"I suppose I'll say it all started with a love letter."Jenny Han, Always and Forever, Lara Jean
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Epilogue
September 1809
"I do not think we will be fastening these laces for much longer, Grace," remarked Ruby as she struggled to tighten Grace's corset to its usual size.
Grace exhaled as she placed her hands on her hips, knowing that Ruby was right. "It is still early," she replied. "Adam is desperate to sing the news at the top of his lungs. I expect after the wine at dinner this evening he will be running his mouth." Grace smirked as she shook her head.
She was with child, as confirmed several weeks ago by the doctor. Only Ruby and Adam knew. Ruby, who had been Grace's friend and confidante, was the only logical choice for Grace's lady's maid. It had helped her to settle in initially, in what was such a drastic change in situation.
Grace knew Adam was anxious for a son. He would, of course, adore a new daughter, but a son, she knew, would make him so happy. Grace was about three months along, according to the doctor. He estimated that she would give birth in March.
No sooner had the idea crossed her mind, a wave of nausea hit her, and Grace abandoned Ruby for her chamber pot, emptying her stomach into it. "Oh," she complained. "I hate this part."
Grace felt Ruby's comforting hands on her back. "Get through today," she encouraged. "Then you can excuse yourself from everything for the next week and lie abed."
Grace chuckled even though she had a vile taste in her mouth. Ruby was right. Today was an important day for a multitude of reasons. She needed to get past the nausea in order to ensure that everything ran smoothly.
Becoming the Duchess of Ashwood had been a cruel learning curve. After becoming engaged shortly after Peregrine's funeral, Adam had not wanted to wait. Neither had Grace. They were wed on the first of January, privately, with only their families and the vicar in attendance. A small reception, once again, only for family, was given at Ashwood House, and Grace became the duchess. There was no ball as would not be appropriate. There were no public celebrations. The marriage was put into the papers, and Grace had naïvely thought that they might receive notes of congratulations.
Grace had never been the centre of gossip before. And for a time, her name seemed to be the one on everyone's lips. Who was this Grace Denham? How had she managed to secure one of the most eligible bachelors in England? What made things worse was that Lady Ashley seemed to be one of the gossip monger's fuelling the flames in London. Her daughter had been spurned for the help! Grace Denham was nought but a servant!
The opinion of every single society member had already been formed by the time that Grace had been introduced into society that June. And it would have been a complete disaster had it not been for Cecily. Despite their differences, and despite her efforts to separate them in the past, Cecily had well and truly taken Grace under her wing in her first year as the Duchess of Ashwood.
She taught Grace how to speak her mind without speaking it, how to operate within a ballroom, how to let a foe know that she had not won. She helped Grace to walk, talk, dance with confidence, to believe that she belonged in that room when everyone thought otherwise. If they couldn't affect you, couldn't control you, couldn't manipulate you, then their time was better spent elsewhere.
While Grace learned how to ignore the Lady Ashleys of society, she truly did settle in at home. Gossip could not change her nature, and her new position gave her such opportunities to engage with the people who relied upon the Ashwood Estate. These were the people who knew her and could think back to the days when Grace and Adam would run about as children. Grace quickly gained a reputation for being a doting and charitable duchess, and in knowing the people who mattered understood her, she could sleep well at night.
Despite her mother's vicious attempts to smear her name, Grace wrote to Sarah. She had wanted to apologise, to mend any residual ill will between them. Of course, Grace never thought poorly of Sarah, but there had been dishonesty. What became of that letter was friendly correspondence between the two ladies. Unlike her mother, Sarah did not resent Grace or Adam. While she had been initially heartbroken, or so she had thought, time had quickly healed those wounds, and she was ready to be romanced again. The following Season, she became engaged to a marquess, which had to please Lady Ashley. If it didn't, Sarah never alluded to it in her letters. As of her last letter, Sarah was nearing the end of her first pregnancy. Grace expected to hear of her child's birth the next time Sarah wrote.
Ruby finished helping Grace dress, and together, they left Grace's bedroom. The bedroom she and Adam shared had once been Cecily's. Adam couldn't live in the room where his father had passed away, and Grace completely understood that. Cecily had moved into the bedroom beside Susanna. While usually, a widow left the home of her husband, Adam wouldn't hear of it.
Grace and Ruby entered into the servant's staircase and descended down to the kitchen. It was a path she had once known well, and it still felt odd to have the people she had once dined with bow to her.
What was even stranger, and oddly frustrating, was that they would call her Your Grace, but not Grace. Mrs Hayes was the only one, aside from Ruby, to oblige Grace's request, and that was because Adam could talk his childhood nanny into anything.
The kitchen smelled divine, sweet, and of baking. The minute Grace was noticed, all preparations halted for polite, proper greetings and curtseys. In the centre of the kitchen bench was a three-tier cake, which looked perfect, completely covered in ornate flowers made of sugar.
"Mrs Reynolds!" exclaimed Grace, clapping her hands together and gasping. "Why, it looks beautiful!"
Mrs Reynolds smiled proudly. "I am pleased you like it, Your Grace," she replied. "But will Milady approve?"
Grace laughed knowingly. "You know Milady devours anything of your creating, Mrs Reynolds." Grace quickly inspected the other sweets, biscuits, puddings, and cakes, before she and Ruby quickly ascended up to the dining room.
Both Mrs Hayes and Mr Cole were in the dining room, ordering servants about as they set up for the party. Flowers were being arranged, furniture was being moved to accommodate gatherings, and refreshments were being organised. Grace and Ruby exchanged a smile as they observed that everything was under control.
Everyone knew how important today was.
"Pardon me, Your Grace," said one of the footmen from the doorway of the dining room. "Mr Cole, the Denhams are arriving."
Grace beamed as she raced out into the entry foyer ahead of Mr Cole, pulling open the front door to see her family's carriage approaching the house. The carriage had been a Christmas present the year before last. A necessity, really, as walking for extended periods of time was quite impossible for Mrs Denham. The break in her leg never seemed to heal properly, and so she relied on a cane.
Adam had offered rooms for Mrs Denham, Claire, Peter and Jem in Ashwood House once, but Mrs Denham had refused. She was not a prideful woman, only independent, and she preferred to live in the home that she had shared with her husband. The carriage was a thoughtful gift, and whenever she wanted to use it, Jim Ellis would always loan her the horses.
Ashwood footmen immediately went to the carriage to let the steps down. Peter quickly jumped out before assisting their mother. Grace saw Peter at least three times a week, and it never ceased to surprise her at how quickly he was becoming a man. He had recently turned eighteen and was very much a young man. He was strong, and he worked hard every day. Mrs Denham leant on her cane as fifteen-year-old Jem climbed out behind her. Jim, Kate, and their newborn son, James, completed the party.
Claire was nowhere to be seen. Grace frowned. Claire would certainly not miss today. Where was she?
Her family climbed the steps up to the front door, and Grace greeted every one of them with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
'Thank you, thank you for coming," she told each of them. "But where is Claire?"
Mrs Denham huffed. "She will be along," she promised. "Something about the light ... she insisted we go on ahead."
Today? In the last few years, as the Denhams had gained some financial independence as Mrs Denham was not so heavily reliant on Claire as she could now afford a maid, Claire had taken to discovering pastimes that she had not previously been able to try. Painting, of all things, was what she enjoyed most. She often took herself off on nice days to capture a landscape.
"Well, so long as she is not late. The guests will be arriving soon," replied Grace. "Please, come in, come in." She ushered her family inside the house, where footmen were prepared to take their coats and hats.
Grace settled her family in the drawing room with refreshments, before taking her mother and Kate upstairs. As she ascended, Grace felt another wave of nausea, and had to stop, bracing herself by holding the banister, which immediately drew the concern of Mrs Denham and Kate.
"I am fine, really," she promised.
"Grace, you do look pale. Are you ill?" worried Mrs Denham.
Grace shook her head. "No, no. I just haven't eaten is all. I am a little lightheaded. Come on," she urged.
Grace could hear bickering before she even opened the door, and she tensed. She did not want fighting today. She did not want anyone in a bad mood today. Much time and effort had gone into their plans and a fight would not spoil it.
She quickly opened the door to the nursery, ready to intervene in whatever the argument was, when she was presented with a rather amusing scene.
"For goodness' sake, Adam," Cecily chided grumpily. "Blue!" she cried.
"Mother, I think I am quite capable of choosing a ribbon!" snapped Adam, comb and ribbon in his hand. "Pink!"
"Susanna, help me," Cecily demanded, motioning to Susanna, who was sitting in the rocking chair trying not to laugh. "For how many years did we hear about cornflower blue, and here I go to the effort of securing such ribbon to go with the darling dress and he wants pink."
Grace had discovered she was pregnant with her and Adam's first child two months after they had married. Both she and Adam had vehemently believed that she was having a son. Grace had felt it and was sure. She had been six months along during her first season in London which had only encouraged gossip about their reason for marrying, but both she and Adam knew that everything was done right.
The name they had chosen for their son seemed only right. Their son would be named for both of their beloved fathers. Peregrine Edward. The baby in her belly had been called Peregrine for months up until the birth. When their baby was born, and announced to be a girl, Grace had been shocked. She had felt so certain. Adam, however, was the proudest that Grace had ever seen him. Not for one moment did he feel disappointment in the sex of their child. Which was why she knew that if their next child was a girl, she would certainly be a lucky one.
When it came time to name their daughter, no other name seemed right after being called Peregrine Edward for so long. She was christened Peregrine Edwardia Beresford and was affectionately known as Perrie.
Perrie was seated on the small stool in front of her mirror, watching her father and grandmother bicker with an amused expression on her face. Perrie greatly favoured Grace, with large, beautiful blue eyes, and thick tufts of dark hair, though its curls could be attributed to her father.
Today was Perrie's second birthday, and a large party was being given. Ordinarily, Grace would have never gone to such a fuss. She would have much preferred a tea party, or a picnic outdoors with their family. However, they were expecting an addition to their party today.
Shortly after their wedding, Jack had left Ashwood. It was difficult for Adam, terribly so, to be so happy, and yet so hurt. They all understood Jack's need to go. He was lost, and needed direction and purpose, and he couldn't find those things at Ashwood. Owing to London being a thirty-mile journey, Adam did travel as often as he could to see his brother.
For a long while, Jack continued on with his bad habits. He drank. He spent time with women. He lost his temper. And he had no desire to return home. Jack spent his time reading when he wasn't in clubs, and his life had not changed much at all, according to Adam. This made him worry even more.
The change of scenery hadn't been the solution that Jack had hoped for.
But whatever his reluctance, Adam had managed to convince Jack to return to Ashwood for Perrie's second birthday, so that he might finally meet his niece. A grand party meant a lesser chance at interrogation, and Grace hoped that if all went well, Jack might be encouraged to stay.
"Oh, the blue will look darling on her!" exclaimed Mrs Denham as she made her way over to Perrie to place a kiss on top of her head.
"Thank you, Mrs Denham! At last, someone sees sense!" Cecily cried.
"What do you want, darling?" asked Adam of Perrie. "Blue," he said distastefully, picking up the blue ribbon from the dressing table, "or pink?" he encouraged.
"Pink!" cried Perrie, picking up on Adam's tone.
"There you have it," Adam declared, as he abandoned the blue ribbon and began to comb Perrie's hair back neatly.
Cecily scoffed and rolled her eyes. Grace almost wanted to give Cecily her way, but she hoped something as silly as a ribbon wouldn't spoil her mood.
Adam loved spending every bit of time he could with Perrie, particularly because his work kept him shut up for hours. He liked to take over the jobs usually reserved for servants, such as dressing and hair, and he and Perrie had started their own little routines because of it. Of course, Perrie's hair often looked a little lopsided, but Adam was definitely improving as her hair grew longer.
Watching them together often made Grace feel truly lucky, truly glad that what had transpired had brought them to this. Whatever time that they had been afraid of losing, or having lost, didn't matter anymore.
The bow Adam tied was actually quite neat, Grace thought proudly. Once Perrie was ready, the guests began to arrive, and the hum of noise throughout the house was busy. Perrie was disinterested in the conversation of adults and was instead occupied in the drawing room with several of the other village children.
"Adam," Grace whispered.
"What is it?" he replied, whispering back. They both smiled and nodded as they passed their guests.
"Adam, I am going to be sick!" A powerful wave of nausea hit Grace again, and she thought she might faint. Adam thought quickly, all but sweeping Grace inside the servant's staircase, and collecting a vase that had been displayed on a pedestal as he moved. As soon as they were behind the door, Grace threw up into the vase, not caring in that moment how much the piece of pottery was worth.
"I am so sorry," he uttered sympathetically.
Grace closed her eyes as she waited for the nausea to pass.
"I can make your excuses if you want to go up to bed," he offered.
Grace shook her head. "No," she breathed. "I want to be here when Jack arrives ..."
Thankfully, as with most of the nausea she felt, it passed, though it would be back. When she was certain it was gone, Grace looked up into Adam's eyes, and was met with an expression of guilty concern. "Don't worry about me," she urged.
"How can I not?" he countered. "I don't like to see you ill. Particularly when it is my fault."
Grace grinned. "Then you had better pray it is a son, for I shall not be this way again," she murmured jokingly, forcing Adam to smile.
He chuckled, before kissing Grace's forehead. "Selfishly, though, you know how excited I am. I think that adds to my guilt."
"I am excited, too," she promised. "Why ... why don't we tell everyone this evening?" she suggested. "After the guests go, when it is just our family. Hopefully the celebration will prevent your mother from saying anything ..."
"Good idea," agreed Adam, "though I have warned Mother already, but you know what she is like."
After cleaning the vase, Adam and Grace re-joined the party as though nothing had happened. It was not a party of aristocracy members, but friends, neighbours, and villagers, invited to celebrate Perrie. This was the sort of company that Grace was most comfortable in.
Grace was still a little lightheaded, as kept hold of Adam's arm for support, but she thankfully did not experience another wave of violent nausea for a while. As they spoke with the vicar, Grace could have sworn that she felt a fluttering of movement in her belly, no more than what she imagined butterflies to feel like. No sooner had a broad smile spread across her face, Grace noticed Claire entering into the dining room.
She tensed immediately, and Adam promptly responded to her rigidity.
"What is it?" he uttered. "Do you need to be sick?"
Grace shook her head. Claire was ashen. As pale as she had ever been, all blood gone from her face. She looked to be in complete shock. Grace nearly leapt over the dining table to reach her, latching onto Claire's arm as Adam hurried behind her.
"Claire!" she exclaimed. "What is it? What's wrong? You look like you have seen a ghost!"
Claire's wide, blue eyes were frightened, and her lips parted wordlessly.
At that moment, they heard an announcement from the front foyer.
"Lord Jack Beresford has arrived!"
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THE END!!!
I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this story! I hope you loved these characters as much as I do, and are excited for where I take them! The first chapter of Claire and Jack's story, "An Earnest Favour" will be up on Saturday night, my usual time!
Another random upload from me, I know! I just had to finish this story as I was so close. It's 12:27am and my alarm is going off at 5:50am. I am going to be SO tired tomorrow, I know it, but oh well!
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