The Theft of a Dukedom (23 page)

‘I will keep my mouth shut, you have my word. I
would rather take my chances with Napoleon than
spend anymore time with that banshee.’
‘Very well!’ Kitty said firmly and pulled the
dagger from her boot and sliced through the bindings
on his ankles. ‘Get up on the seat like the gentleman
you were supposed to be and I’ll see if we can
camouflage you for the trip into London.’
Robin scrambled up on the seat beside his sister.
Very carefully he took her hand, even though she still
held the knife. ‘Thank you, Kitty.’ He murmured as he
closed his eyes, lifted her hand to his cheek and gently
held her fingers against his face. ‘I’m sorry for so many
things, but I should apologise to you for being unable to
curb my youthful curiosity and ask your forgiveness for
behaving like a beast.’ He was aware of Kitty’s rigidity.
When he opened his eyes and looked in his sister’s face,
he could see the horror and fear that he had caused.
‘I’m sorry, Kitty.’ He whispered hollowly.
Kitty was filled with horror and heartache. She
eased her fingers from his grasp, replaced the knife in
her boot and looked out of the window.
He’s my
brother!
She thought as the agony of sibling fealty
fought with the natural urges to throw a murderer to
the dogs.
Can you watch him hang? After all he
murdered your father.
She closed her eyes and pictured
her father over her lifetime, the intimate moments,
when he would read to her before bed and she would
sit on his knee and follow the story with him. The day he
bought her first pony and the excitement she felt as he
lifted her into the saddle for the first time. She recalled
the look of devastation on his face when Charles left for
Spain and that fateful morning as she saw him and
Robin shouting at each other. The look of disgust would
remain with her for the rest of her life.
But he didn’t
know what had happened, only that Harriet Farrington
was dead and Robin had killed the Duke in a duel.
She
tried to justify Robin’s subsequent behaviour as she
tried to imagine the emotional turmoil he was
experiencing. ‘Robin?’ she said softly and turned her
head, looking her brother in the eyes. ‘How many
women have you loved? I mean loved, not just had sex
with.’
‘Harriet Farrington was the only woman I have
ever loved.’ He said softly. ‘Truly loved. I would have
died for her,’ he looked at his hands. ‘I would have killed
to protect her.’ He sighed then and a snort burst from
him. ‘I did kill to protect her, but it was a waste of time,
as she was already dead!’
‘I can’t understand why she would kill herself.’
Charles said coldly. ‘You had already promised to
protect her.’
‘It’s obvious you have no understanding of the
female state.’ Kitty spat vitriolically. ‘She was her
husband’s property for him to do with as he pleased
and if he was threatening a punishment frame and the
cat, I would have killed myself too!’ Kitty sobbed
suddenly. ‘Do you envision that it would be any
different for me if Rochdale gets his way?’
‘I don’t think...’ Richard started, but Kitty wasn’t
finished.
‘How do you know what is going to happen!?’
she suddenly shouted as her fear blossomed into terror.
‘He’s old enough to be my grandfather and once he has
the ring on my finger and me at his mercy I’ll be helpless
to do anything! He’ll treat me as a brood mare at first
and I will be ridden every minute of every day until I
produce an heir for him!’ There was no way she could
hide the horror of that thought. ‘And then there’s no
telling what will happen to me. If I give him a string of
girls, I might find myself murdered, as Constance has.’
By this time she was sobbing and the tears streaked
down her face.
Charles reached across the carriage, grabbed
Kitty by the arms and yanked her onto his lap. ‘Ssh.’ He
gentled her and stroked her back as he held her tightly
to his chest. ‘Rochdale will not get a sniff of your
hemline.’ He murmured. ‘I’ve already told him I’ll see
him in Hyde Park with pistols if he doesn’t leave you
alone.’ He sighed and rested his cheek on her head.
‘Maybe if you talk nicely to Richard he will go and get a
special licence and you can be married as soon as
possible.’ He lifted her chin and looked in her eyes.
‘Would you like that?’ Kitty nodded and buried her face
in his cravat.
‘I’m sorry Charles.’ Robin muttered. ‘I should
have left when father told me to.’
‘Yes, you should have done, and then we
wouldn’t be in this mess!’ Charles snapped and
tightened his arms around Kitty. ‘Maybe it would have
helped if we could have kept our britches buttoned as
well!’

Gordon Blunt, the Earl of Alderney fretted. His
footmen had searched everywhere, but still there was
no news of Emily. She had been missing since the day
before and he was really afraid she’d been snatched and
sold into servitude. His little Emily in a harem was a
vision he didn’t want to think about, but he also knew it
would be very difficult for the people who had snatched
her. He was under no illusions what a harridan he’d
spawned.

There was a tap on his study door and his butler
opened the door. ‘The Duke of Durham is here, My
Lord. Will you see him?’

‘Yes, of course. Send him in.’ He said and stood
to greet his long time friend. They had shared
dormitories at Cambridge. His shock as Charles walked
in the door was supreme. ‘Charles?’ he stammered.
‘W...What are you doing announcing yourself as the
Duke?’

‘Because I am!’ Charles said sadly. ‘I have a very
long and sad tale to tell you.’
‘Does this sad tale concern Emily? Because she’s
been missing since yesterday and I’m worried sick!’
‘It does.’ Charles said firmly, ‘and I doubt that
she’s missing, just in residence at Grosvenor Square.’
‘Well, sit yourself down and have a brandy.’
Gordon said and picked up a decanter as Charles
launched into the tale. He was astonished from the first,
interjecting comments and repetitions until Charles
mentioned Emily.
‘How could my little Emily instil such murderous
intentions on Robin?’ he asked dumbfounded.
‘According to Robin, she was waiting for him at
the docks and from that moment on, he lost control of
everything.’
‘I suppose if the woman I loved had committed
suicide, rather than suffer degradation at the hands of
her husband, I would be incapable of rational thought.
Emily was very devious to catch him right then.’ He
laughed coarsely. ‘I’m not surprised, though, she’s
always devious and she always manages to get what she
wants no matter how hard I try to deny her. But, Albany
was always a vicious bastard and I feel Robin did us a
favour. Every paper that came before the house, he
would veto. He was the most contrary politician I’ve
ever met.’ He was quiet for a moment. ‘Emily did all
this?’
‘I don’t think Emily has done anything yet, unless
she has already dispatched the Countess of Rochdale.’
Charles said firmly, ‘but she certainly organised the
murder of my father and managed to twist my brother
around her little finger until it was done.’
‘Well, you came here for a purpose, what do you
want me to do?’ Gordon Blunt asked, lifting his
eyebrows.
‘I need you to come with us while we confront
Emily. She’s still your responsibility and you will need to
send her abroad for treatment or something.’ Charles
sighed. ‘She’s probably mad and may even be a
murderess by now.’
‘Yes.’ Gordon said distantly. ‘If she believes she’s
married to your brother, it’s going to be a big shock to
find that she’s not.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘Very
well. Let’s get this matter resolved.’
Gordon stood and called for his secretary. ‘Deal
with the rest of today’s business. I’m going to be dealing
with my daughter and tell the staff she’s been located.’
He strode from the study, with Charles following
quickly.

Kitty and Richard watched over Robin in the
carriage. The silence between the siblings was profound
and Richard was astonished that they didn’t even talk.
He tried a little conversation at first and then silence
reigned supreme. It seemed an eternity until Charles
opened the carriage door and the Earl of Alderney
climbed inside.

‘Hello, Kitty. Robin.’ He said familiarly and sat
down next to Richard. He stuck his hand out. ‘You must
be Richard Dunsmore. Congratulations on capturing
Kitty. I fervently believed she would end up on the
shelf.’

‘Thank you.’ Richard replied quietly and shook
the proffered hand as Charles squeezed in between
Robin and Kitty after telling George his direction.

‘What exactly are we going to do now?’ Kitty
asked.
Charles smiled evilly. ‘We’re going to bait the
bear in her den.’ He laughed. ‘I’ve told George to go to
the mews and we’ll scout the house out before we
decide on a course of action. I need to see Havers, first.’
‘You realise this could be bloody?’ Robin said
softly, ‘she’s not going to give up quietly.’
‘We’ll see about that.’ Gordon Blunt said firmly.
It only took the carriage a few minutes to travel
from the Earl’s residence in Mount Street, to the ducal
residence in Grosvenor Square. George manoeuvred the
carriage into the mews and stopped by the stables.
Charles leaped from the carriage and ran to the
back of the house, avoiding the gardens and following
the side path to the scullery door. As he opened the
door, the kitchen helper, who was at the large Belfast
sink preparing vegetables, almost screamed. ‘Oh! My
Lord! You scared me to death!’ she said without
thinking.
Charles smiled cheekily and kissed her on the
cheek. ‘Don’t make a fuss Betsy, I need to see Havers,
can you get Cook to fetch him?’
Betsy swallowed her questions and nodded,
turning away to fetch cook.
The cook, a rotund and jolly woman, bustled out
of the main part of the kitchen wiping her floury hands
on a cloth. ‘Is it true?’ she demanded peremptorily. ‘The
Duke is dead?’
Charles looked at the tears threatening and
solemnly nodded his head. ‘Yes,’ his voice was suddenly
hoarse, ‘he was murdered yesterday.’ All of a sudden it
took on a reality for Charles that he’d been able to avoid
until that moment. He was a Duke and everything was
now his responsibility, including the livelihood of all the
staff at all the estates, not just the physical buildings
and farms, but everybody. He reached out and clasped
the cook’s hands, ‘it was quick. He didn’t suffer.’
‘That’s a mercy, at least.’ She said softly. ‘I’ve
sent a footman for Havers. You just wait here in the
scullery.
‘Is Emily Blunt here?’ Charles asked.
‘I’ll say, the arrogant little bitch.’ The cook
looked at him hard. ‘She complained about my cooking
last evening and told me I was only fit to feed the army!’
her voice indignant at the unfair criticism.
Havers arrived and smiled at Charles. He looked
haggard and tired. ‘I’m glad your here, Your Grace?’ he
fashioned the end of his greeting as a question and
Charles again nodded.
‘Yes, Havers, I am the Duke now.’ He smiled
wanly. ‘I need to know where abouts that bitch Emily is
in the house.’
‘She is at present in your mother’s sitting room. I
believe she is answering some mail and accepting
invitations on behalf of herself and the Duke.’
‘She’ll never be my Duchess.’ Charles spat.
‘Good, has she brought in any protection or special
servants?’ Havers shook his head. ‘Excellent. If you
could keep a lookout for her, we can all get into the
study and then you can go and tell her the Duke has
arrived and is waiting on her in his study?’
Charles ran back to the carriage. More relaxed,
because Emily was at the front of the house. ‘Ok, she’s
ensconced in mother’s sitting room, so shall we go?’
They followed Havers down the long halls and
Charles, just like he did at Mickleton Hall, he opened the
study door without knocking and just strode into the
room and perched his backside on the edge of the desk.
‘I think you should sit behind the desk, Kitty.’
‘No. I think I should be behind the door, to stop
her from escaping.’ Kitty said coldly and Charles just
nodded his head in agreement.
‘Robin, sit by the fire.’ He watched his brother sit
in the fireside chair, ‘and maybe you would stand beside
the fire, Richard?’ Richard nodded and leaned his elbow
on the mantle. ‘Gordon, you should be behind the desk.’
The Earl of Alderney had no sooner seated
himself than there was a knock at the door and Charles
shouted ‘Come in.’
Havers opened the door slowly and announced
‘Lady Emily, Your Grace,’ and stood aside to let Emily
Blunt enter the room. She was already talking as she
crossed the threshold.
‘I wondered when you would get back Robin.’
She said coldly, fiddling with the hair on the back of her
neck. She looked up slowly and was startled to see
Charles leaning on the desk.
‘Thank you, Havers. That will be all.’ Charles said
smoothly and the butler nodded and pulled the door
closed as he stepped back into the hall. Kitty leaned her
back against the door.
Charles looked coldly at the petit harridan in
their midst. ‘Lady Emily Blunt.’ He spoke like a judge.
‘Maybe you will tell me why you wanted my father
dead?’ He watched the play of expressions over her
face, from surprise, through fear to fury.
‘What gives you the right to question me?’ she
spat viciously. ‘I’m a duchess.’
‘I don’t recollect marrying you?’ Charles queried,
‘and what makes you think you’re married at all?’
‘You are not the Duke.’ She said firmly. ‘Robin
inherited the moment his father died.’
‘Robin cannot inherit anything, even the money.
Besides the fact that he’s a murderer, my father’s Will is
with the Lord Chancellor, as will be all the relevant
documents pertaining to the succession.’ He laughed
coarsely. ‘I can’t imagine why you would think that
Thomas Stafford didn’t make sure his coronet would
pass onto the son he had chosen. Robin was
disinherited and my father would have been thorough
about it. But that will be dealt with in the House
tomorrow. Sir Francis Burns has already informed the
King and the Lord Chancellor. So really you wasted your
time, Lady Emily Blunt.’
‘I’m not going to stand here and listen to these
lies!’ she shouted and span on her heel to see Kitty
standing in front of the door.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Emily.’ Robin said calmly,
turning his face from the fire and looking at his nemesis
at last. ‘It’s over, thank god!’
‘I would have expected more of a Duke?’ she
said vitriolically. ‘I knew you wouldn’t be able to see it
through. But I’m going to be a duchess if it’s the last
thing I do!’ She walked towards the door and Kitty lifted
her knife and pointed it at Emily.
‘You ensnared my brother, instigated a
dangerous and insidious attack on my person and
persuaded him to kill my father.’ Kitty spoke coldly and
Charles didn’t like the expression of anger in her eyes.
He was sharply reminded of the old adage “Hell hath no
fury like a woman scorned!” He could see that Kitty
could easily lose her temper and then she might do
something precipitous.
‘Kitty,’ he said calmly, ‘you should put the knife
away and leave this matter to me.’ Charles looked
fiercely at Emily. ‘Have you killed Connie Beresford,
yet?’ Emily shook her head without taking her eyes from
Kitty.
‘I can see you have more backbone than your
weak brother.’ Emily said evenly. ‘I’m really glad that
you’re my sister.’
‘I’m not your sister and I never will be!’ Kitty spat
viciously, the fury flashing in her eyes. ‘Tell me, Emily,
did you actually sign a marriage certificate?’ Kitty asked
and waited. Emily was quiet and a frown formed over
her stunning blue eyes. ‘Of course you didn’t.’ Kitty
laughed then. ‘So who is the fool?’
Emily looked sideways at Robin. ‘But there was a
vicar and a special license.’ She intoned dully as Kitty’s
words began to infiltrate her brain.
‘An actor and a forgery,’ Kitty spat and Charles
could see the satisfaction on her face. ‘Did you think my
brother would be stupid enough to actually marry you?’
Emily’s face became suffused with rage and a
maniacal gleam shone from her eyes. ‘You’re wrong.’
She shouted. ‘Tell her she’s wrong Robin!’ she
demanded.
‘She isn’t.’ Robin admitted calmly. ‘I knew you’d
not accept no for an answer, so I faked the wedding.
Viscount Allen was pleased to do the honours.’ Then he
turned his head abruptly, looked harshly at Emily and
asked ‘What idiot would marry you? You’re not even fit
to produce a decent heir!’
Everything seemed to move in slow motion.
Emily let out a scream of frustration and rage,
leaped towards Kitty and grabbed her wrist. Sweeping
Kitty’s arm out sideways, Emily turned her back to
Kitty’s chest and heaved herself at Kitty. They crashed
unceremoniously into the study door and all the breath
was knocked from Kitty’s lungs, weakening her hold on
the knife. Emily plucked it easily from her fingers at the
same time as all the men in the room moved.
Robin stood and dived for Emily, Gordon Blunt
stood in shock sending the chair over. Charles lurched
away from the desk, making it rock dramatically and
Richard jerked away from the fire place.
Of course, Robin was the nearest and he
grabbed Emily by the arm and yanked her away from
Kitty and Emily span towards him and suddenly Robin
was staring down at the knife in his chest.
‘You bitch!’ he spat. ‘You’ve killed me!’ He stared
in horror at the expanding bloodstain on his shirt. Emily
was still holding the knife and laughing maniacally
totally unaware that Robin slowly lifted his hands,
clasped them around her jawbone and snapped her
head sideways, breaking her neck in one smooth
movement. The laughter stopped abruptly and Robin
watched the life fade from her eyes as he staggered
backwards, he released her body and the hand holding
the knife ripped it out of his chest. Charles arrived
behind his brother to catch him and lower him gently to
the carpet.
‘Quick, Richard! Get some pressure on it!’ he
snapped and tore open Robin’s jacket and shirt,
exposing his pale chest with the dark blood welling from
the wound. Richard yanked out his linen handkerchief
and rolled it into a ball, pressing it against the wound.
Kitty leaped to her feet, yanked open the door
and called for Havers to send for a physician.
Gordon Blunt walked slowly over to his daughter
and looked down on her empty face. ‘You were never
satisfied with anything, nor did you listen to me and
now look where it’s got you.’ He knelt down and gently
stroked his fingers over Emily’s cheek. He carefully
closed her eyes and keeping his hand on the back of her
head; he lifted her into his arms and started to cry for
his dead child. ‘What am I going to tell your mother?’ he
gulped out as he rocked her.
‘Kitty!’ Robin gasped out, his chest heaving.
Charles could see the blood bubbling on his chest as the
breath sawed in his throat. He exchanged looks with
Richard, but both men knew he didn’t stand a chance.
The knife had penetrated his lung and he was slowly
drowning and bleeding to death at the same time.
‘I’m here, Robin.’ Kitty said calmly and knelt
beside her brothers. He lifted his hand and she clasped
it in both of hers.
‘I’m so sorry.’ He panted for breath. ‘I made a
terrible mess of everything, didn’t I?’
‘Ssh! Robin, you must stop talking.’ She stroked
her hand over his cheek.
‘I loved you.’ he murmured, fading fast. ‘Look
after her, Charles. Do a better job of it than I did.’
Kitty watched the light vanish from his eyes and
they slowly closed as his face relaxed. ‘So now we will
have two funerals.’ She looked up at Charles. ‘He will
have to be transported to Mickleton.’
Charles looked at the sombre expression in his
sister’s eyes and nodded his head. There wasn’t
anything he would deny her at that precise moment.
The physician called the Magistrate, who came
to investigate, but as there were so many witnesses, he
accepted Charles version of events, which was mostly
the truth.
Gordon Blunt had his daughter removed and
buried with all haste in the family mausoleum. Robin
was laid out in his finest clothes and his casket was sent
to Durham.
Charles went to see the Lord Chancellor the next
day to discover what he needed to do next. Whilst he
was there, he went to see the Archbishop of Canterbury
and acquired special licenses for both himself and
Richard.
Their return to Durham was sombre and over
the next few days they buried the Duke, Thomas
Stafford and his eldest son, Robin Stafford in the family
plot next to the Chapel at Mickleton Hall.
Within the week, Reverend Michelson came
from Middleton to perform the wedding services to
both Kitty and Charles.
For this one event, Kitty wore Ivory instead of
black, as Victoria insisted.
After another few weeks had passed, Victoria
decided that she and Edward would return to his house
in Berkley Square.
‘Remember, Victoria. You are my father’s wife,
the Dowager Duchess of Durham. There will always be a
place for you at Grosvenor Square and you must not
become a stranger to us. My father would be cross if
you did.’ Charles said.
Kitty and Richard left for Eynsford Manor the
next day and by the end of the week all the guests had
returned to London for the start of the
little season
.,
leaving the new Duke and Duchess of Durham to get
really acquainted.