Tempting The Ruined Duke (Steamy Historical Regency Romance)

by Olivia Bennet

  “Enter,” he said as he looked up.

  The door opened slowly and without even seeing who was turning the knob, he knew that it was his son. Wright would have opened it much more quickly.

  Oliver saw the familiar curly blond hair of his son before he saw Jamie’s face, and then he was met with eyes the same color as his own. His son had gotten that curly blond hair from his mother, which was always one of Oliver’s favorite features of his late wife, Leah, who had passed away during childbirth. It always saddened him that Jamie had never met his mother.

  “James,” Oliver said with authority. He wanted Jamie to know that he meant business, and using his given name was always a good way to establish that.

  Oliver watched as Jamie opened the door all of the way and stepped into the office. “Your Grace?” he said with a crooked smile. “You asked to see me?”

  Oliver remained stern, even as Jamie smiled. His son’s smile was the other thing he had gotten from his mother, and it still startled Oliver to see it.

  “Please sit at the table,” Oliver said, motioning for his son to sit. “We have to discuss what happened with Miss Collins today.”

  Jamie nodded and took a seat at the large mahogany table which matched the desk. Oliver walked around the table and sat down across from his son, making sure that he kept the stern expression that was needed during this situation.

  “Tell me what happened, James. Why did Miss Collins resign from her position today?”

  Jamie paused for a moment, and kept his eyes pointed towards the tabletop. “I don’t know, Father,” he said quietly.

  “You don’t know? Are you telling me that your governess simply quit for no reason?”

  “I don’t know. She didn’t tell me her reason for quitting.”

  Oliver felt himself getting angry. His son was smart and had a quick wit. Oliver always thought that it would serve him well one day, but today, when Oliver was on the receiving end of it, he wasn’t impressed.

  “James,” Oliver said a bit louder. “Please do not lie to me. I want to know what you did, or what prank you set up, to make poor Miss Collins leave.”

  Jamie was quiet now, and Oliver could almost see him trying to come up with an excuse. “Well? Do you have an answer? I want the truth from you.”

  “Fine.” Oliver could tell that his son looked defeated. “I locked her out of the school room, and then when she finally got in, I had covered her chair with orange marmalade, so that when she sat down, it would be sticky.”

  Oliver shook his head as he listened. “Where did you get the marmalade?”

  “From the breakfast table, of course,” Jamie said, seemingly proud of himself.

  “I am very disappointed in you,” Oliver said with a frown. “Why would you do something like this?” He was interested to hear his son’s motive.

  Jamie shrugged. “I suppose I did it because I thought it would be funny.”

  Again, Oliver shook his head. “Well, it’s not funny, Jamie. Not only did you damage someone else’s property, but you once again caused a governess to leave.”

  “She wasn’t very fun, anyway.”

  “Fun? A governess isn’t supposed to be fun, Jamie. She is supposed to teach you.”

  “I don’t know why she can’t be fun and teach me at the same time,” Jamie replied, now sulking.

  Oliver couldn’t help but think that his son had a point, but that was neither here nor there. “Jamie. What am I supposed to do? Keep hiring one governess after another? I went through my whole childhood and I had only one governess the entire time. You are only ten years of age, and you have now had five. To be frank, that is totally unacceptable.”

  Jamie shrugged again, but Oliver could tell that he was now ashamed of his actions, as his pale cheeks began to redden.

  Oliver continued. “So, until I find a new governess, you are to report to this office every morning following breakfast. You won’t be having fun. Instead of your lessons, you will learn about the family business.”

  * * *

  The following morning, Oliver spent a bit of time explaining to his son how whisky was made, and how the distillery worked.

  “How do you know how to make it?” Jamie asked. Oliver could see that there was a bit of interest in his son’s eyes, which he took as a very good sign.

  “You make it just like you would make a cake or some soup. There is a recipe.”

  “May I see the recipe?” Jamie asked with an impish smile.

  Oliver couldn’t help but give a slight smile back to him. “No. Though you may see it someday.”

  “But why not now?”

  “Because it is a secret recipe, and it’s not here.”

  “Where is it?”

  “It’s in the house, and that’s all you need to know for now,” Oliver said. “Now, as I was saying, some of these barrels must sit for many years. Come with me, and I’ll show you something special.”

  Oliver saw Jamie’s face brighten up, and he motioned for his son to follow him. Oliver walked through the shelves of barrels, nodding and greeting the staff as they moved further into the distillery. At the end of the main walkway, Oliver turned to the left, and saw a smaller shelf holding barrels. He led Jamie right up to the shelf, and then stopped and turned to his son.

  “Do you know what these are?” Oliver asked.

  “Whisky,” Jamie replied.

  Oliver laughed. “Yes. It’s whisky. But, it’s a special whisky. This whisky was placed in these barrels by your grandfather, my father, whom you never met. They have been sitting here in the distillery for more than twenty years.”

  Oliver could see that Jamie was trying to process that. “Before I took over the distillery, your grandfather and his brother were running it. Before them, your great-grandfather. As you know, Son, this distillery has been in the family for many years, and someday, you will run it, of course.”

  Jamie nodded. Perhaps this was a lot for him to process.

  “These are the oldest barrels we have, and soon, we will place the whisky in bottles, and sell it. Though these barrels are all different ages, so we will do one at a time.”

  “How do you know how old they are?”

  “Do you see these marks on the barrel?” Oliver pointed at the top of one of the barrels where there was a series of scorch marks. “Those markings are a type of code that only we know. That tells us how old the whisky is.”

  “How old is that barrel?” Jamie asked.

  “This particular barrel is two-and-twenty years old. I think we will let it age for about three more years, until it is five-and-twenty years old.”

  “Does that make it taste better?” Oliver was pleased that his son was taking such an interest in whisky making.

  “It does. Someday I will let you taste the difference between these older barrels and the newer ones. But, for now, these barrels have to sit a bit longer.”

  * * *

  Oliver sat in the sitting room, sipping on a glass of sherry. He was pleased with how the day had gone with Jamie, and he hoped that his son had a better understanding of the family legacy. He had to admit to himself that he had enjoyed the day with Jamie, and perhaps he should attempt to spend more time with him.

  Jamie continued to ask questions about the distillery at dinner, and Oliver was more than happy to answer him. Tomorrow, he would talk to Wright about finding a new governess. His time had gotten away from him today, but he knew that he would have to start the process, as it could take several days or even longer.

  “Your Grace?”

  Oliver turned towards the voice. It was a footman with a letter on a tray.

  “This arrived for you while you were dining,” the footman said. He walked towards Oliver and presented the silver tray to him.

  Oliver took the letter and said, “Thank you.”

  He turned the letter over, and Oliver noticed a seal that looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite place it. He slid his finger under the flap and opened it. He quickly gla
nced at the bottom of the letter, and he saw that it was from the Baron of Kenley. Ah, that’s why the seal looked familiar.

  He and Lord Kenley had done business in the past, and Oliver knew that he was a shrewd businessman. But Oliver also knew that Lord Kenley sometimes had great inventory at wonderful prices, and he had a good business sense. Of course, on the other side of that, Lord Kenley was also known for slippery business tactics where he came out on top, and if you were not careful, you could lose a lot of money.

  Oliver began to read the letter, and it was asking for an appointment. Obviously, Lord Kenley had some type of business venture for him. He folded up the paper and turned to face the footman.

  “Please ask Wright to inform Lord Kenley that I am available tomorrow or the day after,” Oliver instructed. “I know it’s late, so this can wait until the morning.”

  “Of course, Your Grace,” the footman turned and left the room.

  Oliver settled back into his chair, and once again took a sip of his sherry. He started thinking, but he couldn’t quite guess what Lord Kenley might want with him. He supposed he would find out soon.

  He took one final sip, drained his glass, and placed it on the marble-topped table next to him. Oliver knew tomorrow would be another long day, so he stood up and began to make his way to his quarters.

  * * *

  The next day, Oliver was once again in his office. He was finishing up reviewing some orders, which he wanted to complete before his meeting. Oliver wasn’t quite sure what the Baron’s true intentions were, but he was still very curious.

  He only had a few more orders, and then he could focus on the meeting. Though he didn’t know Lord Kenley extremely well, they had mutual friends and had attended the same events, such as balls and dinner parties. He knew that Lord Kenley had a wife, and a daughter around the same age as Jamie.

  Oliver was rushing to get through these orders because he also had another task to take care of: to find a new governess for Jamie. The father and son had spent a couple of hours together earlier in the day, again, and though Oliver had enjoyed the first day with Jamie, today he found his son to be distracting to his work. So, he dismissed Jamie for the rest of the day so he could catch up. Jamie seemed a bit disappointed, but Oliver had to put his business first, especially when there was a potential deal in the works.

  “Your Grace?”

  Oliver turned towards the sound of the voice.

  Wright walked in and said, “The Baron of Kenley has arrived. Shall I show him into your office?”

  Chapter 2

  Oliver knew that it would be a moment before Wright could get back to Lord Kenley, and then guide him to the office. It would give him plenty of time to clean up the table for the meeting.

  Wright left the room, and Oliver began gathering his orders. Most of the work was done and he could finish the rest when Lord Kenley left.

  He placed the orders in a pile and walked over to his desk. He pulled open one of the drawers and slid the papers in. He pushed the drawer closed and walked back over to the table. The door opened again, and Wright entered.

  “Your Grace, the Baron of Kenley to see you.”

  “Lovely,” Oliver said with a smile. “Please show him in.”

  Oliver stood at the table and waited for Lord Kenley to enter. Lord Kenley walked through the doorway and Oliver extended his hand. “Welcome, Lord Kenley,” he said. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

  LordKenley took his hand and shook it. “It is great to see you, too, Your Grace.”

  “Please, have a seat. Would you care for some wine or ale?”

  “Yes, wine please,” Lord Kenley said, as he sat at the round table. Oliver turned towards the waiting footman, who was already filling two glasses. Oliver sat in the chair opposite Lord Kenley, and the footman served the wine.

  “How is business, Lord Kenley?” Oliver asked in an attempt to get the conversation moving. He took a sip of wine and looked at his guest.

  He thought that Lord Kenley was about a decade older than himself. Oliver could see wrinkles forming around his ice blue eyes, which were a sharp contrast to his dark hair.

  “Very well, Your Grace. I hope the same for you, too.”

  “Oh yes. Orders are coming in faster than we can fill them.”

  “I’m happy to hear that. And your son?”

  Oliver took another sip of wine. “He’s growing older, quickly. He will be working beside me before I know it. Assuming, of course, I can find a good governess for him. Unfortunately, our previous governess resigned yesterday. It will be a chore trying to find another.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Your Grace. My daughter, Lydia, has a wonderful governess, but she wasn’t easy to find. My wife met with several candidates before we found Miss Kranby.”

  Oliver nodded. “I’m sure we will find someone quickly.” He took another sip of wine and Lord Kenley did the same. “Now, you have a business proposal for me?”

  LordKenley nodded. “Yes, Your Grace. My business ventures are going very well, and I have come today to propose a deal.”

  “Oh? I’m intrigued. Please continue.”

  “I know that you have been running your distillery for many years, but I am prepared to offer a sum to purchase it…over the value of it.”

  Oliver was shocked. “What? Buy the distillery? It’s not for sale. I’m sorry.”

  “I know it’s not for sale, but I am still going to make an offer for it. I’ll be honest with you, Your Grace. I want to expand into distilling, and your distillery is the closest in the area. Not only will I purchase the distillery from you, but I will pay to have the facilities moved from your property to another location. I assure you that you will never get an offer like this elsewhere.”

  Oliver couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The distillery was not for sale, nor would he sell it for any amount of money.

  “I’m sorry. I am not selling the distillery.”

  “Would you at least hear my offer?”

  Oliver shook his head. “You could offer a million pounds, and I would still not sell it. This distillery has been in my family for years, and we have used the same recipe for decades, which is kept locked away. Jamie will take over the distillery after me, and it is my intention for it to remain in the family.”

  Lord Kenley was silent for a moment, and then said, “I understand, Your Grace. I didn’t mean any disrespect by making this offer. I am simply interested in expanding my business dealings.”

  “I wasn’t offended by your offer, but I am steadfast in my decision. The distillery is not for sale.”

  “Of course.” Lord Kenley nodded and took the final sip of his wine from the glass. “I won’t waste any more of your valuable time, then.” Lord Kenley stood and Oliver followed suit.

  He extended his hand and Lord Kenley took it. Oliver shook his guest’s hand, smiled, and then said, “I appreciate your determination. It’s an important trait to have in business.”

  Lord Kenley smiled back, his ice blue eyes meeting Oliver’s own. “That is a great complement coming from a gentleman such as yourself. Thank you.”

  “Of course. I’m sure I will see you soon, and I bid you a good afternoon.”

  Now that Lord Kenley was gone, Oliver had another task: finding a new governess for Jamie. He turned to the footman who was standing in the corner of the office and said, “Please send Wright to me.”

  “Yes, Your Grace,” the footman replied. Oliver turned back to the table and wondered if he had time to continue going through his orders before Wright came back. If he knew Wright, however, he wouldn’t have gone too far knowing that there was a guest in the house and that Oliver might need his assistance.

  Oliver stood and started to walk over to his desk, and before he took more than two steps, there was a brief knock on the door and Wright walked in followed by the footman.

  “You asked for me, Your Grace?” Wright asked.

  “Yes. Please join me at the table.”

 
Oliver gestured to the table and once again, sat down. Wright did the same.

  “That was a waste of my time,” Oliver said with a chuckle. “Lord Kenley asked if he could buy the distillery.”

  Oliver could see the shock and surprise on Wright’s face.

  “Really, Your Grace?” Wright exclaimed. “But the distillery is not for sale, is it?”

  Oliver began shaking his head. “No, no. It is certainly not for sale.”

  Wright immediately looked more relaxed. Oliver could only imagine what went through his mind in that brief moment.

  “Good, Your Grace. You had me worried there for a moment.” Wright gave a nervous laugh.

  “Nothing to worry about, Wright. Now, I have a task for you. As soon as we are done here, and assuming you have nothing else pressing to do today, I want you to go to the local registry office and find a governess.”

  Wright nodded in response.

  “Make sure that you keep the advert simple, yet direct, and hopefully we can find someone in the next day or two,” Oliver continued.

  “Very well, Your Grace.”

  “Also,” Oliver added. “It might be good to spread the word around town that we are looking. That way, even if an available governess hasn’t registered with the office, we can still reach more people.”

  “What about a listing in the newspaper?”

  Oliver nodded. “If we don’t get a response in a couple of days, I think that is an excellent idea.”

  “Splendid!”

  “Let me know when you return. I will probably still be here processing these orders.”

  “I will,” Wright responded, standing up. “The day is still young enough that I should be back here before darkness comes. Before I go, I will make sure that everything is ready and prepared for dinner, just in case.”

  “Thank you, Wright,” Oliver replied with a smile. “I know that I can always count on you.”

  “Always, Your Grace,” Wright replied with a smile, and then turned and walked out of the office.