The Duke of Daring (The Untouchables Book 2) (8 page)

“Oh, I adore Aquilla. It’s been a joy having her here with us this Season.”

Lucy knew Aquilla felt the same way—they corresponded nearly every day. Aquilla had only come to London to visit Lucy for a short time. Her parents weren’t giving her any more Seasons, since her last four had been utter failures.
 

Fortunately, however, Lucy, Aquilla, and their friend Ivy had met Lady Satterfield’s stepdaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Kendal, at the ball, and she’d taken an instant liking to them. Upon hearing that Aquilla had to return to the country with her parents, the Duchess of Kendal had invited her to spend the Season with her. Five years ago, Lady Satterfield had sponsored her in just such a fashion, and she’d wanted to perform the same kindness for someone else. As it happened, however, Lady Satterfield had ended up being Aquilla’s sponsor, an arrangement that suited everyone marvelously.

“I just need to see Grandmama to the settee,” Lucy said to the countess.

“Of course.” Lady Satterfield stepped aside so that Lucy and her grandmother could move farther into the room.
 

Lucy took her grandmother’s cane once she was seated and rested it against the edge of the settee. When she looked up, Aquilla was coming toward her, a bright smile lighting her face. But then Aquilla was usually smiling. Lucy believed it was her God-given mission to bring light and grace to those who needed it most.

“Lucy!” Aquilla took her hand and squeezed it, then dropped down next to Lucy’s grandmother. “Grandmama, you look lovely in that shade of blue.” She pressed a kiss to the older woman’s cheek. She’d spent enough time with Lucy over the past five years to count herself as a member of their tiny family.

Grandmama patted Aquilla’s knee. “You’re such a good girl, my dear. How are you enjoying being Lady Satterfield’s ward?”

“It’s ever so wonderful.” She beamed at them. “I’ve never been to so many balls, and Lady Satterfield loves to shop. I must admit I’ve developed quite a fondness for it.”

Lucy was glad. Aquilla deserved to be happy.

Grandmama’s gaze focused near the doorway. One of her friends had just arrived. “Agatha is here. You two take yourselves off and talk of fripperies and dance partners.” She waved them away.

Aquilla laughed softly. “Yes, Grandmama.” She stood and linked her arm with Lucy’s, and they walked toward the windows.

Lucy eyed her friend’s yellow frock. “Is that another new gown?”

Aquilla smoothed her hand over the top of her skirt. “Yes, do you like it? Lady Satterfield has been far too generous. My mother would suffer an apoplectic fit.” Because she’d never wanted to invest too much in Aquilla, particularly after her first Season had been such a disappointment. Aquilla was very pretty, with dark, curly hair and vivid blue eyes, but she liked to talk—so much so that by the middle of that first Season, she’d become a wallflower. Right alongside Lucy, who had developed a similar reputation. Not for the quantity of her speech, but for the brashness of it. Lucy had learned to curb her tongue—somewhat—in the intervening years, but the damage had been done. As a result, both she and Aquilla were firmly on the shelf.

Which was fine with Lucy. Aquilla, however, wanted a husband.

“I’m sure it will be a valuable tool in your husband hunt,” Lucy said. “How are things progressing?”

They corresponded nearly every day, but Aquilla hadn’t said much on that front.

She gazed out the window and sighed. “Dismal, I’m afraid.”

“You told me last week that you’d had invitations to dance.”

“Yes, but they never lead to anything else. I think they’re just favors to Lady Satterfield or the Duchess of Kendal. That and they want to ask me if I know the Forbidden Duke and Duchess.” She rolled her eyes. “Can you believe that nonsense?”

Lucy chuckled. “Yes. We were in awe of Nora when we first met her, if you’ll recall.” Nora was the Duchess of Kendal, who was also known as the Forbidden Duchess. The nickname came from her husband who disdained most of Society in favor of his family and his dukedom. He’d cultivated a reputation for being detached and unapproachable—forbidden, as it were. Or, as Nora called him, he was an Untouchable. Like the Earl of Dartford.

Aquilla giggled. “I suppose we were rather intimidated. I’d forgotten since I’ve become so comfortable.” Her gaze flicked down over Lucy’s costume. “You should come shopping with us. It’s been ever so long since you’ve had a new gown.”

And it would likely be an eternity still. “I’m afraid I cannot.”

Aquilla frowned. “Why not? We used to like to shop for ribbons and things.”

That was true. They’d squandered many an afternoon that first year they’d met. Lucy smiled faintly at the memory. “I’m afraid there’s no money for me to do that. I’ll barely make it to the end of the Season, and then Grandmama is moving to Bath.”

Aquilla’s eyes widened. “What happened? You’ve never mentioned this before.”

“It’s a new development. There just simply isn’t any money. You know how deep in debt my father was when he died.”

His entailed holdings, along with his baronetcy, had reverted to the crown, and they’d had to sell off everything they could. The bulk of the proceeds had settled his vowels, leaving just enough to live on these past seven years.

Aquilla nodded sympathetically, her gaze stricken. Empathy was another of Aquilla’s strengths. “Bath isn’t terribly far. We can visit each other.”

“Assuming I go to Bath with Grandmama. Right now there isn’t enough money to support us both. Grandmama is insisting I find a husband.”

Blue eyes wide, Aquilla gaped at her. “But you don’t want a husband.”

“No, I don’t.”

Aquilla pressed her lips together. “Perhaps you should revise your opinion. There has to be a gentleman out there that you can tolerate. Not all men are like your father or your grandfather.”

Selfish, dissolute men who’d led their lives without a whit of responsibility or a care for their wives or children. They’d both left their families in debt and, in Lucy’s case, with no prospects for her future, save what she could manage for herself. No, she wouldn’t put her faith in any man.

For some reason, she thought of Dartford. Not because he was marriage material, but because she supposed she
had
put her faith in him. And so far, he hadn’t let her down. She reminded herself that their acquaintance was young. There was plenty of time for him to disappoint her in spectacular fashion.

“Or like Caruthers,” Aquilla said softly.

They hadn’t spoken of him in a very long time. A young buck, he’d paid Lucy attention during her first Season. He’d led her to believe he wanted to court her, and Lucy—naïve fool that she’d been at twenty—had thought she’d broken her mother’s and grandmother’s curse when it came to men. They’d shared dreams and chaste kisses, had talked of their future. And then he’d disappeared. A month later, she’d heard he’d eloped to Gretna Green with an heiress.

He’d broken the curse, all right. He’d ensured Lucy wouldn’t take a husband at all.

“Let’s not mention him,” Lucy said. “In hindsight, I should’ve packed Grandmama up back then and moved to Bath.” They could’ve saved a great deal of money if she’d avoided the past several Seasons. “Anyway, I’m not the one we should be focusing on. You’re the one who wants a husband, and with Lady Satterfield’s help, I daresay you’ll find one.”

“I don’t know, but both she and Nora are so optimistic. I don’t want to disappoint them.”

Lucy shook her head. “You mustn’t think of it like that. This is about you and your happiness, not theirs.” But how like Aquilla to think of them first. “I’m confident your new alliances will bear fruit. You just have to be patient.” Lucy knew how terrible that sounded. Aquilla had already been waiting five years. And she never complained.

Determination lit Aquilla’s eyes. “You’re right. Nora says I’ll marry an Untouchable like she did. I’d be happy with a vicar or even a lawyer.”

An Untouchable. Dartford’s handsome visage floated through her mind again. It was a shame he wasn’t interested in marriage. Lucy might have encouraged him to pursue Aquilla and vice versa. Inexplicably, a jolt of distaste sparked through her.
 

Aquilla moved closer and spoke softly. “Tell me what you’re doing about your money situation.”

Lucy couldn’t bring herself to speak the truth, not even to her dearest friend. But at the same time, she wanted to tell her about Dartford and about shooting at Manton’s. That was a memory that would make her smile for a long time, probably forever.

“Will you trust me when I say that I have a plan and it’s coming along nicely?” She’d have the money she needed soon. Just a few more nights out with Dartford.

Aquilla narrowed her eyes. “That sounds rather cryptic. Why the secrecy? You know you can tell me anything.”

Yes, she did. For all that Aquilla liked to talk, she didn’t break confidences. Even so, Lucy didn’t want to tell her about it until she was finished. Maybe she was just being superstitious since she’d been quite lucky so far. “I know, and I shall. Soon. It’s…complicated.”

Aquilla exhaled. “I’ll pretend I’m not insulted.”

Lucy winced. “That is certainly not my intent. I’ll share everything with you soon, I promise.”

A figure came toward them. It was Nora, the Duchess of Kendal. She smiled and greeted them both warmly.

“How have you been, Lucy?” she asked. “I haven’t seen you since my mother-in-law’s ball.” She laughed. “Which isn’t surprising, since I rarely go out. I’m fortunate to see Aquilla when we come for dinner once a week, and of course, she’s been to Kendal House.”

“We haven’t been out often either,” Lucy said. “My grandmother isn’t quite as spry this Season.”

Nora nodded. “I understand. I daresay the same thing is happening to Lady Dunn. We haven’t seen her as much this Season, and she’s not here today. I shall have to pay a call.”

“I’ll come with you,” Aquilla said. “I’d love to see her and Ivy.”

Ivy Breckenridge was Lady Dunn’s companion and the final member of their spinster-wallflower trio. That reminded Lucy of something. “I’ve been thinking that we need our own name, like The Untouchables.”

Aquilla’s eyes lit. “We do! Do you have something in mind?”

“I do, but it might be too pretentious—The League of Invincibles. Because nothing keeps us down.”

Nora grinned. “That’s not pretentious at all. It’s splendid.”

“And accurate,” Aquilla agreed. “I’ll come up with a special handshake.”

“May I be a member even though I’m married?” Nora asked.

“Marriage has nothing to do with membership,” Lucy said. “Of course you can be a member.”

“Excellent. And anyway, you won’t be unmarried for long. Aquilla’s Season is going swimmingly, and I have high hopes for Lady Colne’s ball tonight.” Nora looked at Lucy. “Your grandmother indicated that you wanted to go and has arranged for Lady Satterfield and Aquilla to pick you up.”

Lucy wanted to groan. She did
not
want to go. Furthermore, they hadn’t been invited. Yet it seemed that Grandmama had neatly maneuvered an opportunity for Lucy to attend. She might be slowing down physically, but her acumen was as sharp as ever.

Aquilla angled toward her. “It will be just like Seasons of old.” Her blue eyes sparkled with anticipation, and Lucy couldn’t help but be swept up in her enthusiasm. Just because she didn’t want a husband didn’t mean she couldn’t help her friend find one. Besides, she missed adorning the wall with Aquilla.
 

“Yes, it will.” All of Lucy’s ball gowns were from last Season and the one before, but that wouldn’t matter, not when she would spend the evening in the shadows.

The conversation turned to Nora’s two children, and soon Lucy’s grandmother was ready to leave. When they were settled in their small carriage, Lucy didn’t prevaricate. “I see you organized my evening for me.”

Grandmama patted her hand. “Indeed I did. You can’t be expected to find a husband if you aren’t out. I spoke to Lady Satterfield about this at length. She will take you along with her and Miss Knox, since I am not able to keep up today.”

It was even worse than just tonight. She’d organized Lucy’s entire Season. How was she to maintain her plan with Dartford if she was out with Lady Satterfield and Aquilla? “Thank you. But don’t be disappointed when I am still unwed at the end of the Season.”

Grandmama pursed her lips. “My dear, I hope not. Your time is running out. It’s now or never, I’m afraid. You know what’s at stake.”

Just their entire livelihood. They could live, but it would be a pale imitation of the life they currently enjoyed. It was going to be an adjustment, but one that Lucy was more than prepared to make.

“I do,” Lucy said quietly. She wanted to tell her grandmother what she’d told Aquilla, that she was working on a solution. But she wouldn’t even say that much. Once she had the money in hand and could set the move to Bath in motion, she’d tell both of them that they needn’t worry.

Her next appointment with Dartford couldn’t come soon enough. In the meantime, she’d suffer through tonight and do whatever she could to help her friend’s cause. Aquilla wanted a happily ever after, and she would have it.
 

Lucy would settle for comfortable ever after.