Page 7 of The Duke and his Muse (Wayward Dukes’ Alliance #32)
When the duke’s carriage arrived at her home that day, Jane had a feeling of momentary panic. What might the nearby villagers think of her being visited by a duke if they found out? Her home was only a few miles from Matford, and she rarely had visitors, keeping mostly to herself.
There was nothing for it now. The man was here, and as she waited on the step to her little cottage, she realized he was not alone. After a footman opened the door of the carriage, and the duke descended, he lifted his son from the conveyance.
“Miss Hayward,” the peer said with a bow. “I thought Daniel would like to see a bit of the Calm Wood.”
“It is all around you,” she replied graciously. “Shall we have tea, or would you like to see more of the wood?”
“I think my son and I could use a good stretch of the legs after our journey.”
She nodded in agreement. “Very well. Follow me.”
Jane noticed the duke nod to his coachman. The footman directed the team of horses to a patch of grass near the cottage as she led the way to the other side of the house, the duke holding his son’s hand.
Around the side of the cottage was a small open area surrounded by trees, one solitary oak stump stood in the grassy area surrounded by silver birch trees.
“I assume this is the stump upon which bird pontificates?” The duke asked, swinging Daniel into his arms. “Look, Daniel, this is where your woodland friends live.”
“Lopol?” Daniel asked excitedly.
“He lives here. Perhaps Leopold is off on an adventure with all of his friends.” The duke placed his son on the ground as the boy was squirming to get down.
Daniel ran to the stump on his stubby legs, barely avoiding tripping on the way. She heard an indrawn breath when the boy grasped the side of the stump. Had the sound of relief come from her or the child’s father?
“I’m surprised your father didn’t merely label his characters, Bird, Fox, and Deer,” the duke said conversationally. “Leopold is a difficult name for a small child to repeat.”
“I asked him about that,” she replied. “He said children are smarter than we think, and they would enjoy the animals being named as if they were friends.”
Daniel started to walk further into the surrounding copse of trees, so they followed him a short distance.
“No nurse, today?” she asked.
“It is my first venture outside of the estate without my mother or Mrs. Blight accompanying us.” The duke grasped Daniel’s hand as the boy came to a pile of underbrush. “Perhaps we should return to the cottage.”
Daniel balked at the idea until Jane said, “My maid Maisie has baked several goodies for our tea. Do you like biscuits, Daniel?”
“Biscuits!” Daniel raised his arms for his father to pick him up, suddenly eager to leave the wood.
She chuckled at the boy’s exuberance before sobering. Jane must return her attention to the book to be written, not a handsome duke and his charming son.
* * * * *
After tea cups were sorted, and Daniel had a plate of biscuits before him, Graham addressed the reason for his visit.
“Your father’s books are all between thirty and forty pages. Half of the pages are illustrations. I wondered if you had any ideas as to how the hedgehog finds himself among a new group of friends?”
Miss Hayward took a sip of her tea, her expression thoughtful. “I would prefer that we don’t have the hedgehog be an orphan.”
He nodded. “It was alluded to Leopold being one in the second book.”
“You remember!” She raised a brow.
“I have read the books several times over,” he replied with a grin.
“Your mother approves of you involvement in such an endeavor?”
“She does.” He paused. “Now that I will remain at Bartlett House for the near future, she thinks it is a wonderful way to keep myself occupied.”
The young woman seated across from him remained silent. He didn’t know what to say next. She probably thought his life very frivolous. The orange cat chose that moment to duck out from under the settee he and Daniel were seated on and run from the room.
“Shoo!” Daniel made a motion with his hands.
“I’m afraid we quite startled your cat,” he said to his hostess before turning to Daniel. “Did you see the cat?”
“Shoo! Shoo!” The boy waved his hands again.
“You have no animals in the house?” Miss Hayward asked him.
He shook his head. “I’ve thought of getting a dog. From his reaction to your cat, Daniel may have come into contact with barn cats. Now what were we discussing?”
“Your finding something to occupy your time, your Grace.” The woman took another sip of tea.
He nodded. “Oh yes. I could manage the estate myself, but the dowager thinks it unkind or me to deny someone else employment.”
“I agree,” Miss Hayward replied with a soft smile. “I feel the same way about my man of all work. He is an elderly gentleman but still has contributions to make.”
The next few minutes were filled with Daniel exclaiming over the biscuits, and Graham attempting to keep the boy from making a terrible mess. It was decided that Graham would write up a short synopsis for the book and send it to Miss Hayward for her comments.
His son was looking sleepy and he made their goodbyes. He held Daniel in his arms for the journey back to Bartlett House, despite some discomfort. He would ask Miss Hayward to return to his home for their next meeting.
Chin against the crown of his little boy’s head, Graham sighed in contentment. The child now cried very rarely for his mother. It’s not that he wanted the boy to forget Caroline, he wanted the boy to find peace.
The only portrait in the house of Caroline was in the picture gallery.
A space he had rarely visited; he would take his son there and speak of his mother.
There was also a miniature of his wife stuffed into a drawer in his study.
He would ask Mrs. Blight’s opinion about giving the miniature to Daniel.
He thought about the stark contrast between Caroline and Miss Hayward’s station in life.
One brought up in wealth and privilege, the other in well, normalcy.
Miss Hayward appeared to be happy in her life while Caroline’s happiness had been for show.
It pained him to think he knew more about Miss Hayward than he’d known about his own wife.