Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

frowned, “Well, no, Miss McKenna. I know nothing of balls. Millie would do much better, or Donnel. Come to think of it, even Keith would be more help than I.” She made everyone laugh and she meant to. She had come to enjoy putting a smile on everyone’s face, especially with the spiteful duchess in the house.
    A bell began to ring and everyone looked at the bell board on the wall. McKenna gasped. “Olivia found the bell in the water closet, Hannish.”
    Hannish set his cup of tea down. “I best see to her, she had nothing on the last I saw of her.”

    For the next hour and a half, the tension was thick in Marblestone Mansion. Something could still go wrong and everyone held their breaths. Olivia managed to fix her own hair and dress herself, but not pack her things. So while Hannish took his wife outside to enjoy the fresh air, Millie and Sarah made haste to throw everything in Olivia’s travel bag and steamer trunk – everything except her dreaded wooden brush. As soon as they were finished, Keith and Ronan carried the luggage down the stairs and loaded them on the wagon. At the same time, Alistair and Dugan added their travel suitcases and got aboard. Both had shed their uniforms for more informal clothing. Once everything was finished finally, Ronan got set to drive the carriage and Keith got ready to follow with the wagon.
    With her hand wrapped around his arm, Hannish turned his wife and walked her back toward the waiting carriage. “You look beautiful as always. I had almost forgotten how glorious you are.”
    “ I am disappointed not to have spent at least one night alone with you, but I suppose another few weeks will be bearable.”
    “ For us both.” He smiled, stopped, took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. “I can hardly wait.” He whispered. He closed his eyes and held her in his arms for a long moment before he let her go. “I fear you will miss the train, my love.”
    “ Are you certain you cannot come home with me?”
    “ I’ve this place to sell and the servants to find positions for. You understand.”
    “ Always the sweet Hannish; thinking of everyone else first.”
    He helped her into the carriage and then closed the door.
    “ You are not taking me to the train?”
    “ I cannae, I must wait here for our friend George Graham.”
    Olivia wrinkled her brow and it was the last expression he saw before Ronan loudly smacked the rains against the back of the team and jerked the carriage away.
    Hannish nodded to Alistair and Dugan as the wagon passed, and then looked for the carriage between the trees. He remembered to smile and wave when he was certain Olivia could see him, and kept watching until it was completely out of sight. Then he bowed his head.
    At the window of the second floor sitting room, McKenna had tears in her eyes. Sassy put her arm around McKenna’s waist and tried to comfort her. “He truly loves his wife, does he not?”
    “ Aye, ‘tis the hardest thing he has ever done, sending her away forever like that. Harder even than leaving her three years ago.”
    “‘ Tis my fault. I knew to stay clear of her.”
    “‘ Tis not your fault, ‘tis Olivia’s.” She wiped her tears away and tried to smile. “Come, we have work to do and planning a ball will help distract my brother.”

“ Mr. Graham, it is good of you to come all this way to give your report,” Hannish said, as he walked into his study. “Please sit and be comfortable. Would you like some tea? Of course you would.” Hannish walked to the wall and pulled the cord. “I trust you had a good journey?’
    George Graham removed his hat, sat in a chair, crossed his legs and set his hat on his knee. “I did, Your Grace, very good indeed.”
    Hannish was not impressed with the man’s appearance and for the life of him, could not see why Olivia would prefer him. His mustache nearly covered his upper lip, his beard appeared to be just growing out, and although it matched the color of his mousy brown hair, there were places that most likely would not fill in well. The bald spot on the back of George Graham’s head refused to be covered by long strands of hair, and the man had dull brown eyes. “Are the repairs completed?”
    “ There are a few things, here and there, but it is mostly finished.”
    “ What sort of things are left undone, precisely?”
    “ I have not yet managed to get the gardens finished, but that will come along nicely now that it is spring.”
    “ Then you intend to