A Deal with a Duke

by Christie Kelley

  Charlotte led her away with a giggle. “It’s this way, Miss Drake.”

  The sensation of Charlotte’s small hand in hers warmed Louisa’s heart. She followed the girl up to the nursery, where she helped the nurse change Charlotte’s dress.

  “Papa said tomorrow we'd build snowmen,” Charlotte said as Louisa pushed a wool dress over her. “Will you play with us?”

  Louisa blinked. At this point, she didn’t even know if she would still be here tomorrow. She and Harry hadn’t discussed how long she would stay yet. “If I am still here, I would love to play with you.”

  “Yay!”

  “All right, Lady Charlotte,” Nurse said. “It’s time for you to let Miss Drake get dressed for supper.”

  Louisa nodded, even though supper wouldn’t be for several hours yet. No doubt, Nurse wanted her charge to settle down for a while. “Yes, it takes a long time to dress.”

  “Will you come back before supper?”

  Unable to say no to such an adorable face, Louisa nodded. “I will if Nurse allows it.”

  “Please,” Charlotte whined to her nurse.

  “As long as you sit with me and work on your letters,” Nurse said.

  “I will!”

  “Excellent, then I shall return at six,” Louisa added before heading for the door. Once in the hall, she glanced around, not sure what to do with herself. It was too early to dress for supper, but after the glare Harry gave her, Louisa had no wish to seek him out. Perhaps she should ask for a tray in her room. But she didn’t want that either.

  She walked into her bedchamber and glanced out the window. The snow had melted some during the daylight. With dusk settling upon them, she assumed everything would freeze again overnight. If this continued, she might be here until spring.

  Not knowing when Harry would ask her to leave, she had limited time to convince him that he must return to town. Appealing to his emotions for his daughter hadn’t worked this morning. Logic. She must think of the most logical reason why he should come to London.

  An heir.

  All her focus had to be on convincing him that he must produce an heir. He only had a sister, and a bastard half-brother, neither of whom could inherit if Harry failed to have a son. She could find him a lady who could give him what he needed most.

  With a plan in place, she rang for her maid to help her dress.

  HARRY WANDERED THROUGH the salon and library. He wasn’t searching her out. But the last time he’d seen Louisa, she was taking Charlotte up to the nursery. Perhaps she still needed more time to dress before dining.

  After walking back to her bedchamber, he knocked on the door. “Miss Drake, are you there?”

  Silence. Except for the childish laughter coming from the nursery. She couldn’t possibly be up there still. It was nearly seven. Nurse would want Charlotte to be off to bed soon.

  He walked toward the nursery with a grimace. As he approached, he heard Louisa’s voice imitating a high-pitched mouse voice as she read Charlotte’s favorite book. He slowed his step and peeked into the room. His heart twisted at the sight of his daughter on Louisa’s lap, giggling as Louisa read to her.

  Backing out of the room, he retreated to his study and a large brandy. He had to get her out of his house before he went mad.

  “Damn her,” he muttered.

  “Cursing me again, are we?”

  Harry turned, and the breath left his lungs. She wore a simple blue gown with a white lace fichu at the neckline. Her dress yesterday was far more fitting a formal dinner, and yet, she looked even more beautiful tonight. Anger swept over him. She should not be in his home without a chaperone.

  Or in his home at all.

  “Apparently, I am,” he replied coldly.

  She acknowledged that with a quick nod. “I must apologize if I am late. I’d promised to read Charlotte a story.”

  Harry closed his eyes for a long moment to let the irritation go. Louisa would be gone soon enough. He could be civil. “And knowing my daughter, one story turned into three.”

  Louisa smiled. “Five.”

  “She is quite a determined little girl.” He returned to the table in the corner and poured her a glass of sherry.

  “She has an excellent verbal aptitude for a three-year-old, Harry.”

  Of course, she did. She only spoke with adults. Another reason Louisa would tell him to take Charlotte to London. He pushed away the guilt, rationalizing that remaining here kept her safe from the prying eyes of the ton. “Yes, but she is nearly four. Still, Nurse says she is very advanced. She is already learning her letters and numbers.”

  “I’m not surprised, given her father,” Louisa said with a smile.

  “Nurse says Charlotte will be reading in no time.”

  “Is there time for this?” she asked, taking the glass of sherry from his outstretched hand.

  “Yes.”

  “It looked as if you were enjoying yourself outside today.”

  He returned to sipping his brandy, feeling a bit abashed for not inviting her to join them. “Yes.”

  “It’s been a long time since I was out in the snow like that.” She gave him a wistful smile. “Almost six years ago.”

  “The frost fair,” they said together.

  Harry turned away from her as memories flooded him of that day. He’d come upon her and her sister, Emma on the ice, skating. Emma took a tumble and hurt her ankle, so he carried her home.

  Louisa commented as if recalling the same event, “Emma called you her hero.”

  All he’d wanted to be that day was Louisa’s hero. Not that it mattered any longer. He had his responsibilities. And the guilt his father left him.

  Chapter 5

  THE SOUND OF CHARLOTTE’S giggles filled the vast snowy field like music. Another few inches had fallen overnight, blanketing the area with white. Louisa couldn’t help but giggle too as Harry attempted to roll a snowball to form the base for a snowman. The ball was now half as tall as Harry. She trudged through the snow to where he and Charlotte played.

  “Do you need some assistance?”

  “Miss Drake!” Charlotte shrieked and then raced over to her. “Yay!”

  Louisa glanced over and noticed the way Harry only gave her a brief nod.

  “Charlotte, come back and help me roll this middle section,” he said, ignoring Louisa.

  Charlotte clasped her hand with Louisa’s and pulled her toward Harry. Charlotte’s giggles lightened her mood slightly. After last night’s stilted conversation at supper and then over chess, Louisa assumed today wouldn’t be much better. And so far, it hadn’t been.

  But his daughter’s laughter was contagious. When she was near the stiffness disappeared, and Harry seemed like his former self.

  “You will never get a middle and head on him,” Louisa said to him.

  “I will. Find some sticks for the arms and something for eyes and a mouth.” Harry stopped with the bottom section and then started rolling more snow for the middle section. Charlotte found two sticks for arms while Louisa looked around for something to use as eyes.

  “We need to find some small round stones for the eyes,” she said to Charlotte. “Or maybe some pieces of coal.”

  “There’re stones near the pond!”

  Before Louisa could stop her, Charlotte ran off toward the large pond in front of the home. Louisa chased after the youngster to ensure her safety. “Charlotte, do be careful. We might not find the stones because of the snow.”

  “Yes, Miss Drake,” Charlotte called out. She stopped by the edge of the pond, which had a thin film of ice over the surface.

  “Do not go near that water,” Louisa commanded.

  “But there are two stones right there,” Charlotte replied, pointing at the water. “I can reach them.”

  “No!” Louisa caught the little girl’s arm and yanked her away from the edge. “I will get them.”

  She glanced into the water and noticed the two small rocks that Charlotte had spied. They were only in a foo
t of water with a thin layer of ice on top. Louisa crouched down by the edge and leaned over to reach the pebbles. They were slighter farther away than she’d thought. She stretched her arm out to grab them. Her feet slipped out from under her, sending her splashing into the icy water.

  “Louisa!” Harry shouted.

  “Miss Drake!” Charlotte screamed.

  She scrambled to get out of the water. Strong hands pulled her out and into a warm embrace. Frigid water trickled down her face from the brim of her hat. She let her head rest on Harry’s chest until her teeth started to chatter. “Dear G—God, that is c—c—cold water.”

  “We need to get you inside,” he said, rubbing her arms with his gloved hands.

  “Are you all right, Miss Drake?” Charlotte asked before fat tears rolled down her red cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

  “Charlotte, I am unhurt, only c—cold and wet.” Louisa held out her right hand. “Here are your snowman’s eyes. I will let you two finish him off while I go change.”

  Harry looked down at her, shaking his head with concern or irritation. “Charlotte, before we continue, we must get Miss Drake into the house.”

  “Yes, Papa.” Charlotte took hold of Louisa’s hand. “Come along, Miss Drake.”

  They walked back to the house quickly. Jenkins opened the door and then hid a look of disdain. “Miss Drake, are you well?”

  “I—I—I,” she couldn’t form a single word with her teeth chattering.

  “Jenkins, alert Lily that Miss Drake needs her assistance this minute,” Harry commanded. “Miss Drake, I will carry you upstairs and help you until your maid arrives.”

  “Y—You d—d—don’t need to c—carry me,” she protested, feeling rather foolish for slipping. “I—I’m always tripping over my b—big feet.”

  He swung her up into his arms for the second time in three days. At this point, she did not care to protest. He was warmth. She snuggled in closer to his heat and listened to the sound of his heart beating in his chest. A hint of leather and cinnamon swirled around her, enticing her with the fragrance.

  “Now I owe you two scoldings,” he grumbled as he attempted to open the door. “Three days here and you have walked through a blizzard and fallen into an icy pond.”

  “I’ll do it, Papa.” Charlotte swung the door open, allowing Harry to enter the room.

  “You don’t need to worry about me.” Her heart warmed by his care.

  “You are in my home. While you are here, you are my concern.” His voice softened before speaking to his daughter, “Charlotte, go into my bedchamber and bring back the bottle of brown liquid on the table near my bed. Do hurry, poppet.” Slowly, he lowered Louisa to her feet. “We have to get you out of these clothes before you get frostbite.”

  “Lily will b—be up in a moment,” Louisa managed to get out. The chill returned with the absence of his heat.

  “We are not waiting for her.” He unbuttoned her cloak and removed it from her. After tossing it over a chair, he said, “Turn around.”

  “Harry, this is very improper.”

  “Says the woman who is the epitome of improper behavior.” He turned her around and attacked the laces on her dress. “We have a three-year-old chaperone.”

  “Papa, is this it?” Charlotte asked, holding up an almost empty decanter of brandy with two hands.

  “Yes, now carefully pour Miss Drake a glass.”

  As Charlotte concentrated on pouring the brandy, Harry slipped the wet dress off Louisa’s shoulders. She shivered as the warm air of the fire hit her bare arms.

  “The decanter is too heavy for her,” Louisa said as Charlotte attempted to pour.

  “She’s a big girl, and the decanter is almost empty,” Harry replied.

  Charlotte beamed over at her father as she emptied the contents into the glass. “I did it, Papa!”

  “I am here, Your Grace,” Lily said as she raced into the room. “Oh, Your Grace, you must leave. I will undress her.”

  “Come along, Charlotte. We will build your snowman now.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “I want to stay with Miss Drake.”

  “We have a snowman to finish.”

  “I want to stay with Miss Drake!”

  “She can stay if she would like,” Louisa said with a slight smile.

  “As you wish,” he said stiffly before leaving the room.

  “Do you want a hot bath, miss?” Lily asked as she unlaced Louisa’s stays.

  “No, thank you. Just some warm clothes and that brandy would be fine.”

  Charlotte had poured the small water glass almost to the top. Carefully, she brought the drink over to Louisa.

  “Thank you, Charlotte.” Louisa slowly sipped the heady liquid as Lily instructed Charlotte to pull out a wool gown for her. Finally, her teeth had stopped chattering, and warmth seeped into her bones again.

  Lily stoked the fire before gathering her wet clothes. “Do you need anything else, miss?”

  “No, thank you, Lily.” She glanced over at Charlotte who sat in a chair across from her. “Charlotte, you need to get out of your wet things, too. Afterward, I will read you a story.”

  Charlotte bounced out of the chair and then started removing all her wet outdoor clothing. “I’ll get a book from Nurse.”

  She returned a few minutes later wearing a dry dress and carrying a storybook. She scrambled up into Louisa’s lap and settled in. Louisa sipped her drink, enjoying the warm sensation of the brandy and the child on her lap. As she read the fairytale, Charlotte’s breathing became steady, and slowly, her eyes closed. Louisa sat there, unable to move without disturbing the child. The sweet smell of soap surrounded the little girl. Unable to keep her own eyes open, she rested her head in the crook of the chair and let sleep take her.

  “COME ALONG, CHARLOTTE.”

  The sound of Harry’s whisper forced Louisa’s eyes open. “What are you doing?” she asked softly.

  He lifted a groaning Charlotte into his arms. “I’m taking Charlotte back to the nursery to eat.”

  “What time is it?” she asked, noticing that darkness had already fallen.

  “Five. Shall I have a tray brought up?”

  She paused, remembering last evening’s detached conversations. But the idea of being in her room alone held even less appeal. “No, I would prefer to come down...unless you have already eaten?”

  “I have not,” he whispered. “Come down, and we will dine together.”

  “I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Louisa slowly rose and noticed her half-full brandy glass still sitting on the table by the chair. She took a few more sips as she attempted to straighten the wrinkles from her dress. Then a few more sips as she adjusted her hair again. By the time she was ready to leave her bedchamber, the rest of the brandy was warming her belly and making her a little dizzy.

  She walked into the salon to find Harry pouring two glasses of sherry. He handed one to her. The sherry tasted very sweet after the smoky brandy, but it didn’t stop her. “Will supper be announced soon? I did not eat much today and well...”

  “A little hungry?”

  “A lady never lets her true appetite be known,” Louisa aped her mother voice. Then she smiled and added, “But yes, I am famished.” And a little dizzy, but he didn’t need to know that.

  Jenkins announced supper before she could finish any more sherry.

  Louisa took Harry’s arm as he led her to the dining room. Feeling the effect of far too much brandy on an empty stomach, she wanted to put her head down on his shoulder. Instead, forcing herself to keep her head upright, she strolled into the room with dignity. At least she hoped she had some poise. She wasn’t entirely sure. She didn’t trip, and that was something, especially for her.

  Once seated, a footman placed a bowl of soup in front of her. She giggled.

  “Is everything to your liking, Miss Drake?” Harry asked before moving a spoonful of soup to his mouth.

  “Please tell me this is not all there is tonight?”

&nb
sp; Harry’s brows furrowed. “Would that be a problem?”

  “No, but it would explain your weight loss.” She looked him over from head to chest. “You are very lean now. You used to have a bit more weight on you.”

  “There is much more exercise in the country.”

  “Hmm,” she muttered. Her heart pounded as she stared at Harry, wondering what he might look like without a shirt, or any other clothing. Heat inflamed her entire face. She had categorically had too much to drink. “I rather think it suits you.”

  “You didn’t drink that entire glass of brandy, did you?” he asked, casting her an odd look.

  Louisa chortled as she picked up her water glass. “Of sourse—course I didn’t drink it all.”

  “Of course not,” he repeated with a shake of his head.

  “I am sorry I ruined your time with Charlotte building a snowman today.”

  “We shall do it another time.”

  When she wasn’t here to ruin their time together, he must have meant. She sipped her water, hoping to clear her head. The footman removed the soup bowl and brought out the main course consisting of lamb, potatoes, and carrots. “Your cook has outdone herself tonight, Your Grace.”

  “Thank you, Miss Drake.”

  By the time they had finished, Louisa had no idea what they had even discussed. She thought it had something to do with the crops on the estate but couldn’t be positive. Somehow, she had made it through supper without Harry realizing she was slightly inebriated.

  They walked back to the salon, and he poured her a snifter of brandy. “I fear it is not as much as Charlotte would pour.”

  “This is more than enough, thank you.” She took the glass from him and sipped it slowly. The room seemed to spin a little as she placed the glass on the table.

  The large room seemed rather intimate with just the two of them, and the door shut for warmth and privacy. Harry sat on the brocade chair across from her. How had the man become more attractive? She decided to blame it on the beard that he still sported. She wanted to touch it, feel it against her cheek.