It's Always the Duke: Historical Regency Romance

by Lisa Campell

  They said their farewells and Edward took his leave. His carriage was waiting right outside, where he had left it. As he climbed on, he called out to the coachman.

  “Take me to Mayfair.”

  In another moment, the wheels began to roll, bearing him to the Dalton townhouse.

  Chapter Four

  London!

  It was easy to tell that they had arrived. All Caroline had to do was look out the window and listen. The busy streets, the loud chatter, the polluted air, and the many tall buildings.

  Nothing screamed London more than these.

  The last time she had visited, she had been five-and-ten. She had accompanied her father on a business trip.

  She could scarcely sit still in her seat. Ever since her father had given his word that they would leave in a fortnight, she had been eager to depart.

  When they finally began their journey, she started to count the hours until she would see these busy streets again.

  Now that we have finally arrived, seeing Edward is certain. It won’t be long until we are reunited again.

  She knew this in her heart.

  A part of her was angry with him, hurt that he hadn’t thought to write to her to inform her of his return. All those years, she’d waited without a word from him, understanding that his silence was because he was too far away to send word.

  She could no longer accept excuses for his negligence. Yet she found herself considering the likelihood of a surprise—a romantic grand gesture.

  Perhaps he intended to reveal himself when he knew of her presence in London, believing that she was not yet aware of his return.

  If that was the case, it was quite a pity that his Aunt Helen had ruined his plans. Nevertheless, all was not lost. She would do well to act as though she was truly shocked to see him when they finally met.

  Aunt Trudy worried Edward might have forgotten her, but Caroline did not think it possible. He would never forget her. They were destined, the both of them—fated to be together for as long as they lived.

  One never forgot their soul’s mate. Edward could not have forgotten her.

  “Not much has changed,” she thought aloud, still looking out the window.

  From her side, she saw her father nod. He had been busy with a book all journey. Even then, he wouldn’t look up from it.

  “A few more businesses here and there. More people, of course. A couple of new houses have been built, too, I hear. Taverns, inns, gambling houses, bro—”

  He stopped himself, only looking up in that moment. He cleared his throat as he finally put the book away.

  “When you look at a glance, it’s as though it’s still the same as it has always been. You need look only a little deeper to see the change there is. Nothing remains the same forever, my dear. Not people, and definitely not London. Everything, and everyone, changes.”

  There was something in her father’s voice that made her wary. Something that sounded too much like a caveat, as though he was trying to give her some warning.

  She gave it some thought but when she couldn’t seem to place a finger to it, she let it go.

  “How long until we arrive at the townhouse?” she asked.

  “Not long,” he answered simply.

  She shared a look with Aunty Trudy, who was remaining usually quiet. She turned to Amelia, but her maid could not speak unless spoken to.

  Understanding her companions’ desire for silence, she closed her mouth, keeping any further thoughts to herself.

  Not much later, the carriage rolled to a stop. Her father was the first to drop from the carriage. The ladies waited until the coachman came around to help them down.

  As Caroline’s feet touched the ground, she stood to take in their surroundings. The streets looked nothing like Brighton, and the building that stood in front of them was definitely not their townhouse.

  “Father, where are we? Are we visiting someone?”

  He wouldn’t even look at her. “No. We are home.”

  “Home? But this is not our home. We live in Brighton. Goodness, where is this place?”

  “Berfount,” her father replied as he began to climb the stairs.

  Caroline’s eyes widened as her confusion grew.

  It might have been three years but she remembered the charming serenity of Brighton. She had been told it was where many of the members of the Ton stayed, one of the fancier neighborhoods.

  Berfount was certainly not the slums, but it did not look quite as respectable, either.

  Aunt Trudy began to follow her father as their trunks were removed from the carriage. Picking up her dress, Caroline climbed the stairs as well, not wanting to be left behind. Amelia was on her tail.

  “Father, I really do not understand.”

  “What is there to understand? We have clearly moved from Brighton. This is our new home. It has been for some time now. I stay here whenever I visit London.”

  “For some time? How long? How could we have moved? The house in Brighton is our ancestral home. It belonged to great grandfather. What reason would we have to move?”

  “You ask too many questions regarding affairs that do not concern you, Caroline. All that matters is that you shall have a roof over your head. The lodgings are quite comfortable as well. Your chamber might not be as large as you’re used to, but it will suffice.”

  He stopped as they reached the door. With his walking stick, he rasped two knocks against the wooden frame. It soon opened, revealing their butler. The same one that had always managed the townhouse.

  Caroline sighed.

  Finally. Something familiar—or shall I say, someone.

  No more words were said until they’d entered the house and the door was shut behind them. It was evident that the house had been prepared for their arrival.

  It wasn’t a terrible place, if Caroline chose to be sincere, and she did. It was modest. Smaller than the house in Brighton, but modest, nonetheless.

  She believed a more suitable word would be quaint.

  She did not truly care about the size of a home or the grandeur of its furnishing. She was simply wary at the thought that her father might have lost their townhouse.

  He spoke again then, drawing her out of those thoughts.

  “You will be shown to your chambers and given a tour of the house. Whatever it is that you require, you need only ask the servants. They will be more than happy to help.”

  “But… Father…”

  He stopped her with a hand in the air. “I will entertain no further questions, Caroline. You wanted to come to London and I granted your wish. Now, settle in. It has been a long ride. We all need to rest to regain our strength.”

  He walked away with those words, leaving Caroline with her jaw dropped.

  As she recovered, she turned to her aunt.

  “Aunt Trudy, you wouldn’t happen to know what happened with the townhouse, would you? It was your home, too. You should know.”

  Aunt Trudy shook her head. “Yes, I grew up there, but it became your father’s to do with as he pleases the moment our father died and he came into his inheritance.”

  “He lost the house, didn’t he? Gambling?”

  Caroline had been afraid to think the thought, much less say it out loud for fear that it was the truth. She knew of her father’s gambling habit. It was a problem he had had struggled with for years.

  He tried to hide it from her but she was no fool. She knew, anyway. She would often hear his secretary argue with him over his imprudence.

  Aunt Trudy immediately looked uneasy. She looked around as though watching to see if anyone was listening. She must have decided someone was because with voice raised, she answered, “You should listen to your father and stop asking questions, Caroline. He’s right. What matters is that you have a roof over your head. Do not concern yourself with matters that are not yours to worry over.”

  However, she nodded as she finished speaking, her brown eyes sad. Caroline immediately understood.

  S
he had been right. Her father had indeed lost the house gambling, but he wished to hide it from her.

  Sighing, she turned to the servants, who were waiting to show them to their chambers.

  “Please, lead the way,” she whispered.

  She had suddenly grown weak. She couldn’t help wondering how much more they had lost. How much more he was hiding from her.

  She remained silent until they reached her chamber.

  As she entered, she took in the décor and decided she loved it. It would do, it would certainly do.

  “Help me, will you, Amelia? I wish to get out of these clothes. I feel so trapped in them.”

  Amelia was quick to get to work. As they loosened her corset, Aunt Trudy came to her door.

  “Do you like the room?”

  “Yes,” Caroline responded softly.

  “I’m glad. Mine is only two doors away. You can visit whenever you like.”

  She nodded. “Thank you.”

  Aunt Trudy turned to go then, but Caroline stopped her.

  “How long has it been? Since he lost the house?”

  There was a small moment of silence before her aunt answered, sighing. “A year and some.”

  “A year…” and she hadn’t known of it. “Did you find out immediately?”

  Aunt Trudy shook her head. “Months after. Three months.”

  “I see. Thank you.”

  Aunt Trudy’s response was a curt nod. She left then, closing the door behind her.

  It was on days like this that her father was a friendly enemy. A man she loved, but couldn’t help being disappointed in. He should have been honest with her, rather than trying to preserve his pride.

  “Shall I fetch you some tea, miss?” Amelia asked.

  Caroline could hear the care in her voice. It touched her.

  “Yes, Amelia. I’d love that, thank you. If you could also have them bring up bath water. I will be needing a good scrub after being on the road for two long days.”

  Amelia bowed her head slightly. “Right away, my lady.”

  She was gone in an instant, leaving Caroline alone with her thoughts.

  This wasn’t the way she had envisioned her first evening in London. She had planned to spend it basking in bliss and joy, daydreaming of the many ways meeting Edward again would happen.

  If he would run to her with arms wide open. If he would lift her up and twirl her round. If he would confess his undying love right there on the spot and ask her to be his wife.

  She must have been too tired for she dozed off, only rousing when Amelia returned with a cup of tea and other servants who carried buckets of water.

  “Thank you,” she muttered as she accepted the tea from Amelia.

  She sipped slowly as they filled the tub. When they finished, she set the empty cup aside and rose to her feet.

  With Amelia’s help, she was finally free of all her clothing.

  Her soul sighed when she finally entered the tub. The warmth seeped into her pores, taking her worries away as the water washed the dirt off her skin.

  Between that and the tea, she felt better.

  She would bide her time until her father was willing to have the conversation, then she would speak with him about their finances. She was no longer a child and would not be treated as such. She was his heiress, the only one. She deserved to be apprised of family affairs such as this.

  It was only right.

  This was the thought on her mind as she rose from the tub and went back to her room. Once again, Amelia helped her into her evening dress.

  She didn’t suppose they would be having any guests for dinner. There was absolutely no need to dress formally.

  She had just finished combing her hair when three knocks sounded on her door.

  “You may come in, Aunty Trudy.”

  She could tell it was her. The manner in which she knocked was quite distinctive.

  The door opened almost immediately and Aunty Trudy entered again. There was a letter in her hand.

  Caroline’s mind began to rummage through possibilities as soon as she glimpsed it.

  Could it be?

  Had Edward learned of her presence in London and finally written to her?

  She cleared her throat as Aunt Trudy reached her. “Is that for me?” she asked, trying hard to sound indifferent.

  “You could say so. It’s for us all.”

  “Indeed?” she asked, slightly disappointed.

  “It is a letter and an invitation. To a ball. Hosted in honor of the Marquess of Belshire—it’s his birthday in a few days. It appears someone knew we were coming to London soon. It arrived a short while ago.”

  Caroline frowned. “The Marquess of Belshire? I do believe I have never heard of him. Might I have a look?”

  Aunt Trudy bobbed her head as she handed the letter to Caroline.

  As soon as Caroline accepted it, she began to read.

  Dear Wymore,

  It is with great pleasure that my family and I invite you and yours to the silver jubilee celebration of our dearest son, Lord Nathaniel Witherspoon, Marquess of Belshire.

  There shall be a ball in his honor at Witherspoon townhouse, number eighteen Brighton Street, on the twenty-second day of March, seven o’clock as the skies turn dark.

  We shall be delighted to be graced by your presence. Come one, come all!

  Yours,

  The Duke and Duchess of Nordame.

  Caroline folded the letter as she finished reading.

  “The Duke and Duchess of Nordame. I assume you know them?”

  Aunt Trudy nodded. “We were neighbors. They too live on Brighton Street.”

  “As I read. Will we be attending?”

  “Yes. Your father wishes that we honor the invitation. He is happy that we decided to come to London before the Season starts. He says this will be a good way to begin your introduction into society. I will help you prepare for the ball, as I will be acting as your chaperone.”

  “Of course,” Caroline answered.

  Aunt Trudy was her guardian, after all. She had never married. Caroline did not truly know why, as she had never been told, but she supposed it was because Aunt Trudy was too much of a wallflower.

  She must have been in her youth, too, going unnoticed while all the eligible bachelors chose other ladies and took them as their wives.

  For this reason, she had remained in her brother’s care, living with him.

  After Caroline had lost her mother, Aunt Trudy had continued to raise her, giving her all the love and counsel she could ever get from a mother.

  Aunt Trudy led a noble life, yes, but a boring one nonetheless. It was a fate Caroline never wished to be condemned to.

  “Dinner will be served at six. It’s only a few minutes until then. I see you have had your bath. Shall we go down, then?”

  Caroline wished to have a moment alone to herself, but she supposed that could wait until after her belly had been filled.

  Her lips curved as she made her decision.

  “Let’s.”

  Chapter Five

  Edward adjusted his hat as he dropped from his carriage.

  Before him, the Witherspoon townhouse stood tall and proud. There were so many carriages lying in wait and people trooped towards the door in large numbers.

  He wondered if Nathaniel had known to expect such a crowd.

  He didn’t think it likely. If that was the case, then his dear friend would have even more need of him. He reached into his pockets and brought out his watch the moment he felt it.

  A quick look told him he was early. There were a few minutes left until seven. It appeared that the people of London did not like to be tardy.

  Deciding not to linger any further, he too began to walk to the door. As he reached, he showed the butler his invitation and he was let in.

  Following the crowd, he found himself in the largest hall he had ever seen. He understood then why it had been called the grand hall.

  It was such a beauty. It was
evident that someone had gone to great pains to ensure that the furnishing was exquisite. Chairs and tables of the best woods filled the hall. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, reflecting a thousand rays of many, colorful light.