“Do you, Lord Barton take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, to cherish, to keep in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?”
Barton turned to her and replied, “I do.”
The Priest turned to her, “Do you, Lady Theodosia Parrish, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband to cherish, to keep in sickness and in health, so long as you both shall live?”
Barton noticed the few tears that dropped down her cheeks as she said, “I do.”
“I now pronounce you as husband and wife. You may kiss.”
Barton turned to her and wrapped his arms around her waist before pulling her to him. Placing one hand on his chest and the other on his neck, Theodosia met his lips. It was a brief kiss, and they smiled at each other as they pulled away.
“I love you so much Lady Theodosia Barton,” he whispered to her.
“I love you too, Lord Barton, forever,” she replied with a chuckle.
*** The End ***
laura &
the
Duke
Regency Romance
Grace Fletcher
Prologue
A New Life
“Her Grace will see you now, Miss Williams.”
Laura had closed her eyes the entire time to stop her fast-pacing heart. She sat in the living room. She had been to many homes in Kent but had never made it to the front door of the county’s highly influential duke until today. To say that she was anxious would be an understatement. Her fingers shook nervously while a huge lump had made its way to her throat.
Earlier, when she had been met at the gate by the doorman, she had felt an overwhelming excitement coursing through her veins. She was there. She was going to be in the duke’s home for the first time. Of course, that excitement had subsequently given way for puzzling anxiety as soon as she saw the Hartley Manor. It was a three-story building that sat on a large section of land that had belonged to the duke’s family for hundreds of years.
Laura knew a little about this having read every book she could find since she was seven. She might come from the rustic parts of Kent, but she had taught herself how to read properly, and also talk and dress a little like the fashionable ladies of Kent. Perhaps it was why her letter to the duke had been given consideration. She had written immediately when word had gotten out that the Hartley Manor needed a governess for the duke’s young son. There wasn’t much to go by, but she had strung words together with faith. It had been weeks since she had any job that paid her, well, anything at all.
“Miss Williams?”
Laura blinked rapidly to concentrate on the servant that stood in front of her. The doorman led her to the large front doors of the manor, but it seemed that was as far as he could go. Another servant had taken over, leading her up the stairs to the front door, while Laura’s mouth went agape at the sight of the polished floors, exotic paintings, and costly furniture.
“Her Grace will see you now?”
Laura blinked again and finally nodded at the servant. She was an older woman–probably in her mid-forties–and was dotting a friendly smile on her face. She left Laura alone in the sitting room earlier, informing her that the duchess would see her soon and finalize her employment.
“Would His Grace also be seeing me, uh, Miss….”
“It is just Josephine,” the servant said.
Laura nodded again and stood from the sofa. She stared expectantly at Josephine who seemed to be confused about the anxious look on her face. “Oh,” she finally grinned, “it is just Her Grace, the Duchess of Kent, Miss Williams. His Grace wouldn’t be back in the manor until a few hours.”
Laura didn’t know whether she should be relieved or not. She had spent the previous day preparing herself to meet the Duke of Kent and make a good first impression. It meant a lot to her to offer her service to him and his family, considering that the employment would come with housing and meal benefits.
“Come, Miss Williams. Her Grace is waiting.”
Laura heaved a sigh and quickly smoothed her hair and dress with her palms. Her Grace, the Duchess of Kent, was equally as prominent as her husband. If the duke’s wife wanted to see her before finalizing her appointment, it meant a lot, and she would do well to impress her too.
She trailed after Josephine, thinking about how the rest of her year would play out as a governess in a wealthy home. It may take a long time for her to let go of her past and embrace a new life. She could only hope that along with the beauty and wealth, the Hartley Manor would be the best place for her to find happiness.
Chapter 1
Promises of Forever
Two years later
His Grace, the Duke of Kent, heard soft clattering sounds from the passageway before the door to his bedroom quietly swung open, two pairs of eyes staring at him from the doorway. He pretended as if he was still asleep. It was five in the morning, and the first rays of light were just slithering through the blinds of his windows to light up a few corners of his room.
“See? I told you Father was back,” James, his first son, whispered.
Beside him, Bruce, his brother, had his thumb in his mouth and was sulking sleepily. He seemed faintly interested in whatever James had resolved to do and only nodded in response. Kent bit back a smile and held his breath as soon as James gripped Bruce’s hand and began to approach the bed. “Quietly, Bruce,” he whispered. “We don’t want to wake him up.”
Briskly, they climbed unto the bed–James carefully helping Bruce up by lifting him in his arms–and slipped under the sheets beside him. Kent kept his eyes shut, slowly straightening his body so they could inch close enough to wrap their bodies around him.
His six-year-old and two-year-old sons were everything to him–at least since Louise had left him distraught and lonely. It still felt like yesterday when he had thought hard about their childhood friendship and had asked her to marry him. She had been the first and only woman he had ever loved, and it had felt right to think that he could spend the rest of his life with her.
He had looked passionately into her green eyes, holding her hands and feeling as if the world only made any sense with her in it. When he had said the words, Louise had clasped her palm against her lips. She was stunned, and so was he. He had never thought he would love someone as much as he loved her, or even go on his knees to ask her to marry him. He didn’t let go of her hand until he had slipped the ring on her finger and was watching as tears slipped down her cheeks.
“Yes.” Louise had whispered. “Yes, Kent. I would spend the rest of my life with you.”
Thinking about that day now, Kent realized that promises of forever shouldn’t have been left for anyone to decide. It was beyond any human power or will. One day, you could be with the only woman you cared about, and the next day, she is gone, almost as if she was never real.
It was over two years already, but it was difficult to stop hearing the echoes of Louise’s laughter around the house. Kent walked down the passageways of the manor in the evening sometimes, remembering how she would walk down the stairs during a ball, clutching his hand tightly in hers. There was unmistakable happiness in her eyes whenever she was with him, and he had felt loved and complete.
“Andrew, stop staring at me! You are making me nervous!”
He did that all the time–stare intently at her while they privately ate at the dining table or whenever she was dressing up. Louise wasn’t just beautiful, she had spotless skin and a body befitting a duchess. Her long straight legs marveled him, along with her hour-glass shape and long, wavy hair. He wasn’t certain of the day that he knew that he loved her, but he had sworn that he would never stop. He would always keep her close, getting used to the warmth that he felt with her presence.
You don’t feel that warmth anymore, do you? Kent shook his head at the voice in his head. Indeed, every joy he had felt and expected to last forever had ended two years ago. Afterward, he had stepped into the same bedroom he and Louise had shared briefly as a couple, wonderi
ng why it had happened…wondering why she had to leave him when he needed her the most.
Andrew. I love you. I love you very much. They were the last words she had said to him as he watched life slowly slip from her eyes–those beautiful green eyes that had always glowed with love for him. She had Bruce, their newborn son, enveloped in her arms and he had been afraid to even look at him. He knew what would happen next. He was aware of the sharp jolt of pain that slid through his heart. He knew that although he felt like dying with her, he wouldn’t have a choice because of the child–because of both of them.
“Father? Are you awake?”
Kent finally fluttered his eyes open, getting his thoughts back to the present. Bruce was fast asleep, and James had begun to feel sleepy too. He wondered if both of them hadn’t had slept at all because of him. James yawned and snuggled close as soon as he noticed that his eyes were open. “You didn’t come home for days, Father,” he said. “Bruce was beginning to question Miss Williams too much about your whereabouts.”
Kent instinctively brushed his son’s hair with his hands as James yawned again. “I am here now,” he said. “And it will be morning soon. Poor Miss Williams will be worried sick if she doesn’t find you both in your beds.”
James smiled lazily and closed his eyes. “I like it when she worries about us,” he whispered. “She gets Josephine to cook chicken soup to make us feel warm and happy.”
The last three words slipped off James’ lips as he gradually dozed off. A second later and he was asleep, his chest rising and falling as he breathed peacefully. Kent allowed his eyes to trail the length of his hair, seeing the resemblance with Louise’s. Her large portrait still hung on the wall of the room, and he forced himself not to glance up to stare at it as he wrapped his arms around James and Bruce, clasping his eyes shut too. This time around, instead of thinking about the distraught he felt after his wife’s death, he thought about the little changes her death had brought to the manor.
He slept off, thinking about Laura Williams.
***
“James! Bruce! Oh my goodness, I have been dreadfully worried!”
Kent woke up an hour later to see two new pairs of eyes staring at him from the doorway. It was daytime now, and the room was fully lit with rays of light. Laura hurried towards the bed as James and Bruce stirred awake with smiles on their faces. “You shouldn’t do that again, young masters.” she groaned at them. “Josephine and I had checked every inch of the manor looking for you.”
The second pair of eyes belonged to Josephine, the housekeeper, and she stood rooted at the doorway, shaking her head.
“Bruce and I just wanted to see Father,” James explained as Laura stopped in her tracks a few inches from the bed and beckoned them to step down from it. Bruce also saw fit to jump on top of Kent, screaming the word “Father” at the top of his voice.
Laura couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Kent too. He drew Bruce close to his chest and pulled himself up to a sitting position while Laura intuitively stepped towards them. “I am so sorry, Your Grace,” she said. “No one in the manor knew when they slipped out of their rooms.”
“They tried to be quiet about it.” Kent grinned.
“You knew when they came in? Was it in the midnight after you came in, Your Grace?” Josephine asked from the doorway.
“No! Just this morning!” James hissed.
“An hour or two ago, precisely,” Kent said, turning to Laura. “And you don’t have to cook that chicken soup, Miss Williams. I don’t mind that they found their way into my bed.”
Laura seemed confused, but Kent got the satisfaction he wanted when James slapped his face with his palm. “Father!” he grunted, stepping down from the bed and joining Laura. Kent dropped Bruce on his feet a few seconds later, slipping out of bed too.
“I will get the servants to prepare their baths,” Josephine said briskly and disappeared down the passageway.
For a while, Laura said nothing. Kent felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. She was staring awkwardly at him until it became quite evident that he made her nervous. “Uh, Miss Williams….” He had noticed too late that he had stepped out of bed and was bare-chested; Laura had quickly gripped Bruce and James’ hands and was leading them out of the room. “I will get the children washed and ready for the day, Your Grace,” she announced, hurrying out of the room like a woman with the devil on her tail.
Kent stood there for another few seconds, too stunned to move.
That was awkward.
Chapter 2
Endless Thoughts
It had been over two years since she became a member of the Duke of Kent’s luxurious home. Throughout the entire time, Laura had found out first-hand that there was more to the wealthy than meets the eye. Previously, she had agreed with the rest of Kent that the upper-class citizens had everything at their disposal. They had the wealth, the influence, and the means to acquire whatever they wanted. More so, it was commonly believed that a man as powerful as the duke could find happiness just by his title and assets.
Wherever those assumptions had come from, Laura had been forced to drop them the first week of her stay in the Hartley Manor. It had been heartbreaking to witness the Duchess of Kent’s death, hours into her first day of appointment, and even more so because she had seen how devastated the duke had become. It had taken days before anyone could get him to step out of his library–the only place in the manor where he seemed to feel a slight bit of comfort. When food had been brought to him, he had stared at each plate for minutes, lost in the thoughts of the woman he had genuinely loved, but lost. His eyes had darkened with sadness while beards grew around his cheeks, giving him a rough, wretched look.
Laura had felt immense pity for him. It wasn’t her place, but alongside Josephine, she had helped to clean the master bedroom a few days after Her Grace had been put to rest. Every servant in the manor was quiet about it, but Laura suspected that His Grace had not stepped into the room ever since his wife’s death. It was while they cleaned the room that Laura had swept her eyes over the large bed in the middle of the room, thinking about the beautiful duchess and how friendly she had been on their first meeting.
You will love it here, Miss Williams, and maybe I will love you being here too.
The Duchess of Kent was on her birthing bed when Laura had stepped into the room–the same master bedroom that Her Grace had lost her life. Laura had noticed her gritting her teeth in pain and managing to read the words from a small book in her hands at the same time. She had kept her eyes on her feet while Josephine had introduced her.
“Come forward, Miss Williams. Better to get acquainted now before the melon inside me decides to make his way to this world.”
She was witty, and Laura had taken an instant liking to her. She inched towards the bed with a smile while Josephine quietly strolled out of the room, leaving them alone.
“Now, what do you think?” Her Grace had asked.
Laura looked at her confusedly. “About what, Your Grace?”
“The manor. Being a governess. Do you think you will like it here?”
Laura nodded, smiling again. “Aye, I think I will.”
Her Grace inched up a little in her bed and let out a soft groan, failing to hide the pain that she felt. “Are you quite alright? Do you need me to get Josephine? Your Grace?” Laura quietly asked.
“Oh, it isn’t anything to worry anyone about yet.” she grinned. She closed her eyes though and inhaled deeply like a woman in severe pain. Laura instinctively inched forward but stopped in her tracks as the duchess raised her hand to stop her. “T—tell me about your home, Miss Williams.” she moaned. “I would like to know where in Kent such beautiful face as yours was sired.”
It was an odd request–one Laura was more than willing to oblige. She took a step forward and told her of the little hut at the edge of Kent that her father, a school head teacher, had raised her brother and her.
“Was that how you learn
ed to read and write?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Laura responded. “Despite working in a school himself, Father couldn’t afford to put us both–Damien, my brother, and I–in school. Damien went to classes while I studied every book I could find at home–with a little help from Father, of course.”
“I would say that made quite a good mark on you.” Her Grace commended. “I read your letter and chose you without a second thought.”
Laura blinked blankly. “Oh, the letter came to you, Your Grace?”
“As every letter that comes into the manor. My husband, the Duke of Kent, wouldn’t let anyone else touch them but me. I suspect he likes knowing that I could read as much as every high-class woman should.”
In response, Laura remembered how she had nodded quietly. Afterward, she spent a considerable amount of time, listening to the duchess talk about her friendship with the duke before he asked her to marry him. While she spoke, wincing in between sentences, Laura had also looked at her beautiful green eyes and flowing black hair. The Duchess of Kent was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, and regardless of the weight of her pregnancy, she was striking and receptive.
“So, you are going to stay, won’t you, Miss Williams?”
They were the words that had created a bond between Laura and the Hartley Manor two years ago–one she had been unable to break from. Laura had cleaned the master bedroom, remembering how she had nodded enthusiastically at Her Grace who stretched out her hand, compelling her with her eyes to hold it. “You will love it here,” she said, “and maybe I will love you being here too.”
Fate was unkind to the duchess. As much as Laura had looked forward to being appreciated by her as time went on, that morning was the only time they were going to be acquainted.
Her Grace, the Duchess of Kent, had died hours later after birthing her last son, and everything had become solemn since then.
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