"Find a woman who makes you feel more alive. She won't make life perfect but she'll make it infinitely more interesting. And then love her with all that's in you." Gayle G. Roper, Shadows on the Sand
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XXV.
Perhaps it was not still as early as Adam had thought, as the village was very much awake by the time Adam and Grace walked through it. Grace was now holding Adam's arm, a more appropriate display of courtship, and it was very much noticed by everyone who walked by them.
Adam was happy for the rumours to spread. They would certainly be true. They were courting. They would be engaged in time, and then they would be married. The thought alone still completely struck Adam as incredible. Lord, he would need to find a way to thank his mother. Yet another thought that was truly baffling.
Grace wore the most blissful smile upon her face as she knocked on her mother's door, before letting herself into the house. "Mama!" she called. "It is me!"
The scent of baking immediately filled Adam's nose as they went into the kitchen. He had not been in this house since he was a boy, and yet he seemed to remember the way. When once it had been Mrs Denham who was always a fixture in the kitchen, this morning it was Claire.
Claire wore a plain grey dress with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and an apron protecting her clothes from the flour. She stood before the bench, kneading dough, with a fresh loaf having just been pulled from the oven.
The moment Claire saw Grace, she paused, smiling, but her expression immediately changed when she saw Grace's companion. Her mouth dropped open, and Adam mused that the sisters looked remarkably similar when they were surprised.
She quickly wiped her hands on her apron before pulling it off and laying it down on the bench. "Good morning ... milord," she greeted quizzically as she hurried around the bench to curtsey before Adam. "Grace?" Claire's eyes flared at her sister, as though she were communicating by thought.
Grace laughed, as though she understood, and Adam realised they perhaps they could communicate by thought.
"Miss Claire, please do not feel the need to curtsey," he assured her. "I am the one imposing on you this morning."
Claire smiled nervously, before seizing Grace's hand and pulling her towards the stairs, and quickly out of Adam's sight. "You look awful and yet you are smiling!" he heard Claire hiss. "Why were you crying if he is with you?"
But Adam could not hear Grace's reply as their voices were quickly muffled as they reached the upper floor. And Adam was left on his own in the kitchen. He would have put water on for tea ... yet he had no idea how to do that. He had a Cambridge education, and yet he would not know where to begin when it came to boiling water on a stove.
Adam was not alone for long, however, as the quick footsteps of a couple descending the stairs sounded, though they were much too rambunctious to be the steps of young ladies.
And he was correct as two young men joined him in the kitchen. The older of the two looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. He was growing, and would be tall, and looked to be quite strong, as though he laboured regularly. His hair was dark, the same shade as his sisters, and he wore it down to his chin, where it curled slightly at the ends. He had to have been Peter Denham, whom Adam had not seen since he was all of three.
The younger of the two was still very much a boy. He was untidy in grass stained breeches and a shirt that had had one too many holes mended. His dark hair was scruffy and unkempt and had most certainly not seen a comb in many moons. Jeremy Denham had been a baby when Adam had left for school. It was hard to believe that he was now this old.
"Good morning," greeted Adam. "My name is Adam Beres –"
"We know who you are," interrupted Peter. "I'm Peter and he's Jem." Peter nodded to his younger brother. "It's my job as the man of the house to make sure that men aren't sniffing around the skirts of my sisters, you know." He folded his arms across his chest and looked upon Adam sternly.
Adam greatly admired his gumption. He knew that were it a suitor Susanna's that had come to call, he would be doing exactly the same thing. "And rightly so," he agreed.
"Are you going to treat Grace with respect?" Peter demanded to know.
"Mama spent an awful long time saying that you were a piece of work, you know," Jem added.
Adam, of course, had his own mother to thank for the many years of incorrect appraisal that he had received within the Denham house. "I will always treat your sister respectfully," he promised. "She deserves nothing less."
Slower steps now sounded on the stairs, and the three men were shortly thereafter joined by Grace, Claire, and Mrs Denham, the latter of whom was using a cane to support herself with. Both Grace and Claire hovered over their mother and helped her to sit down at the small dining table. Adam had noticed over the last month that Mrs Denham's condition was taking much longer to improve, and the cane had been a new addition in the colder weather.
The last time that they had spoken at the ball, Mrs Denham had held a very poor opinion of Adam. Now, the kind woman was smiling at him. Adam had always greatly admired Mrs Denham and had often looked to her and his nanny for maternal affection when his own mother was distant or standoffish. Mrs Denham had always welcomed Adam into her home with love and warmth.
"Good morning, Mrs Denham," Adam greeted courteously, bowing his head to her.
"Good morning, Lord Beresford. I would curtsey, but I am sure you understand," she said apologetically.
"As I said to Miss Claire, there is no need," he assured her. "Are you well?" he inquired, though knowing the answer already.
Mrs Denham pursed her lips. "The chill in the air is giving me some bother this morning," she replied. "But I have been making myself useful with some mending and altering tasks for neighbours."
"Well, I certainly hope you will call on me if there is ever a need," he urged.
Adam realised that he would soon be Mrs Denham's landlord. The Ashwood estate owned many of the buildings in the village, and the Denham's house was one of them.
Adam's eyes flicked to Grace. She was watching him with a coy, though happy, smile on her face. "I trust Grace has told you as to why I am here this morning."
"Oh, no," lied Mrs Denham. "Please, enlighten me."
Adam smiled. "Obviously, there has been many years of misunderstanding between us, but I am so grateful that Grace has come back into my life, and that we have been able to find our way back to each other. This morning, I asked Grace if I could court her, and she has accepted."
Claire was positively gleeful, and there was a very cheerful smile on Mrs Denham's face. Even Peter and Jem appeared pleased.
"I know Grace will not have disclosed this detail out of courtesy for my family, but I will tell you anyway, because word will get out soon. This will not be a short and a cheerful journey," he warned, doing his best to mask his emotion as it quickly began to overwhelm him. Grace seemed to read this immediately and she came to his side, placing a hand on his arm. "My father is very ill," he disclosed. "He suffers from a mass, a disease which will take his life. I am not certain when, only that it will happen. And when it does ..." Adam stopped himself, one word from his voice cracking. He inhaled a deep breath.
"Dear Adam," uttered Mrs Denham in a devastated voice. "Oh, my dear boy, don't we know your pain."
Adam could not help but grimace as he nodded.
"Claire, dear, put the tea on this minute," instructed Mrs Denham, and Claire left her side for the kitchen. "We shall sit down to breakfast."
As Peter and Jem were sent for dishes and cutlery, Adam could not help but overhear a private comment meant for Grace.
"You cannot live in that house, work in that house, if you are courting, Grace," Mrs Denham warned her daughter quietly. "It is not appropriate. And I hate that I have to ask you this, as I am the mother, but what shall we do? I cannot go back to Mrs Slickson yet."
Adam had not even thought of the propriety of he and Grace living under the same roof, and he supposed that Mrs Denham was right. Grace would have to cease her employment at Ashwood House. Which then begged the question of income.
"We'll manage, Mama," Grace promised her, kissing her mother on the cheek. "We always do. I will sort everything." Adam could see on Grace's face that she had not realised that either and that she was beginning to stress, as the onus of this household was on her shoulders.
This was a burden that Adam would take away and ensure that she never had to worry about again.
After breakfast, Adam and Grace thanked Mrs Denham for her hospitality, and Claire was instructed to chaperone them both down to the forge so that they could tell Kate and Jim Ellis.
Kate had been just as excited for Grace as Claire had been, and Adam enjoyed seeing Grace joyful with her sisters, while he enjoyed conversing with the blacksmith, Jim Ellis, who was perhaps the tallest man that Adam had ever encountered.
When Peter arrived a little while after to work in the forge, Jim hooked up a horse and cart for Kate to drive both Adam and Grace back to Ashwood House.
***
They arrived back at Ashwood House in the midmorning. Considering it had only been a few hours since he had left the house, and with everything that had already happened on that day, Adam could hardly believe it was not even noon.
As they walked around the estate to the servant's entrance, Grace murmured, "Do you think it alright that I am returned to quickly? Despite everything, Lady Ashley still dismissed me. Mrs Hayes said she would speak to your mother, but she might not have had a chance yet. Even then ... I don't know if I will be able to return to work here ..."
"Grace, I do not want you to worry about your position, your income, anything," he insisted. "I told you once that I would never neglect your family, and I know what your income means for them. No guest can dismiss you from my house. While the details are still being organised, I know of at least one young lady who could do with your company."
Grace immediately nodded her head, smiling sympathetically. "I do want to look in on Susanna," she agreed.
When they entered the kitchen, the breakfast dishes had been cleared, and the servants had all dispersed to go about their daily duties. Those who were about the kitchen all immediately stared at Grace and Adam, looking between them with expressions of shock, interest, intrigue and excitement.
But none were as happy as Mrs Hayes as she materialised before them with a look of pure elation. "Oh!" she cried, putting a hand on both Adam and Grace's cheeks. "I always knew you both were lost to each other, ever since you were little ones, I knew!" she gushed. "But I am glad you are returned quickly, Grace," she added. "The duke has requested you go up and read to him again just as soon as you returned."
Adam wondered if his father really wanted a reader, or if he wanted to speak with Grace alone. He trusted that neither one of his parents had changed their minds. Even if they had, he had monumentally destroyed his engagement anyway. He would remain optimistic.
"Oh, of course." Grace nodded. "I will go directly." Just as soon as Grace started towards the stairs, Ruby appeared from the laundry and spotted them both.
"Grace!" she shouted excitedly across the kitchen, her decorum disappearing.
"Ruby!" scolded Mrs Hayes. "I never want to hear such shouting again! You are in the presence of Lord Beresford. Do not forgot your manners."
Ruby hurriedly curtseyed and apologised before she raced over to Grace and seized her arm as they made their way upstairs together.
Mrs Hayes shook her head. "Are you engaged?" she asked quietly. "If, as your once devoted nanny, I may ask."
Adam smiled. "My once devoted nanny may have anything," he promised. "No, but we are courting." Adam greatly wanted to traditionally court. As a boy, he had imagined returning to Ashwood and doing just that. He had no idea now how courting would be, but they would find a way.
"I am glad to hear that all the same," replied Mrs Hayes. "After so long, you finally have your Grace."
Adam smiled contently.
***
Adam could hear Grace's voice through his father's bedroom door as she read him Dante. Perhaps he really did want a reader. The door was ajar, and Adam left them, choosing to then knock on his mother's bedroom door. When no one answered, Adam checked to see that Cecily was not inside.
He checked in the ladies parlour, the library, the dining and drawing rooms, before giving up on locating his mother at that moment. When he decided to turn to his work for the day, he found Cecily sitting at his father's desk in the study.
"Mother?"
Cecily was concentrating as she sifted through paperwork, clearly trying to locate something. The pessimist in Adam thought it could potentially be his father's will that she was searching for, though she would have no luck in finding it. Peregrine's will was safely in London with his solicitor.
"What are you doing?"
"Aha!" cried Cecily as she secured whatever document she had been looking for. She then looked up at Adam. "You are back a lot sooner than I had thought you would be. Did you speak with Grace?"
"Yes," confirmed Adam.
"And?" she pressed.
Adam owed his mother a great debt, he knew, and so he needed to show her gratitude. "And we are courting," he replied, coming towards the desk and sitting down in the chair before it.
Cecily smiled. "So, why do you look as though I have smacked you across the bottom?"
Adam shook his head. "Forgive me," he said. "I am very happy, very grateful to you and Father."
"Well, I am glad, if you can believe it. I am," said Cecily as she organised the papers on the desk that she did not need. "To answer your first question, I was looking for a document to help me solve a problem ... mend a fence, if you will. It is a private matter, and I will not be telling you anything further."
Mend a fence? Adam never thought Cecily would be the type to make amends, but he would certainly not get in her way.
Cecily stood up from the desk and walked around it. Adam rose as well. When she came before him, Adam hugged her, for quite possibly the first time in his life. Cecily was quite rigid at first, though she quickly softened and returned the gesture, holding onto Adam tightly.
"I won't forget this, your kindness, Mother," he promised. "But I do need to talk to you about something."
They parted, and Cecily frowned. "What is it?"
"Lady Ashley dismissed Grace –"
"I heard," interrupted Cecily, tsking. "She and Sarah are departing tomorrow morning. I would give them both a wide berth."
Adam certainly would. "My issue is, now that I am courting Grace, it is no longer appropriate for her to live here, let alone work here. Her family solely depend on Grace's income, and without it they will be in grave trouble. I want to find a way to pay Mrs Denham a pension without her thinking of it as charity. Her husband died before his sons were old enough to take over his trade –"
"Yes, I know," Cecily interrupted again quickly. "Do not fret, Adam. This is something that I have been thinking about this morning, and I do think I have a solution. Will you leave it to me?"
Adam was making a habit out of trusting his mother. He nodded.
----
You guyssssss, we have to go back to weekly updates, I'm sorry! I'm back to work on Monday. I can't believe it's been two weeks break already. I do not feel remotely rested at all, and I know that's my own fault for staying up until 2am every night.
But I was inspired, and when I'm inspired, I get the story down. I'm glad I was able to write this much.
So I'm sorry you'll have to wait until next Saturday for the next chapter! We are getting towards the end of this story, and a lot of you know already, but there is a sequel coming! An Earnest Favour will follow this book, and it is completely different to anything I've written historically, which I'm excited about. They had their first dance a few chapters back, but I hope you'll start getting excited about Jack and Claire's story!
I had such an amazing day yesterday. We went to a park and met up with my family, and I saw my nephew and niece and had lots of cuddles. Can't believe how much they've grown! We've got two more weeks of our tight lockdown until we hear about more restrictions easing.
Except you had the absolute MORONS gathering down on St Kilda beach without masks on and not social distancing on Friday threatening to ruin it for everyone. I can't get over selfish people that do that. We've gone from having 700+ daily cases in August to only 8 today. Suck it up for a few more weeks and we'll finally stamp out this thing and go back to normal!
Rant over! I'll see you next week!
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