Page 16 of Her Lion of a Duke (Dukes & Beasts #3)

Cecilia could tell that something had happened between Mrs. Herrington and Leonard, but it did not seem so severe, so she did not pry.

They had a long history, and it was possible that they had simply disagreed about something simple, or that Mrs. Herrington had forgotten to do something and was reminded of it—something she hated.

Regardless, it had created a strange atmosphere in the manor.

It was quiet, and Cecilia did not like it at all.

“I have been thinking,” she announced at breakfast.

“Dangerous,” Leonard mumbled, smiling.

“I can be dangerous, if you wish,” she scoffed, pointing her fork at him. “You should never speak that way to a lady with a weapon.”

“Very well, I concede.” He laughed. “Please tell me what you have been thinking.”

“I think it is time to change all of this,” she said, gesturing around her. “If this is to be our home, I want it to be ours. I know that you have a lot to do, and perhaps you cannot help me much, but that is perfectly fine. I would like something to do.”

He looked at her in surprise, but she could tell that he was also pleased.

“Your timing is impeccable,” he said. “I was going to tell you that we will have a visitor next week.”

“Wonderful! I can do what I wish to in a week. Who is it?”

“It is my cousin, Lord Renshaw. He has heard news of my marriage and has decided that family means something to him.”

His meaning could not have been clearer if he tried. Cecilia considered not commenting on it, but if she was to spend time with his cousin during his visit, then she had to be prepared.

“The two of you do not see eye to eye, then?”

“He is quite a lot shorter than me, so no. He is also not very pleasant to speak with for long periods of time, so I shall make sure he stays away from you most of the time.”

“Why have you invited him if he is so awful?”

“I did not! He has simply informed me of his arrival, which is more than most receive. I have half a mind to tell him that we are abroad, but I thought it would be best if we let him come, say his piece, and leave.”

Cecilia nodded in agreement, pleased that he had correctly assumed her preference.

“Do not listen to anything he says,” he continued. “I believe that he speaks for the sake of hearing his own voice. I bet he is not even aware of what he is saying most of the time. You may argue if you wish, but it will be more painless for you if you simply let him talk.”

“Will you be doing the same?”

“I will be doing what I can. Mercifully, we are no longer in London, and therefore not at risk of him speaking out of turn to some lord or other and being ostracized.”

Cecilia bristled, apprehensive about the gentleman’s arrival. She had never been afraid of a challenge, but for Leonard to still warn her against his cousin… that had to mean something.

“Very well, I shall do what I must. I will warn you, though, that if he says anything egregious—”

“You will not have time to say anything. I will already be doing so. I know how to handle my cousin, Cecilia.”

His words were biting, but his tone was soft, protective. It was his way of promising her that he would be handling matters, and though she might once have taken it as a slight, she now found it rather attractive.

She was quite certain that she would no longer be able to hide her attraction to him, which was dangerous territory. Her new project would serve as a welcome distraction from her feelings. Although at a second glance, she realized it was more daunting than she had initially thought.

Mercifully, Mrs. Herrington did not seem angry with her.

“May I ask what has happened between you and His Grace?” she asked that afternoon as they made their plans.

“It is nothing. His Grace and I had a disagreement about how things should be handled here, and I need some time. It has nothing to do with you, Your Grace.”

“I hope not, for I would hate to have caused any trouble. If I am lacking in anything, Mrs. Herrington, please tell me. I know that I am not perfect.”

“You are doing perfectly fine, I assure you. I have every faith in you, despite all of this. Are you certain that you wish to change everything, though?”

“Completely. I want it to feel like my home, unless there are some things of sentimental value you want to keep?”

“Not that I am aware of, no. You may need to ask His Grace, but I do not recall any sentimentality to anything here. If you ask me, he is far more likely to want to rid himself of it all.”

Cecilia was prone to agree, but she did not want to make a mistake, so she went to look for Leonard. She found him in his study, and as she approached the door, she could swear that she heard him muttering to himself.

“No,” he said. “That would never work. I could not do that, not with everything that has happened.”

She knocked, and he fell silent. When he opened the door, he was pale, as though she had caught him doing something he should not.

“Are you all right?” she asked. “I thought I heard you talking.”

“I was thinking aloud, that is all. Did you want to discuss something?”

“Yes,” she replied carefully, entering the room with a raised eyebrow. “I wanted to tell you that the works start today, so this is your final chance to tell me if there is anything you want to keep. I know that you do not have an attachment to anything, but I would rather know for certain.”

“I thank you for that, but I can assure you that I do not want to keep anything. My study can remain as it is. As for the rest, you may change it however you please. I only ask that you do not paint each room in blue.”

He smiled at her, and she did the same. She had planned for variety, but she knew as well as he did that the temptation to follow her own preferences was there.

“The drawing room will be painted in blue,” she explained. “It is the room that I will spend the most time in, so it is the room that I have chosen. As for the others, you shall simply have to trust me.”

“And I do, truly.”

Cecilia took his instruction and left, though she could not help but wonder what he had been thinking about when she arrived.

What could he not do? What was preventing it?

She pushed the thought aside, not wanting to be distracted when there was so much to do.

Her first task was replacing the upholstery, as the dark and faded damask was making the rooms seem cluttered and old.

Mrs. Herrington had arranged for bolts of fabric to be delivered, and as she descended the staircase, they arrived.

The manor was filled with the scent of new fabric, energizing her greatly.

“Good day, Your Grace,” the upholsterer greeted. “I thought you might wish to see the fabric for yourself before any work was done. Here is a selection.”

They sat together, Cecilia choosing soft shades of cream and white for all the seating. Pieces were taken away, with the promise that they would be returned the following day. It was easier then to decide on how to decorate the walls, as they were now unobstructed.

“Oh!” she gasped when a chest of drawers was moved. “The paper is peeling. I have never noticed that.”

“We hide what we can,” Mrs. Herrington sighed. “What did you have in mind for the parlor?”

“A light purple. I do not mind what colors are chosen, if I am being honest. But they simply must be light. The rooms seem so small, and that is because of the dark wallpaper. I want to live somewhere brighter.”

Mrs. Herrington agreed emphatically, and Cecilia knew that she would do well with her task. In the meantime, she planned to go to the one place she had yet to visit since her arrival: the attic.

She had not been told to avoid it, but she had never been fond of attics, for she hated the thought of spiders and cobwebs.

However, she wondered if there was anything there that could be used. She was correct in her assumption that there would be spiders, but there were not many. It was dusty, more than anything, which was not half as frightening.

She looked around for a while, nothing standing out in particular, but then her eyes landed on a painting that took her breath away.

“Ah,” Leonard said behind her, entering the attic. “You were not supposed to see that.”