife." he said with a slight bow to the both of them.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company this morning?" His mother asked drily.

"I apologize from my pronged absence this past week but I had a lot of meetings outside the castle walls. Forgive me."

His mother gave him a droll look from the side of eyes that showed she didn't completely believe his story.

"I do not require your apology, son. I think you should reserve those for your wife. Which newly married gentleman leaves his wife alone a day after his wedding to chase after some documents that could wait a little longer? I wonder how important it is that you would choose to neglect your wife to attend to them."

Victoria wished the ground would open and swallow her so she could escape the embarrassment, but the marble floor of the dining room was not cooperating so she had to seat there, the target of the pairs of eyes belonging to the two other occupants of the table.

Anthony cracked a smile

"My wife is not complaining is she?"

"That question is if you make a terrible husband. A dutiful husband does not wait for his wife's complaint to attend to her needs." the duchess snapped with a scathing tone.

"Do not worry wife." he said dropping his voice to a low growl. "I promise to be very... dutiful." he said with a suggestive edge to his voice.

The innuendo was so thickly applied that she could not miss it. She coughed to hide her embarrassment and the absolute lout cracked a smile of satisfaction. She would get him for that, just as soon as they left his mother's presence

"The Banbury’s are hosting a ball in a week time. We have been invited. It would be prudent to accompany your wife there. It would be your first outing as a married couple." Helen said addressing Anthony

"A good idea. I must say." he replied

At his positive reply. The duchess's face brightened with excitement

"You, my dear, need new gowns that suit your new station."

"Anthony already had some made for me before the wedding." Victoria replied confused.

"Well you can never have too many gowns, besides my modiste is the absolute best in the whole country. Take my word for it." she said.

Seeing the excitement on the face of the normally reserved Duchess, Victoria reluctantly agreed.

"I would love to meet your modiste. Your Grace." she said with a smile, clasping her hand in excitement

"It seems it is settled. We just have to decide when would go because the woman is sure pompous. She doesn't visit residences. Some odd business ethics of hers. I would say she had earned the right, going by the quality of her work."

"I happen to be free from all engagements this afternoon, so I can accompany you ladies to the modiste. We could take the carriage."

"You would be bored to tears at the modiste." Victoria said to him

"I think I can find something to occupy my time there. Trust me." he said with a wink of his eye.

" That is settled. I will just go back to my chambers to change clothes. I will come back down in no time" with that she rose from the seat and left the dining room. Victoria excused herself and left as well to change her dress to one more suitable for outing.

By the time she returned below stairs, the Dowager Duchess and the duke were already dressed and waiting