Chapter 3

Our journey away from London seems endless but in truth we've only been travelling for a few hours currently. My lack of knowledge as to where Knole House is, may be making the journey seem longer than it actually is. Adding to my boredom is not having anything to keep my mind occupied with as the carriage is empty of anything to read or even embroidery to work on.

I don't complain though and amuse myself by looking out the window. London and its buildings had faded from view quickly replaced instead by peaceful and beautiful countryside views which are far more familiar to me than London. Before Lady Anne brought me to London I'd only ever known the countryside.

My entire life had been spent at my brother's estate Edmour which only has a small village nearby and little else besides wide open fields and a few small forests. With my mother dying shortly after my birth and father joining her before my fifth birthday it's always been just Humphrey and me. Which basically meant that I was on my own as he preferred to be in London when he could afford it.

The Duke calls a halt around midday so that we can have luncheon, a simple meal of bread and cold meats, while the horses were also fed and watered. As is tradition our wedding had taken place early in the morning and would usually be followed by a wedding breakfast. Yet we'd skipped that due to his insistence to leave London straight away.

I stay in the carriage though with a servant bringing my food to me as once again it's made clear to me that my husband doesn't want anything to do with me. In the face of my hunger though I don't care about being left alone to eat my luncheon. We only stay for perhaps an hour before setting off again towards the still unknown Knole House.

Eventually my boredom and the gentle rocking of the carriage send me to sleep. I don't wake again until the carriage stops moving, waking slowly I at first think that we've stopped for another rest but looking out of the window to my right I realise that we're here. Knole House.

I'd known that as a Duke my husband's home would be bigger and more impressive than any other that I've seen. Yet never in my wildest dreams did I expect this. Knole House is grand and imposing but now it is my home as well.

Waiting outside of the doors for our arrival is likely most of the staff, word had probably been sent ahead to warn them of our impending arrival. The carriage door opens and a footman helps me step out while the Duke dismounts his horse and begins walking to the door as though I'm not even there. Not knowing what else to do I follow after him.

"Delves, Mrs Merrick may I introduce my wife," The Duke grits out appearing physically pained to call me his wife as he introduces me to who I can only assume are the butler and housekeeper, "Eleanor Sackville. Delves is the butler here and Mrs Merrick the housekeeper."

"Your Grace," Delves, an older man of average build and height, bows to me.

"Your Grace. Welcome to Knole House," Mrs Merrick a stern looking older woman a few inches taller than me greets with a curtsy.

"Thank you. I'm very glad to be here," I reply with a tired smile. The wedding had taken place early in the morning and then we'd been travelling all day. All I want is somewhere comfortable to rest.

"I'll leave her in your capable hands Mrs Merrick. Delves come with me, we have some business to discuss." The Duke states giving a nod to Mrs Merrick before heading inside followed by Delves.

"If you'll follow me, Your Grace. I'll show you to your chambers and have someone bring your dinner up." Plans must have already been made then about our living arrangements and evidently the Duke won't even share a meal with me let alone reside in the same chambers.

Inside is just as grand as outside but I find no time to gaze at my surroundings as Mrs Merrick leads me swiftly through the halls. The halls are decorated with beautiful paintings, mainly landscapes but also the occasional portrait, along with various statues and vases. Each one is exquisite and more expensive than everything remaining in Edmour out together, it's overwhelming.

After walking through several hallways we arrive at our destination and Mrs Merrick opens the door leading me inside where a woman, perhaps a few years older than me, is waiting. The room is not much different to the one that Lady Anne gave me in her house so it's still more than I had at Edmour but not what I'd been expecting as the new Duchess. There is no doubt in my mind that these chambers are not the ones usually occupied by the Duchess of Dorset.

"His Grace had us have this room prepared for you," She explains before indicating the woman, "This is Marguerite she'll serve as your ladies maid as I'm given to understand that you don't have one."

"Yes, thank you Mrs Merrick." I reply not sure what else to say in response. Her tone made it clear that she thought it laughable for a Duchess to not have her own ladies maid to bring with her after marriage.

"Perhaps in the morning I could give you a tour, Your Grace?" Mrs Merrick offers.

"That sounds wonderful Mrs Merrick. I'm looking forward to learning more about my new home." With a final curtsy Mrs Merrick takes her leave with a promise of my dinner arriving soon.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace." Marguerite my new maid greets now that we're alone in the room. I'm taken slightly by surprise at her French accent, it's become fashionable to have French ladies maids but I'd heard from Lady Anne that it's actual difficult to find a suitable French girl. To have a genuine French ladies maid when the Duke hates me is quite the surprise. "Everyone has been looking forward to your arrival."

"Thank you Marguerite," I offer a small smile hoping that I'll have at least one friend here after all. The servants here have all likely known my husband for years and are loyal to him so may already dislike me if they've heard of how I became Duchess.

"The footmen should be along with your trunks soon if you'd care to change, Your Grace?" I nod looking forward to getting out of this dress. Even though I'd spent most of the day in the carriage I felt the mess of travel clinging to me.

By the time dinner is delivered to my room I've changed into a simpler more comfortable dress and have read the first few pages of a book. Marguerite has kept me company and we've talked a little so I feel a bit closer to her but she's still a stranger that I don't completely trust.

Not having eaten much all day it doesn't take me long to finish my dinner and return to my book. It's one that I've read many times before. One of the few books to survive Humphrey's purge of the library I'd brought it with me to London and now here. Wherever here is exactly.

I know that I could ask Marguerite for more information about Knole House but my lack of knowledge is not something that I want the servants gossiping about. I'm sure eventually that I'll learn more about my new home on my tour tomorrow but for now I'll have to remain ignorant. Mrs Merrick being the housekeeper though is likely to know much about the house and I can't wait to learn from her.

The light fades eventually and even though Marguerite lights candles in the room I set my book aside finding it too dark to read. With the positioning of these rooms the windows don't provide much light as it gets later into the evening.

With Marguerite's help I ready myself for bed unsure if the Duke will come. With how today has gone it wouldn't surprise me if he stayed away leaving our marriage unconsummated and in name only. I hope with all my heart though that he does come although I don't know what actually happens on a wedding night only that it brings children. And I do want at least a child of my own, preferably a boy to inherit the Duke's title.

I'm almost ready for bed, just finishing off my hair, when there's a knock at the door. Before I can say anything Marguerite puts down the hairbrush to go open the door and drops immediately into a curtsy then steps back revealing my husband.

"Leave us," He orders prompting Marguerite to leave the room closing the door behind her.

"Your Grace," I greet him with a curtsy. It's the first time that we've ever been alone together and it's making me nervous, especially knowing that he hates me. His every action since the ball has made it perfectly clear how he feels about me despite not saying anything to me directly most of the time. Even giving me this room, obviously a guest room, is just another way for him to let me know how unwanted I am.

"Wife," He replies stiffly clearly pained at the reminder of us being married, "As you know you were not my choice. Nor anything close to who I imagined I'd marry. Yet now we find ourselves married I shall attempt to make the best of it."

"As will I, your Grace. I'll do my best to be a good wife to you." The sharp look he sends my way chills me to the bone. Everything I try and say to him seems to be wrong and only makes things worse. I'm probably lucky that he's not sent me far away without even consummating our marriage. Knole House may be just the closest and most convenient property of the Duke's.

"Your best will be staying here and not causing any further scandal. If you cannot even manage that then you will find yourself sent away from here until you can act in a manner befitting your new station. Your only other duty is to bear my heir." So at least I'll have one child in my future, possibly more if I don't have a son the first time.

"Yes your Grace." Maybe his opinion of me will improve if I remain agreeable to whatever he says. I've heard before that men like obedient wives so obeying him could ease his anger towards me for the compromise that I'd set up and he'd fallen prey to completely accidently.

"Towards that effort I will visit you every night for a week and then we can wait to see if your courses come. If they do then we'll have to continue our efforts for another week once you've recovered. I believe that should be a satisfactory system to abide by until you provide me with an heir, if the first child is a girl then we will simply have to continue our efforts by the same system until you give me a son. I've been in contact with a Dr James Blundell who has agreed to oversee our efforts," I don't know what will happen at night but it'll be worth it if I'll eventually have a child.

Nodding my understanding I stand and start to approach him. It must have been the wrong thing to do though as he holds up a hand signalling me to halt before I was even within arms reach of him. I may not know much about what happens during a wedding night but I do at least understand that he will have to touch me. Which he still seems detest even the thought of.

"Just get on the bed." He orders so I turn around and climb onto the bed. Nervously waiting for whatever comes next as the Duke walks over to join me.

Hope you've enjoyed this chapter. For those interested Knole House is a real place that really was home to the Duke's of Dorset. The Sackville family still live there today but show rooms are available to the public.

They no longer hold the Duke title though as the last Duke of Dorset died in 1843 so my Duke is entirely fictional. He replaces the 4th Duke who died in his early 20's in 1815, the title passed to his cousin and the Knole estate to his sister.

I've had a lot of fun researching regency history for this story to try and keep it as accurate as possible. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have, there'll be more on Knole House in the next chapter. All of which is accurate history about both the family and the estate.