The Decadent Duke (40 page)

More than an hour had gone by before Henry arrived. He eyed John's white shirt and silver-gray waistcoat. “You will make a perfect target. He chose pistols.”

“Too bad. I would have enjoyed slicing him open.V John went to the gun cabinet and took out a leather gun case. “Who is acting as his second?V

“Lord Jersey; wouldn't you know it?” Henry replied.

“That was predictable.v John opened the gun case, counted the lead balls, and handed the pair of dueling pistols to Holland. “They were cleaned before they were put away, but it's some time since they were last used.”

Henry inspected them and put them back in the case. “We don't have much time left.” He checked his watch. “Ready, gentlemen?” John's companions did a credible job of hiding their apprehension. They were not the least worried about Bedford's marksmanship, but they were uneasy that the duke's target was a royal prince.

They arrived in Saint James's Park with ten minutes to spare. All four men got out of the carriage and walked toward the pond. After twenty minutes had passed, John became impatient and began to pace. More than half an hour went by before they heard a vehicle approaching.

The Earl of Jersey got out of the carriage, and Lord Holland went to meet him. They spoke for a few minutes, and then Henry returned to John. “Jersey says that Prince Edward is so inebriated, he cannot even stand, let alone shoot.”

“Peste!''
John swore. “The drunken sot is beneath contempt. Kindly inform Jersey that I will accept a written apology.” He watched Henry approach Jersey; then saw the earl return to the carriage. Finally, after a wait of ten minutes, Lord Jersey brought Lord Holland a piece of paper. Henry read it, nodded his acceptance, and brought the paper to John. It read:
I apologize for defaming a certain lady's name. The accusation was false.
The words were legible and obviously written by Jersey, but the scrawled signature after the initials H.R.H. was authentic.

John's companions returned him to Russell Square and drank a hearty toast to the victor before they departed. All in all it was the best possible outcome to an impossible situation.

An hour later, John lay sleepless in the dark.
Could the accusation be true?
He was well aware that Georgina loved to make wagers.
Is it the title Duchess of Bedford she craves? If so she is about to achieve her goal.

Though he'd tried to suppress it, John vividly remembered their first encounter after his wife's death.
Whatever makes you think I'd be interested in a mere lord when I can attract a duke to offer me marriage? We both know the duke I have in mind.

He quit the bed and paced to the window.
Is it possible that both Francis and I were duped?

“This is the happiest day of my life!” Georgina stood before the mirror as her sisters fitted on her bridal veil. She looked radiant and her eyes were luminous. “Oh, Louisa, I remember you saying those exact words before your wedding.”

“And do you remember laughing at me?” Louisa asked.

“Yes, I do, and I apologize profusely. I hadn't the faintest notion what love was.” Both Louisa and Charlotte knew her secret, that she had detested Francis Russell and had been attracted to his brother, John, from the beginning.

“I feel positively giddy. How on earth will I act with decorum on this very solemn occasion?v

“For your groom's sake, I hope you can restrain yourself from saying or doing anything inappropriate,v Charlotte cautioned.

“I shall strive to behave during the ceremony, but I make no promises after that.v

“Ah, well, you'll be a duchess by then, and impropriety is mandatory, if Mother is any example. And, of course, once the deed is done, John cannot back out of it.”

“Why would he want to back out of it? John is marrying me because he loves me!v

Louisa whooped with laughter. “Love has absolutely nothing to do with it. You're a Gordon—rank is the only thing that counts.”

Georgina joined in her sister's laughter. “What an insufferable little cockroach I was back then!”

“What makes you think you have changed?v Charlotte asked dryly.

The Duchess of Gordon swept into the bedchamber. “It's after five, and the rector from Chenies hasn't arrived. There's no sign of Susan yet, either. It's a good thing your father brought a good supply of whiskey to fortify the men while they wait.”

I'm ready to forgive Susan for what happened at Kimbolton, but forgetting is a little more difficult.
“I'm sorry Madelina won't be here. We haven't seen her since Louisa's wedding.”

“Madelina has no title. She is acutely aware that she cannot compete with the rest of you,v Jane explained.

“It's not a competition,” Georgina declared.

“Yes it is, Georgy,v Charlotte contradicted, “and you won.”

“You are a dreadful tease, Charlotte, but nothing in the world can spoil my happiness tonight.”

The sound of a carriage caused Jane to peer through the window. “I believe the clergyman has arrived, and if I'm not mistaken the Manchesters' coach is here too. I shall allow you fifteen more minutes; then you are to present yourselves in the grand salon.”

When the three sisters descended the stairs, the Duchess of Gordon awaited them. “The carriage ride brought on Susan's nausea. She begs us to carry on without her. It will give her a chance to lie down and recuperate.”

The moment Georgina entered the salon, she had eyes only for John. Their glances met and held as she took her place beside him. Her heart sang with happiness and overflowed with joy. His dark, compelling looks were so irresistible, they took her breath away.
You are the most attractive man I've ever met. I am the luckiest woman in the world to be loved by you.

“Dearly beloved . . . ”Georgina heard the first two words, and then she was lost in a reverie of sheer bliss. John's tall, powerful presence at her side filled her with euphoric happiness.

“I will.”

She looked up at him and realized he had just pledged to love her and forsake all others forever. His dark head was bathed in candlelight, and the solemnity of his voice touched her deeply. Then she heard the rector ask if she would obey John, serve him, and love, honor, and keep him. She looked up into John's eyes and without hesitation vowed, “I will.”

Alexander, Duke of Gordon stepped forward, and placed her hand in John's, symbolically giving her to her husband. The gesture brought a flood of tenderness for a father she had always loved.

“I, John, take thee, Georgina, to my wedded wife.”

Those are the loveliest words you've ever said to me.
She listened closely, then plighted her troth to John softly, sweetly, and meant the words with all her heart.

John slipped the wide gold band onto her finger. “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee honor, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow.''

The rector solemnly pronounced them man and wife.

It's done . . . We're married!
She lifted her veil, and when John bent his head and brushed his lips against hers, it sent a delicious frisson along her spine.

The bride and groom were surrounded immediately. The men congratulated John, and Charlotte enfolded her young sister in her arms. “I wish you great happiness, Mrs. Russell.”

“Thank you. Georgina Russell is such a lovely name!v

Louisa hugged and kissed her, and then it was her mother's turn. “I want you to know I could not be more proud that my daughter has just become the Duchess of Bedford.”

Georgina saw Charlotte roll her eyes, and the two sisters dissolved in laughter.

Across the room, the Duke of Gordon was conversing with his new son-in-law. When Georgina joined them, Alexander took his daughter into his arms and embraced her in a bear hug. He admonished the bridegroom, “Look after my little girl.”

Georgina and John smiled into each other's eyes.
He called me little girl the first time we met, and now uses it to tease me.

The nannies had been given strict instructions to keep the children occupied in their own wing, well away from the evening wedding. Georgina had promised Mary she would come upstairs to show off her wedding dress before the candlelit dinner was served.

“You look beautiful, Georgy.” Mary stroked the silk taffeta. “Did you marry the old man so you could be Johnny's mother?”

She was taken aback. “I suppose that was one of the reasons.”

“Will you still love me?” Mary asked anxiously.

Georgina picked her up and swung her around. “Darling, of course I'll still love you. You will always hold a very special place in my heart.” She pulled a delicate white rose from her bridal bouquet and gave it to the child. “I'll save you some wedding cake. Superstition says if you put it under your pillow and make a wish, it is sure to come true.”

“Do wishes really come true?”

“Yes, absolutely. I made a wish, and today mine came true.”

 
John held his bride's chair when they all sat down to the wedding supper. He hadn't slept the past two nights because of the vile accusations Prince Edward had made about Georgina. He had finally come to the conclusion that Edward was jealous. The young swine had dangled after Georgina since her coming-out ball, and John was almost certain that Edward had made a wager with Francis over which of them could seduce her. Obviously Francis had won, and the dissolute prince was infuriated.

As John took his seat beside his wife, he was ashamed of a fleeting thought that had come to him last night:
Perhaps it was Georgina who seduced Francis in order to become the Duchess of Bedford.
Now, as he listened to her witty ripostes to her brother's teasing, John realized that it didn't matter. This was the woman he wanted in his life. If he had any chance of happiness, he would find it with this vivacious beauty who had stolen his heart.
I just vowed to cherish her for the rest of my life, and I meant it.

John listened to Alex Gordon talk about Scotland. It was obvious he loved the country life and had little use for London society. Next, he observed Jane as she dominated the conversation with ribald stories of the Parisians, and wondered how two such opposites had become attracted.
It was lust, pure and simple,
John concluded.
Flesh calling to flesh
. Georgina's enticing fragrance stole to him, and he became instantly aroused.

John glanced at Louisa and her husband, Cornwallis.
She is the dominant partner in that relationship, yet they seem happy enough.
His glance moved on to Susan, who had been unwell when she arrived. She had a petulant look of dissatisfaction on her face, and though she was carrying Manchester's child, he seemed utterly indifferent to her.
In most marriages, one loves more than the other.
He glanced down at his new bride.
In our marriage, I warrant that role will be mine, at least in the beginning. Someday, if I'm lucky, I'll win her heart.
John looked at Charlotte and Charles. Their union seemed completely comfortable and compatible, and yet he did not want that with Georgina. He wanted more, so much more.

 
“It's only midnight, but I believe we have monopolized the newlyweds long enough,” Jane declared. “At Pall Mall we can carry on the celebration until dawn, though Susan looks ready to drop.”

Georgina suddenly felt guilty. Since the night she had fled from Kimbolton, she had harbored deep resentment against Susan. But tonight her heart overflowed with happiness, and she wanted to share her joy with her sister.
I must tell Susan that I love her.

As the wedding guests made their way to the entrance hall, Georgina beckoned her sister into the sitting room.

“It was so sweet of you to come all this way when you're not feeling well.” Georgy embraced her sister. “I'm so happy, Susan.”

“You have me to thank for your happiness. When you were forced to flee the country to escape scandal, I was absolutely livid. I drove straight to Woburn and confronted John Russell with his brother's letter.”

“What letter?”

“The letter Francis wrote to William after your rendezvous at Kimbolton. Bedford told us that he had proposed marriage to you, and that he intended to make a formal call on Mother, then declare your engagement publicly. I made it plain to John Russell where his duty lay,” Susan declared.

“Duty?” Georgina whispered. The room suddenly felt cold.

“John Russell and his friends denied there was an engagement and subjected you to public humiliation. After I showed him irrefutable proof that Francis had asked you to become the Duchess of Bedford, Russell clearly saw it was his duty to restore your reputation and honor you with the title you had been promised.”

Manchester appeared at the sitting room door. “Where the devil are you, Susan? You're not going to be sick again, surely?”

“I'm coming!” She lowered her voice. “Men are so bloody impatient.” Susan kissed her sister's cheek. “Don't feel guilty, Georgy. You deserve to be the Duchess of Bedford. Good night.”

Georgina's knees felt so shaky, she sank down into a chair.
John asked me to marry him because he loves me.
Her luminous happiness shimmered all about her, and she clung to it desperately. Her mind flew back to that romantic night in Paris when he had proposed.
I need a political hostess for Woburn. I can think of no other lady who would fit my needs so perfectly. You enjoy politics as much as I do.