Page 10 of The Duke’s Sharpshooter (The Duke’s Guard #14)

T emperance could not help but stare at Flaherty as he left to man his post. She’d thought her husband was the only man with shoulders that broad or a chest that deep.

Memories teased the edges of her memory, begging to be let back in, but she held them off until she was alone again.

She needed to be a help, not a hindrance.

Constance returned, followed by one of the footmen bearing a large tray.

“Please, set it over there.” After the man bowed to the duchess, he retreated to the hallway.

Temperance hoped he was not close enough to listen to their conversation.

From the way the ladies relaxed, she decided if they were not bothered by a footman overhearing whatever they said, then she wouldn’t be either.

“Mum, your nose is red.”

Temperance sighed. “I’m certain that my eyes are too.”

Maddy patted her mother’s face and sighed. “They swelled up.” She pressed her lips to Temperance’s cheek and patted her face a second time. “Tea will help.”

Constance smiled. “Tea is just the thing…the stronger, the better.”

“Not too strong,” Merry warned. “Invalid’s diet. Remember?”

Temperance felt as if she’d been hugged. These women had showered herself and Maddy with attention and caring. She had to find a way to repay them.

“You are such a wonderful help to your mum,” the duchess remarked. “Merry tells me you folded the linen cloths all by yourself.”

Maddy beamed at her. “The hand ones…not the big ones.”

“The size isn’t important—the task undertaken and performed to the best of your ability is what counts, Miss Maddy.”

Her little girl’s happiness with the compliment was infectious, though Temperance worried her daughter’s exuberance and lack of deference to the duchess’s title would upset Persephone. Protective as a mama bear, she decided the direct approach would be best.

“Your Grace, may I ask you a question?”

Persephone frowned. “Of course. Ask me anything.”

“I have become more protective of Maddy after having to leave my last few employers. I hope you do not think I’m trying to overstep.

That isn’t my intention, but Maddy is such a happy child that she sometimes forgets the proper way to address the people we meet.

” When the duchess merely inclined her head, Temperance continued.

“Neither Maddy nor I have ever met a duke or duchess before. Please do not think we do not respect you or your title, Your Grace. We hold you in the highest regard, and are beyond grateful for your indulgence, allowing us to remain here for the last few days.”

Persephone sighed. “If you are about to tell me again that you intend to leave in the morning, let me remind you that the physician has yet to return to reexamine you. Until he assures me that you are fully recovered, you are not leaving.”

Temperance was surprised by the duchess’s firm tone. She had not heard her use it before. “But surely we are in the way—”

“You are not. Jared and I are so pleased that you appear to be regaining your strength. Tomorrow morning, Merry will help you move upstairs. You and Maddy will have the yellow guest room. It has a lovely view of the rose gardens.”

“Mrs. Duchess—” Maddy began, only to furrow her brow in concentration and look at Temperance.

“It’s Your Grace , remember, Maddy dear?”

The little one nodded, reminding Temperance of her husband’s mop of blond curls. “Your Grace?”

“Yes, Miss Maddy?” Persephone replied.

“Did you forget about”—Maddy looked at the open door and turned back, lowering her voice to just above a whisper—“the faeries, the dew, and the flowers?”

Persephone’s soft laughter filled the room, chasing away Temperance’s worry. The duchess was nothing like the merchant’s wife. She would never raise a hand to Maddy.

“I was waiting until everyone finished their first cup of tea. But now is the perfect time to discuss our plans. Would you please close the door, Maddy?”

Temperance watched her daughter bounce up, rush to the door, and, using two hands, close it. “Like that?”

“Just like that.” Still smiling, the duchess refilled their cups while Constance served the lavender scones, adding an extra dollop of clotted cream to Maddy’s.

“Thank you, Constance, these are delicious.” She finished off her first scone and turned to the ladies.

“Now then, Miss Maddy and I plan to go to the gardens early in the morning.”

Maddy clapped her hands together. “It’s a dawn ’scursion.”

The duchess nodded at the little girl. “An excursion because we’re hoping to see faeries.”

Maddy bounced on her chair and nearly fell off, but caught herself in time. “Faeries! Know why, Mum?”

“I believe I do,” Temperance replied. “Your grandmother and I used to wait and watch for the faeries when I was your age.”

“I don’t remember her.” Temperance held out her hand, and Maddy took it and climbed up onto her lap. Laying her head against her mother’s breast, she sighed. “She and Grandfather are in Heaven with Papa.”

Her throat tightened, but Temperance ignored it to answer, “Yes. So is Uncle Matt.”

“He and Papa were brave.”

“Aye, my love. The bravest.”

“They saved miners,” Maddy told the duchess. “’Cause the ceiling broke when the floor rumbled.”

Understanding filled the duchess’s dark eyes.

Before her daughter said anything further about the tragedy, Temperance said, “Maddy, dear, we can talk about Papa later, when we’re alone.”

Maddy shrugged, but thankfully fell silent.

Needing to distract her daughter before she started talking about her father again, Temperance said, “I saw a faerie with flaming red hair and green eyes. Her wings were as delicate as a spider’s web.”

The duchess smiled. “The one I saw had ink-black hair like yours, Temperance. Her bright-green eyes tipped up at the corners. Her smile was decidedly mischievous.”

“’Cause they like to laugh and spin and fly up high!” Much to the delight of the other women, Maddy demonstrated by laughing, spinning, and throwing her arms out to her sides as she flew around the room.

“Maddy, you know you aren’t supposed to run inside,” Temperance scolded her.

“Just this once,” the duchess said. “To show us how faeries fly. It has been some years since I was Miss Maddy’s age.”

Temperance crooked her finger, and Maddy slumped her shoulders and dragged her feet until she reached her mother’s side. “Do I have to ’pologize?”

“You do.”

Maddy sighed deeply. “To everyone?”

“You do, but you should address the duchess first.”

“I’m ever so sorry, Your Grace.”

“That was a lovely apology, thank you, Maddy,” Persephone said.

“Sorry, Miss Constance, Miss Merry.”

The older women inclined their heads, accepting the little girl’s apology.

“Well done,” Temperance said.

“Can I have another scone, Mum?”

“You need to ask Her Grace,” Temperance reminded her.

“Mrs.—Your Grace, can I?”

The duchess’s warm smile was all the assurance Temperance needed that Maddy would be forgiven for running circles around them while she flew. “Of course you may. Do you have room in your tummy for one more with clotted cream?”

Maddy’s eyes widened. “Yes!” When Temperance sighed loudly, Maddy remembered her manners. “Please and thank you.”

While her daughter nibbled on the scone, Temperance asked, “Will we be able to watch for faeries without an escort?”

The duchess’s eyes brimmed with merriment. “We shall certainly try—that is the fun part.”

“Fun?” Temperance asked.

“Oh yes, outwitting Patrick O’Malley and his cousins will be a rare feat, but I believe we are up to it.”

“Your Grace?” Maddy asked.

“Yes, what is it?”

“You forgot Just Flaherty.”

“Maddy, dear,” Temperance began, “his name isn’t Just—that was his way of telling you he wants to be called Flaherty.”

“He said it twice, Just Flaherty. ’Member?”

When the duchess stifled her laughter, Temperance gave up. She would try to explain later. “What about Flaherty?”

Maddy frowned at her mother, but before she could say anything, the duchess chimed in, “We discussed asking Flaherty to carry you outside, if you were too weak. Maddy didn’t want you to miss out on our excursion.”

“’Cause I love you, Mum.” Maddy scooted closer and pressed a feather-soft kiss to Temperance’s cheek.

“I love you too, Maddy.”

“Now that that’s settled,” the duchess said, “I suggest you rest, Temperance, just for an hour or so.”

“Oh, but I’m not tired.”

“When I tell Mum that, she makes a face.”

The duchess’s lips twitched, and Temperance appreciated that Her Grace did not want Maddy to think she was laughing at her. “Does she?”

“Uh huh. Like this!” Maddy scrunched her face until her eyes were tiny slits and her chin was jutting out.

“I see. Do you think it would work if I made that face at her?”

“Yes! Do it!”

Temperance could not believe how wonderful the duchess was with Maddy—but then, she was a mum herself, though her twins were younger. When the duchess made the exact same face as Maddy, Temperance bit her bottom lip and hung her head. “I’ll rest, Your Grace.”

“See?” Maddy exclaimed. “It worked!”

When Constance and Merry started stacking teacups, saucers, plates, and utensils on the tray, Temperance said, “I do have a question for you, Your Grace.”

“What would you like to know?” Persephone asked. Temperance glanced at her daughter and back. The duchess must have sensed that she did not want her daughter to hear the question. “Miss Maddy, would you please help Constance put away the tea things?”

“Yes, Your Grace!” The little one skipped out of the room.

“Now then, ask me,” Persephone told Temperance.

“I have a few pence left that I will gladly give to you for taking us in, but it’s not enough. I need to fully repay you. I cannot in good conscience continue to stay without repaying you somehow.”

Persephone sighed deeply. “What do you have in mind?”

“I can help in the kitchen, or with any of the housemaid’s tasks. I would be honored to help Gwendolyn in the nursery, too.”

The duchess was silent for a few moments before she nodded. “I think we can arrange something. Mayhap an hour or so in the nursery tomorrow afternoon. After you rest from our morning—as your daughter put it— ’scursion .”

“Thank you, Your Grace!”

“However, if I feel it is too taxing, you will rest for another full day before you attempt to help again. Is that clear?”

“Very. Thank you, Your Grace.”

“We could still ask Just Flaherty to carry you tomorrow morning.”

Temperance felt the flush creep up her throat to her face. “I am quite certain he has other duties.”

The duchess held her gaze and slowly smiled. “We can make an exception tomorrow morning.”

“I wouldn’t want to bother him.”

Persephone’s light laughter hinted at something she knew that Temperance did not. “Oh, it won’t bother him in the slightest .”

Temperance was not so sure about that, recalling how angry he had been when she spoke of leaving. But that was tomorrow’s worry—today’s was her promise to rest.

The duchess pointed at the cot. “Weren’t you going to rest?”

“Er…yes, Your Grace.”

“I’ll help you to the cot, if you need it.”

“I can manage,” Temperance murmured.

“I realize that,” the duchess remarked. “Please do humor me.”

Temperance noticed the other woman’s eyes looked tired. “Thank you, but who is going to help you?”

“That would be me.”

The duchess looked over her shoulder. “Jared, what are you doing here?”

“Coming to remind you it is past time for your midafternoon rest, my darling duchess.”

Temperance moved to the cot and sat.

The duchess sighed. “Very well—it seems we both need to rest, Temperance. If you need anything, the footman will be stationed in the hall.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. Enjoy your rest.”

The duke slipped his arm around his wife’s waist. “I shall see to it that she does.”

On that cryptic remark, he swept the duchess from the room.

The echoing laughter reminded Temperance of all that she had lost. When the tears threatened yet again, she wondered if mayhap she should not have bottled them up for so long, allowing herself brief moments in the dark of night to weep.

Had she given in to them, it may have prevented the flood of them now. Too late for what-ifs…

Lying down, she felt a wave of exhaustion sweep up from her toes.

Her heart fluttered at the thought of Flaherty carrying her all the way to the rose garden, and she could not get the image of out of her mind.

Closing her eyes, she imagined she heard her daughter calling to him— Just Flaherty, wait for me!