Chapter 16
Chelsey was arriving home. She was arriving at her husbands house the first time without her husband. She knew it wasn't his real house. But that didn't matter. She still felt nervous. She knew it was a hired house. Nevertheless she hadn't wanted to come here alone the first time. What were the servants going to think.
Their master had gone out one night and ten days later a bride waltzes in. They are not really his servants she thought. But it made her concerned even more. If they were his own servants like hers at home they were less likely to gossip.
Loyalty among servants was rare; if your master was just hiring you for a few days, even more so. She assumed everyone would know that she had married Robert by tomorrow. They always talked.
The servants grapevine was the best and most reliable form of information to be obtained in London. Why his majesty should employ servants to to spy in France. She should suggest that to some one.
Her hands were sweating. Maybe Robert would be there waiting for her she thought. That made her feel a little better. It was unnerving to think she would be going in there alone. But she was the daughter of an Earl. She was a Lady. She was brought up to be a lady of a house. And she wasn't going to be scared.
Two weeks ago she had been all alone. Now, she had found Robert, and she was married to her child's father. She was happy. And she loved him. Compared to running away from home this was not a huge thing. Most of all he loved her.
Yes. Robert loved her. She had never been as happy as she had been the last week. She was going to be the best wife possible. She was ready. She was starting the rest of her life today.
Today was the day she begins her life as a married woman. True she had been married for over a week. But that had been like a honey moon. She knew everyday wasn't going to be like that. She knew Robert had work. And she would spend her days making a good home for him. And in a few months there will be there little addition to the family. She cradled her stomach. It wasn't noticeable yet. But she knew. And he knew and they were both so happy.
The carriage came to a stop, the steps were let down and the footman held his hand out. She let out a deep breath and gathered her skirt. Not for the last wishing she had something better to wear. 'You jumped out of a window, you can do this' she said to her self and with a smile and took the footman's hand .
The butler was waiting at the door with the various servants in a line behind him. It was an old house. She had been inside bigger houses large estates but the nervousness she was feeling had not been there.
This would be home. Her house. The house she was going to be a mistress of. She hadn't seen the house properly when she had last been here. She had been just rushed from one carriage to another. And it had been night. And she hadn't wanted anyone to see her either. That made for bad sight seeing.
The bulter was an old man. Silver hair thinning with a dignified air about him that only butlers have. She wondered if he ever smiled. He cut an intimidating figure.
"Its a pleasure to meet you my lady." He said with a bow. And he genuinely meant it. She had no idea how pleased he was that he had got to serve a real lady. Their own master resided in the country and hadn't been to the house in over five years. The house was usually let out to Americans who wanted titled husbands for their heiress daughters. An unmarried bachelor was even worse.
She was introduced to each and every servant whose name she forgot expect for the last in the line was a young girl. Her name was Annalise. She was pretty for a maid. Chelsey barely heard her when she bowed and welcomed her.
