A Duke's Entangled Enchantress (2 page)

The British are coming

Black Creek Ranch 1818

The fire was warm and roasting the smell of food wafted up from the kitchen downstairs and it felt good to slid into my own bath after two weeks in the wild with the horses. Nothing could beat a hot bath fresh from the stove downstairs, the curiosity about the man was killing me, but I had left him in the care of the kitchen staff so that I could have my own bath. The rain had chilled the warm days that had been growing and soon everything would finish turning green.

             
It was odd that a man would turn up so close to the ranch, but I couldn’t blame the man for falling from his horse, he must have gone in the wrong direction to end up at the Old Well for that was a dangerous area then time of year when all the animals were hunting for food after a long summer.

             
Finally my wondering mind got the better of my and I quickly toweled off and dressed in a new part of pants and a long sleeved shirt before going down stairs into the kitchen. He was bare in a large wooden tub that was still too small for such a tall man. He had his eyes closed, the back of his head resting on the tub’s rim, relaxing. Probably enjoying the bath after so long outdoors.

             
“So Mr. Grayson, where is it you would be coming from?” I asked leaning up against the door frame.

             
His eyes shot opened he twisted to stare at me a moment before reaching for something to cover himself, no that I had been looking, his eyes were just so striking. He was handsome, but once you looked over his entire face the plains were rather sharp, his cheekbones a bit to uplifted, his nose a tad crooked, his beard too long.

             
This cheeks turned a slight red as I continued to start at him firmly in the eyes.

             
“I beg your pardon, my lady, but could do me the favor of giving me a few moments alone? I would be more than glad to answer your questions when I am more, um properly attired.” He swallowed as he took in my attire as well and he turned his back.

             
A grin stretched across my lips as I turned and walked back upstairs to find my father. He had yet to be told of the mystery man down stairs.

             
I found my father in the office just off to his bedroom. I barely knocked on the door when he opened it and pulled me into a hug.

             
“Good to see you back my dear, did you pick a few good ones for this year?” he brown eyes twinkled.

             
I sat down on one of his many chairs and grinned, “You bet, Pa. Remember the Paint we spotted last year? I got her foal, he going to be a great stud for the program in a few years. Oh and on the way back I picked you up a surprise.”

             
His eyebrows rose. “A surprise you say?”

             
I grinned. “Yes, sir. You can find it downstairs in the kitchen. Best hurry if you want to see it.”

             
Pa raised himself from the chair and with a questioning glance went downstairs, I followed closely behind. The moment my father reach the kitchen door he froze in place and slowly turned to me with a glare.

             
“It’s not what you think, just get him to speak and you’ll see why.”

             
“And what, my good sir, are you doing in my house?” Pa asked with a growl at the man.

             
A different man was now in the kitchen and I was about to tell Pa when I noticed those grey eyes. Same man, he had just shaved and his clean face was a strikingly differently than before. Now I could call him devilishly handsome.

             
The man looked up from where he finished buttoning up his shirt and bowed, and then he smiled at my Pa.

             
“Hello Mr. Black, good to finally meet you. And you as well Ms. Black or was it Alanna?” he asked full of charm, his accent flashing.

             
Suddenly Pa’s scowl turned into a friendly grin as he walked up to shake the man’s hand. “Well met Lord Bedford. Well met indeed, I hope your trip was a pleasant one?”

             
Baited by his smile I grinned and from behind their back I added, “This was the man I dragged out of the mud near the Old Well.”

             
That got my father’s attention. “The Old Well? Why is dangerous there as its hunting season he must have taken a wrong turn!”

             
That indeed!

             
Lord Bedford, the duke, cleared his throat and we turn to look at him. He winced slightly as he said. “I have had a rather long and hard trip; perhaps we may introduce ourselves and then become acquainted on the morrow, when we have all had a better rest.”

             
I nodded; I could fall asleep at any second. “I am Ms. Alanna Black, the one you offered for, and this here is my Pa, Mr. Jackson Black.”

             
The duke smiled slightly as he bowed again and said, “Please to meet you Lady Alanna and Mr. Black. I am Grayson Blackstone de Grey, Duke of Bedford.”

             
I wrinkled my nose. “I not a lady yet.”

             
“Ah, but you are,” Lord Grayson said wisely.

             
“How so?” I asked putting hands on hips with a small glare.

             
It was my father who answered for me. “Your mother’s mother was the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. Your Grandmother whom still resides in New York. Her and your mother however had a falling out before you were born and I believe you only met her once at your mother’s funeral.”

             
“Everyone has to be from England, don’t they? Well I guess it could be worse.” I sighed. “Good night Pa, Mr. Grayson. I guess we will have to talk everything over tomorrow.”
 

And Talk We Shall

Our talk was rather short as it happened; few words were said between Mr. Grayson as Pa did all the talking for us. Pa however sweet he was trying to be about putting forth my best qualities did me little favor in the matter.

             
“My daughter here is as fine as a woman you could possibly come by. Champion rider she was, just like her mother, best shot in the county as well! And she had the biggest hand in designing the breeding program over the years that gave us the best stock in the country,” Pa beamed.

             
As kind as Pa was, mother had been the social butterfly with the skills for talking to people, however Pa never had the filter between his brain and mouth to sort out his thoughts. Straight mindedness and honest to a painful fault, that was my Pa.

             
Mr. Grayson looked rather shocked at how fast Pa could talk and I did my best to keep a straight face until Mr. Grayson seemed to finally catch something Pa said.

             
“Used to be a champion rider?” he questioned softly.

             
Pa looking panicked went for the first thing he could think of. “She stopped you see…because-because it wasn’t ladylike to race is all,” he said in a rush.

             
Mr. Grayson sniffed in amusement. “Quite so. No matter how she raced here I doubt she could keep up with the professionals were keep on staff.”

             
Suddenly I understood why this big, important man would come all this way to marry me. I turned a glaring look to my father.

             
“This isn’t about just me getting married is it? You promised one of the horses with me didn’t you?”

             
Pa looked away from my eyes. “The deal is you and your horse, Grand Champion. I wanted you to have something from the ranch after you left.”

             
Softening at him I smiled sadly. “Thanks Pa, that means a lot to me. I don’t know what you would do without Champ here though. He is our best racer.”

             
Pa grinned then. “Blue Bird Thunder is ready after the training you gave him; he is just like his dad.”

             
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I had a few questions before this is made final,” Mr. Grayson said, sliding smoothly into our conversation.

             
“Well alright,” Pa said looking over to him.

             
“When is the soonest you are already to leave?”

             
Dumbfounded Pa asked, “Travel to where?”

             
“Why London, of course. Where else?” Mr. Grayson asked amused.

             
“Oh well, I hadn’t thought of that. However I am in no shape to make that kind of journey.” He looked over to me with large sad eyes. “I am sorry dear.”

             
I squeezed his hand. “It’s okay, Pa. You’ll still have all the men here to help you out and I shall come to visit when I can.” I looked over to Mr. Grayson. “Anything else?”

             
“I want to set the terms for our marriage.” He looked cold now, like it didn’t matter.

             
“Terms,” I echoed.

             
“I only have a few and you are more than welcome to make some as well. You will become a duchess, a very rare prize for any woman let alone an American. You will have to act according to the rules of Society and as a high level peer you will be looked up to by many in both fashion and how you act. You shall do nothing that will tarnish the name of my family.”

             
Offended by not only his words but his tone I replied coolly, “You shall not have to worry about that. If there is any talk of your family it will be in awed whispers of your wife accomplishments rather than her husband’s rake helling around the town and gambling at the tables!”

             
Mr. Grayson’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “I am no rake hell, nor do I gamble. But if you believe you shall have no problem in winning the hands of my Peers, it seems we have a deal.”
              “It would seem so,” I hissed at him.

             
Suddenly he smiled slightly. “And here I thought marriage to an American was going to be rather dull. I look forward to our future battle of words Ms. Black. I plan to leave for London within a week’s time. Be ready for the journey to your new home.”

A New Home

London was as different from Kentucky as summer was from fall, even in early summer, there was a distinct chill still to the air and rather
than a clear day it was foggy, misty and pure dismal. The ship ride over was just as bad, the ride in the wagon and the boats to the coast had worn on me. It wore on me until I was too exhausted to travel, but in too much pain to sleep.

             
Mr. Grayson, no
Lord Grayson
, paid little notice to me and the time he did, I hid the pain behind a smile like I did every day for everyone other than my Pa. I knew that if he knew of the troubles that faced my body he would not wed me, and it was too late now to turn back for the sake of my father. And Pa had been right. No man who knew me would likely marry me. I just hoped that me and Lord Grayson could find some even ground between us to make an even marriage.

             
Currently however I was facing a problem of another sort. I was facing the long drive that faced the sprawling yellow stoned manor house that was the seat of the Bedford Estate and my new future home. 

             
In a whirlwind of excitement the carriage was unloaded and suddenly I found a hand offer before my face to help me out from the box seat.

             
I took his hand gently and groaned inwardly while standing up. My hip and back groaned in protest with me as badly healed muscles were used. Silently however after I was out I stared up at the four stories of the ancient family home in awe.

             
“What are you thinking?” Lord Grayson asked softly tipping my chin in his direction so I could look up into his eyes.

             
Feeling a wee bit evil I shrugged his hand off and said airily as I walked by, “Only a man trying to make up for something he is lacking needs something so big.”

             
Stunned he stared after me as I walked off to the front door. I paused at the steps and smiled sweetly. “Are you not coming, my lord?”

             
Fire flared in his eyes and he coolly walked to me, around me and rapped swiftly upon the door. The winged doors spread wide to reveal a smartly dressed young man with white blonde hair.

             
“Welcome home, Your Grace,” the young man chirped. His smile froze when he spotted myself in the doorway behind his master.

             
“Welcome the new lady properly, Gibbs. She will be the new mistress of this property soon enough,” His Grace said with a smirk as he walked inside passed the young man.

             
I glared after him, the young man gulped and quickly moved out of my way as I walked up the stairs to go inside. In a fine huff I made it to the top step before a muscle in my leg decided to give out finally under the strain I had put on it.

             
I was helpless as I tried to catch myself as I tumbled down the steep front steps. Before hitting the final step I twisted wrong and my temple struck stone with a sharp
crack!

             
Gibbs was screaming for something as he ran after me down the steps and fell to his knees beside me. I had the satisfying feeling settle in my stomach as I saw the duke fly out the door and stare down at me in horror, frozen in place.