Suzy leaned her head back against the cushioned seat, the rhythmic rumble of the wheels a soothing sound after the urgency and tension of the past few weeks. Relief washed over her, the simple relief of nearing the chateau, yet it was tinged with the lingering anxiety for Ryan, recuperating miles away. She was tired, a deep weariness that settled in her bones, not only from the long journey, but from the emotional weight she carried.
As the carriage rolled to a stop on the gravel forecourt, Suzy saw them waiting – a small gathering of familiar faces standing patiently on the steps. Mrs. Agnes, the head housekeeper whose presence had been a constant, comforting fixture for Ryan long before Suzy arrived, stood slightly ahead of the others. Maids in crisp grey uniforms and footmen stood respectfully behind her. They had clearly spotted the duchy crest emblazoned on the carriage door.
