The Theft of a Dukedom (5 page)

Charles, Kitty and Richard travelled in the plain
Landau to the Henderson’s ball. ‘I don’t understand why
we don’t walk.’ Kitty said again. ‘It’s only a couple of
streets away, not the other side of the river!’

‘I can’t anyway.’ Charles said and laughed loudly.
‘But a ducal heir never walks anywhere.’
‘True. It’s such a pity, but at least you can
support me for the rest of my life, now. I won’t have to
rely on Robin.’
‘What are you going to do if Ponsonby actually
makes an offer?’ Charles asked.
‘Refuse.’ She said coldly. ‘I had a feeling he was
the domineering type last week, when he passed that
comment about a wife’s place?’ She sighed. ‘So last
night was the final straw, just like Viscount Dalton, he
grabbed me quite hard.’ She shivered. Flicked her eyes
across at Richard and said ‘you know I’ll never be able
to trust a domineering male. I’m not used to it. Daddy
has always been so generous, when I talk to Louise
Trenchard, her father is positively autocratic. He’s
determined that she marry a title, so beware brother.’
‘Louise Trenchard is delightful.’ Charles said ‘and
if I was looking for a wife, I might even offer for her. But
I’m not. Not yet, it’s too soon.’
‘You mean too soon after Badajoz, don’t you?’
Kitty said with sudden insight and maturity. ‘You don’t
trust yourself not to wake up in the night and kill her by
accident.’
‘That’s exactly right, Lady Amelia.’ Richard said
softly. ‘I have exactly the same problem.’
‘But as I understand it, you don’t have to share
your wife’s bed all night long.’ She said innocently
making both men smile. ‘Aunt Agatha explained to me
that a wife has to wait for her husband to take his
conjugal rights!’ She lied convincingly.
Both Charles and Richard guffawed at the
precise way she explained it. ‘Some times, Kitty, you are
so innocent. I don’t for one minute think that a lifelong
spinster like Aunt Agatha has any idea what constitutes
a marriage. You’d probably be better off asking Victoria
about it from now on.’
The coach pulled up in front of the Henderson’s
impressive townhouse in Grosvenor Street. Richard
alighted quickly and helped Charles down the steps and
out of habit offered his hand to Kitty. She looked at the
proffered white gloved hand and to Charles’s surprise
she actually rested her fingers on his palm as she
stepped from the carriage. Due to the sultry summer
heat, Kitty had donned an ivory silk shawl and as she
stepped down, it slid off her other arm. Richard gallantly
grabbed the light silk before it landed in the horse muck
scattered all over the road and gently draped it back
over her shoulders. As she stood with her arms out
waiting for it, he had an urge to lean in and kiss the
nape of her neck and instead he received a waft of a
delicate jasmine scent as he draped the silk over her
arms. ‘Thank you, my Lord.’ She said and smiled coyly at
him. Charles stood with his eyebrows up in surprise.
‘What?’ she demanded as she looked at her brother.
‘It’s just that I’ve never known you to take a
strangers hand before.’ Charles said softly as she joined
him. She lifted her skirts with both hands and Charles
cupped her elbow with his free hand, guiding her
around the piles of horse droppings in the road.
‘He’s nice.’ She said in explanation and then ‘I
wish they’d clear up after the horses more frequently.’
‘Yes. It is rather inconvenient.’ Charles said as he
clutched at Kitty’s arm to stop himself from falling.
Eventually they made it to the steps without
mishap, Thomas, Victoria and Agatha were waiting for
them. The gentlemen saw to the ladies wraps, handing
them to a footman and they listened to the major domo
announce each one of them by title.
‘The Duke of Durham, the Duchess of
Wentworth, the Marquis of Pikeston, the Countess of
Stockton, the Countess of Stainmore and Lord Richard
Dunsmore!’ he bellowed.
There was an instant hush in the ballroom as all
eyes turned to see Victoria walk into the ball proudly on
Thomas’s arm. Then the volume rose higher than before
as everybody speculated on a romantic attachment
between the two Dukedoms. Charles smiled and
escorted Kitty across the room towards all the other
debutantes and waited until she was seated before he
joined Richard at the punch bowl.
Richard poured out two cups and they both took
a sip, coughed, spluttered and put the cups down on the
table. ‘God! That’s awful.’ Charles muttered.
‘Let’s go and get some claret.’ Richard said and
made for the small drawing room that was lined with
tables filled with glasses and bottles of wine, spirits and
champagne. Once fortified with a brandy, Charles and
Richard took wine back for Kitty. Richard politely
handed her a glass, smiled softly and stepped back. He
and Charles took up station by a Grecian pillar, where
they had a fine view of the dancers on the floor. They
stood for a good hour and watched the vultures that
were in the market for a wife, try and coax the young
beauties on display to dance.
Kitty sat with Louise Trenchard and they chatted
amicably. Richard still watched her.
‘Who is that handsome man standing with your
brother?’ Louise asked softly, so as not to draw the
attention of the other debs.
‘That’s his friend from Spain.’ Kitty said
evasively.
‘Is he a Don?’ Louise demanded as her interest
was piqued.
‘No. He is the youngest son of the Earl of
Rutland.’ Kitty said coldly.
‘Oh!’ Louise said dismissively. ‘I thought he
might be someone important.’
‘Sorry, Lulu, but your Daddy’s not going to look
at him twice and you know it. A Lord isn’t good enough
for his little girl.’
‘I think Daddy has his heart set on your brother.’
Louise said softly. ‘Not that I’d mind having you for a
sister, but one doesn’t really know what to expect with
any man. For all we know he could be a brutal lover.’
‘He isn’t. And don’t ever imply that he could be
again.’ Kitty said harshly making Louise look at her
sharply. Kitty sighed deeply and composed her face.
‘Sorry, I’m a little over protective of him at the
moment.’
‘Hardly surprising. He was terribly injured in
Spain, wasn’t he?’ Louise asked compassionately. She
knew just how close Kitty was with her brother and
after the rumours she’d been told about Robin, Charles
was probably just as protective of her.
‘I thought he had his eyes on the young Duke of
Cardigan?’ Kitty asked to steer Louise away from her
brother.
‘Cardigan is rich to be sure, but I don’t think he’s
looking for a wife yet. Hadn’t you noticed he avoids the
debs like the plague?’
‘I had. Daddy’s going to ask soon, but will you be
coming to Durham this summer?’ Kitty asked.
‘Mickleton Hall will be boring without you.’
‘I think you’ll be hard pressed to stop Daddy
from accepting the invite.’ Louise said jovially. ‘Will your
brother Robin be home from abroad by then?’
‘Robin won’t be coming home, ever.’ Kitty said
with a frown. ‘He got himself killed in a duel in Jamaica.’
Silence followed that statement and Louise wasn’t quite
sure how to voice her opinion. She’d never liked Robin
and her father had told her for years that Robin Stafford
was his preferred choice of a husband
and if Thomas
Stafford would only bend in his ridiculous stance on
arranged marriages, she could look forward to being a
Duchess
. A part of her sighed in relief.
‘So that makes Charles truly a Marquis, then.’
She ventured cautiously, with a sidelong look at her
friend. She saw a fleeting smile on Kitty’s lips and
relaxed. ‘Good. I couldn’t think of anything worse than
marrying your brother Robin!’ and Kitty laughed.

‘I think I’ll ask your sister to dance.’ Richard said
softly and Charles laughed.
‘It’s taken you a while to tell me that. I knew you
would ask her at dinner! You could barely take your
eyes off her décolletage!’
‘I have never seen a prettier girl.’ Richard sighed.
‘Not even when I was tupping the Donna’s in Lisbon.’
‘Be careful with her. After what Robin tried to
do, it frightened her to death.’
‘Just a dance, I promise.’ Richard smiled and
walked away.
Charles smiled gently as he watched his sister
blush and accept Richard’s hand. He stood calmly
watching them move through the steps of the set.
‘Who is that handsome man your sister is
dancing with?’ Lady Constance Beresford whispered in
his ear, making his heart pound.
‘Hello, Connie.’ Charles turned to greet her and
swept his eyes from her head to her feet in an instant.
She had the most gorgeous raven coloured hair swept
into a fashionable chignon, flawless alabaster skin,
bright blue eyes, a button nose and pert pink lips all set
in a heart shaped face. Her swan neck gracefully curved
down to her shoulders and her bulging breasts were
displayed provocatively by a scandalously low cut gown
of the finest silk in peacock blue. Altogether she was
very tasty and Charles remembered just how tasty as he
looked back up into her shining blue eyes. ‘Did you
make the mistake of marrying that fop Bristol?’ he
enquired hoarsely as he recalled that this was the
woman that taught him self-control because she was
insatiable.
Constance had done exactly the same to him,
noticing the growing bulge in his britches as well as the
stick he leaned heavily on. She engaged his hazel eyes
and smiled coquettishly. ‘Of course not. The blackguard
got himself shot in a duel with a French Count over
some little chit like your sister.’ And she smiled as she
saw anger flame in his eyes. ‘I see you haven’t lost any
of your fire. Maybe you can best Robin after all.’
‘Maybe I can, seeing as the stupid bastard got
himself killed in a duel in Jamaica!’ He said harshly and
was gratified to see shock in her eyes.
‘How careless of him.’ She murmured, but
Charles saw the sudden pain and recalled that
Constance had been very interested in Robin and not
for his title.
‘So who did you marry?’ he asked evenly.
‘The Earl of Rochdale.’ She said coldly. ‘We have
a very loose understanding.’
‘Have you produced the heir yet?’
‘No.’ She looked down at her hands. ‘He’s not
really interested. That’s why I have as much freedom as
I want. He would like somebody else to sire his heir.’
Charles leaned forward suddenly and whispered
in her ear. ‘So, who were you fucking last night?’ and
was gratified to hear her gasp as she became aroused. It
didn’t take much with Connie, just the right words at
the right time and she would do anything.
‘Actually I haven’t had a lover since I’d heard you
were back.’ She said and smiled invitingly at him.
‘And where would we enjoy our tryst?’ he asked
impertinently.
‘There is always your carriage.’ She murmured.
‘But if the Earl expects you to conceive, surely he
has supplied you with the facilities to do so?’ Charles
pointed out salaciously. She gasped again and shuffled
her feet. ‘One can’t really do a decent job without the
proper setting.’
‘I have a small townhouse in St. James’s Street.’
She smiled lasciviously at him. ‘Its about two hundred
yards away from White’s. So when you finish at your
club, why don’t you stop by.’ She flicked open her fan
and walked away from him.
Jesus!
Charles thought.
Do I just want to fuck
her?
He stood staring at the floor, debating the issue.
Yes, I want to fuck her. That’s all she’s fit for! That’s all
she wants!
His mind travelled back to the last time he
had sex. She was a very nice whore at Cuidad Rodrigo,
but she was a very busy whore, so he only had his
twenty minutes before the next soldier was in.
At least
with Connie I’ll get to fuck her all night!
He decided and
smiled.

‘Oh! Dear.’ Kitty murmured as Richard took her
hands and made the arch for all the couples in the set.
He looked at her face to see her looking at Charles.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked softly.
‘Constance Beresford.’ She said as if that
explained everything and jerked her chin towards her
brother.
‘And who is Constance Beresford?’ he enquired,
after glancing over his shoulder.
‘Didn’t you live in London before you went to
Spain?’ she asked impertinently. They broke apart and
followed the line until they were face to face back at the
top.
‘Not really.’ Richard said as they came together.
‘Actually, as little as possible.’ He finished as they
moved apart.
‘Then I’ll tell you about her after the dance.’
Kitty said and smiled impishly at him.
‘I’ll hold you to that, Lady Amelia.’ He said as
they turned and danced with the person next to them.
As the set came to an end, all couples clapped
for the orchestra. Richard asked her to stay for the waltz
and as the music began he held out his hand. Coyly she
put her hand in his and rested her other hand on his
shoulder. She felt safe as he placed his hand on her
waist and they started to dance.
‘I think you can call me Kitty.’ She said coyly.
‘Lady Amelia sounds so formal!’
‘I’m honoured, my Lady. You may call me
anything you like.’ He said softly. ‘So! Who is Constance
Beresford?’ Richard asked as he looked again at the
stunning woman talking to Charles.
Kitty looked up at his face and was astonished at
his profile, like a roman god. His dark wavy hair brushed
his collar as he turned his face back, he lifted an arched
eyebrow in query and her mouth went dry. She tried to
collect her wits.
‘I’m not supposed to know this, but she was one
of Robin’s paramours.’ Kitty said and giggled. ‘He was
quite put out last year when she upped and married the
aging Earl of Rochdale.’
‘Why didn’t she marry Robin? He had a higher
rank.’
‘I’m not supposed to know or understand this
either. But she has the reputation of a loose woman,
with low morals.’ She said raising her eyebrows
playfully. ‘According to Louise she wouldn’t marry
Robin, beside the fact he wasn’t interested in marrying
her, because he would have made an honest woman of
her and forced her to remain in his bed.’
‘Tell me more things, you’re not supposed to
know!’ Richard bade her and smiled mischievously. He
was captivated by the light in her eyes.