Winning The Indecisive Duke: The Fairbank Series

by Bennett, Jessie

  The guests were already arriving when Elizabeth descended the staircase to the hall. Stella had arranged her hair so that some of it was held back in a soft-looking French braid, while the rest was loose and softly ringleted, framing her slender face in long waves. Her dress was a pale mossy green color with white lace trimmings, dainty green silk slippers on her feet. She paused on the staircase, looking over the scene.

  She immediately noticed her younger brothers huddled at the edge of the steps, their skinny legs clad in velvet breeches, their hair glossy and combed, watching the gathering crowd with excited eyes. Some of the adults waved to the little boys and laughed when Frankie and David waved back. They were diligently watching for their cousins to arrive, and the younger members of the Boothe family. These dinner parties were among their favorite events, not least of which because they offered ample chances to cause chaos.

  Elizabeth descended the final stairs gracefully, one hand sliding down the railing, the other holding up her skirts so she wouldn’t trip. She loved the way the dress swished against her legs. She hoped Daniel was as impressed with it as she was.

  She stepped off the bottom stair and looked around for Jonah. She spotted him in the corner of the foyer, talking to someone who was just entering the house. She couldn’t see who was on the other side of the door. She made a line directly to him, smiling brightly. “My dear Jonah! You are looking quite fashionable this evening. You’ve dressed up, haven’t you?”

  Jonah turned and gave her a smile that equaled her happiness. “Dear Beth! You look lovely in your dark green gown. You know, this is one of the best dresses you own. Magnificent.”

  “Thank you!” She resisted the urge to throw her arms around him for a big hug. They had grown so close over the years, it seemed there could be no awkwardness between them. She turned, at that moment, to see who he was talking to and stopped, shocked. He was talking to none other than the Duke of Athlone himself. The sight of him made her flush, and she stumbled forward slightly, as if she’d been pushed.

  “Oh! Good evening, your grace. Pardon me, I did not see you there.”

  Daniel nodded, smiling at her. “It is quite all right, my lady.” He paused. “I have had the great pleasure of getting to know your young friend, Jonah. He has invited me to play lawn tennis with him and some of his friends. I am considering it. But if you are all around the same age, I might be hard pressed to keep up.” He chuckled.

  “We could always go hunting, if you’d rather,” Jonah said easily. “Though, of course, it is not the season. We could shoot at targets, though.”

  “I will let you and your friends decide,” Daniel demurred. “Whatever you choose will be diverting.”

  “Yes, my lord. We are very diverting.” He grinned.

  Elizabeth felt a hand on her arm and turned to see her cousin, Annabella, standing behind her. The girl was sixteen years old and wore a bright anxious smile. “Beth!” she said breathlessly. “I must talk to you!”

  Her cousin always gave Elizabeth a lift in spirits. No matter the situation, Annabella made the day better every time. She was always excited about something, even if it was something daunting, like falling in love or traveling abroad. If given the chance to make a wager on it, Elizabeth would have said that Annabella was in love. Again. The girl was constantly falling in love.

  Elizabeth bit back her grin. She didn’t dare show her amusement to her cousin. She would be mortified, and Elizabeth was far too fond of her to wish her any misery. She was only a little over a year older than Annabella, but she felt almost like a mother figure to the exuberant young girl.

  She turned to excuse herself from the duke and Jonah. “I must speak with my dear cousin. Excuse me. It was a pleasure to have both of your company, if briefly.”

  She allowed Annabella to pull her away from the men. She might have been imagining it, but she felt like there were at least two pairs of eyes watching her intently as she left.

  The young girl didn’t pull her very far away from them, just to the corner of the foyer under the bend in the stairs. “Oh, Beth, I have been waiting simply weeks to speak with you! I am so excited, I am bursting at the seams!”

  “I can see that. You look like you are going to get married.”

  Annabella gasped, her strawberry blond ringlets bouncing. Her hair was arranged in large curls that suited her round face quite nicely and were offset by her incredibly light blue eyes. Her plump red lips fell into a natural smile. “Oh, how did you know?”

  Elizabeth stared at her with wide eyes. “You are getting married?”

  Annabella spoke breathlessly, gesturing fluidly with both hands, her eyes shining. “Oh, well, yes and no. I mean to say, I am going to get married, of course, someday, and I’m oh so hoping it will be Lucas! But you know Mother, and I haven’t really even had the opportunity to talk to her about it. I really wanted to talk to you first, because I know how wise you are about these things.”

  Elizabeth wanted to speak up and say that any advice she had given to Annabella had actually come from her mother, Lady Evelyn, who had been in her confidence all along. She did not dare to divulge Lady Evelyn’s secret, so she remained silent.

  Annabella continued breathlessly, describing the young man of her affection. His name was Lucas Pundeford and his father was the Marquess of Linnock. Marrying the young man would put Annabella into a position of high prestige.

  Elizabeth tried to listen to her cousin and share in her excitement. But as she stood there, she became aware of the duke, standing across the room where he could be seen over Annabella’s shoulder. Elizabeth was a good three inches taller than the shorter, curvier Annabella. Her eyes flickered up to catch a glimpse of the duke and then dropped back to her cousin’s face. The second time she did it, he was looking at her. That was when she dropped her eyes immediately, not allowing them to linger on him. She could hear her heart thudding, almost afraid of what would happen if her gaze locked with his again.

  She wondered what he was thinking. Did he think she was staring? Was he truly looking at her or just in her direction? She found it so difficult to discern his true feelings. His behavior toward her was courteous and polite, but through the luncheon and the croquet match earlier that week, he had been no more attentive than was necessary. She wanted to speak with him alone but had not found an opportunity. She felt an urge to explain to him how she truly felt about Jonah and the marriage and did not understand why she felt so. Probably because I wish to know him better, more than I have ever wished to know anyone in all my life.

  She felt her skin prickle when she looked up and saw that Alexandra had made her way to the duke and was now standing too close to him, gazing at him with an adoring face. Daniel looked like he felt a bit awkward, lifting a glass of Malmsey and taking a sip. His eyes drifted around the room, stopping more than they probably should have to gaze at Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth suddenly wished she was there, talking to the duke. I will go over there soon. She looked down at Annabella’s face while the girl chattered on. She leaned in closer. “Annabella.”

  It must have been the tone of her voice that stopped the younger girl. She blinked, gazing at Elizabeth in surprise. “Yes, Beth?”

  “Do you want to know something that I will only tell you in confidence?”

  Annabella leaned closer to her and smiled. “Of course, Beth. You can trust me.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I know I can. You already know that Jonah and I do not want to get married, do you not?”

  Annabella nodded. “It is a well-known fact, yes.”

  “Well, I have set my heart on another man, one I have just met. I wish to marry him, just as Jonah wishes to be free to pursue Lady Julia.”

  Annabella’s eyes opened wide, making her look more like a baby doll than ever before. “Oh! Tell me, Elizabeth, who is he? Do I know him? Where did you meet him? Have you danced with him or talked to him? Who is it?”

  Elizabeth laughed, holding back her answers until the girl stopp
ed to take a breath. Before she could resume the questions, Elizabeth said bluntly, “It’s the Duke of Athlone. Right there behind you. I was talking to him when you found me.”

  Annabella’s mouth opened wide and she turned to stare at the duke. Elizabeth grinned and touched her arm. “Don’t stare, Annabella! You’ll make it obvious we are talking about him.”

  “Oh, Beth, he is a very handsome man! And he’s a duke! That’s wonderful news. But it looks like he has Alexandra on his arm?”

  Elizabeth frowned. “Yes, Alexandra has set her eyes for him, too. She believes it will be her that is chosen because I am betrothed to Jonah, albeit unwillingly.”

  “Well, we cannot have that, can we?” Annabella narrowed her eyes sportingly and gave her cousin a sly grin. “Let us see if we can’t infiltrate and cause a change of heart for the duke. What do you think?”

  “I think you are a wicked girl,” Elizabeth murmured conspiratorially. “And I’m equally so, because that sounds like the perfect plan to me. Come.” She took her cousin’s hand and they walked toward the duke. Before she even got there, she saw Alexandra’s jaw clench.

  As they walked, Annabella said only loud enough for Elizabeth to hear, “It is our duty to keep a good man like the Duke of Athlone from being strapped with someone who'll make him miserable.”

  Elizabeth could not help stifling a giggle. Trust Annabella to be so forthright and direct! She glanced at the girl, and they both began to giggle. Elizabeth clamped her lip in her teeth to try and suppress the laughter, and they both struggled valiantly to recover before they reached the duke.

  “Your grace.” Annabella said, curtsying to the duke. “I was so rude before, pulling Beth away from you when you were talking to her. Do allow me to apologize.”

  “Think nothing of it, my lady. I could see that it was something terribly important you needed to discuss with her.” His eyes sparkled teasingly.

  “It truly was, your grace!” she said excitedly. “But now I would like to allow you to finish the conversation you were having. Come along, Alexandra, I wish to share my good news with you, too!”

  Before Alexandra could protest, Annabella had pulled her away from the duke, chattering on just as she had with Elizabeth. Alexandra looked over her shoulder longingly as she was reluctantly pulled away.

  Daniel and Elizabeth looked at each other and shared a smile.

  CHAPTER TEN

  SOMETHING TO SAY

  SOMETHING TO SAY

  “Let me apologize for making you feel unwanted the other day, Miss Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth was surprised by the duke’s apology. She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side prettily. “Whatever do you mean, your grace?”

  “I know that you were feeling somewhat left out when we were playing croquet. It was your suggestion but your sister did rather steal the field?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “That is the way she is.”

  “She seems... a little difficult sometimes,” he said lightly.

  Elizabeth bit her lip. “Alexandra is a complicated person,” she said carefully.

  “I have noticed this. But she is a very beautiful woman.”

  “The two things are not necessarily incompatible, your grace.”

  “This is very true. And wise. You are very mature for your age,” he said, sounding surprised.

  Elizabeth felt a stab of pain in her heart. Did he think of her as a child? Perhaps his affection for her was purely brotherly.

  He seemed to sense he had upset her, for he leaned closer to her. “What are you thinking? You seem sad.”

  “Oh, ignore me,” she said lightly. “I do not mean to burden you with my woes.”

  “I hope I did not hurt your feelings. It was not my intention.” He looked at her with narrowed eyes, as if trying to discern how he had hurt her.

  “No, my lord. Not at all. I will be all right.” She looked at her hands.

  Daniel scanned her face and thought back over the conversation. What had he said? Was it because he mentioned her age? He immediately regretted his words and hoped to put things right. “Let me tell you a story, Miss Elizabeth.”

  She looked up at him. His first thought was how beautiful her eyes were when they gazed at him the way they were right then.

  “Please do, my lord.”

  “When I was fifteen years old, one of my sisters was preparing to marry. My older sister. She was just a few years older than I was, I believe eighteen. My brothers, sisters, and I were all in the wedding procession. The wedding was to be held in the chapel on our estate. The day was sunny, and the whole family walked across the estate from the house to the chapel, a distance of perhaps a hundred feet, up a small hill. I escorted my cousin, Jillian. Halfway up the hill, my foot slipped in a puddle. I lost my footing.”

  Elizabeth gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. Her eyes widened. She noticed the corners of his lips fluttering as he tried not to laugh.

  “Instead of recovering myself, I grabbed onto my cousin’s arm and pulled her along with me as I tumbled down the hill.”

  “Oh my!”

  By this time, Daniel could no longer contain his laughter. He was chuckling helplessly as he continued. “We… we tumbled head over heels at least four times. She was shrieking like a banshee but not because she was being hurt. She was so desperately furious with me. I don’t think she ever forgave me, as a matter of fact! We shall have to ask her sometime!”

  Elizabeth wondered if he realized he had said “we” instead of “I”. Her heart soared.

  “That’s terrible, your grace,” she said, recovering her composure. “I am glad you were unhurt though. I don’t see how you avoided it.”

  “I do not know either. Perhaps our bones were supple enough not to break as we rolled. We were really very young. There were no rocks to stop our fall or cut our skin, thank Heavens. I must say, though, it is because of that incident that everyone on that side of the family calls me ‘Jack’ as a nickname.”

  “Oh!” Elizabeth let herself laugh along with the duke. “Jack!” She laughed at the reference to the nursery rhyme. “However, I do hope you did not have to put a paper plaster on your head to seal your wound!”

  Daniel laughed some more, pleased that she had followed the story so well. “I had no head wound, again, thank Heaven.”

  She smiled warmly. “Thank you for telling me the story, your grace. It was wonderful.”

  Daniel nodded. “And every word of it is true. Someday you will be able to meet some of my family, perhaps, and they will confirm it.”

  “There is no need. I trust that you have told me a true story.”

  His eyes softened as he gazed at her. “You are a very beautiful woman, Miss Elizabeth. I hope I am not too forward in saying so.”

  Elizabeth dropped her eyes to the floor. “No, your grace, I appreciate the compliment. I think you are… very handsome… as well.”

  He chuckled. “Would you care to…”

  His words were cut off when Hamilton and Jonah’s father approached from behind her and drew his attention away. “If I could interrupt, your grace,” Hamilton said, holding out one hand to Lord Macefield. “This is Michael Joshua Boothe, Earl of Macefield. Jonah’s father. Jonah is the young man betr—”

  “I know who Jonah is, Lord Westering,” Daniel cut her father off, much to Elizabeth’s surprise. She wondered if he did that for her benefit so that neither of them would have to think about the fact that she was still betrothed to Jonah. Daniel gave Lord Macefield a slight bow, lowering his head. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Your son is a formidable young man who will surely make an excellent career in the army, if he takes after his father at all.”

  Elizabeth could tell that Lord Macefield was impressed with Daniel. A military man of some prominence, he stared intently into the young man’s eyes before nodding his approval. Unlike her own father, Jonah’s father was tall, the same height or close to Daniel’s. He had dark wavy hair and a beard and musta
che streaked with strands of fine gray hair. Elizabeth had heard him complaining to his wife often, saying he was too young for his hair to be turning gray. Her response was always the same; he looked dignified and sophisticated with the streaks of gray in his beard. Michael Boothe also possessed a powerful voice that was made for speaking to the massed troops. When he spoke, his words boomed through the room unless he was purposefully trying to speak softly. This was not one of those occasions.

  “Your grace!” he said heartily. “It is always a pleasure to speak with someone your age who has done well when they inherited too soon. Not to say that you are too young or inherited your title too soon, my lord! I have just seen too many young men who run their estates into the ground with gambling and inattention! Speaking of which, I have heard you will be inheriting land not too far away from mine?”

  Daniel nodded. “I must meet requirements before I am able to take control of the land. When those requirements are met, I will start construction on the estate. My plan is to build a hunting residence.”

  “Inform me the moment you can start work,” the earl said vigorously. “We recently reconstructed part of the old manor, and I can recommend the artisans who did that work. Level-headed fellows. Excellent work.” He stroked his beard as he spoke.

  “Thank you, Lord Macefield,” Daniel said sincerely. “It is appreciated.”

  “It is my pleasure. In fact, I would like to show you our own work – I had a folly built, and I think you can see it from the terrace of my neighbor's home?” He raised a brow at Elizabeth's own father.

  Hamilton nodded easily. “You can indeed, Michael. If you would join us on the terrace, your grace?”

  “Yes, that sounds fine, my lord.” Daniel gave Elizabeth a look of regret before turning to walk away, following behind the two earls. She gave him a comforting smile. She was glad she’d had the chance to speak with him, even if it was for only a short time.

  As he walked away, she wondered if his entertaining story was told to make her want him even more. He didn’t turn to look back at her but she felt a warm glow inside her anyway, that soft ray of hope rising once again.