Thwarting the Duke

by Ava Stone

  Lucian frowned, and Emma worried her lip. Had she revealed too much?

  “My father was very serious,” he finally said after a moment. “There would have never been any fun in our home if not for my mother.” He looked beyond her for a moment. “How did I miss that fact until this moment?”

  Emma smiled. “Sometimes, I suppose, we don’t see what’s right in front of us.”

  He glanced around them very quickly, then cupped her face. “I see you, and you’re the brightest star I’ve ever beheld.”

  Her lips ached for him to claim her mouth once more. As he leaned toward her, she closed her eyes, and his lips pressed against hers, gently covered her mouth. Her heart exploded with anticipation of the rapturous kiss to come, but he pulled away, a regretful look crossing his face. “We must get to the race.”

  Emma nodded as Lucian got the horses moving again. “I read Burns last night,” Lucian said.

  “You did?” He had been listening to her last night at supper! “Do you like him, or did you read his work to prove me wrong that he was the best poet?”

  “No, you were perfectly right. I love him. But it had been far too long since I’d allowed myself the pleasure of simply sitting and reading.”

  “How long?

  “Several years,” he replied, his tone heavy with regret.

  Emma gasped. “Years! That’s terrible. Why so long?”

  He shrugged, but she could see by his wary eyes that it wasn’t a matter simply to be shrugged off. She placed her hand on his arm, and she could feel his muscles jump under her touch. “Tell me.”

  “I have many responsibilities, and they consume most of my hours. I suppose I didn’t feel I had the time to stop and read anymore. I’ve spent a great deal of time sorting out messes Nathaniel’s made, and when that doesn’t occupy me, business does, or my mother does. It leaves little time for myself.”

  “Did something change last night?” she asked.

  His gaze locked with hers, and the memories of how he tasted burned in her mind.

  “Yes,” he said, not breaking their contact. “I was reminded that I made a promise to myself several weeks ago to start letting my brother sort out his own messes.”

  “And how is that proceeding?”

  “I’m working on it,” he chuckled. “Thus, I paused to read a poem when an enchanting snow fairy revealed that she and I shared a love of the same poet.”

  She frowned. “Your brother called me a snow fairy when we were ice-skating.”

  “I called you that first.” Lucian turned the phaeton off the road and onto his drive. “I saw you twirling on the ice, and I immediately thought of a snow fairy.”

  “Why didn’t you come out and skate?”

  “Dukes don’t skate,” he replied, matter-of-fact.

  She burst out laughing. “Someday, Lucian, I vow to get you on the ice and show you what fun you’ve been missing.”

  They rode in companionable silence to the land adjacent to Lucian’s home. It was a wide expanse of green grass and gently rolling hills with a forest framing the grounds. Emma stared in awe and appreciation at the land as Lucian drove them up to the small party gathered near a meadow.

  Before Lucian had even drawn the phaeton to a stop, Nathan was beside her. He held out his hand to her as he scowled at his brother. “I’m sorry I didn’t get the opportunity to drive you here myself,” he said.

  With little choice but to take his hand or appear rude, she did so, but she gave Lucian a parting smile. “That’s all right.” Her reply was loud enough to ensure Lucian heard her. “Your brother is excellent company.”

  “Is he now?” Nathan fairly snarled. “I promise,” he said, leaning down and surprising her by whispering in her ear, “I’m much better company than my brother.”

  Before she could respond, he swept her away from the phaeton and toward a blanket spread out in the grass. It was set away from the others, yet still in sight so that it was perfectly proper. Nathan paused in front of his mother, who sat with Lillian and Lord Edgeworth.

  Lord Edgeworth rose and bowed to Emma. “It’s good to see you again, Lady Emmaline. Will your parents and sister be coming to watch the race?”

  “Oh, yes. They should be along shortly.”

  He nodded. “Have you ever watched a horse race?”

  “Certainly. I’d much rather be a participant, though.”

  “Then why don’t you join us?” he challenged.

  Emma laughed. “I dare not. My mother would have a fit of the vapors if I took to a horse and raced with the two of you. I got in quite a bit of trouble the last time I dared to race. Though, I promise, if I were racing, I’d be the winner.”

  “Would you now?” came Lucian’s deep voice from directly behind her.

  The hair on the back of her neck prickled at his nearness. She swung around to face him and grinned up at him. “Indeed, I would. I’m very fast.”

  “I insist you prove it.” His twinkling eyes belied his serious tone.

  “But my mother—”

  “I’ll convince your mother,” he replied with confidence. “We’ll get her approval first. And if she refuses, then you have reprieve.”

  “I don’t need a reprieve,” Emma said with a laugh. “But I promise, my mother will never agree.”

  “I, for one, hope she doesn’t,” Nathan said sullenly. “I didn’t come here to watch you be whisked away by my brother.”

  “Nathaniel,” the duchess said sharply, “Blackbourne has hardly whisked Lady Emmaline anywhere.”

  “Ah, but I mean to do so now,” Lucian inserted, and before Emma knew what was happening, he took her by the arm and led her away from the group. Behind them, she heard the duchess and Lillian laughing.

  When they reached a stream, Lucian paused and turned to stare down at her. “When I’m around you, I’m not myself at all. I do things that surprise me, and I—” He stopped speaking and a low growl rumbled from him.

  “You what?” Anticipation of what he might say swirled in her belly.

  “You make forget myself,” he said with obvious reluctance.

  “Is that bad?”

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I would have never thought the day would come that I’d try to persuade a mother to let her daughter race against me. That’s something Nathaniel would do. Not me.”

  “If you’ve changed your mind, I understand,” she said, disappointment filling her. She didn’t think her mother would agree anyway, but it had given her a little thrill to know that he’d wanted to race her.

  “No, that’s my point. I’ve not changed my mind at all. I’m looking forward to it, and it baffles me.”

  Emma heard the approach of a carriage and glanced over his shoulder. “Well, you’re likely about to learn there is one more thing a duke doesn’t do.”

  He arched his eyebrows in question. “What’s that?”

  “Persuade my mother to let me race.”

  “How did you do it?” Emma demanded of him yet again.

  Lucian chuckled, feeling less burdened than he’d felt in years. He helped her onto Nathan’s horse, which he had begrudgingly agreed to let her borrow, and then Lucian mounted his own steed. “I told her my pride wouldn’t be salvaged unless I had the opportunity to trounce you since you boasted you could beat me. And I vowed that this race would be the secret of my family.”

  “You must’ve said something else,” she insisted, giving him a suspicious look.

  He laughed and threw up his hands. “All right. I told her I would consider it a personal favor if she let you race.”

  Emma nodded, and her hair fell over her right cheek. He barely resisted the urge to push it back. “You’ve done it now,” she vowed. “Mother will demand repayment of the favor. Just you wait and see.”

  “Are you two going to chitchat the day away or are we going to race?” Nick demanded, bringing his horse in line with Lucian’s.

  Lucian glanced to Emma, and when she grinned at him, his heart tripp
ed and the truth hit him hard. He wasn’t trying to keep Nathaniel away from her. He was entranced by her, and it suddenly seemed of little consequence to him whether she brought havoc into his life or not. For now, he welcomed it. “Race now—”

  “And chat later,” Emma finished.

  He returned her infectious grin with one of his own, and when he moved his gaze to his cousin, he found Nick gawking at him. “What?”

  “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you grin,” Nick said.

  Lucian’s gaze found Emma’s once more. “I never felt like grinning before.”

  His cousin chuckled. “It should be simple to best you both. Neither of you have your mind on the race.”

  Lucian scoffed, but as the handkerchief was raised and dropped, they took off and he immediately realized that Nick had been correct. The race mattered little to him.

  Emma was an excellent rider, yet she was no match for him or for Nick. Lucian pulled back on his horse’s reins so he could stay by Emma as they raced across the field. She glanced sharply at him, her brows furrowed. “I’ll be very disappointed,” she hollered, “if you let your cousin win on my account.”

  He chuckled and nodded as he clicked his horse into a faster gallop and took off to win the race.

  Emma reached them within seconds. “Well done!” she exclaimed. “I must admit you might possibly be a better horseman, though I’m sure I would’ve been faster on my own horse.”

  “Don’t feel bad, Lady Emmaline,” Nick said in an amicable tone as Nathaniel drove up beside them in Lucian’s phaeton. “Blackbourne wins everything. As long as I can remember he’s never lost anything. Horseracing, fishing, fencing. The man’s unbeatable.”

  Lucian knew Nick meant it as praise, but he’d wish his cousin would stop. Nathaniel had a distinctly nasty look on his face. “We all know how superior Lucian is to us all, especially me. I’ve spent my life living in his shadow. But there’s one thing I’m better at.” Nathaniel’s narrowed gaze fell to Emma, who was looking at Lucian, thank God.

  He wanted to strangle Nathaniel in this moment. His brother was a fool. He’d chase after Emma to thwart him, though Emma wasn’t right for Nathaniel at all. The time had come to talk to Nathaniel and give him no choice but to stay away from Emma.

  Emma had been absolutely correct that her mother would force Lucian to repay the favor of allowing her to race, and Lady Albersey wasted no time doing so. Instead of escorting Emma home, as Lucian had been imagining doing all day, he had been forced into escorting Emma’s sister home when Lady Albersey had asked him to do so. The ride was quick and conversation easy as Lady Mary plied him with questions about Nathaniel.

  Lucian answered several of them before a growing unease came over him. Was Lady Mary taken with Nathaniel? Granted, she seemed steadier and probably a better fit for what his brother needed, yet Lucian felt obligated to warn her. “Lady Mary,” he said as he pulled his phaeton to a stop in front of Lord Albersey’s home. “I must warn you that my brother has a few demons he may need to work through before he would be a suitable husband.”

  Her cheeks turned scarlet. “I’ve no interest in your brother, Your Grace. I was asking because of my sister. Please don’t say anything, she’d simply die, but since she was a young girl and he offered her kind words after Mother scolded her at your great-uncle’s home,” the woman eyed him peculiarly as if she were trying to discern something, “she’s had a particular liking for him.”

  “I see.” He clenched and unclenched his teeth. “I was under the impression your sister might have very recently had a change of heart.”

  “I spoke with her last night, and her heart is unchanged.”

  Lucian felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. How preposterous, given that until yesterday, he’d hardly thought of Emma since the day she’d come to his home in Mayfair.

  “I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but I fear your brother is not the right gentleman for my sister.”

  “It doesn’t sound rude at all,” Lucian replied. “It sounds accurate.” Before any more could be said, their footman appeared and Lucian said his goodbye to Lady Mary as she made her way inside.

  Lucian waited up in his study for Nathaniel to return home from the village pub. It was very late when Lucian heard the heavy thump of Nathaniel’s footsteps, and Lucian’s mood was sour. He could think of nothing all night but Emma…and the fact that she still desired his brother. He was big enough to admit that his pride was wounded, but it wasn’t his pride that was driving what he was about to do. It was Nathaniel himself, along with Lucian’s certainty that his brother wasn’t ready for a wife.

  Lucian stood just as his study door swung open and Nathaniel staggered into the room.

  “Waiting up for me, I see?”

  “Yes,” Lucian replied, moving to stop Nathaniel from pouring another drink at the sidebar.

  He took the glass that Nathaniel had just picked up out of his hand. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough to drink?” he asked as he reached for Nathaniel’s arm to steady him.

  Nathaniel yanked his arm out of Lucian’s grasp and stumbled backward into the high-back chair. He teetered for a moment before he plunked down. “I’m tired of you always telling me what to do. I’m a grown man.”

  “Then act like one,” Lucian snapped. “I’m tired of always having to tell you what to do. I don’t want to play your keeper anymore, and I know you don’t care for me doing so. It’s time for you to make your own decisions and grow up.”

  “No,” Nathaniel snarled. “You want to force me to wed Lady Francine so she can be my keeper.”

  “Not anymore. I realize now the idea was foolish.”

  Nathaniel blinked at him. “Truly?”

  Lucian nodded.

  Nathaniel staggered to his feet, stumbled to Lucian, and hugged him. “You won’t regret this,” he slurred. “And I’m sorry about being such an ass today with Emma. I was jealous.”

  Lucian knew the feeling. “Since we’re speaking of Lady Emmaline, I want you to stay away from her.”

  Nathaniel pushed away from Lucian and narrowed his eyes. “What happened to me making my own decisions? Here you are telling me what to do again. You always think you know best. I’m done with it! I’ll pursue Emma if I want to.”

  “I’m cutting you off, Nathaniel. I doubt Lady Emmaline’s mother will allow you to court her daughter once she learns of your lack of funds.”

  “You dirty devil,” Nathaniel growled.

  Lucian pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled a long, deep breath to fight back the anger rising inside him. “If you secure a job and cease imbibing, you’ll feel better. You can make it on your own, I’ve no doubt. And then any mother would be pleased to call you her son-in-law.”

  Nathaniel strode past Lucian and toward the door. “I’m leaving,” he growled. “I’ll be in London, not that you give a damn, but please tell Mother she may find me there at my house in Golden Square.”

  “That’s my home, Nathaniel. You can go there tonight, and you may stay there until the start of the Season, but I expect you to be gone after that.”

  “As you wish, Your Grace,” Nathaniel snarled and stomped out of the room.

  Lucian stared at his brother’s departing figure until it disappeared. Nothing was as he wished, and he had a sudden suspicion that matters would soon get worse.

  Chapter 9

  “Emmaline, you will keep the Duke of Blackbourne at a distance today.”

  Emma’s breath caught and her heart constricted as she set her brush on her vanity and turned to look at her mother, who’d barged into the room and simply blurted her announcement. “But, Mother…” What could she say? Emma wiggled in her chair, searching for the right words, but there were none.

  Lucian kissed me? She wrinkled her nose. No. Her mother would either flay her for ruining her plans for Mary or she’d try to force Lucian’s hand. Neither outcome was desirable.

  I think I like Lucian, and I think he’s developing a ten
dre for me? Her mother would finally send her to America if Emma uttered that sentence.

  No. She needed to be sure of herself and Lucian before she stirred trouble with her mother.

  Mother tsked and plunked her hands on her hips. “I’m sure you have grand ideas of becoming a duchess—”

  “Not at all,” Emma replied. She liked Lucian for himself, not his title.

  “Nonsense. All ladies wish for the highest title, but His Grace is your sister’s by right.”

  Mary walked into the room just at that moment. “I truly don’t think His Grace and I are suited, Mother. I don’t feel anything special when I’m around him.”

  Their mother turned red in the face and scowled first at Mary, then at Emma. “You need not feel anything. It will develop. You must marry His Grace, and if Emmaline does nothing to muck things up, perhaps she will keep Lord Nathaniel’s attention. He made several comments yesterday about coming to call on you, Emmaline. Now, you will do as I say today or there will be the devil to pay for you and for your sister. Understand?” Mother gave them both a narrow-eyed warning look.

  Emma and Mary exchanged a quick glance but dutifully nodded.

  “Come along, then, girls. We’re off to the Duke of Danby’s scavenger hunt. Emma, if they try to pair you with the Duke of Blackbourne, simply request his brother. Do you understand?”

  With throbbing temples, Emma nodded as she slowly followed her mother down the stairs. Perhaps Lucian would insist on her as a partner? She hastened her pace with her new hope.

  “Now,” the duchess said, sweeping her gaze over the small gathered party of guests assembled in the Duke of Danby’s garden, “Blackbourne, you’ll be partnered with Lady Emmaline, and—”