My Once Handsome Husband - Chapter 272

The next morning Delaney was up early and Ms. Bird took great pleasure in dressing her up in one of her finer dresses that she had recently taken in to fit her mistress’s now smaller figure.  She did Delaney’s hair into an intricate pattern and made sure she looked perfect.

“We want you to make a good first impression on the people working at the estate,” the maid reminded her mistress, “And you only get one first impression.”

Delaney honestly didn’t care what these people thought of her but she let herself be dressed up for Ms. Bird’s sake.  She knew her unflinchingly loyal maid would defend her against anyone who tried to speak against her so Delaney figured she might as well try to make that easier.

Her Uncle Felix and Aunt Flora both offered to go with her but Delaney politely declined, using the excuse that she wanted to seem capable and independent the first time she met the people at the estate.

Again, she didn’t really care what the people thought but she wanted to be as close to alone as she could get.  She was only bringing Ms. Bird because she knew the chatty maid would fill in the empty spaces when Delaney didn’t speak.

As they rode in the carriage towards this new estate, Delaney realized that she would now be living even farther away from Vincent.  The knowledge gave her a stab of pain in her heart and for a moment tears stung her eyes.  She was quick to push the pain back down and dash away the tears.  It only took a few minutes before she was back to her numb, unfeeling state.

The trip to Honeywell wasn’t long and Delaney watched out the window as they passed other estates, wondering if any of them belonged to Miles and Cora.  She remembered Vincent had said he had picked this place because it had been close to her best friend and his brother.

That had seemed like a thoughtful choice when she had first heard it so long ago but now she wished he hadn’t done it.  She wished she could live somewhere far away from everyone she knew where no one would ever bother her.

Eventually, the carriage turned down a little grassy lane and the world outside her window changed.

Delaney’s eyes went wide and she gasped as outside on either side of the carriage they found themselves traveling through clouds of pink.

The lane that led to Honeywell was lined with cherry trees and they were currently in full bloom.  Their sweet scent wafted in through the windows and Delaney breathed it in deeply.

“Oh my Lady this might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Ms. Bird whispered.

And then something unexpected happened.  Delaney felt a smile tugging at her lips.

The carriage traveled down the long lane before coming to a stop in front of a beautiful white-washed house.  The door was opened for her and Delaney stepped out, her lips parted in awe.  This place was like a dream.

Everywhere she looked there were pink cherry trees of all different sizes.  There were flower beds along the front of the house filled with rose bushes which were also in bloom.  She stepped to one, breathing in the scent of it, and lightly touched its lush pink petals.  Fat little bumblebees buzzed around happily and somewhere in the distance, Delaney could hear people laughing.

She looked up at the white house and smiled when she saw the window shutters were light blue, a perfect contrast to all the pink.  Long curling vines were growing up over one corner which seemed to only add to the charm of the place.

Glancing at Ms. Bird, she saw her maid was looking around wide-eyed in amazement.

“Well, shall we see if anyone’s home?” Delaney asked.

“Oh of course!” Ms. Bird beamed and together they headed up the wooden steps onto the porch.  They were almost to the ornately carved front doors when they suddenly flew open and a red-faced young woman flew out.

“Oh my goodness,” she panted, “I’m terribly sorry!  We don’t have a butler yet.  You must be Lady Delaney Adair.”

Before anything could be said, the woman dropped into a very low curtsey.

“We’re so thrilled to have you here at last my Lady,” she beamed, “We’ve been waiting for ages.  I’m Mrs. Gulley.”

Delaney and Ms. Bird both stood taken aback by the outburst from the woman who had claimed to be the housekeeper of the estate.  She was young with light brown hair and light blue eyes.  She had dimples in her cheeks when she smiled which, so far, she seemed to constantly be doing.

“Mrs. Gulley,” Delaney smiled hesitantly, “It’s lovely to meet you.  But I must ask… Aren’t you a bit… young… to be a housekeeper?”

The woman laughed openly at this.

“Oh yes, I’m sure I am.  I should have explained though.  My mother-in-law, also Mrs. Gulley, is your housekeeper.  I’m just a maid.  My husband works in your stables.”

Ms. Bird frowned now, unamused by this break in how things should be done.

“If there is no butler and you’re not the housekeeper, why are you answering the door?”

Delaney bit her lip to keep from smiling at her maid’s bluntness.  She knew Mrs. Bird cared about things being done properly and Delaney did as well but for now, she was too amused.

“I’m afraid we didn’t think you would be arriving until later this afternoon so she made a quick trip into town to get the last few things needed for lunch.”

“The housekeeper went to do the shopping?” Ms. Bird looked aghast, “Why didn’t you go?”

The girl blushed again, “Well, you see I have a new baby.  He’s just one month old.  So I stayed here with him.”

“Oh for god’s sake,” Ms. Bird threw her hands in the air, “So they’re running a nursery on your money then my Lady.”

The young woman looked horrified and opened her mouth to say more but Delaney raised a hand, cutting her off.

“I’m sure they can explain everything, Ms. Bird.  And you,” she turned to the woman, “We can’t call you and your mother-in-law by the same name.  What is your name?”

“Ava,” the woman answered quickly, “Ava Louise Gulley.”

Delaney smiled, “Thank you, Ava.  Now if you don’t mind, we would like to come in.”

The woman only then realized that she was standing blocking the doors.  She hurried out of the way, back inside the house.

“Would you like a tour my Lady?  I’ve lived here nearly all my life.  I can show you everything about Honeywell.”

“That’s alright.  If you don’t mind I think I’ll explore on my own for a while.  You can get back to your work.”

“And her baby,” Ms. Bird grumbled.

Delaney turned to her maid and smiled, “Why don’t you start exploring downstairs and I’ll start upstairs.  Then we can tell each other what we find.”

Ms. Bird looked startled at being dismissed like that but agreed and headed on her way, following Ava.

Alone at last, Delaney stood in the foyer and looked around, taking it in.  The whole place seemed very light and airy.  Much the opposite of Edgewood.  Directly across from the front doors was a grand staircase going up and then splitting into two, one going left and the other right.  Hanging high above the first flight and between the other two flights was a grand chandelier she knew would be beautiful once it was lit.

As Delaney wandered around the small manor house, she couldn’t help but imagine her husband walking the same halls as she was.  It made her heart ache thinking that when he did, he was here looking for a home for her to live in without him.  He came to this beautiful place and chose it for her.  Then he went home to her and told her nothing of it.

As she turned into a room she recognized as the master bedroom, she felt tears in her eyes, knowing she would never share it with him.  This beautiful dreamworld of whites and pinks and the only person she wanted here with her was the person that never would be.

She dashed the tears from her cheeks and worked to get back to her numb state.  She found it was harder now and she couldn’t quite manage it.

“Lady Adair?”

Delaney jumped and looked over to see a middle-aged woman with white-blonde hair and an expression of worry.

“I’m terribly sorry I startled you but are you alright my Lady?”

“I am,” Delaney sniffled and got herself under control, “I am going to assume you are Mrs. Gulley?  The actual housekeeper.”

“Oh yes,” the woman looked sheepish, “I’m sorry about Ava.  She can be a bit… excitable.  But she’s a very good worker, my Lady.  You won’t have any trouble with her.”

“I’m sure I won’t,” Delaney said to put the woman’s worries at ease.

“Well, what do you think of the place?” Mrs. Gulley asked anxiously, “I know it’s probably not the grand estates you’re used to and definitely not Edgewood but… but it is a lovely little manor and it’s very peaceful here.”

“It’s perfect,” Delaney said with a smile, realizing only then that she had made her decision, “We will be moving our things in tomorrow.”