Winning The Indecisive Duke: The Fairbank Series

by Bennett, Jessie

  “I do not blame him. Or Mother. They are not happy as a married couple.”

  Daniel eyed Jonah's drink and called one of the girls over to ask for another.

  “A glass of claret. Claret, yes?” he asked Jonah, raising a brow.

  “You have an excellent nose, your grace.” Jonah smiled. “All the more so since you are far across the table from me.”

  The duke chuckled. “I know claret is almost all you get in here that's good. I cheated.”

  They both laughed. “You did assume I had the same knowledge. And the same desire not to wake up tomorrow morning in mortification,” Jonah said.

  “Agreed.” Daniel smiled. “I would return to the topic at hand. Your father's views on marriage.”

  “I think I have a single word for those – awful.” Jonah huffed a laugh.

  “Wouldn’t that mean that perhaps he should be more compassionate toward your situation with my lady?” he asked Jonah, as the girl went to fetch his drink.

  “I would have hoped that he would see things my way because of it.”

  “And have you mentioned it to him?”

  Jonah nodded, taking a sip from his glass of wine. “I have spoken to him on several occasions.”

  “And he has not changed his mind?”

  “To my great misfortune, no, he has not.”

  “Has he explained why?”

  Jonah pushed his tongue into one of his cheeks thoughtfully. “He has said that although he and Mother do not always agree on everything, they genuinely care about each other. He insists that I am better off in my situation because I will be allowed to marry someone I have known all my life and care about deeply. Unfortunately, I am good friends with Elizabeth and he feels that’s all I need. He says that the love will develop over time.”

  “It’s already been quite a long time,” the duke observed. “You would know by now.”

  “I agree.”

  “Is there any reason why Elizabeth would be incompatible to you?”

  Jonah narrowed his eyes, giving Daniel a confused look. “What do you mean, my lord?”

  “She has no scandals in her past? No reason for anyone to think ill of her.”

  A look of understanding crossed Jonah’s face. He recalled that earlier in the day, Daniel had been walking with Alexandra. “Has Alexandra told you different?”

  “It is a possibility,” the duke said.

  “There is no reason to expect anything else. I will be honest with you, your grace. I am not altogether easy in the company of Lady Alexandra.”

  “What is your reasoning for that?”

  Jonah shook his head. “She is not an easy character. Not only because she tends to be morose, but also because of her jealousy and bitterness. She is bitter to this day because my brother Jonathan cut short their courtship. We had all thought they would be together in the end, as we have all grown up together. But it simply wasn’t meant to be. Alexandra…” Jonah stopped for a moment as the girl, Beatrice, brought over a basket covered with a soft cloth.

  “Homemade bread, my lord.” She set the bread down on the table in front of Daniel. He nodded at her and raised his glass to his lips. She noted it was half full already. “My, you are thirsty, my lord. I will bring another glass shortly.”

  “Thank you.”

  When she left, Daniel looked over his glass at Jonah. “Tell me, young lord, how Alexandra seemed unworthy of your brother’s affections, when they were certain of marrying for so many years of their youth.” He could not help but be a little angry that the young man could have treated a woman so poorly and hoped there was a substantial basis for his cruel action.

  “Alexandra was known for disappearing for up to a week at times, when she was very young,” Jonah began hesitantly. “Mostly, it was harmless things, but once it was more serious.”

  “Oh?” Daniel suppressed a sigh. It appeared Alexandra was talking about her own youth, as opposed to Elizabeth’s. He wondered what would make the woman think her deception would not be found out. “May I ask, what was this serious thing?”

  “She was eighteen and was discovered in the bow of a boat bound for America.”

  Realization sparked in Daniel’s mind. “She has a great desire to see America, doesn’t she?”

  “She has always wanted to see it. She trespassed and stowed away on a ship bound for that land. She was soon discovered and brought back to her home. Lord and Lady Westering were shocked and distressed. My father heard him say afterward that he might even have acquiesced to this strange desire, had she not tried to reach the place so unwisely.” He sighed.

  “Did he suspect something sinister was in store?”

  Jonah shook his head and shrugged. “I do not know what the earl was thinking. Only that he was afraid Alexandra would cause further trouble and embarrassment to the family if she were allowed to go.”

  “If her behavior stemmed from a deep longing to go, would it not be more prudent to send her along with a chaperone, so that she would be happy?”

  “I am not her father,” Jonah replied sadly. He gave Daniel a small smile. “I cannot presume to know what the earl was thinking. It would be dangerous for her to have gone in any case,” he sighed. “It is sad, for I think Alexandra has reduced her chances of marriage quite considerably with that one ill-considered prank.”

  “That is unfortunate,” Daniel said sadly. “And perhaps that is why the earl has not changed his mind on the marriage contract.”

  “One less daughter to worry about. He knows Lizzie would be well taken care of by my family. Though I think it is not that alone; our fathers also wished to combine their estates into one. Lord Westering is not a stupid man by any means.” Jonah took a long drink from his glass, staring out at courtyard, where the strolling players seemed to be getting underway. “It looks like we are going to be entertained shortly. I am glad we chose to meet here. This is one of my favorite places to go. I have been coming here and watching plays since I was twelve years old. Elizabeth and I used to come here and sit on the grass under the stage, watching with wide eyes, amazed at the talent of the actors. We dreamed that someday we would be on stage, reciting Shakespeare. However, it was not meant to be.”

  “You grew up thinking you were going to marry her,” the earl said flatly.

  “Yes.”

  “When did you change your mind?”

  “When I caught sight of Lady Julia. The daughter of the Earl of Hargrave – you may have seen them when you left the estate? They visited briefly.” When the duke nodded, he continued, “My heart… my heart is hers, has belonged to her since I first saw her.”

  “She is a beautiful woman, I agree. I saw her in the park today as Alexandra and I were leaving.”

  “You ought not to have believed Lady Alexandra, if she spoke ill of her sister.”

  “I do not wish to offend anyone,” the duke said fairly. “She is not a liar until I know the truth, after all.” He sighed “I would also like to visit their home more often, if not to see her then to see Miss Elizabeth. I hope this does not bother you.”

  Jonah shook his head. “It does not. I have been hoping for a gentleman to come and catch Lizzie’s eye since I gave my heart to Lady Julia.”

  “You are determined to marry this lady, the daughter of Lord Hargrave, then?” Daniel inquired mildly.

  “Yes. As soon as the contract between myself and Lizzie is nullified, I will pursue a courtship with Lady Julia.”

  “Do her parents know of your intention?”

  “I am unsure,” he admitted

  “But surely, she knows of your feelings for her,” Daniel pressed.

  “Ah... yes. I have told her. Subtly.”

  “What does subtly mean?” Daniel asked, hiding a grin. “How “subtly” is subtle?”

  “I know they are aware that I must marry Lizzie by contract but not that I do not wish to do so. I have only been able to speak to Lady Julia on occasion, in passing in the market or at church.”

  “And
were you able to tell her how you feel on these brief encounters?”

  The look on Jonah’s face was wistful as he remembered their clandestine meetings. “I have.”

  “You have done nothing... less than gentlemanly, have you?” Daniel asked gently.

  Jonah blushed to the roots of his hair. “You mean... have I had… relations with her?” Jonah swallowed hard and looked down at the table. “We have never been alone together, your grace. I do not even know if she would wish for... such a thing.” He cleared his throat. “Since I trust you, I can admit to you that I do.” His voice was raw, his eyes sincere and shining.

  “I am sure you do.”

  “I would never jeopardize her reputation in any way!” Jonah protested. “You must know that, your grace.”

  “That is good to hear,” Daniel said mildly. “I knew you were a gentleman in the making. I look forward to becoming your neighbor and to shared interests, when I come into my inheritance here.”

  “What makes you think I might be involved, your grace?” Jonah asked, once again surprised by the fact that Daniel took his role in the management of his properties so seriously.

  “You come highly recommended by your father. And also by Lord Westering.”

  Jonah’s eyes opened wide as saucers. “Lord Westering recommended me?”

  “Yes, he was very open with his opinion about you. He trusts you. He said you would be a perfect addition to his family.”

  “Thank you, my lord.” Jonah swallowed. “That means a great deal to me.”

  “You are quite welcome. We can continue to discuss my plans for my land, also, while I search for a bride to ensure that I will actually inherit it.” He grinned self-deprecatingly.

  “I was surprised to hear that your uncle made such strange requirements for your inheritance. It is almost as surprising as the fact that he chose to divide his estate equally among his nieces and nephews.”

  “He loved everyone in the family – his nieces and nephews best of all. He was eccentric and quirky and we loved him in return.”

  “Good to hear.”

  “That was one of the reasons I did not fight the conditions he placed on the inheritance. He was progressive for his time, believing that all should be treated with equal grace and dignity.”

  “Lucky for your sisters.”

  “Indeed.”

  “I could wish,” Jonah sighed, “that Lady Elizabeth's father had the same progressive spirit as your uncle. We would all benefit from that.”

  Daniel smiled at him and patted his hand reassuringly. “You never know, Lord Jonah. He may yet come around.”

  “I hope so,” Jonah said, and lifted his wine, staring into the depths of it. “I do hope so.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  ALEXANDRA PUSHES ELIZABETH’S BUTTONS

  ALEXANDRA PUSHES ELIZABETH’S BUTTONS

  Elizabeth watched the house as they pulled away. The coach carrying her, her mother, and Alexandra toward Worthington Manor moved slowly over the road and rocks, bumping back and forth. Before they even left the property, Alexandra started talking about his grace the duke. It was the last thing Elizabeth wanted to hear. She could picture every feature of his face in her mind as she stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by. She could not believe how often she thought of him already. She had only met him a few short weeks ago and suddenly he had become her center, affecting her like nothing else did. How could she bear to hear of how much he cared for her sister?

  “He was so kind to me, Mother,” Alexandra was saying. “He is a very handsome man, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, dear, he is,” Anne agreed gently.

  “I am very blessed to have his attention, aren’t I? This could very well lead to something, could it not?” she asked hopefully.

  “Alexa, you have yet to even begin courting,” her mother cautioned her.

  “Why else would a gentleman walk in the park with a lady?” Alexandra asked brightly “He intends to court me. I can tell by the way he talks to me. He is very sweet. He tells me all about his life and the things he’s done. Do you know how much traveling he has done since his father died? He has had to visit many countries. He has even been to America! He has been to Virginia! He spent a lot of time telling me about it. He says someday he will take me there!”

  Elizabeth wanted to cry. She would have given anything to make her sister stop talking. Or at least stop talking about the Duke of Athlone. Her chest was tight, and she was subconsciously clenching and relaxing her hands.

  “That’s wonderful news, Alexa,” her mother said, sliding her eyes toward Elizabeth, whose face was white and her expression stiff. When Alexandra saw her mother look at her sister with a concerned frown, she looked at Elizabeth, too.

  “What is wrong, Lizzie? You aren’t upset that His Grace has taken a fancy to me, are you?”

  “I am not upset,” she lied.

  “I am surprised at you, Lizzie,” Alexandra said lightly “There is no need to conceal it. I know you are upset. But this is the way life is, isn’t it? You are already betrothed to Jonah. The duke would not be able to court you even if he was interested. It’s my time to shine, my sister. Not yours.”

  Elizabeth looked at Alexandra sadly. “I don’t want to argue with you about this for the millionth time. I’ve had enough.”

  “I don’t have to stop talking about him. When we are married, you will have to see him often. You shall have to accept that he loves me and not you.”

  “You don’t know you will be marrying him,” Elizabeth said wearily. “You don’t know what he’s thinking.”

  “I don’t have to know what he’s thinking.” Alexandra’s voice was smug. “I can tell by the way he talks and acts toward me that he is falling in love with me.”

  Elizabeth wanted to cry and put one hand over her mouth to hold back her tears.

  “That’s enough, Alexa. You don’t need to continue treating your sister this way. You know her situation, and how she feels,” their mother said gently.

  “She’s just jealous because I will have a happy life and she will be stuck marrying her friend,” Alexa said moodily.

  “There is no need for unkindness,” Anne chided her gently. “Perhaps you should let this topic of conversation rest for now.”

  “I am happy, Mother!” Alexa retorted. “Why shouldn’t I be happy? Why is it more important that Elizabeth is happy?”

  “Look at my face!” Elizabeth exclaimed, turning once again to Alexandra. “Do I look happy?”

  Alexandra frowned. “Everyone has always spent their time trying to make you happy, Lizzie. It’s my turn! I deserve to be happy, too.”

  “You would have been happy if you had been nicer to Jonathan! You shouldn’t have pushed him away!”

  Alexandra looked like she was going to smack Elizabeth. “The problem was not with me, it was with Jonathan. I didn’t want to marry him anyway.”

  Elizabeth snorted. “Now you are the one who is lying.”

  “Mother!”

  “Alexa, you should talk about something else. There is no need to upset people.”

  “She is the one who started this, Mother. She’s so jealous of me!”

  Elizabeth sighed once more. “I hardly think so, Alex. I am quite happy with who I am.”

  “Do not call me that! Mother!”

  “Lizzie, you do know Alexa doesn’t like to be called that name. We should all just be quiet until we get to the Worthingtons,” Anne said. “This conversation is not going to end well if it continues.”

  Alexandra frowned, twisting her beautiful face. “You are not going to say anything to her? Mother, her behavior has been unacceptable as of late and you and Papa do nothing about it! Why?”

  Anne pulled in a deep sigh, a resigned look on her slender face. She had no wrinkles to show her age. She lifted one hand and patted her loose curls before responding. “You do not understand Elizabeth’s position. You should be concentrating on your own future and not worrying about hers.�
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  “I would do that but she has been flirting with my suitor since the duke arrived. She argues with Papa in front of the servants! She tells her maid everything about our family. I cannot imagine who knows all of our business now, since the servants can’t keep their mouths shut!”

  Elizabeth noticed the inflection on the word “maid” when Alexandra said it. It sparked her anger. Stella was her confidante and friend. She fought to keep the words back with all her strength.

  “You should be minding your business.” Anne tried phrasing it a different way in the hopes Alexandra would understand her. “Instead of someone else’s. I’m sure you have things you need to be thinking about besides how annoyed you are with your sister. We will deal with Elizabeth’s situation. You don’t need to be concerned.”

  “That hasn’t stopped her from flirting with the Duke of Athlone.”

  “I haven’t been flirting with him!” Elizabeth said indignantly. “I haven’t done anything untoward when I am in company with him.”

  “I see the way you look at him!”

  “I can’t help the way I look.” Elizabeth’s anger was bringing tears to her eyes. She tried not to show it, feeling humiliated when her voice shook. Alexandra heard the waver and turned shocked eyes to her mother.

  “Did you hear that? She is lying, and she knows it. Tell her to stop flirting with the duke, Mother.”

  “You are not being truly fair, Alexa,” Elizabeth said, her hands clenched together in her lap. “You have a much better chance than I of being courted by the Duke of Athlone, I admit that. I would ask that you cease this incessant quarrel with me. I cannot help that the duke is an attractive man. But I have not been flirting with him. Simply looking at him is not flirting. You worry that his eyes might drift to me, which is why you think so.”

  Alexandra’s face turned red. “He is not attracted to you,” she said vehemently.

  Elizabeth didn’t think she would be able to hold back her tears for much longer.

  “Girls!” their mother said strongly. They both gasped and looked at Anne. “That is enough! You will stop this now and compose yourselves before we get there.”