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hands on her apron and smiled broadly. “Yes, Your Grace, I would be honored to show you and your—” She leveled a gaze at Caroline and then smiled. “Ah, Miss Jellico, I nearly didn’t recognize you.”

Mrs. Hancock walked them forward. “Here on this floor we have the dining hall and some classrooms where the girls learn the basics of service. Most of them will go onto become scullery maids with a few that will make it all the way to lady’s maids.”

She’d been fortunate, Caroline realized with crushing clarity. Had her brother not made Roe her ward before he’d died, she would have ended up in a place such as this one. She looked at him as he surveyed the rooms around them. Her heart swelled and she tried to swallow it. Desiring him was one thing, but she could not afford to get her heart involved. Roe was not a hero, he’d told her as much.

“I should like to see their sleeping chambers,” Roe said. “I was told that new bedding was purchased not too long ago.”

Mrs. Hancock’s brow furrowed in confusion and then she quickly nodded. “If that is what Mr. Lamb told you, then it is certainly true. I am merely the housekeeper.” She walked off and headed toward the stairs. “The sleeping quarters are up here, Your Grace.”

They followed her up the stairs, which creaked and moaned under their ascent. The rail was missing on the opposite side of the staircase, and a few of the steps had holes in the wood. Upstairs, they found a handful of rooms, the floors covered in mattresses and thread-worn blankets. The mattresses themselves were thin and barely stuffed and couldn’t have provided much comfort or warmth for the girls. Just then five girls shuttled into the room, full of giggles, and came to an abrupt and quiet stop. Their smiles disappeared and their hollow eyes widened. They were all desperately thin, but they seemed clean and clothed, though they wore no shoes and their stockings had an abundance of holes.

“Mrs. Hancock, begging your pardon ma’am, we didn’t know you had visitors.” It was Gretchen, the girl Caroline had met when she’d visited the other day. Of course she’d come around when Mrs. Hancock hadn’t been there so she wasn’t too keen on the girl announcing they’d already met. Gretchen was a pretty thing with reddish brown hair and large green eyes. Freckles covered her cheeks and nose, and she kept a protective hand on two of the other girls—Fiona, who was obviously the middle sister and then a younger one. They all shared the same green eyes.

“It’s not a problem, children,” Caroline said. “We came to see the arrangements.” She picked that word carefully. Being poor was not fun, but it was less so when people pointed it out to you. “Is this your bedchamber?”

The smallest girl smiled and stepped forward despite her older sister’s attempt to keep her back. “It is. My bed is over there.” She pointed her small hand to the shabby mattress beneath the armoire. “My name is Beatrice.”

Caroline held her hand out and shook the tiny girl’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Beatrice. My name is Caroline. And this is the Duke of Chanceworth.”

Beatrice’s eyes grew even rounder. “A duke? That’s pretty close to a prince.” She smiled up at Roe.

Roe laughed. “I am not even close to being a prince.”

“That’s quite enough, girls. There’s no need to bother our guests,” Mrs. Hancock said.

“It’s not a bother,” Caroline said. The best way to learn about the conditions around here was to ask the children. But she knew that wouldn’t happen while Mrs. Hancock was around.

“Shall we see the rest?” Mrs. Hancock offered.

“I believe we’ve seen enough,” Roe said. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Hancock. Girls.” He grinned at the children. Two of the girls giggled and looked down at the floor.

Beatrice smiled. “Nice to meet you too, your royal highness.”

“Beatrice, please,” Gretchen said. She managed to grab her sister and then ushered the rest of them out of the room.

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, Caroline had barely finished her breakfast when Grimm informed her Mr. Bishop was waiting for her in the front parlor. She made her way over to the room and found him standing by the window. “Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Bishop?”

“I have come to see if you would join me riding in the park. It is a lovely day and I should think riding with