Someday Her Duke Will Come

by Ellie St. Clair

  Her cheeks reddened again when she recalled what they had done, and how badly she wanted to do them again. There was no time for that, however, as they had to ready themselves to celebrate Christmas. Tillie was much more concerned than Alexander on what the servants thought of her, and she pushed him out of her room before Gemma arrived to help her dress .

  The Christmas day service was as special as Tillie had hoped it would be. The chapel was filled with villagers of every station, coming together to celebrate the special day .

  They returned to Warfield Manor along with many guests for a Christmas Feast, Christmastide truly having begun. While the Landons enjoyed the first night of the 12-day celebration, Christmas Eve, as a small family affair, they began to celebrate the season in earnest the following day .

  The candles lit the evening before continued to burn in the fireplace, and Tillie gazed into them wistfully, as their fire began the same night as the love which began burning so much brighter between her and Alexander .

  As they were already known to be engaged, the little shows of real affection between them did not necessarily set tongues to wagging. If anything, the people around them seemed wistful of the way they doted on one another .

  The Dowager Duchess was the only one who seemed slightly surprised, but she did well to hide her smile when she saw how the two of them were getting on with one another .

  * * *

  A few days after Christmas, Eliza and her family, along with assorted other guests from surrounding villages and from as far as London, began gathering at Warfield Manor for the annual New Year’s dance and celebration .

  As far as the former contract had been concerned, it was nearing an end as the final event would be the Twelfth Night. The celebration would be the last in which they were to perform as a couple to end out the holiday season that Alexander had gone to such lengths to have Tillie attend .

  But so much had changed in both of them now .

  Tillie hardly paid attention through the first meal in the house with all of their assembled guests, she was so absolutely giddy with anticipation and joy. Her feelings for Alexander, and apparently the ones he felt for her, seemed to take them both by surprise, and all of the late-night sneaking had made the entire thing so much more fun .

  Tillie could scarcely believe it, but she was at a point in her life that marriage actually sounded like a wonderful, freeing thing instead of the opposite .

  That evening, as she prepared with Gemma for the dance, a knock sounded at her bedroom door. When Gemma went to open it, one of Alexander’s valets was standing there with a box, which Gemma took .

  “I don’t need to ask what this is, do I?” The maid asked the valet, who simply smirked .

  There was a small piece of paper attached to the box and Gemma handed it to Tillie without looking at it. Pulling it open, Tillie read the words written in Alexander’s graceful handwriting .

  “I plan on seeing you wearing this later. This, and only this . ”

  She quickly tucked the note into her desk and hid it among her sketching supplies before returning to the box while Gemma pulled all of her accessories out for the night .

  “Please do not be a toad. Please do not be a toad.” She whispered to the small square box as Gemma looked at her as if she had gone mad .

  When she pulled the lid off, a beautiful gold cuff bracelet dotted with diamonds sparkled on a silk pillow. It was breathtaking .

  “Oh, Miss,” Gemma cooed behind her. “What a lovely gift .”

  Tillie couldn’t help but blush at the memory of his note, too .

  Gemma and Tillie had worked diligently on the gown she would wear for this dance and when it was finally on, she smiled at their work. It was a simple cut with a high bodice that hung off the shoulders, but what she and her maid had managed to do was attach a layer over the skirt that had been sewn with small, shimmering jewels to create the effect of stars. The gown itself was a deep navy blue and instead of flowers in her hair, Gemma dotted the softly curled updo with more of the same shining costume jewels Tillie had brought from London .

  “You glow, Miss,” Gemma said with a sharp intake of breath. “You are simply glowing .”

  She took a turn in the mirror and beamed at the dress she’d fashioned. It was truly one of her best and she was so glad she had decided to keep it for herself .

  Fully dressed, Tillie let Gemma return to her duties downstairs and waited for a valet to come collect her. When the knock came, she opened the door to find Alexander there instead of a servant .

  “But I thought—” she began, but was silenced with a kiss as Alexander pushed her back into her room and shut the door behind him .

  When he broke the kiss, he held her at arm’s length and took a long look at her from head to toe and she blushed under his scrutiny .

  “Beautiful does not do you justice, Tillie,” he said in a quiet, reverent voice. “For the rest of my life, I shall never forget the way you look tonight .”

  Emotions roiled through Tillie. If she thought she’d had feelings for Alexander a week ago, two weeks ago, it was nothing compared to what she felt now or likely would feel in the coming days .

  “I am quite proud to have you as my fiancée,” he said, offering his arm. “Fake or otherwise .”

  “I love you, Alexander Landon, Duke of This and That and All Other Sorts of Things,” she said as she couldn’t resist a little bit of ribbing .

  “Barre,” he said with a laugh. “Just Barre. You best get used to the title, my future duchess .”

  The Dowager Duchess watched them that evening with a smile on her face. Her son had found a woman worthy of him, and she was happy for it. True, Tillie had no title to her name, but she had the manners of a peer, and the ability to do what other ladies of the ton had not — capture Alexander’s heart .

  The dance began and Tillie, for once, enjoyed herself, as there was no Heath Cashing to hide from and no disapproving parents or siblings to tell her that she wasn’t being social enough or that she was being too overly social. There was only Alexander and he was everything she had never known she had wanted or needed .

  So, naturally, of course, it was bound to fall apart because Matilda Andrews was never one to fully believe in fairy tales and happily ever afters that were unearned .

  A couple of hours into the celebration, a valet approached Alexander as he and Tillie were standing in conversation with some of the villagers from Warfield. The man whispered into Alexander’s ear and she watched as the duke’s eyebrows shot skyward. Whatever he had just been told had taken him completely by surprise .

  He turned to Tillie and pulled her away from their conversation momentarily .

  “A friend from school has just arrived at the back door in bad shape,” he said, rather cryptically. “He is a noble and when they arrive bloodied and beaten on your doorstep, it’s never good. Try to keep the party from noticing my absence, love ?”

  She was worried but gave him a quick nod. She would do what she could, but now she was concerned. Who was the man? Why was he injured? And would Alexander tell her who he was ?

  In a flash, the duke was gone and she was left entertaining the guests. As was polite, Tillie danced with a few of the partygoers and tried to help the Dowager Duchess with hosting duties, all the while searching the corners of the hall for signs of Alexander .

  But there were none .

  He had completely disappeared from the party .

  Tillie nervously ran her hand over the bracelet he’d given her earlier and fretted. It had been more than an hour now. Was something wrong ?

  Never one to wait around for something to happen, Tillie made her excuses and left the ballroom, finding her way through a series of servant hallways, not really knowing where she was headed or what she was doing, but feeling a pull to find Alexander and make certain he wasn’t in trouble .

  It took her a good ten minutes of wandering through the passageways and hiding in the shadows when a maid came rus
hing by with a tray of empty glasses before she finally found what she was looking for. A valet came running through the hall with a stack of linen towels .

  Staying far behind, she followed the young man through a line of twists and turns and held back as he slipped inside a door without completely shutting it behind him. Tillie crept forward and quietly peered into the dimly lit room .

  There were servants milling around in a hive of activity that Tillie could hardly make sense of. On the floor against a far wall was a pile of bloody bandages. She followed the path toward its source and saw a man, not much older than herself, lying unconscious atop a small couch, his massive arms and legs draped over the sides. Part of his shirt had been ripped away and she saw a large, bloody wound that the servants were trying to treat the best they could .

  Another man stood near the back, looking equally disheveled but not nearly as bloody, pacing in front of the window .

  “Where is the doctor?” he inquired of Alexander’s servants. “And where did Barre disappear to? We need him !”

  “My Lord,” one of the valets spoke up. “The duke’s fiancée called him and he went to assist her momentarily. He should return at any moment .”

  Fiancée? She hadn’t sent a notice for Alexander. It took her not longer than a moment to discern who else could possibly have sent for him. She realized she hadn’t seen Eliza in the past hour at the dance .

  Cursing, she set off at a tear to find her fiancé .

  16

  F iguring Eliza had tricked him somehow, Tillie knew she wasn’t going to find them in the servant’s hallway, so she exited into the sitting room. Setting her skirts to right and smoothing her hair, she took a brief moment to compose herself before beginning her search anew. She not only had to find Alexander, but he must explain what was occurring with the injured man, and why would Eliza not let him be ?

  She thought about which rooms Eliza would be familiar with and also would make sense for Tillie to call him to. The options were limited .

  Guessing Eliza would have chosen the library to lure Alexander, Tillie raced over the carpeted hallways, away from the dancing and the music. Her heart thumped in her chest as she worried over what might await her, fearing her life and happiness depended on it. Because, unfortunately, it did .

  The door to the library was just ahead and for a brief second, Tillie considered what she was doing. What if she saw something on the other side that shattered her heart? Alexander had said he’d loved her, so she should have no fears. Yet, she told herself, he had put his love into words in the heat of their lovemaking. Did he truly mean it ?

  She questioned herself about whether she should open the door. What if it she saw something that could never be undone? Was she willing to risk losing this sense of peace and happiness she’d managed to find with Alexander in order to know the truth ?

  Yes, damn it all. Tillie wasn’t one to live in half-truths, shadows, or deceit and she damn sure wasn’t going to start now, heartbreak or no .

  Shoving the door open, she braced for impact and yet was nearly staggered by the image in front of her .

  They were sitting on the settee, Eliza’s skirts settling to the floor around them. Eliza was sobbing, naturally, because that was her currency. It was how she reigned in the males in her life. She was clutching at the lapels of Alexander’s jacket as he held her in an embrace .

  Tillie wanted to scream. She wanted to be sick. She wanted to rage. Instead, she spoke quietly and slowly .

  “Oh,” she began, her voice emotionless and deadly. “I see you received the summons from your betrothed, Alexander. How wonderful .”

  His eyes snapped to hers and he all but shoved Eliza away from him .

  “No, please, do not let me interrupt,” Tillie said coldly, holding up a hand. “Forget you saw me. Forget this – any of this – ever happened .”

  She turned and dashed for the door and had gotten a few feet down the hallway when Alexander’s long strides caught up with her .

  “Tillie, please,” he pleaded as he grabbed her wrist. “It is not what you think at all. I thought it was you who had summoned me .”

  She narrowed her eyes at him .

  “So you get to the library, see that it’s her and pull her into your arms? How reasonable and noble of you, Your Grace,” she seethed, her heart shattering. His face looked stricken at the formality back in her tone .

  “She jumped at me in a flurry of tears, Tillie,” he cried out, frustrated .

  She just shook her head, unwilling to hear any more .

  “You have a man bleeding to death in one of your hidden rooms,” she continued and if it was possible for him to look even more surprised, he did. “A friend of yours? Another secret meeting you had planned? Care to tell me what is going on tonight before I walk out that front door and never return ?”

  Alexander’s mouth opened and closed .

  “Do not overreact, Tillie. You cannot leave me,” he said, his voice quiet but resolute. “I will not allow it .”

  She smirked .

  “You cannot tell me where I can and cannot go, no matter who you are to me. However, if you do not want me to leave, tell me what is going on right now,” she insisted. “Tell me who the man with the bullet wound is. Tell me why Eliza Masters is trying to throw herself at you and why, despite your protestations you would never go back to her, you were holding her in your arms. Tell me that you trust me enough to want me to stay by your side .”

  There was no mistaking the emotion and internal war in his eyes. He was struggling with something, but he wouldn’t let Tillie in .

  “I cannot, Tillie,” he rasped. “Please. Please, understand. I will tell you when I can .”

  She studied his face .

  “Do not shut me out, Alexander,” she said, the anger leaving her voice and the raw emotion settling in. “If you do, there will be no turning back .”

  He reached out and put both hands on her shoulders. Just as he moved to speak again, a footman ran through a doorway a few feet behind them .

  “My apologies, Your Grace, but you are needed immediately,” the man said. “Please, hurry .”

  Alexander closed his eyes and cursed .

  “Please, Tillie, do not be rash,” he whispered as he pressed a hot kiss to her lips before she could pull away. “Please trust me. Don’t you dare try to leave right now .”

  Without another word, he turned and ran toward the footman, leaving Tillie standing alone in the hallway, unsure of what had just happened and where she currently stood .

  So Tillie did what she always did when someone gave her an order — the opposite. She left .

  17

  S he had not arrived with much and she left with even less .

  Tillie also didn’t try to hide the fact that she was leaving and marched out the front doors to the carriage house, demanding a ride to London from one of the grooms .

  “Miss Andrews,” the poor man stammered. “’Tis the middle of the night! Perhaps if we wait until the morning and when His Grace is available, we can secure you a ride. It is not safe for you to leave now !”

  With heavy bag in one hand and a broken heart in her chest, she set her mouth in a grim line, and spoke evenly and calmly, despite the storm roiling in her .

  “I appreciate your concern, but if you do not give me a ride to London this instant, I will start walking down that road and not stop until I reach my destination or get set upon by wild animals .”

  In the space of a few seconds, when it seemed the man wouldn’t budge, Tillie decided to make good on her threat and turned to begin walking away from Warfield Manor and its village. The place had utterly broken her heart and she was ready to be done with it .

  She got further than she had expected to, but was relieved that the groom finally caved .

  “Please! Please, Miss Andrews!” he said, chasing after her. “I’ll get you a carriage ready. Please don’t walk away in the dark !”

  The journey back was long
and bumpy in the dark as the poor driver navigated the rough roads with very little light, but in the back seat, Tillie wasn’t paying much attention. Her mind was revisiting the scene she’d stumbled upon over and over again .

  It wasn’t so much that she believed what she saw. She was smart enough to know Eliza’s schemes and was fairly certain that Alexander did, too. No, what was the most troubling to her was the fact that there was still a chord for Eliza to yank between them that would get any sort of reaction from Alexander. He had told her that he wasn’t truly grieved by their broken relationship. Tillie thought that connection between Alexander and Eliza was finished. Now, seeing how it remained, she questioned if what she and Alexander had was as real as she had believed .

  And the injured man in the secret room. Who was Alexander Landon that bloody nobles arrived on his doorstep in the middle of a party on New Year’s Eve? And who were they that she could not be trusted to know what was going on ?

  To Tillie, as she rode the miserable journey back to her parents’ house, the fact that there was so much of Alexander’s life that he was unwilling to open up to her about was a cut even deeper than seeing Eliza wrapped in his embrace for comfort .

  The tears began as the carriage traveled overnight and more than once, she found herself wishing beyond reason that she’d hear a thunder of hooves outside the small window to find a distraught Alexander chasing her down .

  But, alas, the only noises she heard were owls in the distance and the constant of the hooves of the carriage’s own horses .

  No, by the time the carriage pulled up in front of her father’s home, Tillie was quite certain that the game was over and her time to return to her own life, sad as it was, had arrived. She had been played, another conquest of Alexander Landon. What a silly twit she was .

  Worse, she still loved him. Sick to her stomach and the heart in her chest aching, she disembarked from the carriage just as the sun was peeking its way through the sky in the distance .