It's Always the Duke: Historical Regency Romance

by Lisa Campell

  She nodded. “I agree. It is lovely.”

  “I knew you’d have a taste for good things, Miss Caroline. I’m happy to see that I was right.”

  Her response was a small smile. She was still hurting. She had gone over the events of that afternoon in her mind a hundred times on the ride to the park.

  Each time, her heart broke into further tiny pieces. How could Edward have been so cold? How could he have given her to another man so easily?

  “I am sorry I have not been in touch as much as I should be. You must understand, the Season is a particularly busy time for lords and businessmen. I happen to be both. Nevertheless, you must realize that you were in my thoughts always.”

  Too weak to speak, Caroline nodded again. What she truly wanted was to be left alone to her thoughts.

  Lord Whittaker peered at her. “You are angry, aren’t you? Ah… I see. You have every right to be. I shall make it up to you, beyond words. I shall. It appears that I have a lot to apologize for. You will accept my apologies, will you not?”

  “Yes, of course,” Caroline answered, choosing to speak then.

  Lord Whittaker nodded, evidently glad. “I do not know the things you fancy, so I was reluctant to have gifts arranged. Nonetheless, I am aware that there are particular presents no lady rejects. One of my men will have them delivered before our afternoon together ends, never worry.”

  Caroline wondered what they were, the gifts, not that it mattered. She only hoped he hadn’t spent a fortune. She didn’t want to fall any more in his debt than she already did.

  “I’m sure you put your heart into it, but you certainly did not have to go through the trouble. I am a simple lady, my lord.”

  “Then I suggest you start getting accustomed to luxuries, because I intend to lavish my wife with the best of everything.”

  He drew to a stop then, causing her to do the same.

  He placed one hand on her shoulder, holding her softly.

  Caroline had to fight against the urge to shrug it off. Where Edward’s touch thrilled her, his did the opposite.

  “I must apologize for my behavior the last time we met. After I left, I considered my actions I found that I was wrong to have spoken such words to you. I was too hard and impolite. I am sorry.”

  Caroline finally paid him attention then, taken aback by his seemingly sincere apology.

  She never would have expected such from him. Perhaps she had been wrong about him, and that day had simply been a bad one.

  He had been nothing but warm and charming all afternoon, evidently taking great care to say the right words.

  If he was putting in so much effort, she could at the very least give him a chance, could she not?

  For the first time since she had met him, she flashed him a genuine smile. She opened her mouth to speak but someone appeared by their side in that moment, stopping her.

  “Whittaker? I was right! It is you!”

  She saw him still immediately as he turned to see who it was.

  It was a woman’s voice, and from the shadow she cast upon them, she appeared to be a very tall woman. Slowly, Caroline turned.

  “Miss Rosalyn,” Lord Whittaker breathed.

  So that was her name, Caroline thought.

  The woman was very beautiful, in an exotic way. She had gone through the trouble to apply a generous amount of blush that seemed all too much. Still, it took nothing away from how gorgeous she was.

  “My dear lord! Fancy running into you here! With a lady, no less. I heard you were not yet in London. Madame’s definitely felt your absence. Do visit soon, will you?”

  It slowly started to dawn on Caroline, the implication of what was happening.

  Caroline was not naive. She might have lived in the country all her life, but she was well read. Miss Rosalyn had to be one of those women of the street, and Madame’s…

  She couldn’t even think the word.

  So, Lord Whittaker was the kind of man who frequented those places? How could she ever be with him now, knowing this?

  She watched as his face went red and he coughed.

  “I do not think I shall be returning again, Rosalyn. In case you have not heard, I have a betrothed now.”

  “Oh, do you now? I suppose this is she?”

  Miss Rosalyn turned to her then, finally acknowledging her presence.

  “Ah… she’s a fancy little thing.”

  “You would do well to know your place and address her properly, Rosa. She is Caroline Wentworth, daughter of Viscount Wymore of Yorkshire.”

  “You don’t mean it? Could it be the same one that has been holing up in Darkwood’s? What a small world. I hear you’re the reason he hasn’t been spending any late nights in the clubs, and why he isn’t visiting Madame’s any longer. How is it you are betrothed to our good man Whittaker here?”

  Rosalyn broke into a chuckle then. “You do know how to choose your men, do you not? Ah… I suppose nowadays, it’s hard to find one who doesn’t seek pleasures in the bosom of women such as meself. Regardless, nice meeting you, it was. I bid you a good day. Milord Whittaker, do visit soon, will you? You are not beholden to any vows until you have actually taken them.”

  With a sly wink, she walked away, leaving Caroline to struggle with all the new information she had just gotten.

  It would seem Lord Whittaker was not the only guilty party. Edward too?

  “Caroline, I can explain…”

  Caroline raised her hand to stop him. She could care less about what he had to say.

  “You don’t have to, truly. I understand.”

  No, I don’t.

  She didn’t understand why Edward would associate with a woman like that.

  There were a lot of things she didn’t understand where he was concerned.

  “Good. I knew you would. Beneath all the rough edges, you do seem like a sensible woman, Miss Caroline. Although, I have to ask. Miss Rosalyn was mistaken about you being the reason Darkwood doesn’t visit Madame’s anymore, wasn’t she? It would pass a wrong message if I learned you are the reason why he stopped doing anything.”

  Caroline saw red. How dare he try to accuse her when she had just let him off the hook?

  Holding desperately to the reins of her emotions, she replied calmly, “I already told you. There is nothing between Edward and I. Whatever habits he dropped, it must have been out of respect as a host for his guest.”

  “I suppose that makes sense. Ah… I see my man has arrived with the gifts. I shall be back in a moment.”

  With those words, he left.

  Aunt Trudy came to her then. “He really does seem a charming man. Your father must have been right after all.”

  Caroline had never felt like crying more than she did in that moment. At the same time, she felt the indescribable urge to laugh.

  “Hmm,” was all she said.

  Her aunt continued to speak, but Caroline could not hear a thing. She was lost deep in her thoughts.

  What seemed like only a moment later, Lord Whittaker returned, but she knew he must have been gone for a while.

  In one hand, he held a bouquet of flowers, and in the other hand, a jewelry box.

  “For my lady.”

  The flowers were beautiful, as was the sapphire necklace that sat in the box.

  She thanked him for it and let him fix it on her neck. Then, feigning tiredness, she announced that she would like to return home.

  Thankfully, Lord Whittaker agreed easily.

  When they arrived at the manor, she didn’t know whether to feel relief or dread. As they dropped from the carriage, Lord Whittaker begged Aunt Trudy to go ahead, asking Caroline to remain.

  “How do you like your gifts?” he asked.

  “They’re lovely,” she answered.

  He gave a curt nod. “Many women would show more appreciation and joy than you have, but I understand that you are quite different. Nevertheless, there is something you must know.”

  He stepped closer to her and whispered i
n her ears. “I’m no fool, Miss Caroline. I am aware you do not care for me or my gifts. I see the way you look at Darkwood. I know these things. Nevertheless, I shall take your word and believe there is nothing between the two of you. Truth is, I do not need you to love me. I only need you to respect and honor me, and I know that you will. Did your father tell you? I bet he did not.”

  Caroline frowned, turning to him so that their faces almost touched.

  Lord Whittaker smirked. “Ah… he certainly did not. Well, I shall do the honors. Your father owes me a lot of money. Years’ worth of debt, even the townhouse couldn’t pay off. My marriage to you is a favor to your family. I marry you with no dowry, and I forget his debts. All of them, erased. I will have a beautiful young wife on my arms and he, a debt-free life. That way, we both win.”

  He sniffed. “You would be wise not to ruin this for your father. Make no mistake, Miss Caroline Wentworth, you will marry me.”

  As he finished, he leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek.

  Then, he pulled away and touched the necklace.

  “You wear it well. There is a ball this Saturday. I’m certain Darkwood will receive an invite. Be there. Wear a pretty dress. All eyes shall be on us. Go on now, I will watch you.”

  Caroline was trembling all over. Somehow she managed to make it into the house.

  However, she didn’t go to her chambers. Aunt Trudy would easily find her there and she didn’t want to have to speak with anyone.

  So, she went to the library. There, she would be alone and she would cry her heart out.

  She was doomed, it appeared. Her father had ruined their lives, and now, she would pay the consequences.

  Fool that she was, she had actually believed she had a choice.

  She chuckled.

  A fool indeed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Edward couldn’t stop pacing around in his study.

  He was livid. As Nathaniel had said, he only had himself to blame, and he accepted that.

  So why do I want to take it out on her? On both of them?

  He had seen what had happened outside of the carriage when they returned. He had watched Whittaker lean in close to her and had seen Caroline turn to him, their noses almost touching.

  His blood had burned when Whittaker kissed her, and he had punched the wall when the bastard touched her neck.

  Yes, he had all but pushed her to him. The past days had been the he had experienced in a long while, and he had gotten a taste of what life would be with her.

  Nevertheless, they could only have that life as friends. As tired as he was of hurting her and himself by fighting what they could have, he had needed to show her that it would be wrong to be hopeful for anything more.

  It was why he had insisted she go with Whittaker to the park. If he had known they would return that way, all cozy, he wouldn’t have let her go.

  He would have kept her by his side all afternoon, making her laugh and watching her eyes sparkle as she did.

  How could she have so easily moved on from him? How could she?

  He continued to pace.

  He knew she hadn’t gone to her chamber. She was in the library.

  “I should go to her. I should confront her!” he thought aloud.

  To what end?

  He found himself at a loss for words, unable to answer that question.

  “Does it matter?” he said finally.

  It didn’t matter. All he knew was that he needed to speak to her, and that he would.

  Decided, he stormed out of his study and marched to the library.

  As he entered, he scanned the huge room and found her small frame on one of the sofas. He walked to her and pulled her to her feet.

  “Do you miss him already?” His voice was firm. “Whittaker…” he added as he saw the confusion in her eyes.

  It didn’t clear, it only deepened.

  “I don’t understand…”

  His brows furrowed in a frown. “Don’t lie to me, Caroline. I saw the two of you as you returned. I saw it all.”

  Her face twisted in a frown. “What is this madness? What do you think you’re doing?”

  “You were not jesting when you said you chose him, were you? So why? Why did you have to make me believe you cared for me? That you lo—” he swallowed those words. She had never told him she loved him. He couldn’t accuse her of that.

  “Edward! Unhand me this very moment! I demand it!”

  There was something in her voice, a rage that he had never heard from her before.

  The shock he felt made him drop her arm as though it burned him, and he staggered, stepping away from her.

  “Are you alright?” she asked. “No, I do not think you are. You seem to have gone mad. It is the only explanation as to why you believe you have any right to question me. You asked me to go to the park with him. Since I came to London, you have only made it clear that you want nothing to do with me. So, pray tell, what is this tantrum? What do you care who I choose or what I do with Whittaker? Shall we do that then? Shall we interfere in each other’s lives? Shall I ask about Miss Rosalyn? And all the other ladies at Madame’s?”

  Edward staggered again, shocked to his bones this time. How had she found out?

  “How… when…”

  “How did I know? Well, let us say we ran into the lovely Miss Rosalyn at the park today. She’s very beautiful, I might add. Understandable why you patronize her services. It appears the earl is also a loyal customer. When we were introduced, she mentioned you. She said she had heard I was living in your home and was the reason why you’d stopped frequenting the clubs until late at night and the br—” she cut herself off, taking a deep breath, “Madame’s. The way I see it, you are in no place to question me about my relationship with Lord Whittaker.”

  She paused to catch her breath before continuing. “Need I remind you again that we are courting, rightfully so with my father’s permission and are set to be married by the Season’s end? So yes, he can kiss me and give me flowers and expensive jewelry and I am supposed to accept and love them all because that is what people do when they are courting!”

  Edward knew there was a lot to explain, so much confusion to clear, but for some reason, as he watched her rage on, all he could think was how fiercely seductive she looked.

  She wasn’t even trying, yet she made his member grow with desire. She made him want to take her right there, on the library floor.

  Those eyes had never sparkled so brightly. Those lips had never been more inviting.

  Don’t.

  He shouldn’t. He knew he shouldn’t, but damn it, he had held back for too long!

  Sending it all to hell, he closed the distance between them, drew her into his hands, and crashed his mouth against hers, swallowing the last of her words.

  He felt her go rigid in his arms but he didn’t stop, he continued to kiss her ferociously, as he had always wanted to, pouring all the emotions he felt into the kiss.

  Anger, regret, want, love, passion.

  Soon, she began to weaken. As she did, she wrapped her arms around his neck, opening up even more for him.

  “Oh, Edward,” she sighed into his lips.

  “I know,” he muttered. “I know.”

  He kissed her like he had never kissed another before, needing and wanting more, no matter how much he took.

  She was just as delicious as he had thought she would be. No, she was even more so.

  Her lips tasted like wild berries and her tongue—he groaned when it tangled with his, doing the lover’s dance—it tasted like apples and milk. There was something else, something he could not quite put a finger too.

  It was the most scintillating of all.

  From the way she responded to his kisses, he knew she had never been kissed before. Not like this.

  It thrilled him, the knowledge that he was her first. He wanted to be her only.

  He sucked her lips, nibbling and biting, teasing and pleading.

 
She took as he demanded, demanding just as much in return. When her tongue broke the dance to explore his mouth, he deepened the kiss, getting lost in all her hidden corners.

  His right hand pulled loose the knot that held her hair together, and as those waves fell, he sighed in glory.