The Hazards Of Hunting A Duke (16 page)

“I beg your pardon, Miss Pennebacker, but have you any reason to believe Lord Downey would refuse my suit?” Jared asked.

“N-no,” she said, shaking her head. “Then we shall proceed.” He smiled.

The woman’s face turned red, her eyes filled with shock. “Ava? ” she squealed.

Ava gave Jared a quick but murderous look, then smiled kindly at Miss Pennebacker. “I agree with Lord

Middleton.”

“Oh dear,” Miss Pennebacker said again, and fell back against the settee, staring at the ceiling with

shock.

“Oh my lord,” Ava sighed, and handed her teacup to Phoebe as she moved to assist her keeper.

L ady Waterstone developed a very sour feeling in the pit of her stomach the day Lady Flynn called. Lady Flynn had been the first on Miranda’s doorstep the day afte r the bloody charity auction with the

news that Middleton had supposedly offered for a young bird. Lady Flynn prided herself on dispensing, posthaste, any and all news concerning Middleton. Miranda had no reason to think today was any different.

Having heard the extraordinary tale of what had transpired at the charity auction, Miranda had smiled and assured Lady Flynn that she was well aware of Middleton’s intentions to marry, and thought nothing of

it. “I shall remain his particular friend,” she’d said wi th a coy smile.

But today, the sour feeling quickly turned to nausea, and she could not hide the bitter taste of it.

“They are to marry at once, at Broderick Abbey,” Lady Flynn said as she picked over a basket of pastries. “What do you suppose that means ?”

“I couldn’t rightly say,” Miranda said. “He has not taken me into his confidence.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what all of London thinks it means,” Lady Flynn said pertly. “And it’s scandalous.” Miranda rather imagined it was.

When Lady Flynn had taken her leave, she told her butler that she was not receiving any more callers, closed the door to her bedroom suite and locked it, then sat down on her chaise, her hands pressed against her abdomen and the uneasiness at the core of h er.

He hadn’t even told her he would marry. He hadn’t responded to her letter, either. He hadn’t spoken to her since the day he had come to tell her he was done.

Miranda’s pulse had leapt dangerously when he said that he was ending their affair, and she’d quickly crossed the room to him, put her hand against his square jaw, and gazed up into his eyes. “Surely you

cannot mean it, my love,” she’d whispered in a sultry voice. “You can’t possibly put me aside for long—

not after all that we’ve shared.”

He smiled coldly, his eyes raking over her as he wrapped long fingers around her wrist and pulled her

hand from his face. “We shared nothing more than a mutual physical desire for one another. My situation and responsibility to the title are immutable. I have a duty to perform.”

“Yes of course! But what has that to do with me? With us?”

He’d gazed into her face, his lips pressed firmly together. “Nothing,” he said quietly.

“That is why I am ending it. We really are nothing to one another.”

She’d been stung by the easy way he said it and had gasped with grief. “How cruel of you.” “Do you deny it?”

“Of course I deny it! I love you!” she cried, but she didn’t love him, not really. She was fond of him, fonder still of their physical relationship. What she truly lo ved about him was his position in society, his

remarkable wealth and generosity, and suddenly she felt entirely too vulnerable. For the first time since

their passionate affair had begun, she was fearful of losing him as a benefactor. The queasiness of fear only intensified when he bid her farewell.

But Miranda was not defeated so easily. She would have him back in her bed, his favors filling her house,

her closet. The moment he had done his duty by his sweet little bride, he’d want a woman.

To convince herself this was true, Miranda decided to have a look at his little bride.

Phoebe declared Ava had lost her mind. Ava agreed that it was entirely possible, but as everything was happening so quickly, she didn’t have time to think —she had only three days to prepare for her

departure, and then, once at Broderick Abbey, only three days to prepare for her wedding.

There was

no time at all to dwell on the thought that she would be the wife of a man who one day would be a duke.

A man she scarcely knew, really.

That thought occurred to her quite often.

As often as the thought that she had nothing to wear.

To make matters worse, as word spread around Mayfair, she was plagued with a sudden rush of callers. People she knew only casually were sudden ly calling as if they were old friends, sniffing around about the details of her wedding and her courtship.

Lady Purnam was, naturally, the first to call, the tone of her voice as disapprovingly unpleasant as her mien. “How is it possible,” she demanded w ithout preamble, “that you could agree to something so indecorous?”

“I beg your pardon!” Ava protested.

“Don’t behave so missishly with me, madam! This rush to obtain a special license so that you may marry within a fortnight is scandalous! The entire wo rld will think you are with child!” she’d all but shouted, banging her parasol on the floor with each word.

“I hardly think the entire world will be concerned with my wedding, Lady Purnam, but in the event the entire world is concerned, I don’t care!”

Lady Purnam gasped with shock. “Have you any idea how extremely disappointed your mother would be?” she shrieked.

“My mother would congratulate me on a match that was convenient and inspired!”

“Oh! You are incorrigible!” Lady Purnam cried. She did not stay long, so incensed was she that Ava would not listen to reason.

When Miss Molly Frederick and Miss Anne Williams called, Ava suspected that their mutual friend,

Lady Elizabeth, had put them up to it. After the obligatory congratulations and talk of the wedding, Miss Frederick mused, “How do you suppose Lord Middleton came to his decision to offer for you? After all, there were so many debutantes for whom he might have offered.”

“I suppose,” Ava said airily, “that he was attracted by my inherent charm.”

Phoebe, who was seated across from her, almost spit her tea as Miss Frederick and Miss Williams

exchanged a look of astonishment at her cheek.

“You are indeed quite charming,” Miss Williams lied solicitously. “But I should think you would not like

to be married to someone who is known for reckless behavior.”

“Reckless? Lord Middleton?” Ava responded with a gay laugh. “My fiancé does indeed enjoy a good sporting event,” she said, crafting her response from the things she had read or heard of him. “But I rather think he shall tame his ways once we are married.”

Behind Miss Frederick’s head, Phoebe rolled her eyes.

“I am certain he will,” Miss Frederick said with a thin smile. “But neverthele ss, I should not like to be married to a rogue.”

“Indeed?” Ava said, and smiled wickedly. “I should think marriage to a rogue would be far more exciting than marriage to a vicar,” she said, knowing full well that a parish vicar had made his intent to marr y Miss Frederick well known.

And, in fact, Miss Frederick colored quite red and did not mention the rogue again.

When they had left, Phoebe folded her arms across her middle and shook her head. “You are shameless.

” “Why?”

Ava demanded. “Why should I explain my decision to the likes of them? Why is everyone so anxious to know how it is the Marquis of Middleton offered for me, poor Ava Fairchild? Why can’t they just accept that he esteems me?”

“Oh, I don’t know…perhaps becau se it happened so quickly without any sort of courtship?” Phoebe asked.

Ava ignored her. She ignored all the prying callers. She had her doubts, of course she did, but she found

it insupportable for anyone to believe she was not as deserving of his esteem as anyone else. She was certainly as deserving as Lady Elizabeth. She met their prying questions with scorn—but none of them had prepared her for the arrival of the temptress herself, Lady Waterstone.

She called one day in the company of some of the wome n from the Ladies’ Beneficent Society. “How

very happy you must be,” she’d said, taking Ava’s hands and smiling in a way that made Ava’s blood run cold.

“Indeed I am,” Ava said, perhaps a bit too forcefully.

“Do you think you’ll prefer Broderick Abbey to town?” Lady Waterstone asked, her eyes glittering.

“I…I don’t know,” Ava answered honestly. “I’ve not seen Broderick Abbey.”

“I think you will find it lovely and the country air divine. It’s a wonderful place for children,” she said. “I’

ve seen it often,” she continued as she took a seat Ava had not offered. “I particularly admire the master suite. The colors are very inviting.” She looked up, saw Ava’s look of horror, and smiled. “The house is open to the public when he is abroad, you kn ow.”

“No,” Ava said weakly. “I did not know.”

For the remainder of the call, Ava could hardly speak —she was completely obsessed with the question

of just how many times Lady Waterstone had seen Broderick Abbey —and in particular, the master

suite? How long had they been lovers? How was it he had left someone as worldly and beautiful as Lady

Waterstone for her?

She despaired the visit would ever end, but when it did, she vowed she’d not accept another caller.

Of all the women who had called on her, only M iss Grace Holcomb was kind to her, and seemed truly excited that she was to marry a marquis. “He’s quite handsome and so charming. I am so happy for your good fortune, Lady Ava. I hope I will know such fortune one day,” she’d said sincerely.

Not even Phoebe was particularly kind—but then again, Phoebe was very exacerbated by the whole affair, as she was making Ava’s wedding dress by sewing well into the night, as well as helping make arrangements to pick up Ava’s life and move it to Broderick Abbey.

“I can’t imagine what you must be thinking,” Phoebe snapped at Ava the morning she was to meet Middleton’s father, the duke. “Granted, you have made yourself a match, Ava, but to wed him in a week? There is no time to do anything properly!”

“And what will you do for a lady’s maid?” Lucy demanded just as adamantly. “You cannot be a marchioness without a lady’s maid! Everyone will talk!”

“That’s very true,” Ava said thoughtfully.

No one said anything for a moment, and then slowly, all eyes turned to Sally, who was sitting on the chaise.

Sally’s eyes widened. “Me?” “Yes!” Ava cried.

“Oh no!” Sally protested, gaining her feet. “I won’t go off and live with country bumpkins!” “That’s a bit high and mighty if you ask me,” Lucy said.

“Beggin’ your pardon, mu’um, but I never met a country bloke who knew his arse —”

“I’ll pay you handsomely,” Ava quickly interjected before Sally could finish her sentence. “Pay?” Sally said, relaxing a little. “How much?”

“One hundred and fifty pounds,” Ava said, ignoring Lucy’s squeal of shock and dismay.

“You’ll come to

Broderick Abbey a week after I arrive there with as much of a trousseau as Phoebe can throw together.”

Sally put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks a moment, then exhaled and nodded. “Done. But I

won’t live in the country forever, mu’um. Six months is all I’ll give you.” “Fair enough,”

Ava said.

“Well, if you must take her, I will show her the trunks and how to fill them properly, like a good lady’s maid,” Lucy said, seeming quite cheerful that Sally would be leaving, too.

“Come along, then,” she said imperiously.

“I’m coming. Don’t lace your corset so tight,” Sally groused, and proceeded to follow Lucille out.

“What of Greer?” Phoebe demande d when she and Ava were alone. “You can’t go through this without

Greer. It would hurt her so.”

“Even if I were to send for Greer, she wouldn’t come back,” Ava said. “She is up to her elbows in trouble.” Indeed, a letter had come from Greer just yesterday . She claimed to be quite surprised by the changes at her old family home, and, particularly, how impoverished it all seemed to be now.

Nothing is as I remember, she had written.

The estate is in disrepair. Mr. Percy believes that perhaps my uncle incurr ed a rather sizable debt as a result of his fondness for horses.

“Mr. Percy again!” Ava had exclaimed as they read it.

In spite of the many changes, however, I am confident that I can and will determine what has happened

to the family estate and will ret urn forthwith to you. Mr. Percy has urged me to call on a solicitor, who might be able to shed a bit of light on my family’s affairs, such as they are.

“Who is this Mr. Percy?” Phoebe cried. “How can we possibly trust him?”

“We cannot. I don’t like it at all,” Ava said darkly. “Write her straightaway and tell her that she cannot trust this mysterious Mr. Percy!”

“I will, after supper. At present, we have too much to do with your blasted nuptials to stop and write

Greer,” Phoebe said testily.

“All right, Phoebe, I know you are displeased, but what choice did I have?” Ava exclaimed. “You know

as well as I that if I hadn’t made this match, when Lord Downey returned, he would hand me off to Sir

Garrett straightaway! At least thi s way, we shall rest assured that we shall not want!”

“Surely his fortune is not the only consideration! Do you esteem him? Do you have anything in common

with him that might suggest you will live compatibly as man and wife? Isn’t the point of a proper courtship

to determine if you suit?”

Ava snorted at that. “Don’t be naïve. This is about convenience and fortune, Phoebe —”

“And if it’s not convenient? If it is about something entirely different than his fortune, what will you do then?”

“What do you mean?” Ava demanded. “This is a good match of fortune and standing!

And if I displease him, then I suppose he shall go his way and I shall go mine!”

“He shall go his way, all right,” Phoebe snapped. “Into the bed of Lady Waterstone.”