The Duke Dilemma (23 page)

“Well, then, go quickly so you can be done with it.” Louise motioned her friend away with her fan.

“You are right. I shall do exactly that.” Augusta stood, closed her fan, and smoothed her skirts. “And when I return we can contemplate the plans the villainous Count has in mind for lovely Frederica and how our handsome and brave hero Angelo will thwart them.” She paused at the doorway and murmured to Louise, “I shall not be gone long.”

“Yes, I know,” Louise replied with sympathy and made a steadfast effort to employ her fan. The heat in the box was dreadful. She pulled the ends of the fichu from her neckline and removed the fabric to further cool herself.

She stilled, then turned at the sound of someone entering. Augusta had been away for only a few minutes. There was hardly time for her to have even walked the entire distance to the box located almost opposite where they sat. Augusta could have only returned if she had changed her mind about the visit.

“I beg your pardon. I—” The Duke of Faraday appeared, stepping from the obscurity of the rear of the box into the light where he was easily recognized.

Louise gathered her skirts, preparing to rise.

The Duke stayed her motion with his outstretched hand. “I beg you, do not trouble yourself, Lady Vernon.”

What was he doing here? Louise thought him occupied this evening, heard it from his own lips this very afternoon. She felt conspicuous without her fichu, but with it crumpled in one hand and her fan in the other, she could not hope to replace it. For modesty’s sake, she drew her fan toward her décolletage.

“May I join you?” Edward gestured to the seat to Lady Vernon’s right.

“I believe this is your box, Your Grace. I could hardly deny you a seat.” She closed her fan and clasped it to her heart.

“But I intrude upon your party, do I not?” He stepped in front of the chair next to her and sat.

“There is only Lady Augusta and me, hardly a party.” Louise quickly added, “And do not, for one moment, think you must have disturbed us. You must feel easy upon that account.”

“Thank you, I shall.” Edward settled in his seat and glanced around the theater. “Are you enjoying the performance?”

“Oh, yes. Very much so. We were discussing the characters and their plans to make one another’s lives miserable for our enjoyment.”

Edward could not prevent himself from smiling. That was a true description of any story that hoped to keep its audience entertained. “And, pray, where is my daughter?”

“She’s gone to visit her sister and her guests in their box. Perhaps you can see them, just there.” Louise pointed across the way with the end of her closed fan. “Lady Augusta wears a puce gown and Lady Charlotte is in blue.”

Edward perused the boxes, searching for a glimpse of puce or blue.

“I believe Lady Charlotte’s relatives accompany her.”

Edward had no doubt they did. Miss Orr and Lady Margaret seemed to be constantly in her company; why should the opera be any different?

“I expect they would be delighted if you were to pay your respects.” She sounded quite encouraging. Perhaps she even wished him to leave her in solitude.

“I have no doubt you are correct, my lady. However, I do not wish to sound rude, but I have recently made a resolution to avoid those ladies.”

“Avoid them?” She did not appear to Edward so much shocked as puzzled.

“Again, I do not wish to come across as indelicate, but I suspect you may be here under false pretenses.”

Now it was quite clear that he had shocked her.

“How—but I—” Lady Vernon began several times, unable to complete a coherent thought. She straightened in her chair and her eyes widened with each effort.

“Believe me when I tell you that you are not to be blamed.” He did not feel uncomfortable confiding this to her. Indeed, for
the lady to understand the whole dreadful scheme would make their evening bearable.

“Blamed?” she echoed before finally continuing with, “Your Grace is most—”

“I fear my dear Augusta may have had hopes of contriving a match between us,” he said with ease.

“I beg your pardon, sir?”

“I have it on the best authority”—
White’s betting book
—“that I am determined to find a new wife.”

“Really? You do not sound wholly convinced.” Lady Vernon had not been fooled at all. “Then you are not looking to remarry?”

“That is correct. I’m not certain how this nonsense began or how it grew so out of control. It seems I cannot trust anyone.”

“Goodness, me,” her ladyship exclaimed. “I cannot say I blame you for putting an end to the rumor. If I may be so bold, perhaps I can offer a possible reason for your predicament?”

Was there one? Edward gazed at her, encouraging her to continue.

“Soon after my mourning period had ended, my family thought it best that I remarry. I understand their reasons. I had been a young widow, after all, barely thirty years of age. I had no thought of a new husband. My family had not the least bit of consideration for my wishes and continued to push me in that direction. I cannot tell you how horrible that time was for me.”

“I can sympathize with your plight.” Edward remembered back to when he lost Sarah. Remarrying at that time, even after the two years he remained in deep mourning, had been inconceivable.

“I believe I finally wore them out, and now, I daresay, they have completely given up hope that I shall ever take a second husband.”

“I applaud your tenacity. As a woman, you are far more dependent upon the good graces of your family and the succeeding baron.”

“Exactly. Eventually the pieces of my life sorted themselves out.” A small smile of satisfaction appeared.

They must have, indeed. Lady Vernon appeared quite pleased with her present situation. She looked as if she fared well and was very much content with her circumstance.

“I imagine I shall endure this and find such contentment myself.”

“You have the right of it, Your Grace.”

Edward delighted in her natural, unaffected smile. This woman had not any hint of pretense. Her words were genuine, heartfelt, and her reaction was refreshingly honest. He did not need to fear entrapment from her.

“I believe that is exactly what is occurring. How my offspring, my family, acquired the ridiculous notion of finding me a bride I’ll never understand.”

“I am sure they had your best interest at heart,” she reassured him, but how could she know for certain? “They are doing what they think best, bless their souls. They just don’t want to see you alone. But you’re really not alone, are you? No, you have servants, an entire household full. And I’m sure you have a secretary, your man of business, and an invaluable valet. Then there are your friends, of which you have many, of which your children have no knowledge in the least.”

“You’re quite right, there.” The Duke considered her words. However, being surrounded by people to care
for
you was not the same as keeping company with those for whom you cared a great deal. That’s what was truly missing in his life. His family members had grown and moved on to their own lives. The simple act of taking another wife would not make him happy. It had to be a relationship of meaning.

“You see, you need not feel guilty that you do not marry again.”

Edward knew this lady was a kindred spirit. She had experienced the very same
march for matrimony
as he. If she could withstand the pressure from her family, surely he could withstand the pressure from his. “I am sorry to say they are incorrect in this matter.”

Lady Vernon glanced about, seeming somewhat nervous when she asked, “And what of their meddling? What will you do to end it?”

“Do? My dear Baroness”—he leaned back into the chair—“I do not plan to
do
anything. I have decided to continue on as I always have.”

“That is very admirable.” She, too, leaned back in her seat. Her expression altered somewhat, and it seemed she was very carefully considering his strategy.

“I realize there is no reason to be angry or rude. I should not rail against those who truly believe they are helping me, despite the fact they are going against everything I would wish for myself.” He did not feel humiliated exactly…but humbled. “Each of my offspring has led me on a merry chase.”

“
All
of them? I thought your youngest was in Italy.” Lady Vernon spoke of his family with familiarity gained over time.

“Oh, yes. Dear Muriel. Never underestimate her reach.” He nodded, fully realizing her capabilities. She would not allow a few thousand miles to deter her from setting a plan, one in which she firmly believed, into motion. “I fear I shall disappoint them all. I have no intention of allowing them to succeed.” Edward was growing tired of the topic. “I realize that there is nothing I can do to change their paths, no more than they can alter mine. I do not intend to waste my time or effort in attempting to do so.”

“I fear I must confess something to you, sir.” Her gaze dropped to some items she clutched in her lap. “Lady Augusta had wondered if I would be interested in participating in her plan.”

“Really?” Of course she had. Why would his eldest not take every opportunity available? Lady Vernon was a young widow and reasonably attractive. Edward could see how—

“I have informed her, in no uncertain terms, that I could not, would not be a part of such a scheme. I find it outrageous.”

“I see.” He drew in a breath and wondered if Lady Vernon would be taken at her word or if Augusta might still try to make a match of them. “Do you think she believes you and that I will be allowed to enjoy the end of the opera?”

“I believe you will, Your Grace.” Lady Vernon met his gaze.

“Excellent.” Edward exhaled. Finally, an honest woman.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

With a hot cup of coffee at hand and the opera music from last night lingering pleasantly in his mind, Edward sat behind his desk in the library and applied his signature to the last letter. When he had finished, he passed it to Abernathy. “Is there any other business that needs attention this morning?”

“There are the matters you had me look into, Your Grace.” The secretary set the letter aside for the ink to dry and took up his well-worn leather satchel. “Mr. Kittredge has sent a preliminary report regarding Penshaw Manor, sir. The property you wished your steward to investigate for possible acquisition on behalf of Lord Brent.”

“Ah, yes.” Edward had looked forward to learning more about the estate. “As always, Mr. Kittredge is quite efficient. I’m pleased he was able to do it within a few days.”

“Yes, sir. It is his way.” Abernathy removed a hefty stack of papers, topped with a letter, from his satchel, and set the whole before the Duke.

“And that is why we depend upon him, is it not?” Breaking the seal from the correspondence, Edward unfolded and flattened the parchment, recognizing the author as his man Kittredge. Under the letter there were several rough sketches of each aspect of the manor house with its numerous chimney stacks. The letter contained a description of the redbrick and sandstone residence
and an account of its overall soundness. Kittredge went on to address the garden, grounds, and outbuildings, with exterior and interior measurements, itemizing each, and finished the missive with particulars regarding the three orchards and a small pond.

“You enjoyed the soiree last night, I take it?” Abernathy inquired.

“No, I’m afraid I did not.” Edward leafed through the sketches, intending to study them at length after reading his steward’s assessment and recommendations. “I left and caught the end of the opera at the King’s Theatre.” Edward returned his attention to the charcoal sketches.

The steward had drawn the surrounding landscapes, many of the tenant homes, and the nearby village. It was Mr. Kittredge’s opinion that, with minor repairs and a new roof, the manor would be habitable. More extensive improvements, to the main house and many of the surrounding buildings, would make this property truly outstanding.

Edward decided Penshaw Manor would do quite nicely for his son.

The sooner a challenge to occupy his time, and mind, could be found for Frederick, the better. The Grand Tour his son proposed last year had gone by the wayside in favor of the temptations of Town. The tendency for young bucks to enjoy sporting, gambling, and pleasure to excess might be difficult to resist. His life would take a very bad turn if the young earl should pick up the habits of vice and fall into ruin. There were many who spent their lifetimes vowing to reform only after selling all their valuables, mortgaging their entails, and driving their families into poverty.

The Duke would do his utmost to lead Frederick away from that fate.

“Were you lucky enough to attend a performance of one of your favorite operas, sir?”

Edward glanced up from the report. “Yes, why do you ask?”

Abernathy’s brows rose, hinting of his astonishment. “It has been a very long time since I have heard you hum.”

“I was humming?” Edward had not realized he had been doing so. No wonder the secretary was surprised.

Abernathy brought the back of his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. “Yes, sir. Your Grace is known to have a very pleasant singing voice, as I recall. It has been quite awhile since…”