The Muse (21 page)

Imogene shrieked as understanding dawned.  “Terra!  You have brought my Terra here to Gavandon.  And is that Triton with her?  Oh, my God. Graham, please stop the carriage.  Please!”

He rolled his eyes dramatically.  “Of course, all part of the plan,” he said, as he rapped on the roof to signal their driver.  “I love to see your face when you are happily surprised.  It is priceless to me.  Triton and Terra are quite taken with each other, you know.  When I thought to bring her for you, I found I could not separate the
earth
and the
sea
.  Hargreave agreed to let him go.  He owed me anyway.”

Imogene clutched him in a tight embrace.  “Thank you.  Thank you for bringing them.  You are the most wonderful, generous man.  You do make me so happy, every minute.  I love you.”

Graham assisted her out of the coach, leading her to the horses.  “Ben, meet your new mistress,” he addressed the groom.  “Lady Rothvale is very fond of Terra here, and you must take extra care.”

“Yes, my lord,” Ben replied.  “Lady Rothvale.”  He bowed to her solemnly.

“Hello, Ben.  How is my beautiful girl?”  Imogene stroked Terra’s neck lovingly.

“She is well, my lady.  I have taken special care of her just as the master asked me to,” Ben replied, his devotion to the horses evident already.

“Yes, I can see that you have.  Well done.  She is perfect here in this place.”

Imogene looked to Graham with weepy eyes she could not control. “Tears of joy,” she whispered to him.

He smiled at her indulgently and offered his arm.  “Onward then, Lady Rothvale?”

Once they were settled back into the coach, Graham returned to the contemplative gazing she knew so well, searching her face intently.

“What are you thinking, Graham?”

“Just realizing that I am learning to know your habits.  That you get tears when you are most happy, and ironically, it has become the standard for my success.  In order to give you the greatest happiness, I must have you in tears.”

His answer was lovely but she had questions for him, and wondered if it was proper for her to ask.  She hesitated, unsure how to even broach the subject at all.

“Imogene, do you want to ask me something?”

“Do you—is Ben a slave?”  She hated even saying the word.

“Dear God, no!  I abhor that institution.  Ben and his family are freemen.  I sponsored their journey here from Antigua, arranged for their emancipation and papers, and offered them sanctuary and work on the estate.  His father tends to the grounds at Gavandon.  They are paid for their labour same as everybody.  A better family could not be found anywhere.  They will be there to greet you today and you will meet the rest of Ben’s family.”

His answer relieved her, but still, Imogene was struck with how much there was to her husband that was still a great mystery.  The idea was daunting when considering she had fallen in love with, and married a man she didn’t truly know very well, nor had she known him for very long.  What if he had answered in the affirmative to ownership of slaves on his estate?  What then?  She had no say so in how he conducted his business or in forming his beliefs.  If she was honest, it scared her, and filling the role of Lady Rothvale scared her too.

“How did your sponsorship of them come about?”

“Ah, you have not yet met the Reverend and Mrs. Burleigh, my good friends and good people besides.  You will soon, and then you’ll understand.”

“I…love…you.”  She mouthed the words silently to him because she could not utter them and keep her composure.  He tilted his head and gave her an indulgent half smile that spoke volumes.

“And we are here,
chérie,
” Graham announced a little while later as the coach pulled into the gravel drive.

Imogene could say her new home was a countryside vision.  Gavandon manor had been beautifully designed.  Light stone in an early seventeenth century style but improved upon over the years.  Two round towers filled with windows flanked either side of the front which had a rather barbican feel.  The massive ancient doors were remarkable in a rustic way.  But Imogene felt the formal gardens laid out along the drive and the fountain pool at the front, were even more stunning.

“It looks like a castle,” she said.

He tilted his head at her.  “Appropriate for the princess to have a castle.”

She tried to judge his countenance.  He wore an expression of pride she thought.  Was it because he had finally taken the first step in fulfilling his duty as heir?  Imogene had been raised for such duty and she knew she must not let him down.  He had married her, and now it was her responsibility to bear the heirs to carry on his lineage.  Many people depended upon her husband for their livelihood.  Vowing to do the very best that she possibly could, Imogene wanted to make him proud of her, too.

The workforce had assembled in the front to greet them as they exited the coach.  A huge group of people encompassing staff of every portion of the estate, from house, to kitchens, to the gardens and extensive grounds, to stables and the farm fields, and more beyond that she was sure.

Graham addressed the entire group at once.  “Your new mistress, Imogene, Lady Rothvale.  I bid you to do your duty to her, welcoming and honoring her as you would me.”

Several of the members received a personal introduction and a handshake.  The steward, Mr. Duncan, who had been with Graham’s father before him, she was told, of an age of about five and forty, and very earnest in his greeting.  The property manager, Mr. Hendrix, seemed a quiet sort of man of around forty years.  Imogene was struck by the kind demeanour of Mrs. Griffin, the housekeeper, and felt they might work well together.  Her brother, Mr. Katz, was the head gardener.  Ben’s father was introduced as the groundskeeper and she could swear she heard Graham say his name was Hiram Everley.  She didn’t have time to contemplate this as she was introduced to Ben’s mother, next.  Her name was Antonia, much lighter in her colouring and strikingly beautiful.

Imogene made an express effort to greet the staff, personally, with respect and kindness.  There were so many of them, and trying to remember all of the names was a challenge.  Graham’s valet, Mr. Phelps, the head cook who was introduced simply as ‘Cook,’ and a slew of others she would probably forget in a few moments.  The whole experience was overwhelming for her.

While Graham led her through the line, Imogene was sure she noticed some shocked faces and even heard some gasps.  She was not imagining it.  It was not disrespectful, their reaction, but not what it should be, either.  Not at all.  Looking to Graham, she saw the hard set to his jaw, stormy eyes, and a resigned expression.  She felt a sense of foreboding. 
What is going on here?  This is very unseemly.  Why are they reacting to me in such a way?

Graham led her into the foyer of the house first, but then turned back.  She heard him say, “Mrs. Griffin, a word please?”  She saw him speak quietly but firmly to his housekeeper, and observed the nod of her head in answer, but Imogene couldn’t hear their conversation.

While Imogene waited, a lovely brown and white greyhound approached, claws clicking over the marble floor.  She dropped down to meet what looked like a friendly dog.  “Who are you, lovely girl?”

“Imogene, meet Zulekia.”

“Zulekia.  What a gorgeous name for a gorgeous dog.”  She ran her hand over the dog’s short, sleek fur and knew she had made her first new friend at Gavandon.

“She is called Zuly, and is our resident guard dog.”

“Is that so?” Imogene asked archly, thinking that Zuly was too sweet natured to be a guard dog.

“No, not really,” he joked, “but she is the house pet.  Zuly was my mother’s dog, and I have to say she seems quite taken with you.”  Helping her to stand, he then smiled, reassuring her with his eyes.  “Imogene, there is one place in particular we must go first before I show you anything of the house.  I wish to take you there now, and you will understand.”  He held out his arm.

“All right.”  Determined to be brave, she swallowed her nervousness and took his arm.

“Don’t be afraid,
chérie
.  It is nothing bad, just uncanny.  You will see.”

Graham brought her through one lovely room after another until finally reaching his destination—the portrait gallery.  Without hesitation, he led her over to a giant portrait of a young woman, standing next to a dark horse.  “My mother, Isabelle.”

Imogene studied the portrait for several moments, taking in the image of a woman with very green eyes, knowing where her husband had gotten his.

Graham watched her, saying nothing.

Imogene looked back and forth between Graham and the portrait of his mother, analyzing and then understanding what she imagined to be the reason behind the odd behaviour of the staff earlier.

She held out her hands to him.

He reached out to take them instantly, bringing both to his lips at the same time.

“She was lovely, your mother.  Am I correct in understanding that many people see a resemblance between us?”

He nodded solemnly, still holding her hands to his lips.

“Graham, I do not care for what the servants think, but I do wish to know your thoughts.  Before you answer me, I ask most respectfully, that you be completely honest in your answer.  I should not like something this important to come between us.  And know this…I love you, but I would like the truth only, please.”

GRAHAM let her declaration of love wash over him.  It was all he really wanted in return, all he really needed.  Knowing that
she loved him
was enough.

He led her to a marble bench in the middle of the room, sat down next to her, and took a hold of her hands again.  He looked right into her eyes before he spoke. “I do see a resemblance, and I’m sure I saw it right away.  My cousins, Jules and Elle, and even Colin, all mentioned it to me.  It was evident to them most when they observed you riding.  She was an avid rider like you.  I give that your colouring and figures are similar, but that is where it ends for me.  This portrait of her was done soon after she came to Gavandon as a new bride, years before I was born.”  He pointed to another portrait, “This is my mother and father, done about six years ago and this is the woman that I remember.”

Imogene looked over at the portrait he’d pointed out for her, of his parents outside under a tree.  She didn’t say anything, just observed quietly.

“When others in the house know you, your similarity will not strike them so, I am sure.  You are so much different in your manner.  They will be able to see that when they know you better.  It has certainly been so for me.  You are not the same person.  You share a resemblance—not a body, and not a soul.  That you take her place as mistress here,
and
share a likeness is uncanny to be fair, but I like to think it was that likeness that gave me the initial notice of you, helped me to find you.  And whatever good fortune or fate or plotting of heavenly parents intervening, I’ll accept every bit of it gratefully, if it’s what brought us together.  I love you, and I know that you are definitely not my mother.  You are my Imogene.”  He took her chin and lifted her lips to his for a kiss, letting her know what he felt.  “It gives me joy to bring you here and to install you as my wife, as
my
Lady Rothvale,” he whispered against her lips.

She sighed and placed her head on his chest.  “I feel a great burden of expectation, Graham.  That your staff will compare us and find me lacking.  That their scrutiny will surely cause me to stumble, and I fear I’ll shame you somehow.”

Graham felt guilt stab him.  Was he failing her in his vow to protect her already? 
Have I? 
“No.  Never, will you shame me, Imogene.  What happened at your introduction just now will not repeat.  I charged Mrs. Griffin with the duty of seeing to that particular matter a few minutes ago.  Anyone who engages in such familiar behaviour with you again will be dismissed immediately.  I promise you, we will weather this.  You have been raised a lady, and you will be magnificent I know.  I can tell from the very little I have just seen at our entrance.  Make them bend to you, in your own approach and tactics.  Take charge of what you wish to do as you did with securing Hester.  You fancied her for your personal maid and approached her and offered her a place here.  You did that all on your own.  You can do this.  If there are challenges to your authority, well, staff can be replaced, but you cannot.”