Tempting the Duke

by Yasmine Nash

  He doubted he would have any regrets about turning Mariella away. He’d be happy if he never saw Mariella again. But he had one thing to thank her for: she’d given him clarity.

  He’d realized it wasn’t just that he didn’t want to kiss Mariella. As a matter of fact, he had no desire to kiss any woman ever again…except for Louisa. This certainty struck his heart like lightning. If there was any woman for him, it was Louisa Kellynch. And maybe she would never forgive him for betraying her heart by selling Haverton. Maybe she had been using him too, as Mariella so clearly was. Maybe she had never cared for him at all. But maybe there was a possibility she could grow to love him over time.

  Whatever the truth, Jon needed to find out. If there was even the smallest chance left, Jon had to take it. What had Henry said? Not to let his stubborn pride get in the way? Perhaps there was some wisdom in that advice after all.

  Now that Jon had come to this realization, there was nothing more he wanted than to rush over to Louisa and ask her for another chance. And he would. But first, there was one more thing Jon had to do on the way.

  Chapter 15

  Louisa settled her account at the inn. Her experience the past few days had shown her that what she had thought she wanted wasn’t enough. She needed Jon. It was time to go to him and make her apologies. He might slam the door in her face, but at least she would have tried. That was the best she could do.

  She chose to walk back to Park Lane, wishing to stretch her legs. Not 10 minutes had passed, when Louisa’s pulse picked up at the sight of a familiar figure coming toward her down the street. The duke.

  She had been on her way to Jon, but she hadn’t expected to see him quite this soon. Only a few days had passed since their last argument, but he looked even more handsome than ever.

  “I was just coming to see you,” Louisa said breathlessly when they finally were within speaking distance. Jon had been so ever-present in her thoughts and now here he was again, his beloved features making her heart ache.

  “I’d been hoping to speak with you as well,” Jon said. He shuffled awkwardly. Was he actually nervous? Louisa had never seen him look like this before. “I know I made an unforgivable mistake with Haverton and I know I hurt you.” He paused to take a breath, but Louisa, who had to speak before she chickened out, interrupted him.

  “Blast it, Jon! I don’t care about the money or the title or even my reputation anymore.” Screwing up her courage, Louisa blurted all in a single breath, “I just want to be with you. My sin was even worse. I lied to you and I betrayed your trust, but every moment along the way I’ve also been madly in love with you. As long as I can be by your side, I don’t care if we’re married in the eyes of the law or society.” Now that she was in front of him again, her suspicions were confirmed: Louisa needed to be near Jon to feel like herself. She never wanted to experience that gray, monotone existence she’d been going through over the past days without him again.

  Jon had gone completely still. He was staring straight into her eyes, as though he could search out the truth of her heart.

  “Is this real?” he asked, taking a step closer to her. “You have no idea what your words are doing to me, Lou.” Jon reached up his hands to gently grip both sides of her face. “I need to tell you something too.”

  She braced herself for the worst, wondering if he was going to reject her. What she had done had been an inexcusable intrusion, after all. Louisa took a breath to steady herself.

  Instead, Jon said something that took her completely by surprise. “I didn’t sell Haverton,” he told her. “I was going to; I nearly did. You saw the evidence of that yourself. But there was just enough ambiguity in the contract that I was able to pull the plug on the sale before it went through. I couldn’t live with it, knowing how much it hurt you.”

  Louisa didn’t know what to say. She really had not been expecting to hear these words from him. But he wasn’t finished.

  “I love you, Louisa. I think I’ve always loved you, from that first day I saw you riding in the rain, but I wouldn’t allow myself to accept it for so long. I let my unyielding notions about honor nearly get in the way of the love of my life.”

  This was nearly too much to take in. He loved her. And Haverton was safe. “But the debt…Timothy’s debt?”

  Jon waved this aside. “I discussed this with my banker. Together, we’ve come up with a solution that I think satisfies all our problems. I’ve sold off another of my holdings instead. And if you’ll agree to it, I had the thought to let out Haverton to enhance the income. And then that way, it won’t just sit empty and neglected; a new family can make memories there.”

  Louisa smiled wistfully. “A lovely idea. Thank you.” That he would reverse his decision, just for her, meant the world. Jon brushed it aside, but she knew it could not have been a simple action to carry out, to cancel a sale that had nearly been completed. “But you don’t have to ask my permission, you know. I was being immature before. You were right. It’s not up to me to determine what happens at Haverton anymore.”

  Jon grinned. “As a matter of fact, it is your responsibility. I hope you haven’t changed your mind so soon about wanting to be its mistress? Because I also had an enlightening correspondence with Henry Northam. We think it’s possible to break the entail after all.”

  This had been a surprising day, all around, but now Louisa was truly shocked. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times before she could find any words. “But how?” she asked. “It’s always been determined to be impossible.” Heavens knew Louisa had tried hard enough to get the entail broken herself before she had even met Jon.

  “The particulars of the Haverton entail require two generations to break it. But,” Jon added, heading off Louisa’s own objections, “I have no sons of my own yet, and your father is deceased, God rest his soul. Hence, the difficulty. Until Henry reached out to an old friend of his in London who also happened to know your father. Apparently, Mr. Kellynch looked into this issue himself some years back with that attorney. Henry thinks we can use this correspondence as evidence of his intent to break the entail. If we succeed, you’ll be the mistress.”

  Jon paused, then forced himself to say, “This means you don’t have to stay with me if you don’t want to.” He sounded so unsure of himself. “You’ll actually have independence now; you wouldn’t have to rely on me. I wouldn’t stand in your way either; I promise you that. You’ve proven that you deserve more confidence than I’ve given you.”

  She couldn’t believe her ears. Louisa couldn’t even think of the words to speak. Not only did Jon love her back, not only had Haverton been saved at the last moment, but the entail would be broken. And now Jon was offering her the autonomy she’d been seeking out since she’d first heard of the Duke of Devonshire.

  And she didn’t want it. Bartholomew Jonathan Wallbridge wasn’t going to get rid of her that easily now. Never mind chasing him to London; Jon could go to the North Pole and she would follow right behind him every step of the way. Louisa could only look at the generous, loving man in front of her with wonder in her eyes.

  “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted.” She smiled up at him. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now, Your Grace.”

  Jon’s eyes glinted with passion. “And yet I still haven’t given you all you deserve. You’ve filled me with more joy than I’ve ever known. But I will strive every moment of my life going forward to make you happy, Lou. I swear it.” He paused again. “That is, if you will consent to be my wife?”

  Unable to help herself, Louisa threw her arms around his neck, not caring if all of London walked by and saw them. “Yes,” she whispered, burying her face in his chest. She felt his powerful arms wrap around her, pulling her into an embrace. She could stand here for days, just taking in the feel of him.

  “Yes?” Jon asked, as though he couldn’t believe his ears.

  Louisa nodded, laughing from sheer joy. “Yes.” The word tasted delicious on her tongue. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
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  * * *

  The pair wrapped up their remaining affairs in London as quickly as they could. Neither wanted to remain in town, laden as it had become by so many difficult memories. Jon and Louisa did make a stop at Mildred and Timothy’s residence before quitting London to inform them of the good news of their engagement. They just managed to catch the Allens, who were planning to leave London as well.

  Although surprised at first, Mildred was thrilled by the news of Jon and Louisa’s upcoming nuptials. “Finally, we will be sisters by law!” she said joyfully.

  Timothy, perhaps recalling that unfortunate insult he had made about Louisa when she and Jon had visited him at the prison, remained mostly silent throughout that visit.

  Instead of returning straight back to Devonshire afterward, however, Jon surprised Louisa by setting their carriage in the direction of Haverton first.

  “After all, it’s yours,” he told her. “You deserve the chance to look it over and make sure everything is in order. And to meet the family who is hoping to lease it from you. Then, if you approve, we can return home to Devonshire.”

  Returning to her old home felt strange after being away for so long. The hallways and rooms felt smaller than Louisa had remembered. The rolling hills near Haverton, while still beautiful, weren’t as mesmerizing as she had built them up to be in her memory. If she was honest, the hills in Devonshire were equally beautiful (although she wouldn’t admit that to Jon—Louisa still had some local pride.)

  What had really made the place so special, she realized, were her parents. And now that they were gone, there would simply be no way to bring that particular feeling back.

  It was bittersweet to lose that idealized version of Haverton Louisa had carried for so many months, but it was also a relief in a way. She would be able to move on with her life with her future husband and not be burdened by regrets or sadness at leaving this part of her life behind. It was time to let go.

  “I’d always hoped to return here,” Louisa told Jon that first evening in Haverton. They stood on the front lawn in the twilight, watching the stars come out together. “But I couldn’t have pictured how glad I’d be to have you by my side when I did.”

  Jon squeezed her a little more tightly. “What did you think of the Hamiltons?” he asked.

  The Hamiltons were the couple who wanted to lease the house. A loving husband and wife with three curly-haired children in tow. The husband had recently retired from the navy and the family was looking for a place to call home for the foreseeable future.

  “I liked them a great deal. It makes my heart swell to think of those three little children running around these halls,” Louisa said. “I’m going to sign the paperwork tomorrow.”

  “Are you okay?” Jon asked her quietly. “I know how deeply you care for this place.”

  “I’m more than okay,” Louisa told him honestly, causing Jon to smile. “I’m…happy about it. And I’m grateful to you, for being so understanding.”

  Jon leaned down and brushed a kiss on Louisa’s cheek. She shivered at the feeling of his lips on her skin. Perhaps thinking she was cold, Jon wrapped his arms around Louisa’s shoulders and she let herself settle into his embrace.

  Louisa smiled to herself. She had been smiling a lot lately.

  Then again, being loved by Bartholomew Jonathan Wallbridge, the Duke of Devonshire, gave a woman a lot to be happy about.

  Epilogue

  “I have a surprise for you,” Jon said mysteriously a few days after their wedding. “Pack your bags and get in the carriage. We’re leaving this afternoon.”

  Louisa looked up at her husband, mystified. They weren’t supposed to leave for Timothy and Mildred’s new home, where they’d been invited to visit, until tomorrow.

  Mildred’s latest correspondence had sounded much more cheerful than before. It seemed that Timothy had officially given up gambling and was doing his best to make amends to his wife and in-laws. Even the invitation to visit had, surprisingly, been Timothy’s idea.

  Jon and Louisa would stay a week, then continue on their wedding journey—although Louisa had no idea what other destinations Jon had in mind. He’d planned the entire trip and was keeping it a surprise. Apparently, he wanted to keep the beginning of the journey a surprise, too, judging by his mysterious attitude this morning.

  Jon was grinning at her like a schoolboy. His excitement was contagious. Within an hour, Louisa had finished her packing—she’d been nearly ready, anyway—and they were off.

  “Where are we going?” she asked impatiently once the carriage was in motion. Jon just smiled but said nothing. She smiled in return. He was happy. She would let him keep his secrets until the time was right.

  Louisa tried to engage her husband in conversation, but he wasn’t able to focus. Jon would begin a sentence, then trail off. He kept looking out the window, as though trying to determine where exactly they were. Finally, after her fifth stalled attempt at conversation, Louisa gave up and contented herself to curl up in his arms instead.

  A light breeze blew through the open window, providing relief on the unseasonably warm fall day. Wrapped up in her husband’s arms wasn’t a bad way to spend an afternoon, Louisa decided lazily.

  Several hours passed in this manner, with Jon periodically glancing out the window and then shaking his head as some invisible signal failed to appear. Finally, just as Louisa’s limbs were beginning to cramp, Jon craned his head out the window and apparently saw something that satisfied him. “I’m going to have to ask you to close your eyes now,” Jon told her. She looked at him curiously but obliged. “Don’t peek,” he warned.

  In response, Louisa burrowed her head in his chest, breathing in his familiar, masculine smell of cinnamon and brandy. It still made her want to rip his clothes off right here in the carriage, but she refrained. That might ruin Jon’s surprise, and he was so excited about it. After a few minutes, the carriage stopped with a jolt.

  “Can I look yet? Are we there?”

  “Not yet. Keep those eyes closed.” Jon took her hand and lifted Louisa down from the carriage. After checking that her eyes were still firmly shut, Jon grabbed her hand and led her across the grass.

  “How much further?” she asked him after several more minutes had passed.

  “Nearly there,” he promised.

  For some reason, Louisa had the idea that the ground was gradually inclining. The air was crisp and strangely salty. And there was a distant, thundering noise becoming louder with every step.

  Jon came to a stop and enfolded Louisa in his arms from behind her. “Now,” he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

  When Louisa opened her eyes, it took her a minute to comprehend what she was seeing. They were standing high on a cliff, with a sheer drop to the crashing waves below. That must be the cause of the noise she was hearing. The sea. This was the sea. She’d only ever seen it in paintings before, but those hadn’t done justice to the ferocity and beauty of the real thing.

  The water was a stormy blue-gray. She couldn’t take her eyes from the way the waves crashed against the rocks and then receded. It was mesmerizing. She felt like she could stand here and watch it for hours.

  “It’s magnificent,” she whispered, unable to look away. She reached back her hand to grip Jon’s.

  “I promised you I’d take you here one day,” he said, planting a loving kiss on Louisa’s head. At that, she turned around and wrapped her arms behind his neck. Jon tilted her face up and leaned down to envelop Louisa’s mouth with his. She melted into the kiss. No matter how many times he kissed her, she always felt those same sparks.

  “We should make this a tradition,” Louisa whispered happily after they’d both drawn back to catch their breath. “We’ll come up here every year.”

  “At least once a year,” Jon agreed. “Maybe more.”

  “And when we have children we can take them up here for picnics in the summer.”

  “Children?” Jon said, and Louisa could hear the smile in h
is voice. “Have you planned that out already?”

  “Oh yes,” Louisa assured him. “Two boys and a girl.”

  He squeezed her just a little tighter. “We’ll name the girl after your mother.”

  She smiled. “And the eldest boy after your father.”

  Jon gave her another sweet, lingering kiss. “That sounds like a good plan to me.”

  It did, didn’t it? “Perhaps we can hurry that plan along?” Louisa asked, faux innocence coloring her voice. When Jon didn’t immediately take her meaning, Louisa ran her hand along the waistband of his trousers.

  After all, the cliffs were deserted. The carriage was out of sight. They were all alone.

  Jon’s eyes darkened with desire and he grinned wickedly. “I’m happy to oblige, my lady.” And he took his wife into his arms once again.

  <<<>>>

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  Yasmine Nash is an author of historical romance novels. In her spare time, she bakes recipes inspired by the Great British Baking Show and attempts to sew embroidery. Yasmine lives in the Midwest with her family and her two dogs, Darcy and Tilney. To sign up for her VIP Readers list and receive access to exclusive content, giveaways, and more, follow the links below!

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