Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
She replaced them instead with damask and silk, making sure that the servants aired out every room and dusted everything. Every morning she and Anne would pick flowers for the vases in the corridor, the dining room, and the parlor, on their way to Avebury Manor. Anne had even assisted in the painting of the dowager’s sitting room, adding the gold accouterments herself. It looked even better than envisaged. Arthur had plans to go to London at week’s end to collect his mother and bring her home.
* * *
This morning she slipped into Anne’s room and found her still huddled under her blankets.
* * *
“Anne girl, we’ll be late!” she hissed.
* * *
Anne groaned. “I’m not feeling well, Janice. You’ll have to go without me.”
* * *
Janice’s brow instantly furrowed with concern. “What’s the matter?”
* * *
“Just a bit of a headache.”
* * *
“Oh, dear. Shall I have Mrs. Campbell bring you some Willow Bark tea?”
* * *
She shook her head miserably, eyes still closed. “No. I’ve already sent for some. I just want to lay here with my eyes closed.”
* * *
“Let me bring you a wet cloth for your forehead.” She crossed to the basin and retrieved the washcloth from beside it. Dipping it in the lukewarm water, she wrung it out and brought it to Anne. Folding it carefully, she placed it on her sister’s forehead.
* * *
“There, is that better?”
* * *
“Yes, thank you. I’m alright. I think I just had too much wine last night.”
* * *
“Well, would you like me to read to you?”
* * *
“No no, you’re a darling to offer. But no. The duke is waiting for us. Go on. I’ll be fine. Go.”
* * *
“Are you sure?” Janice fidgeted on the bed. They were supposed to hang the curtains today and move in the newly painted bed.
* * *
“Yes absolutely. Go. Give the duke my love.”
* * *
Janice leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Alright. I’ll go. Get well soon.”
* * *
“Thank you.” Janice stood up and hesitated for another moment before turning to head out. Since she was a little late, she had to dodge her sister and take the back stairs in order to leave unnoticed. Once she was free of the house, she ran towards the side gate which no one was paying attention to at this time of the morning.
* * *
She drew in a guilty sigh as she cast one look back at the house. She felt bad leaving Anne sick in her bed but she really wanted to go and see the duke…and she could not help but be happy that there would just be the two of them today.
CHAPTER 33
Arthur could not believe how different the place looked. It was like a new home. There was a bunch of hydrangea growing in a pot that sat on a high stool by the window in the foyer. The drab dark red turkey rug in the sitting room had been replaced by a beautiful gold and light blue carpet that lay beneath a wooden baroque tea table and was surrounded by three settees of cornflower blue decorated with purple and yellow flowers.
* * *
The bed, formerly plain wood, was now painted white, with a golden angel drawn on the headboard. A fire was lit in the fireplace, which warmed the room nicely. When he recalled how cold his mother’s hospital room had been, he could not wait to bring her here and have her sit in the pleasant warmth. Perhaps her caretaker might read to her or she could feast her eyes on the garden, which was blooming at the moment. A few cows grazed on the other side of the small wall that separated the back garden from the rest of the land.
* * *
It was a peaceful view and could not fail to be good for his mother. There was a knock on the door and he retreated back to the foyer to open the door. He smiled as he saw Janice standing there – on her own – looking a bit nervous.
* * *
“Lady Janice!” he looked behind her to see if her sister was there but there was no one. “Are you alone?”
* * *
She nodded, her face showing its colors. “Anne was not feeling well.”
* * *
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
* * *
Their gazes caught and held and they stood frozen for a while.
* * *
“May I come in?” she asked.
* * *
“Of course,” he almost tripped in his haste to step back and let her in. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face her. “Well, today we put the curtains up.”
* * *
“Yes, we do.”
* * *
“And…then tomorrow, I go to collect my mother.”
* * *
“Yes you do.”
* * *
He smiled at her. “Would you like to see? We’ve put the bed in.”