Of Dukes and Deceptions

by Wendy Soliman

  Nick wasn’t surprised when dinner was announced and he was obliged to escort Maria in. Alicia was seated as far away from him as the expanse of the mahogany table could geographically place her. Predictably, Frederick Woodley was dancing attendance upon her. There were in excess of thirty people at table. More were expected afterward for the dancing, but Alicia had indicated that her injuries precluded her from taking to the floor. Maria would be disappointed to discover that Nick was similarly minded. He’d heeded Gibson’s warning and wouldn’t invite further speculation by dancing with the chit. Or any other lady for that matter. Except one.

  And that dance would be conducted in private.

  The musicians were tuning up. Alicia adored dancing but even if she’d been well enough to participate she suspected Frederick would cling, just as he had all the evening. That would make it impossible for her to dance with anyone else and raise more speculation about her intentions. Perhaps she’d slip quietly away now. In this crush she’d never be missed. She was about to leave the room when a footman approached her.

  “Janet needs to see you urgently, miss.”

  Alicia stood up, vaguely alarmed, wondering if her maid was unwell. Why else would she have disturbed her at such a moment? “I’ll come at once. Where is she?”

  The footman led her across the chequered floor of the vestibule, through a small salon and into the conservatory. Alicia’s aunt had added it to the house almost as soon as she took possession. In spite of the ostentatious marble columns and ghastly gargoyles that adorned the walls, Alicia enjoyed its light spaciousness and the fact that it was filled, virtually year round, with the fragrant scent of miniature roses. A riot of greenery competed for space at one end of the room, and a small pond bursting with goldfish dominated its centre. She often sat here alone in the evenings, having one-sided conversations with the fish about her aspirations. Alicia looked about her, wondering where Janet was.

  “Thank you.” Alicia dismissed the footman. “Janet, are you there?”

  “Miss Woodley.” The duke stepped out from behind one of the columns Alicia so disliked, causing her to start violently.

  “Your Grace, what are you doing here? I understood my maid had need of me.”

  “A small deception on my part to get you here alone. I need to talk to you.”

  “I hardly think it appropriate that—”

  “Your maid is immediately outside the door which, as you can see, I’ve left partially open.” Janet popped her head round the door, smiled and withdrew. “Besides,” he added with a somnolent smile that caused her insides to dissolve, “you forget that I saved your life, which means you’re obliged to do as I ask.”

  “Nonsense!”

  “But it’s true. I’m a very superstitious man, Alicia. I’d never invite misfortune by ignoring such legends.”

  “But I’ve already absolved you from responsibility for me.”

  “Ah, but that decision isn’t yours to make.” He smiled directly into her eyes and held her gaze.

  “I believe you’re making this all up,” she said crossly. “However, since you insist, I shall hear what you have to say.”

  Alicia, who still felt debilitated if she stood for too long, seated herself on a chaise longue. The duke asked permission to sit beside her and she waved her ascent.

  He whipped the tails of his coat aside with a practised flip of his wrist. “I don’t consider you’re likely to swoon if you receive bad tidings so I’ll be frank.”

  “All to the good. I believe this is a situation which calls for frankness and brevity.”

  Alicia stole a glance at his noble profile. She was deeply aware of his aura of smooth sophistication. Of the indefinable something that hung in the air between them. The spacious conservatory suddenly seemed dwarfed by his presence. Profoundly sensual emotions assailed her from all sides as she considered the dangers, the inadvisability, of being here alone with him.

  Since the interlude in the barn that afternoon, she’d vowed to keep her distance from him lest temptation got the better of common sense. She’d made a conscious effort to banish to the back of her mind his invitation to dip her toe into forbidden waters. But it continued to intrude upon her thoughts, testing her resolve. She’d been safe enough when he displayed the face of arrogant invincibility which so angered her. But she thought she’d seen glimpses of the real man beneath all that pomposity once or twice over the past two days. As a result she was now oscillating wildly.

  Especially since he’d kissed her.

  That changed everything. Other gentlemen had sought to steal a kiss over the years but she’d experienced no difficulties in rebuffing their advances. But the duke was altogether another matter and she could no longer deny his attractiveness. At least, not to herself. The pull of some invisible thread drew her toward him almost against her will.

  Almost.

  He frequently succeeded in rousing her to anger for no apparent reason, which was most peculiar. Alicia had learned the wisdom of patience since her father’s demise. She never lost her temper unless confronted by an exceptionally vicious example of animal cruelty. But His Grace effortlessly seemed to engender wild mood swings in her. He agitated dormant passions she was unaware she possessed, rousing her curiosity about forbidden activities.

  “What do you wish to say to me?” She folded her hands decorously in her lap and kept her eyes focused on them.

  “I don’t mean to distress you,” he said gently, “but you should be aware that your accident yesterday was no accident.”

  She gasped. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “What I mean is that someone deliberately attempted to kill you.”

  “No, I don’t believe it!” Alicia experienced no alarm. His Grace must have got it wrong. “Whoever would wish to kill me?”

  “That’s what I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.”

  “But my death would benefit no one. I might have ruffled a few feathers amongst the villagers over the years by interrupting their poaching activities, I suppose. But I’m not aware of anyone who holds me in sufficient dislike to want to do away with me.”

  “There must be a good reason for it. If you doubt that it was a deliberate attack, just consider the circumstances for a moment. Have you ever known the local poachers to use firearms before?”

  “No,” she confessed with a slow shake of her head, “I suppose I never have.”

  “And do you regularly take that cart track to go to the village?”

  “Yes, it reduces the distance by a good two miles.”

  “And anyone would know that.”

  “Yes, if they were interested enough in my routine to keep me under observation. But I still don’t see—”

  “But yesterday you left earlier than usual in order to avoid me.”

  Alicia felt her temper flare at this latest display of arrogance. He couldn’t possibly know that his assertion was correct. She made to protest but he silenced her with a wave of his hand.

  “Had you followed your normal routine, you would still have been in the thick woods when the gunman struck. You’d have been moving at walking pace because of the narrowness of the lane. The gunman would have been able to conceal himself easily until you were directly in his line of sight.”

  “Possibly, but I still don’t understand—”

  “He’d have been hard-pressed to miss his target, Alicia.” He spoke with infinite gentleness, taking her hand and clasping it firmly in his. She was too stunned to prevent him. His assertion had to be untrue, of course, even if to an outsider it seemed logical. “By leaving early yesterday you undoubtedly saved your own life.”

  “Oh!” She lifted a trembling hand to cover her mouth. “But who, I mean, why—”

  “Your inheritance, perhaps? Forgive me for speaking bluntly about matters that don’t concern me, but I can’t help thinking it’s at the root of it all. I believe it’s the money your mother brought to her marriage which has been settled upon you.”

  �
�Yes, but we’re not talking about a vast sum. Certainly not one worth committing murder for.”

  “Are you entirely certain?”

  “Absolutely. I own nothing but that small legacy and Fabian.”

  “Then it must be something we haven’t considered. Forgive me again, I know this is impertinent, but your cousin Frederick—”

  She let out a long breath. “Is there anything you don’t know about my business?”

  “I wouldn’t mention it again, except that he has proposed to you, you’ve very properly rejected him and then someone tried to kill you. Are the two events somehow connected?”

  She shook her head. “Hardly.”

  “Were you aware of your cousin’s regard for you?”

  “No, I own that it came as a complete shock.”

  “But I understand he’s renewed his addresses and you’re reconsidering.”

  She eyed him censoriously. “Listening to gossip again, Your Grace.”

  “Oh, yes.” He seemed entirely at his ease, not the slightest bit discomposed by her caustic tone. “Gibson continues to regale me with the latest on-dits from the servants’ hall. I doubt if I could prevent him from doing so even if I wished to, which I most decidedly do not.”

  She was very angry with him and resolved not to allow his compelling charm to influence her. But annoyingly a smile seemed determined to tug at her lips. In the end she gave up trying to contain it. “I dare say.”

  “What I wished to discuss with you was your uncle’s desire to involve me in the stud. He needs to purchase another stallion from the continent.”

  “I didn’t know that.” She paused. “I did wonder, of course.”

  “Wondered what, Alicia?”

  “Well, I know my uncle’s not well fixed at present.”

  “But the stud made a profit when your father was alive?”

  “Yes, but my uncle has not encouraged my input, so I’m not sure how things now stand. I do know he currently has pockets to let.”

  “In my experience, a man who’s trying to cover his own inadequacies will seldom seek a female’s advice.”

  “Perhaps.” She inclined her head in acceptance of the compliment. She went on to explain her aunt’s extravagance, as well as that of her cousins. “And then, two years ago, we had a virus in the stud. My uncle was obliged to lay off some of the old hands.”

  “Really.” He sat up a little straighter. Alicia got the impression that it was the first information she’d revealed that came as a surprise to him.

  “We think it was brought in by one of the mares but it wasn’t in my uncle’s best interests to spread the news abroad. I recognised it at once and could have isolated the affected horses. Treated them with my medicines but—”

  “But your uncle wouldn’t tolerate your interference.”

  “No.” She shook her head, distressed by the memory. “We argued quite violently but he wouldn’t give way.” She sighed. “Anyway, the whole yard was afflicted and we lost income waiting for the stallions to recover.”

  “But they did recover? Shalimar was able to stand at stud again?”

  “Yes.”

  Music was drifting from the ballroom, a melodic waltz. The duke rose fluidly to his feet and held out his arms. “May I have the pleasure of this dance, Miss Woodley?”

  “Of course not. I don’t intend to dance tonight. But even if I was tempted, I could hardly dance with you here. Alone.”

  “But you love to dance. No, don’t think to deny it—your eyes give you away.” He took her gloved hand in his and pulled her carefully to her feet. “Dance with me, Alicia,” he whispered. Her name slipped off his tongue as sweetly and naturally as the lilting melody which was swamping her senses. “Dance with me. Forget all about convention and give in to temptation, just this once.”

  Alicia couldn’t have resisted if her life had depended upon it. In a daze she felt herself being pulled into a strong pair of arms and led into the first steps of a waltz. Her feet felt as though they were floating above the ground. They followed effortlessly where his led.

  The arm supporting her waist was holding her like a band of steel. Too close, surely? She was aware of the solidity of his body, mere inches separating it from hers. Her nostrils were assailed by the scent of sandalwood soap, her mind drugged by the aura of power that clung to him. And something else. Danger, perhaps? Or was it temptation? It sent dizzying sensations sweeping through her, depriving her of the ability to think.

  Irrationally she felt safe in the circle of his arms, even though the situation was fraught with danger. Her head reached his shoulder and she chanced a glance at his face. He was looking down at her. A curling smile, gentle and intimate, graced his lips. His arrogance was nowhere in sight as his eyes held hers, darkening with something she instinctively recognised as passion.

  Recklessly she abandoned herself to the pleasure of the moment. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before, nor was it likely to again, unless… But no, she wouldn’t weaken to that extent. She’d be herself again when the music no longer addled her brain. But until then, just for once in her life, she’d forget who she was supposed to be and dare to dream.

  The music came to an end but it was some time before their feet stopped moving to the melody echoing inside their heads. He lifted her hand and brushed his lips slowly across her knuckles in a formal yet strangely sensual gesture. His eyes locked firmly on hers, and Alicia stifled a gasp as a cataclysm of emotions assailed her. The arm still supporting her waist drew her inexorably closer, and she was temporarily powerless to object. Although she was normally realistic and level-headed, his close proximity deprived her of the ability to think for herself. Perhaps that was why she didn’t realise until it was almost too late that his lips were rapidly closing in on hers.

  He was actually going to kiss her again.

  She thought the incident in the barn had been an impulse but sensed that this time his actions were deliberately contrived. She also knew she wouldn’t try to prevent him. This glamorous duke, who could have any woman he wanted, actually desired her, and his allure was simply too strong to resist. She gave up the internal struggle she was waging with her conscience and lifted her face to receive his kiss.

  Lunacy overcame reason. Barely conscious of what she was doing, Alicia moved closer to the duke, shortening the distance between them until their bodies were almost touching. She stumbled and his arms caught her in an embrace so tight that the breath left her lungs in an extravagant whoosh. She barely noticed, aware only of the sublime feel of his body pressed protectively against hers.

  Chapter Nine

  Janet noisily cleared her throat as she entered the room. When she looked meaningfully over her shoulder it became apparent that she hadn’t come to berate Nick for his forward behaviour with her mistress but to warn him that they were no longer alone. His interlude with Alicia had come to a premature end. Damn it, he still hadn’t finished discussing her accident with her. What did it take to get a little privacy in this establishment? A possible means of ensuring they were not interrupted again occurred to him. He whispered a suggestion in Alicia’s ear as he stepped away from her, leaving a respectable amount of space separating them.

  He faced the intruders with an attitude of unruffled calm. But underneath his urbane exterior he was cursing his own stupidity for allowing himself to become distracted by that damned waltz. His objective was to keep her alive, nothing more. He should have ensured she fully understood the dangers she faced before lowering his guard. Well, he’d just learned a timely lesson. When he saw her again he’d remain focused and keep his baser instincts in better check.

  He turned to examine the shrubbery, taking a moment to bring his breathing under control. Mindless of the fact that his host and several other people were streaming into the room behind Janet, Nick was in an inexplicably capricious mood. He plucked a white rosebud from a nearby plant and, with a flourishing bow, presented it to Alicia. She seemed surprised by the gesture but h
esitated for only a second before reaching to take the flower from him. A soft smile danced about her lips, and her eyes sparkled with mischief as she thanked him for it.

  “Something on your mind, Woodley?” Nick addressed his host in a deliberately insouciant tone.

  “Oh, er, nothing at all, Your Grace. I beg your pardon, we didn’t realise you were in this room. It’s just that we heard voices and…”

  Nick looked down his nose at Woodley in a manner that never failed to intimidate. “And it required a deputation to investigate, I collect.”

  “We thought there might be some awkwardness.” Frederick, not constrained by his father’s need for Nick’s patronage, glared at him with open hostility. When he moved to stand beside Alicia, his meaning couldn’t have been clearer.

  “And why exactly,” he drawled, “should you imagine something of that nature?”

  “Well, Alicia’s not well. I wondered what had become of her. Thought she might have overtaxed her strength.”

  Nick turned to look at Alicia’s glowing features and exchanged a smile with her. “She doesn’t look to me as though she is about to swoon.”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “Your concerns are without foundation. I can assure you that your cousin’s perfectly safe in my care.”

  “Perhaps, but one of the servants reported that dancing was taking place in the conservatory. We didn’t know quite what to make of it.”

  “You’re terribly provincial here, Woodley.” Nick addressed Frederick in a mildly hectoring tone. “Dancing in conservatories is nothing out of the ordinary in my circles.”

  Frederick flushed a deep shade of red. He blinked repeatedly, clenched his fists and looked toward his father for support. When it became apparent that none would be forthcoming, he seemed incapable of formulating an appropriate retort and had the good sense to remain silent.

  Nick felt little sympathy for him. He’d treated the boy leniently, given his intention had clearly been to make trouble. It must have been he who’d alerted his father to the dancing. Out of jealousy rather than any misguided sense of duty when he realised it was Alicia and not his sister who’d engaged Nick’s attention. Certainly no servant could have been aware of their activities. Janet would have given him warning if one had come too close.