“He asked me for a dance. We agreed on the cotillion. He departed then as I waited for the Duke of Thornmouth. He was to be my dance partner for the minuet, yet he was delayed.”
Betsy frowned and raised a hand as if she were still in school. “If he was delayed, how did you grant him the minuet?”
Rowena rolled her shoulders until they gave a little cracking sound.
“Mama insisted upon using dance cards; it’s all the crack nowadays. And Papa all but made me reserve several dances for the Duke, based upon a conversation they had at the House of Lords. In any case, he was delayed. Thus, I did not have a dance partner for the first dance at my own sister’s coming-out ball.”
“Good heavens!” Betsy exclaimed, well aware of what a disaster it would have been.
“I know. I swiftly made my way outside to the gardens when I came upon Duke Westmond. He graciously offered to dance the minuet with me to save me from embarrassment.”
Betsy grinned. “Ever so charming! To save you from the gabbers in such a manner.”
“He did. Although we did not end up dancing the minuet together for Duke Thornmouth appeared at last. We did spend quite some time conversing however, while waiting for the opening of the ball. And I am unsure how to say it, but something about him is ever so extraordinary.”
I am never at a loss for words. But with him, I find myself out of the correct ones to describe him.
“Extraordinary? I’ve never heard you describe a person as that.”
“I have never experienced it before now. Yet, I felt myself telling him things I have not told anyone but you. I feel as though I could tell him anything at all. He listened; he didn’t judge. He’s just…“ she shook her head, “ever since that night, I find him occupying my every thought. I think of his face as I go to sleep and as I get up. He is on my mind day and night.”
“Rowena, that is wonderful. I feared you would never experience such a feeling.” Betsy squeezed her arm.
“No, Betsy. It is not wonderful at all. I cannot fall for a man I just met. I am to be married.”
Betsy shook her head in protest.
“Rowena, I have not seen you with a smile upon your face in weeks. Just now, as you told me about him, your entire visage lit up. You must see him again.”
“It is my hope that I will not see him again anytime soon, for these foolish feelings must be extinguished and I fear if I am near him, they will only grow stronger and stronger.”
“Maybe you are meant to see him again soon. Maybe you are meant to feel what you feel. Love at first sight does not only appear in books, my dearest. I dare say, you have found it at a coming-out ball!”
Her voice had risen in excitement.
“Shh, please, I do not want anyone to hear. This cannot happen. I am to become the Duchess of Thornmouth soon. I have a duty to my family. I cannot allow these feelings to deter me from my path.”
“Perhaps your path leads you to Duke Westmond. Would that be so terrible? You would still be a duchess in any case, if that is what you are worried about. And your Father appears to like him well already, so I do not see the harm in even seeing him again.”
“My Father likes him for Catherine and for his help with the dratted vineyard. The Duke is in dire straits financially. Papa would never agree to let his oldest daughter wed a man so down on his luck.”
“But he considers him for your sister?” Betsy protested, her eyes wide.
“Of course. Because he believed that I will be wed soon to one of the richest men in the Realm. He can then afford to allow his younger daughter to marry for title. Perhaps by Westmond will have worked his way out of the poorhouse. I could never marry someone who does not have his own wealth.”
Betsy pursed her lips together, anger flashing across her eyes.
“So, he is down on his luck and yet he is offering to help your Father with the vineyard. That doesn’t sound like a terrible person to me. And besides, since when does being poor disqualify a person from being worthy of having a part in your life? I haven’t two pennies to rub together, yet you regard me as you dearest friend.”
Rowena found herself horrified at her own insensitivity. Sometimes she forgot that despite the lovely gowns and bonnets and shoes Betsy wore, she was in fact, poor. Reliant entirely on the charity of Rowena’s parents.
“I am sorry. I did not mean to anger you nor offend you. I am simply–”
Her friend waved a hand, her anger forgotten. “Forgive me, I suffered a moment of silliness. I know what we mean to one another, money or no. And I know that you must be torn between your duty and your heart. But truthfully, does it not appear strange to you that you met Duke Westmond the same night you met your future husband? A man for whom you do not care at all?”
Rowena considered the notion. It was true. She had dreaded meeting her future husband, and she’d found him as unlikable as she’d feared. Despite his obvious regard for her. He fawned over her, complimented her, and devoted much of his evening to her. Yet she did not care for him at all. In fact, her skin crawled at the thought of him. But then, on the other hand, the Duke of Westmond had made her heart sing.
While she could be her true self with one, she had to play the role she had been raised to play with the other. She’d been imagining her life as the Duchess of Thornmouth. She would not want for anything. Money, jewelry, homes, and servants would all be at her feet. But she would forever have to play the role of duchess. As her mother had and generations of women before her. She’d never be herself or follow her own desires.
I cannot even imagine a life as the wife of the Duke of Westmond. And yet, the thought fills me with happiness.
She shook her head. All of this turmoil over a man she had spent a portion of an evening with. She was indeed making a cake of herself and putting her family’s reputation and future at stake. No, she could not allow it.
“Betsy, it might have been fated. But I believe it was only to show me that my destiny is in being the lady I was meant to be. It is to test my perseverance and dedication. And I will take it as such. In any case, I am not likely to see him again anytime soon.”
Betsy pressed her lips together and raised her right eyebrow.
“If you insist. I just do not want you to miss you chance at happiness.” She considered Rowena for a moment. “How about this, if you do not see Duke Westmond again before the wedding, you are right. You are fated to follow the path your parents set you on. But if you do see him again, you must promise you will consider the alternative.”
Rowena frowned for a moment, then smoothed her forehead out. Chances of her seeing Duke Westmond again were slim, and especially if she was right and his appearance at the ball had been nothing but a test. She took her friend’s hand and they shook.
“I suppose.”
The two girls carried on with their walk, turning toward St. James’s Park. Betsy chatted away happily about her impending departure. Beside her, Lady Rowena Burton could not help but wonder if she was not indeed tempting fate with the promise she had just made.
Chapter 13
Christopher sat at the table, his hands sweaty. Beside him, his brother had his legs propped up on the chair next to him, a book in hand. Christopher nudged him in the elbow with some force.
“Gadzooks. What is it, Topher?”
“We are not in our drawing room.” He pointed at the feet on the lavishly upholstered table. “What if the Earl sees?”
Henry rolled his eyes at his brother. “Yes, Mother. I shall remove my feet. Here. Are you satisfied?”
He sat up straight, his eyes wide and his head tilted slightly in a challenge.
“Thank you. Now, once the Earl arrives back here–”
“I shall resume my very best behavior, not to worry, Topher. In any case, it seems to be going well thus far.”
Henry was of course, correct. They had met with Lord Hazelshire for dinner at White’s, the Earl’s preferred Gentleman’s Club. He’d shown himself impressed with Henry and
Christopher’s knowledge of the vineyard operations and the three had swiftly agreed to make their arrangement an official and permanent one.
The brothers would accompany Lord Hazelshire to Shropshire, to survey the vineyard which had given him so much trouble so far. The Earl was eager to formalize their arrangement, as he’d gone in search for his barrister who had a panache for whist and was bound to be found at the table in the back.
While Christopher had used the opportunity to plan the next goal in his plan to get closer to Lady Rowena, a dinner invitation to the Earl’s home, Henry had taken to acting as though they were in their own drawing room.
Before Henry could give in to the temptation of his novel once more, Lord Hazelshire returned, without the barrister, but with a bottle of wine in hand.
Christopher grinned when he recognized the label of their own Newmont vineyard.
“I have had no luck in pulling old Brundwick away from the card table. However, I have found us something we can celebrate with.” He held up the bottle, the cork already popped, and poured the wine into the glasses already on the table.
“I hope you did not pay for that, Lord Hazelshire. If we are to go into business together, you shall have all the wine you desire,” Henry said with a smile.
“Ever the better then, Mister Newmont, ever the better. Now, a toast.” He lifted his glass, prompting both Henry and Christopher to rise at once, their glasses held high as well.
Lord Hazelshire cleared his throat. “Let us raise our glasses to our joint future venture. May it bring us all prosperity, wealth, and a relief from all the bother that came along with it.”
“Hear, hear!” they replied in unison and they took a drink of tine.
“Splendid. I must say, I was fond of Summerwind Vines before I knew that it could lead to me relief from the blasted burdens of the vineyard.”
They resumed their seats.
“Lord Hazelshire, if I may ask. You appear not to be fond of the vineyard at all. Why did you purchase it if it was in such a terrible state?” Henry asked the question while still holding the wine, taking a sip with his eyes closed as he waited for an answer.
The Earl leaned back and shook his head.
“It was a mistake if ever I made one. You see, last year I intended to make a match for my daughter, Rowena, upon her marriage to Lord Mortimer.”
Christopher found himself alarmed at this revelation.
“Mortimer? I thought it was the Duke of Thornmouth she was to be wed to.”
“She was. Mortimer, as it turned out, was a regrettable miscalculation on my part. He appeared a good match, albeit a little unmotivated. You see, Mortimer, while rich, had no real passion in life. He mentioned during one of our meetings that he’d always had a desire to make his own wine but had not found a suitable vineyard to buy. The fool that I am set out and bought him one I thought was of good quality. Alas, before I could present it to him, the fool had run of with some maid to Gretna Green, leaving my poor Rowena and our entire family shamed.”
Christopher’s eyes widened. Suddenly, understanding washed over him. After such an occurrence, it was understandable that Lady Rowena was not willing to let her family down once more. It was why she was so adamant that the match with the Duke was a good one. Even Christopher had to admit, he’d appeared very attached to Lady Rowena the entire evening. Much more so that this fool, Mortimer.
“What a scandal,” Henry said while shaking his head. “And this is how you came to be in charge of it.”
The Earl nodded, raising the glass once more. “Indeed. However, I would much rather you did not divulge this information to my family. They do not know. They believe I bought the vineyard as an investment for my son, Charles. I would not want them to know I did such a foolish thing. Especially Rowena. She would only blame herself, as she does so frequently.”
Christopher nodded. Even though he did not know her well, he could see this as a trait in the young woman.
“They will not find out from either of us, My Lord,” Christopher promised.
Suddenly, beside him, Henry broke into a grin and winked at Christopher who braced himself for what she was sure to be one of his brother’s schemes.
“Lord Hazelshire, as you mention your family, I wondered. Perhaps it might be prudent of us to invite you and your family to our home in the country for a dinner to celebrate our new partnership.”
Christopher frowned. Their country home was in Lancashire, far from London, much too far for a weekend visit.
What is Henry thinking? It will be months before such a visit can be arranged.
As usual when he doubted his brother, he was quickly proven wrong. For almost as soon as Henry had made the suggestion, Lord Hazelshire wagged his index finger at them, with a grin on his face.
“That, I am afraid, won’t do. No. I wish to introduce you to my family with haste, for they will be ever so eager to meet the young men who will finally put an end to their Papa’s misery. I would like you to join me for dinner at my home, this coming Wednesday. I trust this time works well for you, Your Grace? Given that Parliament is not in session.”
Christopher leaned back, relief and gratitude washing over him.
“This coming Wednesday is wonderful, indeed. And we will contribute a case of Summerwind Wines finest to the occasion.”
He looked at his brother who smirked, pleased with himself. Christopher, meanwhile, picked up his wine glass and watched the wine as it swirled in the glass.
It was Monday. That meant that in two short days until he would see her once more, and now that he was officially in business with her father, the future was wide open.
Chapter 14
On Wednesday afternoon, Rowena found herself seated in the drawing room, alongside her sister and Betsy. Each had a book on their lap and were engrossed in their reading.
From the dining room, sounds of plates being placed could be heard. Usually, the servants were not nearly as busy, or as visible. Their servants were among the best trained in the realm and knew better than to be heard or seen by their masters. Today, however, the sounds of footsteps on the stairs was constant.
“Are we expecting guests?” Betsy asked.
Catherine placed her book on her lap. “Faith, haven’t you heard? His Grace the Duke of Westmond is coming to dine with us, along with his brother Mister Newmont.”
Rowena’s eyes widened, the book almost dropping from her hands.
“The Duke is coming?”
“Not your Duke, silly. Mine. I am certain Papa is trying to make a match for me.”
Rowena felt herself growing faint and rose.
“What is it, Rowena? You look ill,” Catherine asked with concern.
“I am not ill. However, I was not aware we were to have guests. I must change into something more suitable. I cannot believe Papa did not mention we were to dine with guests. Mama would be appalled.”
“Yes, she would. Alas, she is not here, so we must make do with this late notice. Come, Rowena, let me help you select a gown.” Betsy got up and placed a hand on the back of her friend. “You should get changed too, Lady Catherine. They will be here soon, I’m certain. Your Father has gone to White’s again. I’m sure he will be meeting them there.”
“Heaven forbid!” Catherine jumped up. “You are right. Without Mama here, I am ever so tardy.”
Catherine raced past them up the stairs, calling for her maid to attended to her.
Once they reached Rowena’s chamber, she sat down on the bed at once and buried her hands in her face.
“I cannot believe it. He is coming here? Why?”
“I told you. It is fate. And it certainly came knocking rather quickly, did it not? We only spoke about a few days ago and here it is now in all its glory.”
She threw a glare at her friend. “Please do not jest, Betsy. How am I to get through it?” Betsy patted Rowena’s back.
“Same way you get through everything else, my friend. You put on a smile; make conversation an
d you act as you always do. And then you see what will happen. There must be a reason he’s crossing your path again. You said so yourself.”
“I feel as though I am being tested,” Rowena complained.
“Even so, perhaps it is good for you to be tested. You do not want to enter into a marriage unless you are certain.”
“You know as well as, I do not have a say in it.”
“Neither do you have a say in fate. Sometimes we are presented with circumstances in life that are out of our control. I thought my life would be very different until my parents perished. When I was a child, I did not expect to be a governess for somebody. I was certain I would be married off to a merchant by my Father. Fate had another plan.”
A Forbidden Waltz With the Dashing Duke Page 10
