The Duke's Ward (The Reluctant Duke Book 1)

by Fenella J Miller

  From what she had read in The Times, the retreat from Napoleon's army in the most appalling weather conditions had proved disastrous for the English troops. Hundreds had succumbed to the cold and the French were still harrying the soldiers. She prayed fervently that her very distant cousin, Richard, would make it safely to the port.

  *

  December, Corunna, Spain.

  Richard had a wasted journey to the port and got wet and frozen which did nothing for his temper. He was striding back to his billet when he heard someone hurrying along behind him. Instinctively he drew his sword and held it by his side, concealed under his coat.

  'Major Sinclair, I beg you, slow your pace for I cannot walk as fast as you.'

  He rammed his sword back into the scabbard and turned to meet the clerical gentleman who had been searching for him these past few days.

  'I am Sinclair. To whom am I speaking?'

  A sudden gust of wind blew the man's hat from his head. Richard caught it as it flew past and handed it back with a smile.

  'Thank you, is there somewhere more convivial we can retire to? I have the most urgent business with you.'

  'The house that we've requisitioned for the week is just ahead. Accompany me there, I have a chamber to myself where we can converse without interruption.'

  He didn't bother to remove his outer garments but escorted his companion up the stairs to his room before they could be waylaid by the drunken rabble in the drawing room.

  'Here, sir, allow me to take your cloak. If I hang it by the fire it will dry before you leave.' The gentleman, about his own age but a head shorter and half his weight, handed him the sodden garment with relief.

  'I am chilled to the marrow, major, and was beginning to despair of ever finding you.'

  'Take that chair, I'll sit on this stool…'

  'No, that will not do.'

  Before he could argue the point the man took the stool leaving him to take the only chair. 'I am agog with curiosity, sir, to know why you wish to speak to me. However, before you reveal your purpose you have yet to tell me your name.'

  'I am Caleb Adkin…' The man hesitated and then blurted out the most extraordinary thing. 'You have inherited the dukedom of Denchester, in Suffolk. You are in direct line of descent from your great-grandfather, Lord Richard Sinclair, who was the youngest son.'

  'God's teeth! What do I want with such nonsense? I'm a soldier, I have no wish to become an aristocrat and certainly not a duke. You must find someone else – I'm sure there are others with a better claim.'

  'Indeed, there are not, your grace. The previous Duke of Denchester died two years ago and the Dowager Duchess and her daughters have been obliged to move into the Dower House as they do not have access to more than the quarterly rents. They have suffered grievously with the deprivation of their usual standard of living.'

  'Good God, man, that's hardly a deprivation. They should try living as my soldiers do to understand the meaning of the word. I have no time for aristocrats. Find someone else – I shall speak to the lawyers on my return and renounce the title.'

  'That is your prerogative, your grace, but could I prevail upon you to act as head of the family at least until this can be arranged? The Dowager Duchess of Denchester and her three daughters have been rudderless for two years. At least if you visited you could make the arrangements for them to have access to the vast fortune that has been held back.'

  'I might not be in England for weeks – but then, neither will you. Very well, if I can get leave to do so from Horse Guards I will make a short stay at this place and ensure the ladies are taken care of.'

  'Thank you, your grace. I shall send a letter to that effect immediately.' The man scrambled to his feet and bowed almost in half. 'Excuse me, I must set things in motion immediately. The storm could abate at any moment and I wish to get this missive taken on the next ship that leaves port.'

  'Before you go, tell me what age are these daughters?'

  'None have reached their majority, your grace, and all need to be presented at court in order to find a suitable husband.'

  'I'm sure they can organise that for themselves. I've no experience of the ton and would rather have my teeth pulled than prance about in a hot, malodorous ballroom doing the pretty to aristos and simpering debutantes.'

  'I shall bid you good night, your grace. I thank you for your courtesy by speaking to me.'

  Richard nodded and the man scuttled off. Half an hour ago he had no living relatives and now it appeared he had four. He settled into the chair and put his boots on the stool. The connection between himself and this parcel of ladies was so remote as to be almost non-existent.

  They shared the same name and the same great-grandfather but as far as he was concerned they were nothing to do with him. He would do what was necessary and continue with his life as before. He wasn't sure if he could actually refuse to take the title but he certainly had no intention of being referred to as "your grace". He was a plain-speaking soldier and, although not a revolutionary, he had nothing but contempt for the officers from this background. The vast majority of which knew bugger all about soldiering and had purchased their colours.

  His lips twitched. He had purchased his, there was no other way to become an officer unless raised from the ranks and that rarely happened. However, he had spent all his adult life in the military and it suited him. He had no intention whatsoever of giving up his career in order to be the Duke of Denchester.

  *

  Amanda believed that her mama had settled comfortably into their new abode and even began to approve of the move. There had been no further word from the lawyers about the arrival of the new duke but at least they had been given further funds which meant they could celebrate Christmastide in the old-fashioned way this year.

  'Mama, my sisters and I are about to start making items to decorate the house for the festive period. Do you wish to participate?'

  'My role is to approve not to construct. I hate to admit it, my love, but I wish we had moved here earlier as it is so much more comfortable. Would it be possible to invite a few friends for an informal supper party once the house is done?'

  Beth clapped her hands. 'Shall we have a party? Will there be dancing? Can I attend?'

  'Yes, sweetheart, we are to have a small gathering. If you can be prevailed upon to play the piano, dearest Amanda, then I do not see why the carpet could not be rolled back after supper.'

  Beth ran across and flung her arms around their mother. 'I'm so happy we came here. Can I have a new gown? When will the party be?'

  'You must ask your big sister, Beth, as I will leave all the details in her capable hands. Amanda, how many do you think we can accommodate in our new home?'

  Sarah paced the length of the drawing room in order to settle this question. 'This is a generous sized chamber. If we move all the furniture to this end, I believe there would be room for a set to be formed. Perhaps as many as eight couples.'

  'Then I shall begin to write a list. The weather is most unpleasant at present, but as soon as the rain stops you can send a footman to deliver the invitations.'

  Amanda laughed – not something she had done much of recently. 'I think we had better establish a date for this event first, Mama. It's quite possible our neighbours are already committed as it's already so close to the Lord's name day. I suggest the day before Christmas Eve would be perfect. Does everyone agree?'

  There was a chorus of acceptance and Beth skipped around the room. This gave them a little over two weeks to prepare. An informal supper party required as much planning as any other social event. She had managed to avoid the torture of the obligatory London Season as she had taken a nasty tumble from her stallion and broken her leg. Although the injury had healed, she had been left with a slight limp and dancing, she believed, was now out of the question.

  'Do I get a new gown, Amanda?' Beth asked plaintively.

  'There's no time for any of us to have new gowns made, but between us I'm sure we can refurbis
h something we already have with fresh ribbons and lace.'

  Her youngest sister pouted and stamped her foot. If something was not done to distract her they would get a screaming tantrum. Darling Beth looked like a beautiful young lady on the outside but was no more than six in her mind. She had been a perfectly normal little girl until she'd suffered from a near fatal illness at that age and had remained forever a small child.

  'Come with me, Beth, and we'll examine the contents of all our wardrobes and see which gown will suit you best. I believe that Sarah has a delightful pink silk evening gown that would be absolutely perfect for you.'

  This was enough incentive for her sibling to clap her hands again. 'I'm coming, I'm coming. Sarah, you must come too.'

  Chapter Three

  December, Corunna, Spain

  Richard didn't intend to inform his fellow officers that he had been quite unexpectedly elevated to the pinnacle of the aristocracy. The thought of being referred to as "your grace" filled him with horror. He was plain Major Sinclair and had no wish to be called anything else. There were several Lord this or Lord that in the army but he knew few of them – they moved in a different circle to him.

  He stared morosely into the fire. He had been a trifle curmudgeonly about helping the three young ladies and their mother and regretted it now. He sincerely hoped the clerk wouldn't convey his exact words in the letter he was sending to them.

  The principal estate was in Suffolk – not a county he'd ever visited – but he thought it was the other side of Colchester. This was a town with a large barracks and he'd had occasion to go there once or twice. He frowned. He'd need at least a sennight of leave in order to get there, do what was necessary, and return to London.

  Most gentlemen would be wary of travelling country roads in winter but after the horrendous march through Spain he'd just accomplished, to him it would be a mere bagatelle. He preferred to ride but supposed he must arrive in style. No – he was damned if he would spend his blunt on a post-chaise or on buying a carriage and team.

  The common stage would be good enough for him. He had no manservant, travelled light, and would do perfectly well if he got a seat inside. It would necessitate at least one overnight stop, if not two, depending on the weather.

  There was nothing further he could do until he reached England and that was unlikely to be for another few weeks. The family had waited more than two years so a couple more months would do them no harm.

  Eventually he arrived in London in the middle of February. He was immediately given six weeks leave of absence in order to put his affairs in order. The army wouldn't be returning to Spain until late spring so, as long as he reported for duty then, they were happy to let him go. After visiting the lawyers and confirming his identity he was ready to depart. If they were dismayed by his dishevelled appearance, they hid it well. He was assured that there would be no delay in transferring everything to him.

  'Riley, are you quite certain you wish to accompany me to the depths of Suffolk?'

  'I am, sir, I got nothing better to do. I've been looking after you well enough these past few years and I ain't bothered if I'm called a servant and expected to behave subservient like.'

  Richard had been obliged to take Riley into his confidence but knew he could trust him to hold his tongue. 'Excellent, the stage leaves in an hour which gives us barely sufficient time to get there. Our seats are reserved but I doubt they'll be kept for us if we don't arrive at least one quarter of an hour before the vehicle departs.'

  They arrived as the coach pulled into the inn yard. As both he and his companion were in regimentals they were allowed to enter first – or maybe it was because the pair of them dwarfed the rest of the passengers.

  As the weather was clement for the time of year, they were obliged to make only one stop and that at Colchester at the Red Lion. They disembarked at Ipswich and from there had to find their way to Denchester village which he had discovered was no more than four miles journey.

  'We'll ride the remainder of the way, Riley. We need to purchase ourselves suitable horses. I wonder where we'll achieve our objective in this sleepy town.'

  They had arrived at noon and by mid-afternoon they were mounted on two massive beasts well up to their weight but more related to a draught horse than a hunter. As he intended to return to Corunna he'd left his precious stallion at a livery stable to be taken care of in his absence.

  Despite the workmanlike appearance of their steeds they were strong and willing and they covered the few miles in no time at all. He reined in at the massive iron gates to view what was ostensibly his own property. There was a gatehouse but it was unoccupied. The drive meandered into the distance and there was no sign of the house itself.

  'Onward, Riley, let us see what awaits me. The woodland on either side of this drive is well tended, the drive appears to have no potholes. Apart from the lack of a gatekeeper the dowager has not let the place deteriorate despite the lack of funds.'

  'I reckon them that work for the estate are happy to work for naught knowing all will be right and tight soon enough.'

  It took them a further half an hour to be able to view Denchester Hall. He stared, lost for words.

  'Is that yours, sir? It's as big as a palace.'

  'It is indeed. It must take a small army of retainers to keep an edifice of this size in good heart. God knows what the annual wage bill is.' He clicked his tongue and his horse moved forward eager to get into a warm stable. 'I'm in favour of employing as many as possible as long as there's blunt left over to help cover the expense of the war. The more souls working here, the less there are that will starve. The cost of war has pushed corn prices up too far.'

  'Them villages we rode through were likely in your demesne and there were no signs of ill repair. I reckon the few folk we saw were well fed and happy enough.'

  Richard gestured towards the massive building. 'The shutters are closed and it's not yet dark. There's no smoke from the chimneys. I think the family are not at home.'

  'There'll be caretakers or suchlike. A place like this would not be left unoccupied or allowed to get damp.'

  Richard was curious to know how his man knew so much about the ways of the toffs.

  'My pa was head groom at a big house, not like this mind, but a grand family they were.' Riley pointed to a track that led to the left of the drive. 'That will lead to the stables and such. No need to ride all the way to the big house what with no one being there.'

  Two grooms appeared as they trotted into the immaculate yard. 'I am Major Sinclair. See to our mounts.'

  The men bowed and rushed to attend to them. He dismounted, stiff and tired after many weeks of travelling. His attire was mired, he was unshaven and his sergeant no better. All he wanted was a hot bath and something to eat. Tomorrow was soon enough to find the missing family.

  *

  Amanda was perusing a set of more satisfactory accounts when her siblings burst in. Beth ran over and grabbed her hand. 'Come with us, you must come at once. Two bad men have arrived at the Hall.'

  She was on her feet in an instant. The staff had been given leave of absence after working so hard to clean the entire building. Only a handful remained – those that had no relatives to visit.

  'Sarah, did you see these intruders?'

  'They were vagabonds, no doubt about it. They rode past as we were returning from our afternoon walk and were unkempt and no gentlemen. They're both very large and spoke roughly.'

  'Hmm… If they're riding rather than walking they cannot be vagabonds as they travel on foot.'

  'The horses were huge but very hairy and not at all like your 'Thello,' Beth said. 'Are you coming to see?'

  'I shall do so on my own. I must collect half a dozen stout men to accompany me in case there's fisticuffs. It would be better for you and your sister to remain here.'

  At her suggestion there might be violence both sisters nodded vigorously. 'You will be careful, won't you, Amanda? They looked very dangerous and fierce.'


  She hugged Beth. 'Of course I will, sweetheart. Now run along with Sarah to the nursery. I shall be back very soon to tell you all about it.'

  Mama was visiting friends in the neighbourhood, thankfully, so would not have to be involved in this unpleasantness. She considered for a moment if she should request that the butler unlock the gun cupboard but then decided against it.

  Fortunately, there had been no rain for a week and the ground underfoot was dry. She had snatched up her cloak, put her feet in her outdoor boots but hadn't thought it necessary to find a bonnet. Ruffians wouldn't care either way if she was wearing one.

  She could hear voices in the stable yard and increased her pace. The men who accompanied her were carrying cudgels which she hoped would prove sufficient to persuade the unwanted visitors to leave. She stepped into the stable yard to accost them. They were about to take the path that led to the Hall and she couldn't see their faces.

  'You will leave these premises at once or I shall have you removed by force. We do not want brigands like yourselves here. Take yourselves off at once.' She was pleased that her voice sounded authoritative and very loud. It certainly had the desired effect as the man at the rear jumped as if stabbed in the derrière with a sharp object. He turned and her mouth fell open. Who was the more surprised by the confrontation it would be hard to tell.

  Facing her was the image of her father. Indeed, he could be her brother so alike were they in feature and colouring. Despite the fact that he was travel worn and unshaved she recognised immediately that he was the new Duke of Denchester.

  Her knees were knocking as she dropped into a deep curtsy. 'I beg your pardon, your grace, I was misinformed. I am Lady Amanda Sinclair.'

  'It is I who must beg your pardon, my lady. I thought the Hall to be empty or would have come to the front door and announced myself.' He didn't sound at all put out by her less than friendly welcome.

  She straightened and looked directly at him. He was staring equally hard at herself. His smile revealed a set of perfect teeth which seemed unnaturally white in his tanned face.