Mending the Duke's Heart: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Bridget Barton

  To be honest, the Duke didn’t care much for those particulars of his party’s views, but it had been the stance that generations of Winthrope Dukes had taken before him. He wasn’t sure he was willing to be the first to step away from that history even if he didn’t agree with the particulars of their political beliefs.

  Along with navigating this confusing revelation within himself, the Duke also had the outwardly difficult navigation of his mother and sister. Though they were pleasant with each other, they were also very stiff.

  It seemed that the Dowager Duchess still didn’t agree with her daughter’s decisions for companionship, nor did she feel that Lady Pamala had been sufficiently active in society and preparations leading up to the day.

  For Lady Pamala’s part, she was stubbornly refusing to concede to her mother on these matters. Even though she had already expressed to the Duke that she had felt remorse over not being more involved and feared she had left far too much for her mother to do on her own, she had no desire to say as much to the Dowager Duchess.

  In fact, the Duke was finding it a relief when the ball finally began as it relieved him of his duty of being the buffer between the two of them. Instead, he stood by the Dowager Duchess’s side as they greeted their guests while Lady Pamala was still upstairs, preparing for her grand entrance.

  “You know, at least two ladies commented to me about the strange design of Pamala’s gown at court today,” the Dowager Duchess said between greetings. “I hope she isn’t truly going to wear it again for the ball.”

  “I think she chose it because she was very fond of the style. Does it really matter what a few others think when it’s something she enjoys?” the Duke retorted.

  “But if a few are willing to say it to my face, you must consider how many more are thinking it and speaking it away from me?” the Dowager Duchess turned to her son.

  She was wearing a black velvet dress with golden trim and a plume of gold-painted feathers in the black turban that decorated her hair.

  “It concerns me enough as it is that she has chosen to keep that one girl on as a companion, though I shouldn’t be that surprised, she was always taking in strays, but that at least can be seen as a form of charity. Making her own clothes, and choosing such a strange style, and then to repeat the outfit again tonight…”

  The Dowager Duchess took out her fan and began to cool herself down from overheating from the mere thought of the same her daughter seemed to be compounding all in one evening.

  The Duke didn’t like how his mother described Miss Ward. She wasn’t some scrappy stray plucked from the grimy streets of London. He was sure his mother would see this had she just given Miss Ward a chance.

  Of course, he had been just as guilty at the first of making such judgments of the miss. But now, hearing a similar opinion out of another mouth, he felt the instant and fierce desire to protect and defend her.

  He knew, of course, he could never voice such a desire to his mother without raising some questions as to his motives. Instead, he determined to ensure the two had a proper meeting tonight. The Dowager Duchess would see how fine of a lady Miss Ward was with her own eyes, and that was the best way to change a person’s opinion, after all.

  “I believe Pamala mentioned making a second gown if that relieves any of your concerns, Mother,” the Duke said under his breath as they greeted the last few guests. “Come, let us go to the ballroom. It won’t be long now before Pammy makes her entrance and you can see for yourself what all her hard work has amounted to over the past few months.”

  He guided his mother to the ballroom. Though it was a private affair, the rooms were already significantly full. He knew that his sister would be making her grand entrance into the ballroom where they would have their first dance together to officially start the whole affair.

  Although most were waiting for his sister’s appearance to start the event, the Duke had his eyes searching for a different lady. When he finally found Ella Ward, his heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

  She was standing with Lord Melvin while the two of them casually chatted over glasses of punch. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t spotted her right away as she seemed to light up the whole room with her smile and laugh.

  Her dark hair was piled high on her head dotted with small pearls and a cascade of ringlets that rested gently on one shoulder. She wore a mint green silk dress in a relatively simple fashion. Where green normally made a lady’s complexion look a tad sickly, she seemed to glow with warmth.

  She wore a simple pearl necklace that he recognized as Pamala’s, and he couldn’t help but smile at the kindness of his sister to let her friend borrow such a treasured item. He watched in amusement as she fiddled with one of her long white gloves, urging it to stay in its place.

  He hadn’t realized exactly how long he watched her until their eyes met across the ballroom. He loved how much expression she always held in those big crystal-blue eyes or how her cheeks always seemed to turn bright red when their eyes met.

  He smiled casually and excused himself from his mother’s side. The Dowager Duchess barely noticed as she was chatting with Lady Cunningham next to her.

  “Good evening, Miss Ward.” He bowed as he came up to the pair. “If you would allow me to say, you look quite stunning tonight.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace.” She curtsied back. “I think Lady Pamala had her lady’s maid do me up so much I barely recognized myself.” She chuckled and tugged at her glove again.

  “I recognized you the moment I saw you. Her work simply enhanced your already prominent beauty,” he replied.

  Miss Ward looked away, blushing this time all the way to the tips of her ears. He wondered if she had thought about their almost kiss just as much as he had through the course of the day.

  “You seem in a fine mood,” Lord Melvin spoke, giving the Duke a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I was just trying to convince Miss Ward to allow me to dance with her first, but she informed me that place has already been spoken for. I don’t suppose I can convince you to relinquish your position to me, old man,” Lord Melvin said in a jovial manner.

  “Absolutely not,” the Duke replied though he kept his eyes on Miss Ward. He turned his attention to his friend, who seemed to eye him sceptically. “I only mean, it should be fitting that I dance with the lady first as I did ask first,” he tried desperately to make an excuse for the reason he refused to give up his set with Miss Ward.

  “I suppose I will have to wait till your card is open then,” Lord Melvin said with a wink at Miss Ward.

  The Duke knew that Lord Melvin was only teasing Miss Ward in good fun, but he suddenly felt a deep-seated green monster begin to rear its ugly head inside him. He didn’t want anyone else causing Miss Ward to blush except for himself.

  “Miss Ward, if I might borrow you for a moment. I don’t think you have been properly introduced to my mother,” he said, holding out an arm for the lady to take.

  He watched as her eyes flitted back to Lord Melvin and for a sinking moment, he wondered if she preferred to stay in Lord Melvin’s company over his own.

  “Oh, go on then, I’m done boring you with my silly drivel anyway,” Lord Melvin answered her unasked question.

  Miss Ward took his arm and walked back with the Duke in silence to his mother’s side. He wanted to ask her what exactly they were talking about, but knew it wasn’t his place to ask about another’s private conversation if he wasn’t included.

  Introductions were made between the Dowager Duchess and Miss Ward, and he feared it might be a very tense moment. Luckily Lady Cunningham, who was still with his mother, smoothly interjected into the conversation.

  “I must say, Miss Ward, that my daughter and niece were quite taken with your card skills the night before. They could talk of nothing else all day long.”

  “That was very kind of them, but to be honest I was just doing my best to remember all the rules,” Miss Ward said frankly.

  “I didn’t realize you also atten
ded the family dinner last night,” the Dowager Duchess cut in with one eyebrow raised in challenge.

  The Duke expected that his mother was now wishing she had known this information earlier so that she could have gleaned some news from her friend on Miss Ward’s manners and behaviour the night before.

  “Yes, Your Grace, it was very kind of Lady Cunningham to allow my addition and with such short notice.”

  “Oh, not at all,” Lady Cunningham responded. “Melvin had already said so much about you, we were all happy for the chance to meet you ourselves.”

  Lady Mary Fennimore, Lord Melvin, and Lady Cunningham’s niece Miss Fennimore joined the small grouping at that moment, making for a very large party.

  He watched on as Miss Ward conversed deftly with the various ladies and even got in a jab at Lord Melvin that made the whole group laugh. He couldn’t help but beam with admiration. She had been so nervous about her first introduction into society the night before, and now she seemed to fit in so well that he struggled to remember a time when she wasn’t there.

  All conversations stopped, however, when his sister was announced into the ballroom. He beamed at his sister, who stood in the doorway, slightly unnerved by all the eyes on her, but still with her chin held high.

  She had changed into a gown very similar to the one she wore to court, only this one had a shorter train and was made of the soft pink material. It still had the high collar that he had thought looked nice but also knew it was the thing his mother had referred to as questionable fashion.

  She was still wearing her tiara though she had opted to exchange the necklace for a pink satin ribbon with a charm at its end. She scoured the room instantly for a friendly face.

  The Duke took this as his signal to step forward and offer her his arm.

  “Oh, doesn’t she just look wonderful?” he heard Miss Ward say to his mother just before he left the group.

  “If you would call the first dance, my dear sister, I think we shall finally get this long-anticipated ball started,” he beamed down at his little sister.

  Chapter 20

  Ella watched with stars in her eyes as the Duke and Lady Pamala started the first dance. It didn’t take long before several more couples joined the line after Lady Pamala called the set and joined in the fun.

  Already this morning seemed like a whole lifetime ago. So much had happened since she rose early that morning.

  She had done her best to push aside the disappointing interaction she had with her mother that afternoon. Though she hadn’t left it on better terms with her mother, she at least resolved herself in the knowledge that her mother was doing well for herself and the shop.

  The problem was without the disappointing interaction with her mother to distract her, her mind had easily drifted to that confusing encounter with the Duke that morning. She knew for certain that he had nearly kissed her. What she didn’t know was why he had almost kissed her.

  She had jumped to conclusions quickly in the past when it came to the Duke of Winthrope, and she was determined not to do so again. She refused to think that he was the sort of man who would take advantage of his employees.

  He had certainly seemed far too aloof and disconnected emotionally from most people around him for such a thing to be possible. Not to mention the fact that as she had slowly begun to see more and more behind the wall he had so deftly built up, she couldn’t imagine it was possible for such a generous and kind man to treat another, especially one beneath him, so frivolously.

  But that then left her to wonder what exactly was the meaning of his actions that morning if it was not a frivolous act. He certainly couldn’t have meant anything sincere by it. One second she was sure that he loathed her—and she felt the same about him—and the next he was making her heart race and her knees weak.

  The only thing she could seem to do was to push it out of her mind as well. Unfortunately, that left her mind very open and empty, which was not a normal occurrence. She did her best to just be present in the moment if only to keep her mind from wandering back to the things she’d rather not think about.

  “Your Grace, why don’t we take a seat over here, if you would like. You would have a perfect view of the dance floor,” Ella suggested, motioning to an open couch along a wall.

  The Dowager Duchess didn’t look to be frail, but Ella guessed she probably wanted to rest her feet after standing for so long greeting each guest as they came in.

  “Yes, thank you, child.” the Dowager took Ella’s arm and let her lead her to the couch.

  Ella waited for the Dowager Duchess as well as Lady Cunningham to take the comfortable seats on the couch before sitting on a wooden chair next to them. The rest of their party had already been collected by various acquaintances for the dance.

  “Are you not going to dance as well, Miss Ward?” Lady Cunningham asked.

  “The Duke has promised me the second set, but I am not entirely sure if I will dance beyond that. I don’t know many people here,” Ella explained.

  “Winthrope promised you the second set?” the Dowager Duchess repeated, sizing Ella up.

  Ella couldn’t decide the meaning of her surprise. She knew that one of the reasons the Dowager had left the house these past weeks was based on disapproval of Ella’s presence in the house. Perhaps she also considered it quite outlandish for a Duke to ask such a girl to dance on such an important night.

  “Yes, Your Grace,” Ella responded. “I think he realized I was a bit nervous about tonight and he very kindly offered to be my first dance partner. I expect because he is so skilled, he would easily hide any mistakes I make.”

  “Or be less likely to flinch if you step on his foot,” Lady Cunningham added with a giggle.

  “That is very kind of him,” the Dowager agreed. “I was just surprised to hear he planned to dance tonight. I half expected him to do his duty by his sister and hide himself away the rest of the evening. Perhaps my words finally got through to him.”

  “Your words, Your Grace?” Lady Cunningham asked.

  “Yes, I encouraged Winthrope to put aside his long since broken heart and find himself a wife. It is high time he does so. With Pamala finally out, I can now turn my attentions to seeing his matchmaking done justly.”

  “Broken heart?” Ella couldn’t help but ask.

  “Oh, I suppose you would know nothing of these things,” Lady Cunningham explained. “But it is a well-known fact. The Duke fell in love when he was just a young man fresh out of school.”

  “I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out,” Ella forced herself to say through a lump in her throat.

  Strangely, she didn’t like the idea of hearing that the Duke might be in love with someone else, though she knew logically it was ridiculous to feel this way.

  “Yes, apparently the lady was a bit calculating,” the Dowager waved off. “Not surprising. Many ladies must be out of necessity. But she was particularly deceptive, and Winthrope was blinded by his feelings. It came as a great blow when he learned the truth. Vowed he would never try again. I’m glad he has finally started to come to his senses,” the Dowager Duchess ended.

  Ella looked out at the couples dancing. Knowing this about the Duke seemed to make her soften even more towards him. He wasn’t so cross and dark out of nature but out of hurt. She could only imagine what it would be to fall in love with someone only to learn they were not truthful at all. It was no wonder he seemed to distance himself.

  Even with his own family, he seemed liberal with his gifts and funds but only as a means to keep them at a distance. Lady Pamala often spoke on how he chose to unnecessarily busy himself with the estate. It was clear to Ella now why he would do such a thing. Absorbed in the daily running of his life, he would have no time to open himself up again to being wounded.