The Smithfield Market Romances: A Sweet Regency Romance Boxset

by Rose Pearson

  A slight flush caught Laura’s cheeks. “I do not think that –”

  “Did you know,” Lady Alice interrupted, halting Laura’s excuses. “That he has never once come out riding with either me or a friend ever since his wife died? In fact, the staff told me that he barely rode at all and, if he did, it was only out of necessity.” She tilted her head just a little, regarding Laura carefully. “And now I hear that he has gone out with Elouise, but also with you.”

  Her flush deepened. “We have ridden out together on occasion,” she admitted, carefully. “But I did not realize it was significant.”

  Lady Alice’s smile was gentle. “My dear Miss Smith, I do not want you to mistake the fact that my brother’s consideration of you is due to his growing affection. I am quite sure of it, my dear, so you need not look as shocked as all that.”

  Laura’s breath had been taken from her lungs in astonishment, one hand pressed to her heart and the other to her mouth as she looked back steadily at Lady Alice, who was doing nothing more than sitting there quietly, a smile lingering around her mouth.

  “No,” she whispered, unable to put any strength into her voice. “No, Lady Alice, you are quite mistaken.”

  Lady Alice laughed softly and shook her head. “No, my dear. I know my brother all too well to think that such consideration of you comes from a place of friendship only. Have you not noticed the way he looks at you? I certainly have. There is a warmth there that is only there for you. The smile on his lips is a tender one. My dear Miss Smith, you must believe me when I tell you that there is a good depth of feeling in my brother’s heart for you.”

  Laura wanted to shake her head, wanted to say that Lady Alice was quite wrong and that nothing of the sort could be the case, but instead she just stared at her blankly.

  “Do you think you would consider staying on for a longer time when I return to London?” Lady Alice asked, gently. “It may take my brother a little longer to work out what exactly it is that he thinks and feels and, therefore, what he wishes to occur when it comes to both yourself and Elouise, but I am sure that your future will be here, Miss Smith.”

  She could not take it in, her breathing coming quick and fast as she looked back at Lady Alice.

  “I cannot,” she said hoarsely, thinking of the other girls back at the orphanage. “I am nothing more than a poor orphaned lady and he is –”

  “You will find that my brother is not typical of the aristocracy, Miss Smith,” Lady Alice said, with another smile. “He is fond of children, for one, which is quite the opposite of most gentlemen in the nobility, I’m afraid! He does what he pleases and will not allow the difference in your status to be any kind of burden. You see, Miss Smith, in being a Duke, one is able to care very little for the opinions of others. One does not care what they say or think or do, or even if scandal becomes attached to oneself, simply because of the high title one carries. I am a Duke’s sister and therefore must be a trifle more careful than my brother, but he does not need to have any considerations of the sort. Mark my words, Miss Smith, you need not fear that he will turn away from you simply because of the distance between you both in terms of status. Can you not see that in how he treats you?”

  Laura made to answer, only for there to come a knock at the door and the maid to enter with a tea tray, swiftly followed by a spotless Elouise, who had been washed, dried and dressed and had now come to join them for tea. She was forced to keep her questions to herself, to let her mind spin with all that she had heard from Lady Alice. She could not remain here, could she? Not when the girls at the orphanage needed her. She could not simply abandon them to Mary Sanders, who would not care about anything other than the smooth running of the orphanage whilst neglecting the girls entirely.

  Despite that, however, Laura felt her heart burn with a deep, unsettling fire. The truth was that she did care for the Duke and had done so for some weeks now. The affection that she felt for him, whilst she had strongly tried to deny it, had been growing steadily and now to hear that he might consider her in the same way she considered him was almost too wonderful to accept. Her heart was torn, knowing that she wanted to stay here with the Duke and Elouise, whilst also longing to return to the orphanage and care for the girls there. They needed her. But did the Duke not need her as well?

  Her head began to ache and, quietly, Laura excused herself, saying that she needed to change for dinner. Lady Alice gave her a small, understanding smile whilst Elouise bounded to her feet to go in search of the book Lady Alice had been reading to her. Quickly, Laura made her way back to her room, suddenly longing to lie down on her bed and rest her head, heavy with thoughts and filled with confusion. What was her future to be? And could she really bring herself to refuse should the Duke ask her to stay on?

  Closing her eyes, Laura tried to calm her fractious thoughts, aware that her heart, despite her confusion, was filling with a deep, unrelenting joy at the thought of being in the Duke’s arms. Was there even the smallest chance that he might love her? And was that what she felt for him? Having never experienced such an emotion, Laura could not tell what love was supposed to feel like – but if it was to be a deep affection, a genuine respect and an urge to always be in his company, then she could not deny that she felt each of those things with an ever-increasing intensity.

  “Good gracious,” she murmured aloud, wandering to the window of her bedchamber and looking out at the beautiful grounds beneath. “I think I must love him after all.”

  10

  “John?”

  Looking up, John saw Alice standing framed in the doorway, her expression a little wary.

  “Yes?”

  She hesitated. “Might I come in for a moment?”

  Nodding, John got to his feet, a little confused as to why his sister appeared so reluctant. “Of course, Alice. You know you are always welcome in here.”

  She smiled at him, although it did not quite reach her eyes. “Yes. Thank you, John.”

  “Please.” He gestured to the chair by the fire and, after ringing the bell for tea, poured himself a brandy and came to sit down opposite her. Alice still looked rather anxious, the lines on her face a little more pronounced in the firelight. He wanted to rub them away, to relieve her of whatever was upsetting her.

  “Did you have an enjoyable day?” she asked, surprising him. “I know you took Elouise to the ruin, for she told me all about it – including the enchantments that were all about!”

  He chuckled, the tension broken in a moment. “Yes, indeed. She had a marvelous time – as did I. We are planning to take Miss Smith there tomorrow.”

  Alice nodded slowly, a look of understanding in her eyes. “John,” she began, carefully. “I do not want you to think that I am prying or that I am, in any way, trying to push you in one direction or another, but I must ask –”

  She was interrupted by the arrival of the tea tray, which frustrated John a little, given that she had been about to speak to him about whatever was on her mind. It was a good few minutes before she was ready again, her cup of tea gently steaming as she placed it delicately back in the saucer.

  “What I wish to ask you, John, is what your intentions are for the girl,” Alice said, a little more firmly. “You care for her, that much is obvious, but she will return to the orphanage unless something changes.”

  His gut twisted, recalling how Miss Smith had said almost the same thing to him. “Have you been talking to Miss Smith about this?”

  Alice looked startled. “No,” she said, firmly. “I have not asked her opinion on the matter, although I have merely stated that you will have to consider Elouise’s future with a good deal of care. I want to ensure that you are doing that, John.”

  He swallowed hard but shook his head. “The truth is, Alice, I have not been considering it at all.” It was as if, with those words, a heavy burden settled itself on his shoulders. “I have not thought of it at all, for I had not realized that their time here with us was coming to an end so soon.”

 
; Alice’s expression was sympathetic. “She has been a wonderful young lady to have here, John. I know that she has helped bring you out of your misery.”

  Another sigh escaped him. “Yes, she has,” he admitted, pushing his fingers through his hair. “As has Miss Smith.”

  There came a short silence as Alice looked at him steadily, allowing him some time with his thoughts. He knew what she was suggesting, knew what she was trying to get him to realize and yet still he could not bring himself to say those words aloud.

  “Goodness, Alice,” he muttered, leaning forward so that his elbows were on his knees, burying his face in his hands. “Why has this only come upon me today?”

  A quiet laugh came from her. “Because, my dear brother, you have been caught up in all the happiness that has come with spending time with both Elouise and Miss Smith. You will now have to consider your future with both of them.”

  His head shot up, his breath hitching.

  “Yes, John,” Alice said, fondly, as though gently rebuking him. “Of course, I know how you feel about Miss Smith, even if you will not say so to me. It is quite obvious that you care for her very dearly, even if you think that you have kept such feelings very well hidden.” She chuckled as he stared at her, sitting back in her chair and sipping her tea. “So, tell me, John,” she finished, her tension and anxiety now gone completely. “What is it that you are considering? Will you have Elouise with you here for good?”

  John let out a long, careful breath. “The truth is, Alice, I am not certain what I ought to do. I do not want Elouise to go, for she is truly a wonderful child, but I cannot abide the thought of Miss Smith returning to London either. But I must question my feelings. Are they strong enough to consider a future with her?”

  Alice tipped her head. “Have you felt anything like this before, John? For any of the young ladies you met?”

  “No,” he said slowly. “But I have not allowed myself to ever become caught up with another, since I always knew I was to marry father’s chosen bride for me.” Hesitating, he knew he had to admit this out loud. “I will not pretend that I find any of the ladies of my acquaintance to be anything like Miss Smith. She stands entirely on her own two feet, outshining the rest. She may not have all the airs and graces that a genteel young lady is expected to have, but she does not need them for her generous spirit and kind heart means more than any of those supposed qualities.”

  “It sounds as though you admire her, John.”

  “I do,” he admitted, quietly. “I have a good deal of respect for her. She has not shied away from speaking to me in ways that I needed to hear, even though I did not appreciate that at the time. She has shown me kindness, has shown me more forgiveness than I ever deserved. In short, Alice, she is unlike anyone I have ever known before.”

  Alice smiled gently. “And she is good for you, John. It is not only Elouise’s presence that has brought you back to the man you once were, it is Miss Smith’s presence also. I have seen how you have sought her out and I have seen how she looks for you. Trust me when I say there is something in her own heart for you also.”

  There came a sudden ache in his throat, as though this meant that everything he hoped for, everything he had wanted, was being handed to him. He did not know what to say, breathing hard as he let his gaze fix to the floor, overwhelmed by it all. Until this very moment, he had not realized that he cared so deeply for Miss Smith and yet, here he was, realizing that to have her in his home, to have her by his side, was all he wanted. To have Miss Smith and Elouise would bring his life more happiness than he had ever thought possible.

  “I suppose I shall have to consider things long and hard,” he muttered quietly, as Alice let out a murmur of agreement. “Thank you for coming to talk to me about this, Alice. I hope you were not concerned that I would refuse to speak to you about these matters!”

  His eyes lifted to hers and again he saw the deep concern written in her expression.

  “I was concerned,” Alice admitted. “I have been prodding you and questioning you for so long, all in the hope of aiding you somehow and, thus far, I have failed. I was unsure as to whether or not you would welcome my intrusion.”

  Reaching forward, he placed his hand on hers, feeling more appreciation than he could express. “You can never know just how much good you have done me, my dear sister,” he said, gently. “You brought Elouise and Miss Smith into my home and look just how much my world has changed. That is all because of you, Alice. I can never thank you enough.”

  Alice’s words continued to linger in John’s mind even the next day, when Elouise and Miss Smith rode with him to the ruin in the center of the woods that were a part of his estate. He could not help but feel a sense of contentment as he let Elouise lead the way, with Miss Smith staying close beside her. This was truly what happiness was like, he told himself, realizing that he had not been in danger of slipping back into the darkness for a good few days now. In fact, he had not felt the grief he had been so used to feeling pierce his heart for a long time. The pain and suffering he had been so used to was no longer a part of his daily life and, with that realization came a huge swell of relief.

  “And I have you to thank, my dear ladies,” he muttered to himself, his eyes lingering on Miss Smith.

  “Here we are!” Elouise exclaimed, as the path rounded to the left to reveal what must once have been a fairly large structure of sorts. It had been here ever since John could remember, although no-one really knew what it was. His father had joked once that it had been a place for smugglers and thieves, which had made for many entertaining stories. His mother, of course, had believed that it was an old chapel, where priests had spent time with God so as not to be disturbed by any other living soul and surrounded only by nature. John did not know for certain what it could have been but was glad that Elouise found it as delightful as he had once done.

  “Careful now,” he chuckled, bringing his stallion to a stop and jumping down before looping the reins loosely over a branch. “Remember, Elouise, a lady always waits for assistance before she attempts to dismount.”

  Elouise, who had been on the verge of jumping down herself, looked suitably chagrined, even though a mischievous smile escaped her as he took her in his arms to lift her down. Her brown eyes, so like his own, were filled with delight and John could not help but laugh as he put her down, seeing her scurry away into the ruin.

  “Do be careful, Elouise!” Miss Smith called, sounding a little anxious. “Royston, there is not anything that could fall on her or the like, is there?”

  Smiling at her concern, he shook his head and walked over to her. “No, she is a fairly careful child and I myself spent a good many years climbing all over this when I was but a child myself. You need not worry, Miss Smith.”

  He held his arms out to her, feeling his heart quickening in his chest as he did so. The thought of having her in his arms sent a fiery warmth all through him, making his breathing catch.

  Carefully, she moved forward from her seat and leaned out, her hands on his shoulders. He placed his hands around her waist carefully, helping her to the ground.

  Then, time seemed to come to a standstill.

  She was still in his arms. He ought to have moved back by now, ought to have let her go but found that he could not. She was so close to him, her hands still resting gently on his shoulders and her mouth a little open as she looked up at him questioningly. All other coherent thought left his mind as he looked into her eyes, seeing the flecks of green spiraling through the blue. Her long dark lashes and dusky pink cheeks only added to her beauty, making him more inclined than ever to keep a hold of her.

  “Royston,” she breathed, her voice low and husky. “I –”

  The urge to kiss her came to him strong and fierce and, before he knew what he was doing, he had lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers.

  Miss Smith responded to him immediately, her hands tightening on his shoulders before moving to wrap around his neck. Angling his head just a litt
le, he pulled her tighter against him, almost entirely overcome with passion. She was warm and sweet, her lips were gentle and soft, making his heart burst with love.

  “Miss Smith? You must come and see!”

  The sound of Elouise’s voice broke them apart. John looked down at Miss Smith with gentle eyes, resting his forehead against hers for just a moment before stepping back. He reluctantly let her go, wishing that they had not been interrupted. There was more that he had wanted to say to her, wanted to explain that this kiss, whilst unexpected, was not something he did without thought.

  But it appeared that Miss Smith did not have any kind of anger or frustration at him doing such a thing. Instead, she had a shy smile on her face, her eyes darting up to his face and then back to the ground again. Her cheeks were a rosy red but there was a happiness in her expression that told him his advances were welcomed. His sister had been right. Miss Smith did have a dear affection for him also.

  “We will need to talk later, Miss Smith,” he murmured, catching her hand for a moment and pressing it lightly. “Perhaps this evening, when we cannot be interrupted?”

  She ducked her head for a moment, although he could still see her smile lingering. “Thank you, Royston,” she replied, quietly. “I would like that very much.”

  11

  Their kiss had been surprising, but Laura did not, for one moment, regret it. The tenderness, the affection that had been shown to her in that one heady moment had spoken to her heart and made it all the more difficult for her to deny that what she felt for the Duke was, in fact, love.

  Lady Alice, she was sure, must have known that something had occurred, given the knowing smiles that were sent in both her and the Duke’s direction over dinner. It was now late evening and, with Elouise safely off to bed, Laura was walking up and down the library, knowing that she had not yet managed to speak to the Duke in private, as they had hoped. He had been called to his study on some urgent business by his steward and had shot her an apologetic look, which she had accepted graciously.