by Fanny Finch
Lady Elizabeth looked sadly through the window. She would have to wait for the storm to pass before her mind would clear.
She saw a life of misery staring her in the face. She caught her reflection in the window and was taken aback by how unhappy she looked. How could her parents not notice? How could they continue letting her suffer when it was so obvious she was so hopeless?
She pressed her lips together to keep from crying, swallowing the tears gathering in her throat.
Perhaps after the rain, she would feel better.
Looking out at the sky, it did not look as though the storm would pass anytime soon. It would be raining the rest of the day and probably all night. She had nothing to do but sit and wait for the next meal. After that, she would wait to see if the Marquess of Cramilton called on her.
None of her friends would be stopping by. They all thought she was still in Thornwall Castle. What would they say, even if they did stop by? Few of them knew the Duke of Thornwall, other than what had followed him through reputation and rumor.
The Marquess of Cramilton had not mentioned the Duke of Thornwall during his visit but Lady Elizabeth had overheard him speaking with her father about him. While he was polite, the Marquess of Cramilton agreed with her father’s assessment of the Duke of Thornwall.
Without even knowing the man in person.
Whatever he had heard, the Duke of Winterset was determined to keep her away from the Duke of Thornwall.
Lady Elizabeth looked up when her door opened. Phoebe came through, much to her relief. She smiled at her companion.
“Good evening, Phoebe.”
Phoebe looked at her with sympathetic eyes. “How are you feeling, my lady? You look desperately unhappy.”
“I am unhappy,” Lady Elizabeth confirmed, nodding.
“What were your thoughts on the Marquess of Cramilton?”
Lady Elizabeth giggled. “I saw the way you looked at the Marquess of Cramilton, Phoebe. You were giving him the devil’s eye. I would never have dared to look at him that way.”
Phoebe’s cheeks flushed. “I apologize, my lady.”
“Do not apologize to me,” Lady Elizabeth shook her head. “I am of the same mind. If I had dared, I might very well have been looking at him that way myself.”
Phoebe shook her head. “You would never dare do such a thing. And is the Marquess of Cramilton truly that bad?”
Lady Elizabeth thought about it. “I suppose I should feel blessed that I have been given this opportunity. The Marquess of Cramilton is very sought after by the ladies. It would be a boon to me that I captured him. I suppose.”
Phoebe just grinned. “Yes, you are blessed. But he is not what you want?”
Lady Elizabeth shook her head. “I am afraid not. I am simply not attracted to him.”
“I know why you are not attracted to him, my lady. It is because of the Duke of Thornwall. There is probably nothing at all wrong with the Marquess of Cramilton. Only that he is not the Duke of Thornwall.”
Lady Elizabeth was ashamed to admit Phoebe was correct. She nodded but could not put the fact into words, the way Phoebe had so boldly done.
“But what can be done, Phoebe? How can I live with the Marquess of Cramilton as a husband, knowing that my heart is with someone else?”
“Why did you not ask your parents for the right to stay at Thornwall Castle? Why do they object to the duke so?”
Lady Elizabeth shook her head. “It is a mystery to me, Phoebe. One I do wish I knew the answer to.”
“What will you do, my lady?”
Lady Elizabeth shook her head. “For now, I will sit and watch the rain. There is nothing else I can do at the moment.”
Chapter 52
The Duke of Thornwall waited anxiously for his visitor to arrive. He had taken the time that morning to send a messenger to town to retrieve the Duke of Argyle. He had sent a written note along, explaining the situation and that Lady Elizabeth had gone back to London to be with her family.
At first, he had mentioned that her parents had arranged for Lady Elizabeth to meet the Marquess of Cramilton for possible courtship. The very thought of it made him feel sick to his stomach. He left the information out, not wanting to inform the Duke of Argyle of something he had no business knowing.
He walked through the courtyard, enjoying the beauty of nature after the heavy rainfall. He lifted his eyes to take in a beautiful rainbow gracing the blue sky. The air was moist and cool. He enjoyed the light breeze blowing on his cheeks.
The beauty of the day did not distract him from his frustration. It was another day without Lady Elizabeth. Four days had gone by so far and the agony of not seeing her at the breakfast table had not abated.
He was impatient. The Duke of Argyle had surely not left town yet. The Duke of Thornwall suspected the older duke would not leave town until he had his way. He hoped the man was not trying to intimidate the townsfolk.
When he sent the messenger to town, he had sent Ursula along with him, at Lady Agatha’s suggestion. She was to find out who owed the Duke of Argyle money as quietly as possible. A woman of her age and reputation would be more discreet than sending Smithson or anyone else.
What the Duke of Thornwall had to tell his former “almost” father-in-law was probably not going to please him. It would, in fact, possibly make him follow through with his threats. Ursula had been given a substantial amount of money, which she would quietly give to the townspeople so they could pay the Duke of Argyle as soon as he got back to town.
He headed back to the entrance to the castle, not wanting to be in the courtyard when the Duke of Argyle arrived. He was not interested in speaking to the man outside the castle. He wanted him inside, where he had control of the situation and the environment.
He felt safe inside his castle, in his reading room, his parlor, his dining hall. Now that Lady Agatha was home, he felt less alone. He had spent enough time with Lady Elizabeth on the premises that it seemed lonely without her, even though Lady Agatha was always there for him.
Lady Agatha was napping. He had told her of his plan to have the Duke of Argyle to the castle while Ursula took money to the townspeople. She had been pleased but said she did not want to see the Duke of Argyle as it was likely she would slap him for being so cruel to the Duke of Thornwall the last four years.
The Duke of Thornwall grinned. His sister was always on fire. Much like her friend, Lady Elizabeth.
Just thinking about Lady Elizabeth made him feel warm inside. The warmth was followed by a painful ache, as he pictured her dancing with another man, her bright eyes shining up at him. Would she give the love that should have been his to someone else?
Was she capable of that?
He would not be able to do it. Once his heart was taken, it was taken for good. That had caused the difficulty letting go of Lady Sophia. He would have been pining for her the last four years even without the constant reminders from the Duke of Argyle.
Now, with Lady Elizabeth taking up his mind and much of his heart, the Duke of Thornwall was in near agony. He had only loved two women in his life, other than his mother and sister. He had lost them both.
He was grateful, though, that Lady Elizabeth was still within reach. He had a chance with her. If she cared for him the way he suspected she did, he would get her.
How certain could he be? She had left with her parents but Lady Agatha assured him that was only because she could not refuse them. Even if she had an offer of marriage from him, it was likely they would not have approved.
The Duke of Winterset was not as friendly as he could have been. Lady Elizabeth’s mother had shown him respect and courtesy. He was lucky to get any kind of smile from the duke at all.
The Duke of Thornwall shook his head, stepping up onto the small porch and going in the castle. He nodded at Smithson.
“When the Duke of Argyle arrives, show him into the library. That is where I will be.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I have to be aro
und things I love when I am speaking to him,” the Duke of Thornwall mumbled, not caring whether the butler heard him or not.
Smithson lifted one eyebrow but said nothing. He looked like he knew exactly what the Duke of Thornwall was referencing.
The Duke of Thornwall walked back to the library, wondering just how much the staff at Thornwall Castle knew about his private life. It had come to a point where he did not see them sometimes, lurking in the shadows, dusting off his furniture and priceless objects in every room.
They had ears and were always listening. He had forgotten that.
As he passed through the door into the library, he thought about Lady Elizabeth, remembering their game of “which book to read next.” Lady Elizabeth chose good books. Her taste was similar to the Duke of Thornwall’s.
It was another thing that drew him to her.
He walked to a table near the long, wide window and looked down at a book that lay there, open about halfway. He recognized it as a book Lady Elizabeth had been reading. It was the last one she took down from his shelves before she was taken from him back to London.
The door to the library opened almost immediately after he settled into a chair with the book.
“The Duke of Argyle has arrived, Your Grace,” Smithson said, putting only his head and upper body into the room.
“He is not yet inside?”
“No, my lord. But he does look quite happy.”
The Duke of Thornwall noticed how Smithson sounded a bit confused by it. He must not know everything going on at Thornwall Castle, after all.
The Duke of Thornwall grunted. “Show him in, Smithson.” He was not surprised that the Duke of Argyle was looking happy. All he had to do was tell the older man that he had sent Lady Elizabeth away. The Duke of Argyle felt like he was getting what he wanted.
The Duke of Thornwall was not about to give the older man what he wanted. He was determined to do something to get Lady Elizabeth back. He did not want to live a life of misery and pain, remembering the tragic events that had changed his life.
The Duke of Argyle had lost his daughter. A child that meant more to him than anything, his precious daughter. The Duke of Thornwall could only imagine how he felt. He would never see his daughter get married, have children, smile or laugh…
She was lost to him and to the Duke of Thornwall, too.
He waited for the Duke of Argyle to come in, his stomach churning with anticipation. He had prepared what he was going to say but he would have to wait before he said anything. He wanted Ursula to have time to visit anyone who might owe the older duke money.
The town was big, but not too big for her to quickly find the people she was looking for. He had sent her first to the head of the town council, Mr. Thomas Barnaby. The head councilman was smart and knew everyone in town.
If anyone needed to be found, he was the one to go to. He knew all the business of the townspeople.
The Duke of Thornwall stayed in the seat he was in, his eyes on the door, waiting for the older duke to arrive.
Chapter 53
The Duke of Argyle bounced into the room as if he was 200 pounds lighter than he was. He had a happy grin on his face and was holding out a bottle of port.
“I have brought along a drink for us to share,” he announced, pushing past Smithson as if the old butler was not even there.
The Duke of Thornwall gave Smithson an apologetic look as the butler left the room.
He turned his eyes to the Duke of Argyle, gesturing with one hand. “Please sit, my lord.”
“It is good to see you have come to your senses, Thornwall,” the Duke of Argyle said, dropping into a wide chair that would easier accommodate his large frame. He set the bottle of port on the table between himself and the Duke of Thornwall.
“Perhaps you can get two glasses for us to celebrate with his port? We can drink to your freedom and to the memory of sweet Sophia.”
The Duke of Thornwall licked his lips, leaning forward to pick up the bottle and scan the label.
“It is a good year,” he said, putting the bottle back down. “I will get Milla to bring us some glasses.” He stood up and walked to the fireplace, pulling the cord hanging next to it. He returned to his seat, picking up Elizabeth’s book and setting it on his lap as if he had every intention of reading it even though the Duke of Argyle was sitting right there.
Lord Argyle gave him a strange look but ignored the obvious sign of discontent.
“How have you been faring?” The Duke of Argyle asked.
“As well as can be expected.” The Duke of Thornwall was not having an easy time keeping his feelings to himself. He needed to be civil, he reminded himself. If he chased the Duke of Argyle off the property too soon, Ursula might not have enough time to do what she needed to do.
Milla came in and the Duke of Thornwall informed her of the need for two glasses for the port. She left and was back within moments, apparently having anticipated the request. She brought in a tray she had set next to the library door. It also held a bottle of wine.
She set it down next to the Duke of Thornwall. “Would you like for me to pour a glass for you both?” she asked.
The Duke of Thornwall shook his head. “That will not be necessary, Milla, thank you.”
Both men watched as the maid left the room. The Duke of Thornwall leaned forward, reaching for the bottle of port. “I will pour it for us,” he said in a low voice.
As he poured, he wondered what he would talk about that might drag the conversation out some.
He handed the glass of port to the older duke, an idea forming in his mind.
“Tell me, my lord, do you know of the Marquess of Cramilton?”
The Duke of Argyle looked up at the ceiling, searching his memory.
“I do. I met him at several parties in the last few years. He is a charming man.”
The Duke of Thornwall did not want to hear that. He struggled not to let his feelings show. “What do you know of him?”
The Duke of Argyle took a sip from the glass and pondered the question. “He is a good conversationalist. He has his priorities straight and knows what is required of him. He seeks a wife to secure his father’s approval. The Duke of Cramilton has been very strict over the years with his son. He will only approve of certain women, I have heard.”
The Duke of Thornwall frowned. “What does that mean?” He could not imagine Lady Elizabeth not having the approval of the Duke of Cramilton but if there was even the slightest chance that might happen, he would hold on to hope.
The Duke of Argyle shrugged. “It is quite strange, Thornwall. He wishes the Marquess of Cramilton to marry a woman with similar coloring, blond hair and blue eyes. He requires a slim figure but also a woman who will bear children for his son without troubles.”
The Duke of Thornwall had not even thought of that. But he had not been looking for love when he met Lady Elizabeth. In fact, he had been so confused about his own emotions the entire time she was there, he had not thought about how she would fare bearing children.
“He mentioned he was interested in courting a duke’s daughter. Are you considering him for your sister? She would fare well with him. He is a kind man, though he lacks a bit of substance.”
The Duke of Thornwall raised an eyebrow. “He lacks substance?”
The Duke of Argyle thought about it a moment. “Yes. Substance. There does not seem to be more to him than his innate ability to communicate and his head full of knowledge. He is able to speak on any subject. But he seems to have no real opinion about anything of his own. He speaks as though he is reading from a book.”
“Interesting.” The Duke of Thornwall wished he had met the Marquess of Cramilton. It would have been easier to decide for himself if the man was worthy of Lady Elizabeth or not. From the sound of it, she was going to be completely miserable.
How would a man with no substance or opinions fare with a woman such as Lady Elizabeth, who was on fire from the moment she woke up in the morning to th
e time she went to bed at night.
“I have done some inquiring about Lady Elizabeth Owens.”
As soon as the words came out of the Duke of Argyle’s mouth, the Duke of Thornwall felt resentment building up inside him. The older man continued to speak, not noticing the Duke of Thornwall’s intensifying mood.
“She is quite willful. It is odd that you should mention the Marquess of Cramilton, as I do believe he is pursuing her. He has met with her parents quite a few times in the last month. I do not know all the details but I am certain she will be better off with him than anyone else. No one would want a woman so willful and excitable.”
