by Hannah West
So instead of doing what she normal would have done she smiled up at him and agreed, asking no more questions.
Chapter Thirty-One
How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Thirty-One: A lady should be able to put up with any surprise.
It was nearly a week more before Derek could go see Emma, but that did not stop him from sending her notes which she returned. He found himself smiling more than he ever had before.
But the day after his stroll with Emma, his mother, the current Duchess of Montrose, stormed into his home demanding to know what it was about. Apparently even his chat with Lady Caroline had reached her and she had not been in a good mood.
He had been sitting behind his desk reading his first note back from Emma when the door to his office swung open and she swept inside in all her glory.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded sharply as she came around to the front of his desk.
Derek had sat his pen down with a sigh and looked up at his mother. “You are looking good was well, Mother. Now what are you going on about?”
She spluttered at his rather frank questioning. “I am talking about your little trip with the vis-countess Wenbrooke’s sister! She was not on my list of women you may pick from.”
Feeling a tad irritated at his mother he remained seated and folded his hands together. “I was simply doing as you bid me. I was looking for a wife. She is bright, lovely and is well rounded. She would make a good wife.”
His mother sat herself down in the chair across from his at the desk. “Well rounded? You think a well-rounded, young miss is going to make you the best duchess?” he voice went up on the last question, as if she could not believe what he was saying.
She slapped a hand on the desk, acting very unlike the duchess she prided herself on being.
“No,” she snapped, “she will not. The ladies on the list come from good breeding, or well established families that all come from well off background. I do not want some questionable young miss from a poor background who will lead the family to ruin and scandal. She is no better than a mutt, I do not care who her sister is.”
Controlling his anger Derek rose from his seat to pour himself a drink, trying his best to not offend his mother.
“She is from an old family, even though it is just a baron line. She comes with an attractive dowry for most men and she is not a traditional English lady, but she has a better understanding than any other those empty headed ladies on your list. They are either interested in the position of duchess or the wealth that comes with it.” He took a drink from his tumbler, “Forgive me for wanting someone to care for my wellbeing.”
“Those empty headed chits were there for a reason. I handpicked each one based on how they would do within the family and holding up the Montrose name. This family goes all the way back to the Conqueror. Do to your father and his father this family has had about all it could weather from scandal. You were not like him, what changed? You are acting out,” she said bitterly.
One comment away from tossing his mother out of his home by the ear, he stopped her rant by cutting her off with a hand.
“One more comment and you will leave. Father was not the only one at fault, you drove him to it,” Derek said, finally telling her how he felt after holding it in for years. He was angry with her, for what she had made him into.
His mother gasped looking stricken, but he continued on. “The last thing I need is a wife like you in my life. You hated each and drove each away until he finally died as a way to free himself of you. He cared for you enough not to divorce you, that was his only saving grace.”
“He was the one to get into that carriage with that whore,” she spat back.
“He would not have if you had just worked over your hate of him. No, I will not have a wife who only sees the title and the wealth. I will choose a wife who does not care about either. I have chosen Lady Emmaline because she cares about me as a man, not a duke,” he shot back, his cool gone.
His mother backed away from him, hand over her chest and her expression stark. “You have changed. You are not my Derek,” she whispered harshly.
“No, I am not anymore. I have changed,” he said finally putting the words out of his mind, “I am no longer the coward I was, scared of what society would think of me. I am a duke and none will dare gainsay me. I am going to do what I should have done years ago. I am going to live for me instead of the duty of the family you forced upon me,” Derek went to the door about to open it so she might leave.
“You are not currently welcome here. Until you can change your mind about Emma, then you may stay at the dowager house. When she is my wife, it will be her choice if you are welcome then. You could not be more wrong about her, Mother. She will be everything to me that you were not for Father,” he said quietly and opened the oak door. “Please leave and don’t come back.”
She had left in an angry huff, never once looking back. Reminding him of how cold she really was. Once the door had been closed behind her he had punched the wall with his fist, grunting with pain.
He had given over to his first show of anger. But he knew that it had to be done, she would not see Emma as he did and he would not put Emma through that.
So here he sat finding himself writing Emma another note. When he was done he paused before calling for a footman. There was still a stack of paperwork to be done, but he missed her.
Derek suddenly made up his mind slipping the note into his pocket getting up, he was going to give it to her in person.
“Bring the carriage around,” he called to a nearby footman as he exited his study.
At the thought of see her sweet face Derek felt a wide grin cross his face. He wondered if she had missed him too.
Chapter Thirty-Two
How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Thirty-two: A lady never hits anyone, under any circumstances.
The one thing Derek had not expected when he entered the drawing room to see his Emma was her fist in his nose.
“Bloody hell,” he cursed, surprised as hell at the hit. “What was that for?” Derek glared at her.
When his eyes focused on her he saw the expression of hurt on her face and instantly felt he anger go cold.
“You decided now to come see me?” she asked. “After what you had promised me? You figured a week would make no difference, but I may have changed my mind.”
Ah, she was upset that he could make time to send the notes but not to see her in person. The understanding warmed him and he opened his arms to her. “I did not meant to be so long in coming to see you. It will not happen again.”
“Damn right,” she said before she went into his arms.
He squeezed her tightly, closing his eyes and enjoying her warmth. “Did you miss me?” he asked softly from where his chin rested on her hair.
“Of course not,” she retorted, “you missed me.”
He chuckled and started when a crash came from the door opening. They jumped apart to see her sister, Lady Cassandra in the open doorway with a tray at her feet.
From the look of what now graced the floor and the bottom of her dress, she had been binging in tea and some small treats.
Her eyes were wide as she took in both him and Emma close together, alone. She was frozen in place.
“Oh no,” Emma said rushing forward passed to her sister. “Are you alright, Cassie? I told you I had a surprise, but I didn’t expect you to bring in the tea!”
Hearing her sister Lady Cassandra bolted into action and dipping to the floor to try and pick up what she dropped.
Derek watched as Emma stopped her sister from touching anything and pulled her away from it. She framed her sister’s pale face in her tiny hands and say something softly to her. She looked over her shoulder to him.
“We will be back softly, until then please stay,” she said before taking her sister out of the room.
Stunned a little by what happened he stayed where he stood as a maid and a footman came to clear up the mess. Both ladies came back
down shortly after Lady Cassandra changed her dress.
She entered the room in a lovely pale pink gown that fluttered around her. She was composed now and moved with a grace she was known for. When she spotted him she blushed, reminding him of Emma, and greeted him.
“I am sorry for causing such a scene, your grace. I was startled and tripped which caused me to drop the tray.”
He smiled at her, seeing now just how like her sister she was. “It is a pleasure to see you again, my lady. No need to apologize. I am glad you are well.”
She bloomed under the compliment and pinkened.
They each took a seat and Emma took a seat next to him, surprising him and her sister.
“So I wanted to tell you about something, Cassie. I know you have heard about it, the whole of the ton, does by now. But I and the Duke of Montrose are courting,” she said looking to him for support.
Instead of freaking out as he thought she would her smile grew into a grin. “I knew it! Well I did say it first but John told me as well that Lord Montrose had asked. While this is rather odd, I am glad. I had suspected.”
~
“Are you ready,” Cassie asked her as the carriage pulled up to the steps of Lord and Lady Bentley’s manor, where they were hosting their annual ball in honor of their marriage.
They were a cheery couple who had been married for over forty years with eight children, all of whom had married as well, but for the youngest of their sons. They greeted Emma, Cassie and John with genuine warmth and ushered them inside as a cold breeze stirred.
John kissed Cassie’s cheek as they entered and Emma wondered if Cassie had told John yet. It would seem it was the only secret not fully shared yet.
The ballroom swelled with people and music and Emma felt the urge to dance. Derek had said that he would be attending tonight and would see her here, but as she looked out over the crowd she couldn’t see him yet. She knew he would not be in the card rooms.
They moved father into the room and she could feel the weight of nearby stares and hear the tail end of whispers behind fans. However it did not trouble her, she had a rather thick skin and could take it.
“I shall be back,” Emma told Cassie, “I am going to get a glass of punch.”
Cassie nodded. “Alright, just be careful and come right back.”
Emma nodded with a smile and made her way over to the refreshments. She was in the middle of ladling punch into a glass when a voice that sent chills up her spine spoke behind her.
“My, my what do we have here,” asked a sickly sweet voice.
Emma did not want to turn around, she squeezed her eyes shut hoping he would disappear. But it didn’t happen, so remembering her sister’s lessons she turned around a smiled. “Lord Avery, what are you doing here? This is the last place I would imagen seeing you.”
While the man looked like an angle with his golden hair and handsome face Emma knew the ugly beneath.
Avery smiled at her in almost a sneer. “I could say the same of you. What is the country mouse doing in the city?” He looked her up and down, taking in her fine clothing. “And dressed so finely? Did you finally find yourself in some poor noble’s bed?”
“As a matter of fact, I am being courted by a man you should fear,” Emma snapped, her anger for the man potent.
“Oh, are you,” he crooned, “Or are you ashamed of your new choice in job? You could have been my wife. Rather than a whore,” he sneered reaching for her.
She yanked back away from him. “Do not touch me.”
“I will do as I please,” he snapped about to reach for her again before another voice greeted her.
Emma wanted to kiss Lady Caroline for coming at such a time.
“Lady Emmaline,” she greeted coolly as she came over to the table. “I wanted to speak with you.” Then she noticed Lord Avery, “Where you busy?”
“No,” Emma cut in first, “I was just leaving. What is it you want to talk about.” She gave him a glare and moved off away from him.
Her heart was pounding in her chest and she needed to warn her sister and get her out of here before Avery saw her. With her sister having a child the last thing her sister needed was this.
Lady Caroline followed her and they found a spot along a back wall away from most people in the room.
“I am here to say to you need to stay away from the Duke of Montrose,” Caroline intoned.
Emma almost laughed. “Why would I do such a thing?”
Caroline gave her a superior smile. “I have an agreement with his mother, the Duchess of Montrose. He is to marry me before the end of the season.”
Emma could see right away the holes in that plan that Lady Caroline could not. An agreement from his mother was almost worthless.
“You seem smarter than most young ladies, surely you see the flaw in that?” Emma asked.
Caroline snuck her nose in the air, trying to make herself seem more important. “His mother is the current duchess,” Caroline repeated, “What she says, happens. But then you are not really one of us, how could someone so common understand?”
“He is a man, no one, not even his mother, could force him into marriage. He is a duke, his word is as good as a law,” Emma pointed out. “His mother’s word mean nothing without his backing.”
Emma could see understanding dawn in Caroline’s eyes and she felt pity for the girl who wanted nothing more than to be the next duchess.
Emma reached out to her but had her hand slapped away. “you think that it would make you happy, but it would not. Sure you would have a title and the wealth, but you would quickly grow to hate it.”
Caroline’s face grew red with anger, “You know nothing of which you speak.”
“You deserve to be happy, this will not make you happy. He will not marry you, Lady Caroline,” Emma protested.
“Just you wait a see. He will marry me, Lady Emmaline. He may be interested in you now, but you’ll see. He won’t have any choice but to marry me,” Caroline said furiously before she turned on heel, leaving Emma alone.
Emma had a bad feeling about what Caroline had said, but she didn’t have time to worry about that right now. Emma had to get to her sister and keep Aer away from her.
She made her way around the room, spotting her sister dancing with her husband. Having bought some time she looked for Avery and found he watching Cassie and John with a burning look of hatred in his eyes. As the song drew closer to the end he started toward the dance floor.
Emma didn’t think, she simply went to cut him off. She stopped him a few rows back from the dance floor by grabbing his arm and yanking him to her.
“I’ll do whatever you want, but do not go near her. You already stole too much from her. She is finally happy,” Emma hissed at him.
He twisted her arm. “Are you saying you will come with me?”
“Yes,” Emma snapped, trying to pull her arm away.
Curious eyes turned to them and he forced her to take his arm. “Smile,” he hissed, “Or this will not go well with you.”
So she smiled as he forced her from the ballroom into a nearby hallway. The music grew softer as he grip got tighter with bruising force. Once they could hardly hear the music anymore he forced her against the wall and assaulted her with his mouth.
Chapter Thirty-Three
How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Thirty-three: A lady does not have to follow rule thirty-three if she is assaulted.
Caroline was so furious with Lady Emmaline, if that was even her real name. Caroline knew she was not a real lady and had never heard of her before. Who was she to think she could have the duke?
Caroline had been after the duke since her come out two years ago and had turn down other offers in hopes of capturing him. This Season the Duchess of Montrose, his mother, had approached her and had as good as offered up her son to Caroline.
He was hers!
She watched at the Duke of Montrose entered the ballroom and was about to head that way when she noticed that Lady Emmaline wa
s being dragged off by the man who had been talking to her by the refreshments.
Interested in what was happening she followed them first, the duke would still be there when she returned. Maybe she could act on her plan now if Lady Emma could be kept out of the way.
She smiled nastily. This could work in her favor. So she followed to see what was going to happen.
Caroline followed them down a long hall and flattened herself against a wall covering a gasp when the man viciously knocked her into the wall and kissed her roughly. If she had liked the other woman then she would have felt sorry for her but, this was just what she had been hoping for.
Best of luck to you, she wished the man silently before backing away and going back to the ball room. Maybe she could lead the duke away by telling him the she was in trouble, but take him to a room with her instead where they could be caught alone together.
She grinned. That is just what she was going to do. Caroline wasn’t sure how this had fallen in her favor, but she would take the chance if the duke could be hers.
If they were caught together he would have to marry her as he would have ruined her.
So Caroline found a footman and paid him to bring the lord and lady of the house to the library in ten minutes.
Taking a deep breath she went to the duke to find him alone looking for someone
Most likely the lady who will lose him, she thought.
Putting a distressed look on her face she stopped in front of him.
“Your grace, I need your help,” she begged quietly. “It’s Lady Emmaline, she-”
Suddenly he was concerned, she could tell, this was going to work.
“Where is she,” he demanded.
“I saw a man drag her off, I know where they went, but I needed help. There was nothing I could do on my own!”
He expression grew dark and she wondered if this was really a good idea, but it was too late now, she needed to do this.
“Take me to her,” he demanded in a low rough voice.
