A Hidden Duke For The Passionate Lady (Regency Historical Romance)

by Lucinda Nelson

  She would run away before that happened.

  A sound of steps brought her back and she looked in the direction Edward usually appeared and her heart soared when she saw him.

  It was such a relief when she ran to his arms and he hugged her, kissing the top of her head. There wasn’t anything other than needing the other close, at that moment. All she needed was for him to hold her.

  “Oh, Edward,” Selina said, burying her face in his chest, surrounding herself with his delightful scent and trying not to worry so much. Everything seemed better that way, in his arms.

  They just held each other for a few moments before she finally looked up and they kissed, a sweet kiss that did wonders to calm her worries. They were together and it was all that mattered.

  “It is so nice to see you after the day I had.” Edward whispered and kissed her again.

  “You met Lord Ainsworth,” Selina said and saw his surprise and how his body tensed.

  “How do you know?”

  She sighed. “He stopped by before he went to Oxford.” Selina bit her lower lip. “He knows about us. He told me I will be Duchess no matter what. He is not letting this go, Edward.”

  “Bloody hell,” Edward cursed. “My father talked to him. He didn’t want to surprise Lord Ainsworth, so he probably wanted to give him the news in private before a big scandal commenced. I can see why. It’s the most considerate way, but I understand now, Selina.” He told her. “I can see why you were so upset with the prospect of marrying him.”

  Selina breathed in relief. Another person could see why she was being so resolute about not marrying him. Falling in love with Edward had been an amazing coincidence; and even if they hadn’t met, she would still object to it.

  “What did he say?” she asked.

  “Like you said, he wants to marry you. To him, this is a business transaction and maybe before it didn’t matter so much, but I think we poked into his ego,” Edward told her. “He didn’t like when I implied you did not care if I am a bastard and about a scandal of my birth coming to light.”

  Selina shook her head. “I don’t. I truly don’t mind, Edward. I told you.”

  “I know, dear Selina. I don’t even know if it is fair to you.” He smiled and his green eyes brightened a little. “Maybe another woman would care, would shun me and be scandalized about it, but not you. Never you.”

  “Never.” She put a hand on his cheek, caressing it with her thumb. “All that matters to me is your heart and I can feel it beat just as hard for me as mine does for you. What else could a woman want?”

  “A title,” he said and his smile turned sad. “I know you do not mind, but I couldn’t help but to think about what Lord Ainsworth said. I am a bastard, Selina. I am and nothing will change that, even if the King himself changes my name. I can give you my heart, my love, my care, a life you will want for naught, the bloody title, though… You deserve it, you see? You deserve to be a Duchess, hell, a Queen! You deserve to not be looked down on because of your status. Instead, if we marry, now that Lord Ainsworth is aware of it, I have no doubt he will spread the news about my father and everyone will talk about it.”

  Selina pulled him closer so she could kiss him. “Let it come. I do not care at all about this. Maybe when I was younger and didn’t know better. I am not a silly girl anymore, Edward McAlister. Get over yourself, we are going to fight to be together.” She said with certainty. “I do not want to be a queen, unless you are by my side. What in the world would I do with a crown without you to show it off to?”

  Edward’s insecurities seemed to vanish at the moment with his laughter. “You would look even more beautiful wearing a crown. Perhaps even just wearing a crown.”

  She couldn’t help it. She could feel herself blush with his words even if just a couple of nights before they were being far more intimate than was appropriate; but God, it felt good.

  “You get over your insecurities rather quickly, don’t you?” Selina said, trying to hide her embarrassment.

  He chuckled. “When a pretty woman tells me to get over myself, what else can I do?” They kissed once again and she sighed.

  “I am going back to London tomorrow.” She told him and his body stiffened. “Now that Uncle knows you are here, I must return home to be away from you. Especially since Lord Ainsworth came in today saying how you are blackmailing the Duke.”

  She watched as he opened his mouth to argue, but instead, he gave her a curt nod. “Well, putting it that way, it is not far from the truth. I arrived at his house and just propositioned he would make me his heir in exchange for money.”

  Selina chuckled. “We certainly will have some amazing stories to tell to our children.”

  “Our children, huh?” Edward smiled. “Have you thought about them much?”

  “Yes.” She blushed but couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I have thought about it a few times.”

  “How many children are you thinking of?” Edward asked, touching the end of her braid, playing with it.

  Selina thought about it for a moment. “At least two. I grew up without any siblings. Tilly is three years younger and we had little time together, since she was raised here and I was in London, but we bonded when we were together. I want that for our children; I don’t want them to grow up alone.”

  “I know what you mean.” Edward kissed the top of her head. “I was alone most of my childhood as well. I didn’t know any better until Lady Tennyson’s distant nephew came to live with us for a while. He was older, but we got along very well. It was like having a brother.”

  “Are you close with him still?” She looked up, her chin on his chest.

  “Yes. I have a house back in Wales, but I go to the property often. My mother is buried close by. She wanted to be there and it didn’t make sense to bring her to London, where she had no one. I was her family, along with Aunt Tennyson.”

  “Will you take me there, when we are married?” Selina wondered, playing with one of the buttons of his shirt.

  “Of course.” Edward gave her a quick kiss. “We can go wherever we want. Would you like to live here in Bristol? It would be close to some of your family and we could always go to my home in London when we need to.”

  “I would like that,” Selina sighed. “Tilly will start to receive suitors and I would rather be around to approve of them.”

  “Oh, you have to approve of her future husband, don’t you? Does Miss Crawley approve of me?” he asked, amused.

  “She does,” Selina giggled. “At the moment, though, my main concern is to be able to marry you and Wales is close enough. Once we are officially together, I think we should travel to some other places as well, If we can’t, it is alright as well. I just want us to be together.”

  “I want that as well,” he sighed. “And for that, in about a week, so your father is not suspicious, I will return to London and, with the Duke, we are going to talk to your father.”

  “Do you think it will help?”

  Edward nodded. “I think so. Your father values titles and such. Having a Duke bless our union instead of his own nephew’s hopefully will have a big impact on him.”

  “I will do my best to talk him into it, as well,” Selina said. “I don’t know how much I can push. He was very distressed when I left.”

  “Hopefully Lord Ainsworth won’t go talk to him and destroy my reputation with your father more than it already is. I doubt we will get lucky that way, though.”

  “Me too,” Selina groaned in protest. “We could have been planning our wedding already if Papa had not been so stubborn. Instead we are still trying to get his approval.”

  “At least we already decided we are having at least two children and mainly living in Bristol. It is more than other couples know at this point.” Edward put a wild curl of her hair behind her ear.

  “That is true,” she smiled. “Will I receive letters from Elaine the next few days?”

  Edward laughed. “Yes, you will. I will miss you too much and letters a
re the next best thing instead of having you like this. At least for now.”

  “I will ask my maid to be the first to check the mail so it won’t raise suspicion.”

  “You do that,” Edward agreed. “You should return, it’s late and I reckon you will be going back to London early.”

  “I will, yes,” she said. “One last kiss?”

  His smile widened. “A few days ago, you wouldn’t even have thought of saying those words. I think my plan of corrupting you is right on track.”

  Selina couldn’t help but to giggle. “I think so!” Without any more preamble, she put her hands on his cheeks and pulled him to a steamy kiss that made both of them feel heat in their veins and their hearts race.

  “Don’t forget, Selina, you might not see me the next few days, but I will be fighting for us.”

  “And I will be doing the same, in my own way.”

  “Look at us,” he smiled. “Modern day Romeo and Juliet.”

  “With a better happy ending, hopefully.”

  “We will. Even if we stage a scandal, we will get married and one day we will laugh about all of this.”

  “I can’t wait for those days,” Selina said and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I love you, Edward. I truly do.”

  His eyes softened. “I love you too, Selina. We will be together soon, without the aid of secret meetings.”

  “I know. I have faith,” Selina told him. “See you soon, my love.”

  Edward held her hand and kissed the back of it and both of them looked at the other until they were out of sight.

  Selina had never been more certain of a choice in her life.

  Her choice was Edward and she was glad she was his choice as well.

  Chapter 20

  Anne Egremont, Duchess of Bellford

  She should have known the truth would come back one day. During the first few months after her confrontation with Daisy Taunton, the Duchess lived in constant fear that the maid would return and tell her husband what she had done.

  Instead, more than two and a half decades passed before the truth became known to her husband.

  The moment she had seen the young man, there was no doubt in her mind who he was. It was as if she was looking at her husband, twenty years younger. Just as handsome and charming, as well, from what she could see.

  Mr. Edward McAlister. Even their names were the same. She couldn’t really fault Daisy for that, if she had had a son, she would have done the same.

  Anne didn’t know if locking herself away from the Duke for a week had been the wisest choice. She had no idea of what he was doing and he hadn’t come to her either. She couldn’t decide if that was good or bad.

  All she knew was that he intended to try and legitimize his bastard son.

  For years, her marriage was a transaction. They were strangers to each other and when their daughter Kathleen came to their lives, the Duke started to love her. As a friend, as a wife but not as a woman. Anne was sure he never loved her that way.

  Years before, when she overheard Daisy Taunton tell another maid about her predicament, she knew the child was the Duke’s.

  He was decent enough not to flaunter his conquest. He still came to her bed to try to have an heir, but she knew that he had fallen in love with someone else.

  Instead of looking glum and trying to tolerate her, the Duke actually tried to befriend her. Damn her heart for wanting more. She loved him, or at least she thought she did at the time.

  Now, older and wiser, she knew it was a childish dream. She had been petty and jealous of a maid.

  She could remember her internal turmoil before confronting Daisy Taunton. Anne went to her mother’s house, unsure of what to do. What action to take? Her mother had prepared her to be the Duchess, a wife, but not a young woman in love.

  “What should I do, Mama?” Anne asked her mother.

  The older woman sighed and shook her head. “You let this go for far too long, Anne, and now his mistress is pregnant? You should have held your position by giving him an heir a long time ago. You have been married for two years, now!”

  Anne’s eyes watered, thinking about the two miscarriages, one too recent still hurt. “I am trying, Mama.”

  “It didn’t even have to be a boy, at this point!” Lady Harrison said. “Just a healthy child who would show him you are not barren. Look at me: Helen came first, and I was disappointed. She should have come after James, but at least I could show your father I could bear him a living, healthy child and surely enough, James came the following year.”

  “I hate it when we go to dinner or balls and everyone looks at me, whispering. I am the Duchess who is incapable of giving the Duke a child, a proper heir, and now will have to know some maid managed to get pregnant.” Anne’s blue eyes shone with unshed tears. “What would you have told Helen, if she had been talking to you about this?”

  Lady Harrison all but scoffed. “Please, Anne. I taught your sister very well. There is no way she would have this happening as long as you did. She made Lord Graham have eyes only for her. Besides, she provided him with three healthy boys already. Her position is guaranteed, her life is set.” She sighed. “If I had just waited two years and had her marry Edward Egremont instead of you, none of this would be happening.”

  Anne couldn’t believe her ears. “Mama!”

  “Oh, do be quiet, Anne.” Her mother snapped. “Helen would have handled this better and you would have been suited for Lord Graham just fine. You would have been a Countess, not a Duchess, but still.” She looked at her daughter. “His Grace’s father was not looking for a wife for his heir then, and your sister was already eighteen. She would have made a better Duchess, though.”

  The words stung in Anne’s heart.

  Helen, perfect Helen.

  Her older sister, Helen, had always been their mother’s favorite out of her three children: beautiful, smart and talented. James was the middle child and adored because he would be heir, and then came Anne, pretty, smart and sweet, but not like Helen. Helen should have it all, not poor Anne.

  When their parents arranged the marriage with a Count, the whole family celebrated. Lord Harrison was a Baron and marrying his daughter to a Count helped them all.

  A few years later, though, when her parents arranged Anne’s marriage to the Duke of Bellford, whom had lost his father a few months before and was in dire need of a wife to have an heir, Anne felt very proud of herself.

  She was going to be a Duchess while Helen was a Countess. She would win, finally, at something.

  Except, Helen had had her beautiful healthy boys with a man who adored her and she was affectionate towards him. She seemed content with her life in the country and with her family while Anne’s husband was polite towards her, treated her well enough, but there was no true affection. Besides, twice she lost a child to everyone’s disappointment.

  Helen beat her again, even when Anne was higher in society than her, had accomplished more… Helen won.

  Anne wouldn’t let the scandal ruin her fragile reputation, though. People already judged her enough as it were.

  “I am Duchess, though, Mama.” Anne found the strength to tell her mother. “Not Helen.”

  “Well, do something, then. You said His Grace is returning home from Glasgow tomorrow?” Anne agreed with a nod. “He doesn’t know about the pregnancy, then, and he never can. Do whatever it takes, Anne. If he loses interest in you…”

  The Duchess dried a tear as she looked at herself in the mirror.

  Twenty-seven years later, fifteen since her mother’s demise, and the words still hurt every time she remembered them.

  She had been so young and naïve. So grateful to marry a Duke, she thought they would eventually fall in love, like Helen and Lord Graham.

  Anne didn’t count on her grieving husband marrying her because it was expected. His uncle had chosen Anne, not the Duke himself. She didn’t count on him closing off his feelings. She didn’t count she would miscarry twice.


  It all took its toll on her and their relationship and seeing him with Daisy one night, before she got pregnant, she understood she would never get a smile like the one he gave her. She would never make him laugh like Daisy did.

  She was losing again.

  If she weren’t so sure Edward would have been furious with her, she would have dismissed Daisy a long time before it all happened, but she was still hopeful he would see her one day, finally.

  He didn’t. Not then.