Duke's Folly

by Melinda Hammond

  'What I should like,' she said, 'is a tour of the castle. Perhaps, Monsieur Coutras, you and your delightful sons would care to show me around?'

  It was nothing less than a summons. When Sophie went to rise the duchess waved her back.

  'No, no, Miss Coutras, there is no need to accompany us. You must remain and entertain my son.'

  With that she swept the others out of the room. The thought of being alone with Perry set Sophie in a panic.

  She jumped to her feet. 'I, er, I have to pick some flowers for the dining table. If you will excuse me―'

  'I shall come with you. Her grace did say you should entertain me,' he reminded her, when she hesitated.

  'Picking flowers is hardly entertaining.'

  To her indignation, he grinned. 'Oh, I think I might enjoy it.'

  Seeing he was not to be gainsaid, she led the way out to the garden, stopping off on the way to collect her basket and scissors. They walked past the rows of vegetables towards the small flowerbeds.

  'The crops have been very good this year.' Sophie chattered away as they walked, trying to cover her nerves. 'I have never seen the peas and beans so plentiful. The apples, too, look promising.'

  'I hope the gardener is proving useful.'

  'Yes, indeed, he is very knowledgeable and comes across to the island every day. Look, you can see where he has turned over more earth down there, by the water. We shall be able to plant even more onions and potatoes for the winter.'

  She moved on to the flowerbeds, blushing a little when Perry took the basket from her.

  'Most of the flowers are past their best now, but we still have some foxgloves and of course the daisies.' Sophie would have preferred not to talk while she collected the flowers but she was afraid of the silence. 'And we now have dahlias, too. I introduced them last year and they seem to do well here. Perhaps next year we will plant more, because they really do look―'

  'Don't do it, Sophie.'

  She froze, then said, deliberately misunderstanding. 'You do not wish me to cut the dahlias? Perhaps the duchess does not like them―'

  'That is not what I meant.' He had turned away from her and was gazing out across the lake towards the trees on the far bank. 'Do not marry Bonworth. Not unless you love him.'

  She put up her chin, trying to cling on to some semblance of her pride. 'Who says I do not love him?'

  'Armand.'

  'Armand! Hah, what does he know –?'

  'He knows you, Sophie. Both he and Hugh think it is a mistake, serious enough for them to come to me―'

  'Well they had no need to do so!' Sophie concentrated on cutting another bloom.

  Perry's shadow fell over her. 'They care about you, Sophie. They do not want you to do the wrong thing.'

  Her hands were full of dahlias now and Perry was holding the basket. She had no choice but to turn towards him. Carefully, and keeping her eyes lowered, she placed them in the basket with the other flowers.

  'I shall do what I think best for me!'

  Perry's stillness and silence unnerved her. She glanced up, which was a mistake, because when she saw the concern in his face she wanted to cry. And she would not. Not in front of him.

  'There is no need for anyone to worry over me,' she said angrily.

  She dropped the scissors on top of the cut flowers and turned, intending to run back to the castle, but Perry grabbed her arm.

  'Let me go. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself!'

  'You are nothing of the kind,' he exclaimed. 'If you must marry someone, then marry me!'

  All Perry's doubts had gone. Seeing Sophie again he had realised just how much he wanted her, how much he loved her. If she would consent to be his wife he would move heaven and earth to make her happy. She had stopped struggling and a sob escaped her.

  'Oh, pray do not tease me!'

  'I am not teasing you, Sophie.' Perry put down the basket and placed his hands on her shoulders. 'When I saw you last I was not free, but now all that has changed.' Gently, he turned her towards him, saying, 'I am offering you my hand and my heart, Sophie. I do love you, you know.' He gave a little laugh. 'I think I have always loved you, from that very first meeting, when you jumped out of the tree with a cockerel under your arm and startled my horse.'

  He hoped she might at least smile at that, but she kept her head lowered, and when she spoke her words were no more than an anguished whisper.

  'No, no, it is impossible. I c-cannot marry you.'

  'Because you have accepted Bonworth,' he said. 'You have given him your word and will not go back on it?'

  'No, no, that is not it.'

  Cold fear wrapped itself around his heart, tightening until it was as much as he could do to breathe. He released her.

  'Can it be,' he managed at last, 'Do you mean you really love him?' He turned away, driving one hand through his hair. 'I see. My apologies, I thought…foolish of me.'

  'I refused him.'

  'Contemptibly arrogant too,' he muttered, berating himself. 'I beg your pardon, Sophie.'

  'Perry, I refused him!'

  'You must think―' he broke off as he realised what she had said and he swung around, staring at her.

  She lifted her shoulders in a little shrug. 'Yesterday, when he came to call, I told him I could not marry him. He was very understanding, very kind. I was sorry to cause him pain.'

  'Then…then you are free!'

  He reached for her but she took a step back. 'No! I cannot marry you, Perry.'

  His emotions were in tumult. One moment he was in deep despair the next in alt. Now Sophie was again dashing his hopes. He struggled to speak calmly.

  'Is there someone else, perhaps?'

  She shook her head. 'I refused to marry Mr Bonworth because I did not love him. I cannot marry you because I love you too much.'

  She loved him. Perry closed his eyes. That was all he needed to know. All he had to do now was persuade Sophie to say yes.

  He said quietly, 'Will you explain to me why you will not marry me?'

  'You are a duke, Perry. You need a real lady for your wife,' she spread her hands, palms up. 'Not someone with rough, workaday hands.'

  He took her hands and rubbed his thumbs over the palms.

  'They are not so very bad.' He grinned. 'And you can wear gloves, you know.'

  'It is not a joke!' She pulled herself free and turned away, her shoulders slumping. 'I am not from your world. I would disgrace you.'

  'Never! Sophie, I have considered all this, gone over all these arguments myself, but I am convinced now―'

  'Please, stop! Do you not think I, too have thought about it, Perry? Dreamed of being your wife? But it would never work. I know nothing of being a duchess.'

  'Neither do I,' he replied promptly.

  When she silently waved away his attempt at frivolity he sobered immediately. She was close to tears and it was as much as he could do not to fold her in his arms. Instead he gently pulled her hand onto his arm.

  'Let us walk.'

  She did not resist him and they began to stroll slowly along beside the flowerbed. He gave a sigh.

  'Sophie, listen to me. When my father died a year ago, I knew very little of what was expected of me. He had never included me in his life, so I am having to learn everything about my inheritance from Rafford, my excellent steward. I have yet to spend any time in town and even at Cullenmore I have avoided making all but the most necessary social calls. If you agree to become my duchess, then we will learn together how to go on.

  'My father left his affairs in a dire mess and I have sold some of the houses to pay off his debts, including the town house. I still have several properties though, and a great deal of land, which Rafford tells me is beginning to pay its way and will support me well enough if I do not spend recklessly. So you see, my love, I am not offering you a life of unalloyed luxury and ease. I want a duchess who will work with me. I have no idea of just what will be required, but we can learn together, and support one another.
'

  She said, not looking at him, 'But you need someone who is accustomed to running grand houses.'

  Perry suddenly thought of Honoria, with her lavish dinners and expensive ways. He was certain that, if he had made her his duchess, in a matter of months she would have undone all his and Rafford's hard work to turn Cullenmore around.

  He said now, 'I have never known anyone hold household better than you, Sophie. You will keep excellent household accounts; your knowledge of the kitchens means that the Cook will not be able to dupe you and I know my gardener will be delighted to discuss new plantings and designs with someone who knows the difference between a flower-bulb and a beetroot!' Encouraged by the small chuckle that escaped her, he stopped and turned towards her. He put one finger under her chin and coaxed her head up a little. 'So, what do you say, darling Sophie, will you throw your lot in with mine? I do hope you will say you will marry me, because I think being a duke will be a great deal more bearable if you are my duchess.'

  Sophie had been keeping her eyes firmly on the diamond winking from the folds of his neckcloth but his final words and the humble note in his voice made her look up into his face. Perry was gazing down at her, his eyes full of warmth and love. He was confident that she could do this, and suddenly she was, too. With Perry at her side she thought they might overcome any obstacle. The bubble of happiness was growing within her so fast she thought she might burst.

  'Then I will say yes, Perry,' she whispered, smiling mistily up at him. 'I should like very much to marry you.'

  His arms tightened and he lowered his head to capture her mouth for a long, lingering kiss that left them both breathless. They were so intent upon each other that it was not until they had gone back into the castle that they remembered the flowers and had to send a servant running out to fetch them.

  When they reached the hall they heard voices coming from the parlour and found that the others had completed their tour of the castle and were now enjoying a cool glass of lemonade. When Perry came in with Sophie on his arm, his mother took one look at his beaming face and clapped her hands.

  'Is there good news for us, my son?'

  He glanced down at Sophie, his brows raised, and when she gave a little nod he said gravely, 'Well I think there is, ma'am, but perhaps Hugh and Armand might not be so pleased. After all, I came here at their behest to dissuade their sister from marrying beneath her.' Sophie heard the faintest quiver in his voice as he continued. 'I very much regret, boys, that your sister has demeaned herself so far as to agree to become my duchess.'

  There was general uproar at his announcement. Sophie found herself being hugged by Perry's mama, while her father and Hugh rushed up to congratulate Perry and Armand positively whooped with excitement.

  'Well, boys,' Perry demanded, once all the hugging and kissing and congratulations had ended and he once more had Sophie's hand safely on his sleeve, 'does your sister's marriage have your approval?'

  Armand laughed 'Ha, ha. What a good joke, Perry, and yes, of course it does! You may not be a prince, but I suppose a duke is the next best thing!'

  'No, it is not,' Sophie contradicted him, causing a sudden hush to fall. She smiled and rubbed her cheek against Perry's shoulder. 'It is far, far better. I would not wish to marry anything other than a duke!'

  **The End**

  Born in the West Country, Melinda Hammond moved to the Pennines in the late 1980’s to bring up her family and continue writing her romantic adventures. Recently she escaped to the Scottish Highland on another adventure of her own. She also writes as Sarah Mallory for Harlequin Mills & Boon and has almost 50 books published.

  To find more about Melinda Hammond and her books

  please visit her author page on Amazon

  or visit her website at

  www.melindahammond.com