The Duke's Undoing (Three Rogues and Their Ladies) (33 page)

THE END

If you enjoyed
The Duke’s Undoing
, you’ll love the sequel,
The Taming of Lady Kate
.

Here’s a sample:

IN WHICH OUR HERO RECEIVES

THE SURPRISE OF HIS LIFE

“Jack, dear, I appreciate the honor that you do me, but I’m afraid we just would not suit,” his childhood sweetheart said.

“Not suit? Do not be missish, Caro. We’ve known each other for donkey’s years!” Jack leapt to his feet. Being on one knee in Caroline’s mother’s garden had been an absurd notion.

“That is precisely the problem.” She smiled her sweet smile. His childhood playmate had grown into a honey-haired beauty who had retained her generous, unspoiled nature. All the same, he still had difficulty seeing her as the lovely woman she had become instead of the breech-clad tomboy he had helped out of her window at midnight.

“Why should that be a problem?” he asked.

“I want to marry for love, Jack.”

This simple statement stunned him. It even hurt. He began to pace the flagstones. Lady Braithwaite’s prize roses in hues of coral, yellow, and blush pink surrounded them. It should have been romantic. “But I do love you, Caro. Surely you must know that! You are not just any woman to me.”

“You love me as a small boy loves his favorite blanket. I make you feel secure and comfortable. I remind you of nursery teas with crumpets swimming in butter. But I want more than that for myself. I doubt you’ve really given this much thought at all, considering you must marry to gain control of your fortune. I’m the only woman to hand, at the moment.”

He had not thought she would be so difficult to please. Someone must have turned her head with pretty speeches. What eligible young men did she know here in Wiltshire besides himself?

“My feelings go beyond what you say,” he said. “Surely, you know you are become beautiful? That you have a disposition that suits me down to the ground? That a marriage between us would make our parents happy?”

His words were true as far as they went. He supposed he had never really been in love. He enjoyed women; in fact, he adored women, just as he loved going about with his friends indulging in sport—shooting at Manton’s, boxing in Cribb’s Parlor, engaging in races with his high perch phaeton, playing at faro. Then, of course, there was what he thought of as his double life. His life had been so full up until now, he had never thought of looking for a wife. Caro’s flat-out refusal puzzled him.

“But Jack! Surely I have told you that my Aunt Sukey has invited me to London? I am to leave in three days’ time. I am nineteen. It is past time that I had a Season. Even if I wanted to, I could not commit myself to a marriage now, when there are so many gentlemen yet to be met!”

This gave Jack Bailey-Wintersham, Marquis of Northbrooke, pause, all right. The sobriquet Sukey together with Caro’s surname brought only one woman to mind. “The eccentric Lady Susannah Braithwaite is your aunt?”

“Yes. Papa’s unmarried sister. She is very kind.”

“Hmph. She is mad as a hatter. Crazy about beetles. Owns a preposterous tortoise, of all things. Kindness is not the word that comes to mind when one talks of Lady Susannah.”

“She has very good connections. The Duke of Devonshire has been in love with her these many years. It was he who gave her Henry Five, her tortoise. And, in addition to that, she is a distinguished entomologist who has received an award from the Royal Society for her collection of beetles.”

“My sweet Caro, I cannot imagine you living in such a household. Much better marry me than to become a bluestocking.”

“We are childhood sweethearts, Jack. I fear that is all we will ever be. In your mind, I will always be a hoyden with whom you learned to ride to hounds and whom you boosted over the fence to steal apples from Farmer Wright. I want to marry someone in whose eyes I am delicate and irresistible. Whose kiss thrills me to my toes.”

“Fustian! You read too many novels. Why should our friendship not be a fine basis for marriage? Do you not remember our blood oath?” he asked.

“You do not mean to hold me to a promise made when I was but twelve!”

“So you are actually turning me down in order to go consort with Whigs, beetles, and a tortoise?”

“Yes, I am. And I’m afraid this is final, Jack. You would ride roughshod over me. You have always liked your own way far too much.”

He scowled.

She continued, putting a gentle hand on his arm. “I know you are in great demand among London hostesses. You shall have to do the Season this year—go to the balls, the routs, the picnics. You will find someone who will make your heart beat faster, Jack. Someone who will require you to make an effort to win her.”

“It sounds inexpressibly wearisome. I would much rather marry you and settle here in Wiltshire.”

“Yes, that would be the easy thing,” Caro agreed. “But I am convinced there is more than such a life. Something thrilling awaits both of us in London, mark my words!”

So saying, she gathered her peach-colored flounces and disappeared into her house. Jack looked after her in bewilderment. Women! So, he had never kissed her! Was that what this was all about? Well, maybe that was not precisely how he felt about Caro, but he simply could not imagine being leg-shackled to anyone else.

IN WHICH OUR HEROINE RECEIVES A BLOW

Lady Kate Derramore was painting a study of her garden in oils when her butler informed her that Cousin Freddie requested her presence in the library. Wishing it were permissible for ladies to curse in such situations, she stuck her brush in turpentine, shrugged off her painting smock, and looked at her hands.

Cousin Freddie will just have to take me as he finds me. Curses on any and all entails!

Walking into what she would always consider Papa’s study, she sat down across from her cousin, who was busy making a to-do about reading some document. He looked up, simulating surprise.

“Ah, there you are, Cousin. Thank you for coming. I have a particular reason for wanting to speak with you.”

“Yes?”

“I have good news! Emily is increasing at last!”

Her grumpiness vanished, and she jumped up from her chair, clapping her hands in glee. “Oh, that is not just good news, that is the best news! Congratulations, Freddie! How is she feeling?”

“Right as a trivet, fortunately. We expect the happy event in the autumn. We have not told you sooner because we wanted to be safely past the point at which she miscarried the last time.” Clearing his throat, he assumed his stern Lord of the Manor face. “I have some other news as well.”

Kate suddenly knew what was coming. By some means, he had arranged for her to leave what had always been her home.

“I have been corresponding with your Aunt Clarice in London. You are nineteen, and out of mourning. Given the terms of your father’s will, it is high time you had a Season.”

“And who is to pay for it, pray? I cannot ask that of you, Freddie. Particularly as you are about to become a father.”

“I have been setting aside all the stud fees paid for your father’s stallion, Apollo. You inherited him, so it is only right that you should have the money. I have consulted with Emily and with your Aunt Clarice. The money will easily pay for all the gowns and fripperies you will require. Your aunt wishes to sponsor you. Her companion’s niece will also be there in the house for her first Season, so you will have company. The two ladies intend to bring you out together. They are even going to throw a ball and will not hear of any offers to reimburse them.”

“But, Freddie, what is to become of Joey?” Kate asked. Since Papa’s death, her twelve-year old stepbrother was the only close family she had.

“He will go to Eton, as he should have four years ago. I do not approve of spoiling the boy by hiring a tutor.”

“But he will be terribly bullied! You know that, Cousin. That is why Papa hired a tutor. Anyone who is the least bit different suffers agonies in Public School.”

“Perhaps that is what he needs to cure him of his stutter. He does not seem to make any effort.”

“It is not a matter of making an effort! The harder he tries not to stutter, the worse it gets! He shall be miserable at Eton. Papa never intended for him to go there. He left plenty of money for a tutor. If you do not want him living here, I shall take him with me to London. We can hire a tutor there. I absolutely forbid you to send him to Eton.”

“I am his guardian, Cousin. He goes to Eton. He must not be coddled.”

Kate got up and paced the room, much distressed. She did not want a Season, and she did not want to be parted from Joey. She felt physically ill at the thought of her little brother enduring the hazing and bullying he would surely suffer.

“I wish to take the stud fees and go back to Italy. I know Aunt Clarice, and I am certain she would be game. We could take Joey with us. It would be a splendid opportunity for him.”

Kate knew it was a pointless request, but perhaps Freddie was in an expansive mood after his own news.

“With a war on the Continent, that is, of course, impossible. As you know, Lady Kate.”

“Papa and I had no difficulties!”

“You father was a very competent man. Though I cannot agree with his desire to give you the Grand Tour, I cannot fault him for the manner in which he took care that nothing untoward should befall you. And there is that clause in his will about Francesco, you recall.”

The Horrible Will. That her beloved Papa had come to commission such a document was a source of continual pain. But he had had very strong feelings about Catholics. And he knew how stubborn his daughter was in her devotion to her first and only love.

Freddie continued, “It would be far more comfortable for you to resign yourself to this new direction, Cousin. If you will allow me to say so, I believe that with your unique charm and appearance, you are certain to make a brilliant match. Most girls enjoy their Seasons, you know.”

Clenching her fists, she said, “I will marry for convenience only. To gain guardianship of Joey and to get my fortune.” Tears burned in her eyes. “I will marry someone with his own interests, his own life. Someone who will not mind that I want to live in Italy and paint.”

“When you marry,” he said, “your husband will become Joseph’s guardian.”

She halted. “You are a dreadfully unfeeling man to send Joey to Eton. I hope you have more compassion for your own child.”

She bade him good morning, determined to go find her stepbrother in the schoolroom.

But Cousin Freddie was not finished. “Your aunt is sending her carriage for you, Cousin. It will arrive tomorrow. I suggest that you and your maid set to the task of packing up such things as you will need. I will give you a draft on my bank in Town so you may purchase a suitable wardrobe.”

Why was she surprised that she had been saddled with a
fait accompli
? Stalking out of the library, she climbed the stairs to the schoolroom. There she found Joey, studying an atlas. His tutor, Mr. Graves, a tall, desiccated elderly fellow with a goatee, was instructing his pupil in Latin.

Kate’s own Latin was excellent, allowing her to understand that they were discussing the conquests of Julius Caesar. She had never interrupted her brother’s lessons before, but now she said, “Mr. Graves, it is vital that I speak to my brother alone. Would you please allow him to take a walk with me?”

Startled, the man agreed.

Joey said, “Is s-s-s-something wrong, K-k-kate?”

“I will tell you when we get downstairs. We will go walk in the garden, and Cook can send us out some lemonade and biscuits that we can eat in the rose arbor.”

Joey’s large blue eyes lit. He was currently experiencing a growth spurt and seemed never to get enough to eat. He followed her out of his schoolroom and down to the kitchen, where the good-natured cook agreed to her request. Kate and Joey walked out the kitchen door and into the garden.

It was early spring, and as yet, only the daffodils, tulips, and crocus were out. However, the roses were budding and the trees were heavily laden with sweet blossoms. In front of the rose arbor stood her easel with its half-finished painting of the new blooms her late stepmother had loved so much. It saddened her to think she would never finish this painting, and worse, that strictly speaking, she had no right to this lovely garden anymore. Being banished from her home and from Joey made her angry. It was good that she was angry. Such feelings kept her from feeling the desolation that had been her companion since Papa’s death.

“Has Cousin Freddie spoken to you lately about the changes he is making in our lives?”

“N-n-no.”

Sitting down on the white wooden bench inside the arbor, she made room for him. He was too old to take into her arms, as she wished to do, but she possessed herself of his hands and squeezed them. “I fear we are to be separated. I go to London tomorrow to stay with Papa’s sister, Aunt Clarice.”

“Oh, K-k-Kate! I will miss you! D-d-do you have to go?”

“Yes. I must find a husband. Then you can come to live with us. Or maybe, when the war ends, you and I can go to Italy to live.”