Chapter 165

Eugenia showed her another sitting room, smaller and more secluded, before leading her towards the servants’ quarters. She explained the general arrangement of the household as they walked, pointing out the routes used by the staff and the passages that connected the kitchens to the principal dining rooms.

Cassandra paid close attention.

As duchess, she would have to understand how the residence functioned.

Their next stop was the kitchen.

A gust of warm air blasted on them just before they entered, carrying the scents of freshly baked bread, simmering stock and stewed herbs.

Inside, several servants were occupied with their work around the large hearth and wooden tables, with the head cook volleying orders at the other workers. At the sight of Eugenia and Cassandra, they abandoned their tasks and stood at attention and the sounds of clanking utensils ceased as well.

Eugenia stepped forward now that she had their focus on her.

“Good morning, everyone. I should like you all to meet Her Grace, Cassandra Montague, the new Duchess of Norham,” Eugenia announced. “You will show her the same courtesy and attention you have always shown my brother.”

Cassandra was aware of the eyes upon her, some curious, others cautious. She could not blame them. A new duchess meant a change in the household, and the servants would naturally be uncertain about the woman who now occupied such an important position.

“I hope I haven’t interrupted your work,” she said.

“Not at all, Your Grace,” replied a woman who had stepped forward from the kitchen’s central table.

Eugenia turned towards her. “This is Mrs. Crawley, our cook. She has been responsible for the household’s meals for many years.”

Mrs. Crawley curtsied, and Cassandra inclined her head in acknowledgement.

“Then I must thank you for this morning’s breakfast. It was delicious.” Cassandra said.

The woman’s face relaxed into a pleased smile. “I’m very glad you enjoyed it, Your Grace.”

“And this is Mrs. Bell, our housekeeper,” Eugenia continued, introducing a second woman standing nearby. “She oversees the domestic arrangements throughout the residence.”

Cassandra greeted her warmly. Mrs. Bell offered a curtsy and assured her that the household was running smoothly.

Cassandra thanked her, then exchanged a few more words with Mrs. Crawley about the meal before Eugenia decided it was time to continue.

They had nearly reached the door when an older man approached from the narrow passage.

“Ah, Mr. Carson,” Eugenia said. “I was about to come looking for you. Cassandra, this is our butler.”

Mr. Carson bowed. “Your Grace.”

“How do you do, Mr. Carson?”

“Very well, thank you, Your Grace.”

Cassandra returned his courteous smile before following Eugenia out of the kitchen. She was conscious of how much authority now rested in her title, but she had no wish to make the servants uneasy with her presence.

She would have to learn how the household worked and how best to manage it for the duration of the marriage.

Eugenia led her back along the corridor, pointing out another staircase and a passage that connected to the family chambers. After that, she showed her the billiard room and she made sure to gloat about how many times she had beaten her siblings at billiards.

“And now,” she said, “I shall show you where Draven spends an unreasonable portion of his life.”

“And where would that be?”

“His study, naturally. If you ever find yourself looking for him, that is usually the best place to start. He can bury himself in his work for hours and forget that anything exists beyond those walls.” She then gave Cassandra a teasing smile. “Though I suspect that will no longer be a problem now that you are here. The man acts as though he might perish if he goes more than five minutes without seeing you.”

“No, he does not.” Cassandra argued, frowning. Surely it was just another one of Genie’s teasing remarks.

“Ask anyone with working eyes and they will tell you the same thing.”

Cassandra racked her brain for the right response to such absurdity but found none. So she simply chose to ignore it altogether.

They reached a door at the end of the passage. Eugenia took hold of the handle and tried it, but the door stayed closed.

She tried again, then stepped back with a small frown. “Locked. How inconvenient.”

“No matter,” Eugenia went on, recovering her good humour. “We can come another time.”

She turned back to the staircase, and Cassandra followed.

“What about the grounds?” Cassandra asked. They had already seen much of the interior, and the prospect of fresh air was becoming increasingly appealing.

Eugenia looked at her with renewed enthusiasm. “Of course. We cannot possibly leave that out.”

They made their way downstairs and through a side entrance that opened onto a broad stretch of lawn.

The morning was bright, with a mild breeze that rustled the leaves on the trees.

Beyond the formal gardens, gravel paths wound between hedges and flowerbeds before giving way to a more natural landscape. The residence stood behind them, its pale stone standing tall and imposing, while the grounds extended across a considerable portion of the estate.

Eugenia began pointing out the principal features as they walked. She showed Cassandra the formal gardens nearest the house, then indicated the orchard and kitchen garden farther along the grounds.

She explained that the kitchen garden supplied much of the household’s fresh produce during the growing season, while the orchard provided fruit later in the year.

Cassandra listened to every word with interest.

They followed a gravel path towards a stretch of trees.

“There is a lake over that way,” Eugenia said, pointing beyond the trees. “It is rather lovely, especially in the morning. Draven fishes there occasionally.”

Cassandra turned towards the direction she indicated. “Can I see it?”

“I don’t see why not. It is a little walk from here, but not an arduous one.”

Eugenia led her onto a narrower path that curved away from the gardens. The lake was farther from the residence than Cassandra had expected, and the walk gave them ample time to enjoy each other’s company.

At first, Eugenia continued pointing out the features of the land, mentioning the paths that led towards the stables and the areas where the gardeners worked. Gradually, however, her contributions to the conversation grew less frequent.

Cassandra noticed the change. Eugenia, who had been lively throughout the tour, now seemed occupied by something she could not quite bring herself to say.

She glanced at Cassandra once or twice, then turned her attention back to the path, considering her words before allowing them to leave her mouth.