The Duke She Wished For Read online

  She said the last words with a shudder that almost made Tabitha smile. Surely these women must have two heads and fangs dripping with venom, considering Lorna’s visceral reaction to the very thought of them.

  “You will have two new gowns here momentarily,” Lorna said as they made their way down the hall. “I sent Anita to Rochester’s after giving them a dress order last week—we took a gamble that you would accept and you did, lovely girl. We took a guess at your sizes but I believe they should fit you well.”

  As they rounded the corner back to the staff dining room, Tabitha took a deep breath and assured herself that all would be well. More than well, this entire subterfuge would be well worth the worry and anxiety at potentially being exposed when she found herself in Paris next fall attending classes and making important connections.

  “Right,” Lorna muttered to herself as she opened the door to the dining room and motioned for Tabitha to work her magic. “The games are afoot, child. Let’s play them well.”

  4

  Nicholas Fairchild, the Duke of Stowe, looked out the window of the carriage at the familiar rolling green hills and wearily sighed. This was beautiful terrain, but he knew they were nearing London. He was returning for the first time in over a year, and he was desperately dreading all that lay ahead of him.

  His time in France had been a relief, a place where he was still a duke, but the responsibility did not weigh so heavily on him night and day, as no one cared quite so much as they did in London. It was an escape from society, from parties, from meaningless conversations and desperate mothers pushing their vapid daughters on him.

  He was, however, looking forward to seeing his mother. He and Lady Gemma had always been close, she a kind, gentle soul who had spent her life in a loveless marriage, one in which she was constantly scorned and embarrassed. Nicholas had hated his father for his treatment of her, and when Lord Reginald died, Nicholas' first feeling had been one of relief. He’d felt guilt at the emotion; however, no longer did his mother have to endure humiliation as the entire ton knew of Lord Reginald’s not-so-discreet dalliances, and no longer did she have to keep up pretences as his content, loving wife.

  After his father had passed, Nicholas attended to matters of the estate before leaving for France. He had needed time away from society, time to determine how to best proceed with life as the Duke of Stowe while still remaining Nicholas Fairchild.

  If he were honest with himself, he was also leaving to be free of women like Sabine Banon and her mother, Lady Hester. They were like leeches, hangers-on who simply bled their prey of all they had to offer.

  It had taken Nicholas some time to come to this realization. In his younger years, he had certainly had his pleasures with women — though only with those who were willing and unattached. They were drawn in by his silky dark locks, strong jawbone and intense dark eyes. Not many women were completely at ease in his presence, however, with his straightforward conversation and impatience with shallow frivolities.

  Lord Reginald had encouraged him to “sow his oats,” but once he reached a marriageable age, Nicholas' parents agreed on one thing — it was high time he find a bride and create a family of his own. He attended all of the balls and dances required of him, but soon tired of them as women practically threw their daughters at him, and the picture perfect young ladies simpered and giggled and gazed at him, their conversation rote and tedious.

  Nicholas had determined he would never find a woman in society with any character until one night he had come across the broken carriage of Lady Sabine. He had accompanied her home and arranged for the wheel to be fixed. He had been charmed by her beauty and her flirtatious manner, and they began a brief courtship.

  Lord Reginald was pleased and pushed the match while Nicholas could tell that Lady Gemma, though she never said a word, disapproved of Lady Sabine and her family. He should have followed his mother’s instincts and inclinations earlier.

  It wasn’t until he had come upon Sabine berating her maid for a curl or two out of place that Nicholas had begun to see her for who she truly was. He took to time to observe her behavior towards others when she was not aware he was present, and he became thoroughly disappointed — in her, and in himself for not seeing through her facade sooner.

  When his father passed and the pressure to find a bride increased, Nicholas became particularly weary of the whole charade of society and left for the family home in France. He had, in time, come to terms with the fact that he had to shoulder his responsibilities as a duke, and had agreed to return home to support his mother as she began to return to society.

  He was looking forward to seeing her again. He had also missed Lorna and Bernard, the steward and the housekeeper. Their relationship with him was unlikely, but they had been a solid wall of support for Nicholas during his formative years.

  And Alex would be at the party. The thought brought a smile to Nicholas' face. It had been far too long since he had seen his cousin and close friend — the one who could always make him laugh no matter the circumstance, whose sunny disposition and quick wit would be a welcome reprieve from the mothers and their daughters who would be at the party craving his attention.

  The truth was, there were many beautiful, polite young women available to him, but none kept him entertained for more than five minutes. He wanted a woman who would say as she felt, not what she thought was proper or expected.

  Where he would find a woman like that, he could not say. Once he found her, however, he would not let her go.

  The carriage pulled into the rounded drive of the expansive manse, bringing back a flood of memories for Nicholas, of his mostly happy childhood, his father, and the people he did so love in this house. Yes, he decided, the next duchess would be one who would bring happiness to this home, to erase away the past of his father. She would be straightforward, honest, someone he could truly trust and share his life with.

  He wanted a marriage like that of the McEwans. He smiled as he thought of Lorna and Bernard, who had no children of their own and therefore had showered him with love and affection throughout his childhood. He had only felt that he could leave his mother for the past year because they were there to watch after her.

  Nicholas noted that their guests had begun to arrive, and asked his driver to take him to the back entrance so he could go unseen for at time as he reacquainted himself with the McEwans and his mother before joining the guests.

  Nicholas alighted from the carriage and strode in through the door. The first person he saw was Lorna, and he enveloped her in a hug, picking her off the ground and swinging her in a circle.

  “Why Nicholas!” she laughed as he put her down. “Child, how wonderful to have you home. I am looking forward to hearing of your time in France, and your mother has spoken of nothing but your return for the past few weeks.”

  “Lorna, I may not be ecstatic to be home, however I am more than pleased to see you. I trust all is well with you and the household?”

  “We have been well, although why Lady Gemma is so insistent upon returning to polite society, I shall never know, as she has been quite content these past few months. However, that is the way of her, to do what is expected, as you well know.”

  “Very well I do,” he replied. “You received my note to spare no expense in outfitting her in a wardrobe fit for a queen? I would like all of the ton to be envious of her in her return.”

  “I have gone above and beyond, Your Grace.”

  “Lorna, you know better than to ‘Your Grace’ me in private. Now, tell me, who has arrived?”

  She provided him the names and stations as they continued down the hall leading to his mother’s private sitting room. Lorna entered first, announcing to Lady Gemma she had brought a visitor to greet her before the party began.

  “Mother!”

  “Oh Nicholas!”

  Nicholas all but ran into the room to see his mother. She was a tender soul, and had always showered Nicholas with love and affection. In part, it was her
nature to do so, and he also felt she did so to make up for the lack of attention he received from Lord Reginald. She had left the disciplining to Lorna and his governesses, and he was not that old before he felt their roles had turned and he was responsible for her.

  He had done his best to protect her from gossip and rumors of society, but he knew some of their insults got through to her, and she felt them deeply. She had been raised to care about the words of others, and he wished he could take it all away and make her feel loved and accepted.

  “Mother, you look very well,” he complimented her. “That dress suits you wonderfully.”

  “Thank you son, I am quite looking forward to preparing for this evening. I have new gowns and hats that have just arrived.”

  “Splendid. Now why, Mother, did you invite Lady Hester and Sabine?”

  “Oh Nicholas, how could I not?” she took on a pained expression. “We would be the talk of society had we not asked them. You do know what she is like.”

  “I do, Mother. I am happy to note that all of the guests are those we are well acquainted with. I do feel that, Lady Hester aside, you should be surrounded by friendly, welcoming faces as you make your grand return.”

  “On that, Nicholas, I soundly agree.”

  Nicholas gave her a warm smile. “I shall see you shortly, Mother. I must go change out of my traveling clothes, and I will meet you at dinner.”

  5

  Tabitha had barely settled in when there was a knock at her door. “Miss, Lord Alexander has arrived and Lorna has asked if you would like to meet him,” said Anita as she smiled at Tabitha.

  Chewing her lower lip, she nodded and allowed the woman to escort her down to Lorna’s office. Anita pushed the door open after knocking and moved aside to let Tabitha pass. As she did, she saw that Lorna was engaged in conversation with a young man, close to Tabitha’s age. He was sitting in front of her desk, one leg jauntily crossed over the other as he laughed deeply.

  “Ah,” Lorna said, as Tabitha walked in. “Here you are. Miss Tabitha Blackmore, may I present Lord Alexander Landon, Earl of Rutland and future Duke of Barre.”

  The man rose, smiled and placed a kiss over Tabitha’s knuckles as she took him in. He was very tall and stooped to reach her hand. His nose was dashed with a healthy serving of freckles that were quite cute on the man. His sandy blond hair was swept back and styled into place, setting off his bright green eyes. He was a charmer, indeed, as he grinned at her and finally released her hand.

  “My date for the party?” He quipped, glancing over at Lorna. “You have done well, Mrs. McEwan. I approve.”

  Lorna swatted the younger man on the arm.

  “Behave, rake!”

  Tabitha’s eyes rounded at the interaction between Lorna and the future duke. Lord Alexander smiled.

  “I have known Mrs. McEwan since I was in knee pants and Nick and I brought toads in the house to scare the staff,” he said. “She is a second mother to me.”

  At the praise, Lorna blushed and shook her head.

  “Have we settled on a story of origin then, Lord Alexander?” Tabitha redirected the conversation. She was nervous and suddenly feeling very unsure of herself.

  He smiled at her then.

  “Please, Miss Blackmore, it is just Alexander,” he said with a wink. “And yes, my dear, dear cousin Tabitha. We’ve only met this past summer, you see, as you were raised abroad with your mother, a distant cousin of my father’s. You are in town because your mother is traveling with her new Italian husband and you would like to get acquainted with the peerage before enjoying your own season next year. How am I doing so far?”

  He grinned and his eyes were full of warmth and mirth. Tabitha instantly relaxed.

  “Splendidly, sir,” she smiled back. “Please continue.”

  “You are accompanying me here today to make the acquaintance of the other side of my family,” he said. “You have studied in France. Summered in Italy. Crossed mountains on foot to see what the world had to offer!”

  That got a laugh out of Tabitha and Lorna swatted him again on the arm.

  “Reign it in, boy,” the woman admonished him. “You’re taking it too far.”

  “Unfortunately for us,” Alexander continued. “We are not well acquainted and are still getting to know one another ourselves. It should explain any holes in our story, but I do warn you, be prepared to furnish details now and then when pressed. There might be a lot of pressing once the hounds catch your scent.”

  Tabitha nodded. She had devoured every book in her father’s library and many of them had included geography and local culture of the major European cities. It had been some time but she hoped her memory would serve her well.

  “I do believe I can try to play the shy, reserved wallflower if need be,” she added with a shrug. “Having never spent much time in society, it is almost too much for me to bear and I must spend a few hours letting my cousin take the lead.”

  Lorna nodded approvingly.

  “Yes, exactly!” She said. “Tonight, you can get your lay of the land. Tomorrow is when Her Grace will need you most, as more guests will be present and more attention paid to her.”

  “Do you need anything from me at present?” Tabitha asked and Lorna walked out to the hallway.

  “We have some time,” she replied. “Perhaps you and Alexander here can take a walk in the gardens and get reacquainted? I shall send Anita with you.”

  Neither objected and minutes later, they were taking a turn in the massive rose garden that encompassed much of the property around the house.

  “How many gardeners does it take to keep this garden looking so perfect?” Tabitha whispered in awe as they walked through at least 100 different roses in less than five minutes.

  “A small army, I would wager,” Alexander said beside her. When they had wandered far enough away from the house he stopped and sat on a bench while Tabitha examined a particularly exquisite white rose, noting its shape and petal construction. She began making plans in her head on how she would attempt to recreate such a flower using crepe paper when she returned to her workshop.

  “Tell me your story, Miss Blackmore,” Alexander said, interrupting her study. “Why are you here today? What brought you to the estate under such scrupulous circumstances?”

  He was teasing, she could tell.

  “I am a hat maker,” she said with a shrug and a laugh. “I made a few pieces for Her Grace and when I came to deliver them yesterday, Ms. McEwan presented me with the opportunity to add to my savings by helping the dowager duchess.”

  It sounded so simple put that way. Alexander nodded, his hands on his knees.

  “And what are you saving up for, might I ask?”

  Tabitha studied him a moment. Was he teasing? Would he judge her?

  “There is a millinery school in Paris,” she said quietly. “My father and I used to pretend I was a student there when I helped him in the shop. When I have enough money, I am going to actually enroll and take classes there.”

  “Do you enjoy millinery?” Alexander asked.

  “I do,” she nodded. “And you? It makes more sense for a person in my circumstances to agree to such an outlandish plan. But why are you going along with it?”

  Alexander bit his lower lip while his gaze went distant for a moment.

  “Lady Gemma has always been one of the kindest creatures to walk the Earth. How Lord Reginald treated her was a disgrace and when he passed, we believed she would finally get a little peace and dignity,” he said, his tone bitter. “But some friends of theirs will do anything they can to undermine what little happiness the poor woman can get.”

  Tabitha was quiet as he continued.

  “And Nick is my oldest friend,” he said quietly. “He’s one of the best men I have come across and to know that there are people like Lady Banon and her daughter who want nothing more than to get their hooks into him for the mere sake of a title and hurting his mother? I cannot very well stand by and watch it unfold.”
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  “Why does Lord Nicholas not refuse them access to his mother? And would he not be wise enough to see their scheming?”

  Alexander shook his head.

  “As to the first question, you simply cannot exclude certain families without setting off the gossips faster and more viciously—it would almost give the Lady Banon a bigger stage to smear Lady Gemma’s name and reputation,” he said. “And as for Sabine, well, she and Nick have a history together and I am afraid he’s not as impervious to her scheming as we all hoped he would be.”

  “He is in love with her?”

  That got a laugh out of Alexander.

  “No,” he said. “Thankfully, no. But our boy fell for her damsel act as a young man and I am worried he has not quite grown out of that. She will use some sort of sorry story to get her talons in him and it will be hell trying to get him to see with clear eyes after that.”

  Tabitha frowned, considering his words.

  “I am here to help Her Grace,” she said, finally. “I do not think I want any part in helping save a man who is not intelligent enough to save himself from the obvious machinations of a scheming female. I am not interested in getting between a harpy and her prey, if we are being perfectly honest.”

  That got a resounding laugh from Alexander.

  “Oh, Miss Blackmore,” he said, shaking his head. “I like you very much and I think you’re going to do just fine. You very well might be the savior of us all.”

  A butler rounded the corner and announced that Lord Nicholas had returned home.

  With a smile, Alexander pushed himself to his feet and offered Tabitha his arm.

  “A piece of advice, Tabitha. The key to swimming with sharks is that you never let your smile falter. You never let them see they have cut you,” he said. “For once they sense blood in the water, it becomes a frenzy. If, however, you can deny them the reaction they’re looking for, they get desperate and are forced to make bolder and more careless moves. Remember that, dear cousin. Patience is the key to this victory.”