The Perfect Duke

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “I thought that, at first. But when I declined his offer, I saw the look on his face, and I realized he’d been in love with me. It’s so hard to tell who’s sincere and who isn’t around here. A lot of people are fake. No one prepared me for that while I was growing up.”

  “No, no one does prepare you for that reality.”

  Tara glanced down at her cup. Even in Ladies of Grace, it seemed that most of the members had turned on each other at a moment’s notice. Her face warmed. And she’d been just as shallow as everyone else.

  “Well, I’m tired of it,” Miss Duff said, directing Tara’s attention back to her. “I’m tired of trying to meet up to other people’s expectations. I’ve seen how people are, and I don’t believe they’re as happy as they look. I think they’re only pretending.”

  “That would be true of some.”

  With a nod, Miss Duff gestured to her. “Even you admit it! Then it’s not in my imagination. London is nothing more than a theatre, and all of the people are prancing about on a stage.”

  Unable to stop herself, Tara’s lips curled up. “William Shakespeare said the very same thing in one of his plays.”

  “I’ve never read him, nor have I seen one of his plays. I’ve been too busy playing music, painting, and singing. My father always said ladies didn’t need to bother with reading books. That’s for gentlemen. Ladies should learn how to help their husbands look good.”

  Tara’s eyebrows furrowed. “Did your father have someone teach you how to read?”

  “Oh, I can read. It’s just that in my home, I was encouraged to do other things. I have two younger sisters, and my parents wish us all to marry titled gentlemen with influence.”

  “A lot of parents want that for their daughters.”

  “Yours wish that for you, too?”

  “My brother does. He’s my guardian.”

  “What happened to your parents?”

  “My parents are no longer alive. My mother passed away when I was twelve, and my father went three years later.”

  “I’m sorry. That’s terrible,” Miss Duff said.

  “It is, but I think it’s a good reminder that a long life isn’t promised to anyone. We need to make the most of it while we can.”

  Miss Duff’s face lit up. “You’re right! We do. Sometimes we have to go out and make things happen. Love is something that only comes around once in a lifetime. When you find it, you have to take it.”

  Unsure of whether or not Tara really wanted to know where Miss Duff was going with this, she dared, “What do you intend to do?”

  “I’m going to find a way to marry Lord Powell.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I’ll figure something out.” She set the unused cup down on the tray and stood up. “Thank you for your help.”

  Startled, Tara set her own cup down and followed her to the door. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Yes, you did. You told me to pursue my heart.”

  “Um… Well…” Tara was sure she didn’t. She quickly thought over their conversation, and she couldn’t think of telling Miss Duff to do that.

  Miss Duff hugged her. “Out of all the ladies in Ladies of Grace, I suspected you were the one who’d have the most sensible advice.”

  This was an even bigger shock than finding out Miss Duff credited her with the idea of following her heart. “You did?”

  Miss Duff nodded as they reached the entryway. “You suggested everyone in the group start making important connections with people like Lady Cadwalader so that the group could survive what happened with Lady Eloise.”

  Well, Miss Duff was right. Tara had done that, but she didn’t know why that made her worthy of giving advice. She was just trying to save the group’s reputation so she and the others didn’t have to start over. The Duchess of Lambeth and Lady Erandon were still having trouble getting the Ton to take Enduring Friendships seriously. It was difficult to get a group established in London.

  Miss Duff clasped her hands in excitement. “This is going to be the beginning of the rest of my life.” After giving Tara another quick hug, she ran out of the townhouse.

  Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Tara returned to the drawing room and finished her tea in silence.

  Chapter Five

  “It worked,” Nick told Lord Edon the next day when he decided to pay the gentleman a visit. “I got a wealthy lady to agree to marry me, and I managed to do it without creating a scandal.”

  Lord Edon handed him a glass of brandy then urged him to sit across from him in the den. “I’m impressed. Usually, gentlemen resort to scandals right away. It’s nice you actually took the time to come up with a plan. If you have to deal with a father-in-law, life will be much easier for you because you didn’t tarnish her name.”

  “She doesn’t have a father. Well, not one who’s living. She lives with an older brother.”

  Lord Edon took a drink of his brandy and nodded. “You’re fortunate. There’s nothing worse than a lady whose father is still alive.” He gave a slight shiver and took another sip.

  “I don’t know. Her brother isn’t very nice.”

  Lord Edon shrugged. “Brothers aren’t anything like fathers. You’ll be fine.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. Miss Webb’s brother wasn’t the least bit pleasant. He had refused to let me marry her. He thinks I’m desperate to marry her because I got her in the family way.”

  “Did you?”

  Surprised Lord Edon should even ask such a thing, he blurted out, “No! I wouldn’t ruin a lady just to get her to marry me. That’s reprehensible.”

  Lord Edon put up his hand. “There’s no need to get upset. I thought it was a fair question. I’ve known gentlemen who have resorted to such measures. Most don’t even have marriage in mind. They simply get caught up in the moment.”

  Nick felt himself relax. Lord Edon was right. It had been a fair question. And perhaps, it had been fair of her brother to ask about it, especially since Nick hadn’t even known her name or age at the time.

  “Forgive me for losing my temper,” Nick said.

  Lord Edon laughed. “You lost your temper just now?”

  “Yes. I was rather harsh with you.”

  “You weren’t harsh. All you did was raise your voice a notch.” He shook his head. “If that’s what happens when you lose your temper, you’re much more controlled than every gentleman I know.”

  Nick wasn’t sure what to make of the comment, so he chose to sip his brandy.

  “I’ve heard of Miss Webb, but I can’t remember in what regard,” Lord Edon said. “Who is her brother?”

  “Lord Maten.”

  Lord Edon grimaced. “Oh. I can see why you don’t like him. He’s a selfish and conceited person who prides himself on having more money than even Mr. Jasper and Lord Steinbeck do. I wouldn’t concern myself with his opinion if I were you. Very few people like him.”

  That made Nick feel better.

  “Miss Webb, on the other hand, still doesn’t come to mind,” Lord Edon continued.

  “She belongs to Ladies of Grace.”

  Lord Edon snapped his fingers. “That’s it! She’s part of that silly social group that rivals the one my wife belongs to.” He paused then glanced around the room as if he expected his wife to appear out of nowhere and whack him on the head. “Don’t tell anyone I said Ladies of Grace and Enduring Friendships are silly groups. That would get me into a lot of trouble with my wife. She’s a very sweet lady, but when it comes to things she likes, she can be overly protective. I really don’t want to hear the long list of things her group does to benefit the members. She overheard me making fun of it a couple of months ago, and she spent the next two days defending it. The memory still gives me a headache.”

  “I won’t say a word. Besides, what you think of the group is insignificant to what people would think of my financial status if they knew about it.”

  “There’s no reason why anyone should find out.” H
e took another sip of brandy then asked, “When will your money troubles be over?”

  Realizing he was inquiring about the wedding date, Nick said, “I don’t know when exactly, but Miss Webb said she’ll marry me soon. She sent me a missive earlier today saying that we can discuss the details tomorrow.”

  “Good. The sooner you get married, the sooner all of your troubles will be over.”

  Nick couldn’t argue with that. He was looking forward to having all of the debt settled. There was, however, another thing that made him worry. It had nothing to do with money, but it had everything to do with his inexperience. He’d heard the rumors about Lord Edon’s prowess with ladies. Before his marriage, Lord Edon had been the most skilled lover in all of London. Well, he was probably still skilled. He still had a lady to share a bed with. Granted, it was no secret that he was faithful to his wife, but they had two children together, and those children didn’t magically come into existence. They had to be conceived.

  Nick had never had such a sensitive conversation with another person before, but Lord Edon was the one who handed out the only book in London that was tailored to teaching gentlemen how to give their wives the most enjoyment possible from the bed. While the author of the book was reported to be unknown, Nick suspected Lord Edon had written it. After all, if he received the title for being the most skilled lover, then he was the best qualified to write it. Nick would never come out and ask if he authored it, though. If Lord Edon wanted to remain anonymous, it was only right Nick not bring that particular topic up.

  Nick took another drink of the brandy as he gathered his courage. “I heard there was a certain book in your possession that has helped some gentlemen.”

  “Say no more,” Lord Edon interrupted. “Fortune is on your side. I got some new copies this morning. I haven’t had time to take them to White’s yet.”

  He got up and went over to one of the cabinets. He tapped on the right side twice, then on the left side once, and then on the top three times. The cabinet door opened.

  Nick had never seen someone with a cabinet that was set to open with a series of knocks in certain locations. Well, that had to mean that Lord Edon wrote the book. Who else but the author would take such care to preserve his work?

  Lord Edon took out a book then closed the cabinet. He returned to Nick and gave it to him. “Consider it a wedding gift.”

  “Thank you,” Nick replied.

  Nick looked at the cover. Nothing was written on it. He opened the cover and turned a couple of pages. Then he saw that it was, indeed, the book. The infamous book. And now he had a copy. “I’ll be sure to keep this in a safe place.”

  “Don’t tell anyone I gave you a copy. I’ve been taking them to White’s so gentlemen can take one as they need them. I don’t want everyone coming to my home for them.”

  “I won’t say a word.”

  Since Nick couldn’t think of anything else to say, he finished his brandy, thanked Lord Edon, and left, careful to tuck the book under his arm so as not to draw any undue attention to it.

  ***

  Miss Wilmington sent a missive to Tara, asking if she could visit with her later that day. Tara figured Miss Wilmington wanted to explain why she had decided to marry Sir Tristan Blakemoor, but as soon as Miss Wilmington was seated in the drawing room, she blurted out, “Lady Stacey is no longer in Ladies of Grace.”

  Tara stared at her in disbelief. “Why would Lady Stacey leave?” She thought Lady Stacey wanted to still be a part of the group since she hadn’t said anything about leaving.

  “Lady Stacey isn’t a good fit for the group. She was in public in Lord Whitney’s carriage, and there wasn’t a chaperone. I don’t need to explain what a scandal that was. We can’t have someone like that ruining our group.”

  “If this was such a scandal, then why haven’t I heard about it?”

  Miss Wilmington picked up her cup and sipped her tea. “I assumed you were devastated to find out Sir Tristan Blakemoor wishes to marry me. Did you get his correspondence?”

  “I did, and you’re welcome to him. I have no desire to spend my life with someone as boring as he is.”

  She frowned. “That’s not very nice of you to say.”

  “Well, it’s not nice of you to go behind my back and try to steal my suitor.”

  “I didn’t go to him. He came to me.”

  Though Miss Wilmington gave a good show of indignation, Tara caught the way her foot was tapping the floor, a clear indication that she was lying.

  “Like I said, I don’t care,” Tara said. “You’re welcome to him. What upsets me is that you removed Lady Stacey from the group. Lady Stacey has always been an upstanding member. She’s never caused us any problems, and she is to marry a reputable gentleman who has a good sum of money. A connection to her will benefit us.”

  “You mean you didn’t hear the rest of her scandalous activities? She ran off to Gretna Green to marry Lord Whitney, too.”

  “When was this?”

  “About a week ago now.”

  “And I’m just hearing it from you?” When Miss Wilmington narrowed her eyes at her, Tara continued, “If it had been that big of a deal, I would have heard about it by now. My brother has every single copy of the Tittletattle, so I have access to the latest scandals. Lady Stacey’s reputation is intact. She stays in the group.”

  Miss Wilmington set the cup on the table and crossed her arms. “She can’t. I won’t allow it.”

  “You can’t get rid of her. We both lead this group, and we share the same amount of authority. Also, the rules state that it takes two members to get rid of someone. At the moment, it’s just you and me who can vote to remove Lady Stacey. So no, you can’t remove her. Lady Stacey is still in it.”

  “I already told her she’s not in it anymore.”

  “Then I’ll go and tell her she is.”

  Miss Wilmington sat still for a long moment, her lips forming into a tight line. Tara refused to back down. She was tired of people like Lady Eloise and Miss Wilmington who thought their opinion was more important than anyone else’s. It was time someone followed Lady Youngtown’s example and set things right. And Tara was going to do it.

  “If you think I’m going to let you take our group and turn it into the way it was when Lady Eloise was the leader, you’re wrong,” Tara said. “I’m not going to stand for it. Enduring Friendships has more members than we do, and it’s because those ladies sincerely care about each other.”

  Miss Wilmington snorted. “You can’t compare Ladies of Grace to that pathetic group of nobodies.”

  “The Ton might not hold them in high regard, but it’s obvious to anyone that the group is stronger than ours. We’re unraveling at the seams. All you’ve done is take a very important thread and unraveled it further.”

  “I did no such thing. I can’t help if no one at the Tittletattle reported the indiscretion between Lady Stacey and Lord Whitney, but it did happen. Lady Stacey thought so little of the group that she was willing to go unchaperoned with him in a public place.”

  “And now she’s run off to marry him, so it doesn’t even matter. Once couples marry, these things aren’t even worthy of gossip.”

  “You’ve changed. You used to understand that a pristine reputation was necessary, regardless of whether the lady later married or not.”

  “I have changed. After watching the way Lady Eloise treated people and seeing how the Ton finally stood up to her made me realize that people like her,” and you, “aren’t as important as they think. I’m not going to sit idly by and watch someone else be poorly treated just because they don’t do every single thing someone wants them to do. People should have the right to make their own decisions.”

  “So that’s it then? You’re going to keep Lady Stacey in the group even though she risked humiliating us?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Miss Wilmington jumped up from the settee and looked down at her. “You don’t deserve to be a part of Lady Cadwalader’s family. Sir
Tristan Blakemoor is much better off with me. I told him so, and now you’ve proven me right. They’re too good for you.”

  “That may be, but something tells me I’ll be better off without them,” Tara snapped as she rose to her feet so she could look Miss Wilmington in the eye. “Lady Stacey stays in the group. I’m as much a member as you are, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  Miss Wilmington clenched her fists at her sides, and after a moment, she let out a huff and stormed out of the room.

  “The world wasn’t made to serve you,” Tara said as she followed after her. “This group isn’t going to be like it was when Lady Eloise was in charge. There are going to be changes made.”

  Miss Wilmington reached the front door. Ignoring the footman as he opened it for her, she turned to face Tara. “Why don’t you join Enduring Friendships since you speak so highly of it?”

  “And leave you to continue what Lady Eloise was doing? I don’t dare. This group will regain its good standing in the Ton, and it’s going to be one where the members care about each other.”

  She broke into laughter. “Really? You actually believe that?” She gestured between them. “You and I don’t get along now, and I don’t think we ever will until you stop being such a simpleton.” Then, brushing her hair over her shoulders, she left the townhouse.

  With a groan, Tara marched back to the drawing room. Miss Wilmington wasn’t going to control the group. Tara would see to that if it was the last thing she did.

  Chapter Six

  “I don’t know why you’re letting Miss Wilmington bother you so much,” Basil said that evening. “Who cares what she thinks? She can’t even figure out how to dress so that she doesn’t make people want to vomit.”

  Tara found it hard to argue with him. Miss Wilmington never did have good fashion sense. She often thought Lady Eloise allowed Miss Wilmington to dress the way she did because it made her look more fashionable. Lady Eloise had allowed Miss Celia Barlow, who was now Lady Erandon, into the group because of Celia’s shrewish behavior. Lady Eloise thought Celia made her look sweet tempered in comparison. But that was neither here nor there. She had more pressing things to think about.