Regency Romances

by Grace Fletcher

  Laura shook her head. Although she could remember the hard blow behind her, the memory of the rest of the night was still hazy. She stared around her, noticing that she was in the master bedroom. “What happened?” she asked. “I was bleeding…?”

  “Do you remember anything?”

  Laura closed her eyes, trying to shut out the pain in her head. She was suddenly in the balcony of the manor, and the memories of the kiss she had shared with him came pouring down on her with a greater headache.

  “Miss Williams?”

  Laura opened her eyes and heaved a sigh. She ought to remember something–why she was on the floor, unconscious and bleeding? Kent was sitting beside her on the bed now, and it was slightly difficult to think of anything else.

  “Someone pushed me,” she whispered. The images were gradually coming back to her.

  Kent frowned and inched forward to hold her hand. “Did you see who it was?” he asked.

  Laura kept quiet for a second, still trying to remember. She had noticed a movement in the dark, but that was all. “No,” she sighed. “I think they hit me with something hard.”

  Kent nodded and tapped her hand. He stood afterward and turned to glare at Josephine. He was grunting under his breath as he spoke, but Laura didn’t pay attention to him. She stared around the room and at the sky through the windows and noticed that it was less dark outside than it earlier was. She shifted on the bed and finally paid attention to what Kent was saying.

  “I want everyone out.” she heard him mutter. “The viscounts, the duchesses–everyone.”

  Laura bit her lips. She suddenly remembered that there had been a dinner party and her accident was going to ruin it all. She winced in pain as she tried to close her eyes to shut out the image of the dowager duchess, yelling with frustration at her.

  “Miss Williams?”

  Kent was strolling back towards the bed. Behind him, Josephine threw her a pitiful look and left with the other maids. The room became quiet afterward with Kent sitting beside her and holding her hand again.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “As if I was unconscious for too long.”

  “Well, you were. I figured you were bleeding on the floor for half an hour before finding you. I thought you returned to the party and was quite worried when I couldn’t find you.”

  “You—you came after me?” Laura stuttered.

  “We had a very nice experience on the balcony, Miss Williams. Of course, I had to go find you after you took your leave.”

  Laura looked away, hiding her embarrassment. She assumed he had more to say and quickly glanced back at him, intending to change the course of their conversation. “How long?” she asked him.

  “How long what?”

  “How long was I unconscious? It’s gradually getting bright outside.”

  “The rest of the night. Four, five hours, I think. It is almost dawn now by the way. I got Josephine and Henry to clean your wound and let you rest on the bed.”

  “Henry?”

  “He is Viscount Newton’s personal aid. The poor viscount has got a medical condition that requires him to move about with a man of the medicine. I am actually glad he was here when this happened.”

  Laura closed her eyes, preferring to be quiet afterward. She was still stunned that someone had attacked her. It was the first time since she was in the service of the Duke of Kent that she had been in danger.

  “You should rest,” Kent whispered beside her. “You will stay in my room until you are feeling better.”

  He patted her hand while she still kept her eyes shut and slowly inched away from her. Laura bit her lips anxiously. She suddenly felt alone and afraid, and she fluttered her eyelids open, craving to spend the rest of the night with the only man she trusted.

  “Your Grace?”

  He stopped a few feet from the door and glanced worriedly over his shoulder at her. Laura cleared her throat and wondered how best it was to tell him. “I don’t want to be alone until it is daytime,” she whispered.

  He stared blankly at her for a second before he nodded. Somehow, as if they were at the balcony and speaking each other with few words again, she felt that he understood her need. He went to the door, clasped the lock in place and pulled a chair up to the bed beside her.

  Laura closed her eyes at the smell of his cologne. She hadn’t noticed it all night, but she was pleased by it now. It soothed her to have him so close, and she heaved a sigh of relief as he reached out a hand and began to rub his palm over her hair.

  Before she dozed off, feeling absolutely safe with him, she thought about the possibility of truly loving him and making his life whole again.

  There was absolutely no doubt that she could.

  Chapter 8

  Bitter Words

  The Dowager Duchess paced the library while Kent sat behind the desk, patiently staring at her. It was precisely two days since the dinner party incident, and it was apparent she hadn’t yet gotten over how it had ended. He didn’t speak a word about it, neither had he consulted her before ordering every single guest out of his home. Thinking about it, he realized he had been too relaxed in the past few years, no one really recognized his authority within the walls of the Hartley Manor.

  When his mother finally stopped to look at him, he leaned back in his chair and prepared himself for her outburst.

  “The Viscount and I were up to something, Andrew!”

  He blinked at her. “And?”

  “You almost ruined it with your attention bequeathed to the governess!”

  He frowned, wondering what she was talking about. “Miss Williams,” he deliberately said just to prove that she had a name, “was attacked in the manor, Mother…and you have only been worried about plans and what your guests think.”

  He had struck a chord, but the Dowager Duchess only paused for a second. She strolled towards him afterward, wearing a frown. “You are going to fix it,” she said. “I am going to get letters written to each of them, apologizing for your rude dismissal, and then suggesting another dinner before the year runs out.”

  “You will do no such thing, Mother,” Kent said.

  She paused in her step, frowning at him. “You…?”

  “You heard me, Mother,” he interrupted. “I will have no letters written on my behalf, henceforth without my consent. More so, I will only have guests in my own home when I want it.”

  He hadn’t intended to speak harshly to her, but his firm response was required to keep his mother in line. She shook her head unbelievably at him while he stepped out of his chair and placed his hand on the table. “Whoever had attacked Miss Williams could well be one of our guests, and I will only write a letter once I have found out who it is. Men and women in the services of the Duke of Kent are never to be harmed; even the average man in the county knows this. How would I protect my own employees out there when I can’t protect them in my own home?”

  Perhaps he spoke passionately about the issue because it had involved Laura, but he didn’t care how he sounded. He only wanted the dowager duchess to see with clarity why he had ended his own dinner party and had tended to his governess all night himself. She might not have said it all, but his mother was more worried about his closeness to Miss Williams than she was about the dismissal of her guests.

  Finally, he leaned back into his chair while she padded towards him. “It’s been a long time, Son.” he heard her say.

  She hadn’t called him that in a long time. “Long time what?”

  “I have heard you speak about the manor or your subjects with the blood running thoroughly through your veins.”

  “I assume you speak figuratively,” he scowled at her.

  She was still frowning at him, but he noticed the hint of a smile. “You care about the governess, don’t you?”

  He didn’t bother to deny it. “She cares about Bruce and James.”

  “Aye, that she does.”

  The silence between them was becom
ing uncomfortable. Kent sighed and really wished the conversation had ensued better.

  “You do realize caring for her is the only possibility there is for a man of your position, don’t you, Andrew?”

  He shook his head. Somehow, he had hoped their conversation wasn’t going to tilt towards the difference in their social classes.

  “I know we sometimes care about those we can’t have,” the Dowager Duchess said quietly. “Your father, if he were here, would have told you the same–do not bother thinking about a relationship between you and a head teacher’s daughter.”

  It wouldn’t matter if he argued with her. There was a stubborn frown on the dowager duchess’ face, and as she stepped towards him again, having only his desk between them, she leaned towards him and smiled sadly. “What do I tell Viscount Newton?” she asked.

  He sighed, having a feeling he was going to regret the question he was about to ask. “What plans did you have with him?”

  “He has a beautiful daughter. She wasn’t with him during the dinner party but suffice to say we spoke about a possible union of our houses.”

  Kent closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. He had no idea why it had taken him so long to realize just how much trouble his mother, the Dowager Duchess, could get him into.

  ***

  “Miss Williams, the maids think you are still here because of Father.”

  Laura wasn’t sure how long it took her to get over the sudden news from James. She blinked rapidly at him, clutching the book she had been reading to him and Bruce to her chest. “How do you mean, my lord?” she asked.

  Earlier, she had joined them in the courtyard and had proceeded to the dining hall to help them with dinner. Although it had seemed as if James concentrated on his food, it was quite evident his mind was somewhere else. She had tucked him and Bruce in bed an hour later and had to read The History of Sandford and Merton to get them to sleep. While Bruce had quickly slept off, James had stayed awake a while longer, listening passionately to her.

  “I overheard some of them in the hallway speaking about it.”

  She was stunned. She kept staring at him while he slowly moved under the sheets and went on: “It had to be Andrea and the other younger maid, Joveta. They spoke about the Dowager Duchess probably working on your removal from the manor. Andrea seems to think you are still here because Father likes you. Are you really going to leave, Miss Williams?”

  Laura leaned towards him from her chair and tenderly placed her hand on his forehead. “No,” she smiled sadly at him. “I think you misheard the maids. They were probably talking about someone and something else.”

  James shrugged but didn’t take his eyes off her. “But Grandmother is indeed unhappy with you,” he said.

  She sighed. Although the dowager duchess hadn’t approached her to express her displeasure yet, she knew it was a matter of time. Instead of disagreeing with James about this, though, she asked him why he thought his grandmother was unhappy with her.

  “Well, I heard Father and her talking about you yesterday,” James said. “Father says you care a lot about us, so he cares about you.”

  It wasn’t much, but she smiled at the thought of the duke arguing with his mother over her.

  “He also doesn’t want to marry Miss Caroline.”

  Laura paused. “Marry?”

  “Yes, Grandmother said that she is Viscount Newton’s daughter and is to be betrothed to Father.”

  Sadness and disappointment slowly crept into her heart. Although since she got better and had moved back to her chamber, the duke had only visited her once. She really felt comfortable and closer to him in the past few days than she had felt with him in the past two years. She had allowed herself to think that there wouldn’t be any complication if they were to accept their feelings one day and be together.

  James yawned and got her attention back. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I think Father isn’t going to go along with it. Grandmother left his library unhappily.”

  She was tempted to ask him how long he had snooped around, listening to their conversation, but she managed to smile at how thoughtful he was that she was unhappy. When he yawned again, she glanced sideways, confirming that Bruce was still fast asleep, and inched forward to peck him on his head. He smiled and closed his eyes. “Is it true then?” he whispered, clutching his arms around her neck to hug her.

  “What, my lord?” she beamed at him.

  “You and Father–are you together?”

  He had repeated the words over time, and she had avoided any sort of remark, but with his arms around her, she felt a warmth towards him that she had never felt before. She couldn’t bring herself to respond without telling him how much she wished that they were. James read through her silence though and gradually let go of her. “Grandmother wouldn’t like it but I would. Bruce too,” he drawled, yawning again and turning his back to her to sleep.

  She slowly made her way out of the room, feeling elated and sad at the same time. She clutched the book she was reading earlier to her chest and strolled quietly down the hallway to her room. The manor was exceptionally quiet, so it helped her to ponder everything James had told her.

  It had to be Andrea and the other younger maid, Joveta.

  Laura wasn’t comfortable with the thought that the maids spoke about her, especially in such a negative light. More so, with Andrea in the picture, she wondered if the maid would ever stop staring at her awkwardly in the manor or if the typical frown or grunt from her had to do with hatred, instead of just displeasure.

  Her thoughts went to the duke and the dowager duchess next, and she felt her chest tightening with fear. She had been in the Hartley Manor for over two years, never intending to go back to the little town she had stepped out from. Although she could sustain herself from savings throughout the year and also build a life, teaching children like her father did, she wasn’t sure she was going to be happy without being in the service of the duke. With the dowager duchess’ effort to dismiss her, it would mean her life was about to take a drastic change from what she had been used to.

  Trying not to think about it, Laura quickened her pace and looked forward to the comfort of her bed. Perhaps by morning, she could approach the dowager duchess herself and….

  Wait, what’s that?

  She stepped into her room to notice that someone had been in it before her. There were lights everywhere, illuminating even the darkest corners of the hallway and her room. However, she hadn’t noticed anyone slip in or moving out before her arrival. She paused in the doorway, staring down the hallway first before approaching her slightly rumpled bed. She often left the sheets neatly tucked before stepping out, regardless of the hour, but at the moment, the sheets were slightly rumpled to the right, and a piece of paper had been placed on it. She approached it and cautiously glanced around the room to confirm that she was alone.

  She finally picked up the folded paper and flipped it open.

  The bitter words that stared back at her made her chest tighten with fright anew.

  Chapter 9

  Under Attack

  Kent stared at the papers on his desk, trying as much as possible to keep an unreadable expression on his face. In front of him, Laura sat beside his mother and was nervously tapping her fingers on her thighs. She had approached them both in the sitting room, minutes ago, looking fraught and worried. When she had spoken about the first letter, it had seemed odd, but as soon as she began to recount that more letters had turned up in her bedroom and at the gazebo throughout the week, he had been forced to get all three of them alone in the library.

  “You do not suspect anyone, Miss Williams?” The Dowager Duchess muttered from her chair.

  He heaved a sigh before he turned to look at Laura, expecting a response too.

  Her lips trembled as she shook her head. “No, Madam. The letters were always just there as if it was known that I would be the first to find it. I found the last letter in the hallway, just before I picked up the child
ren for their first lesson.”

  Kent shook his head. If whoever had been sending the letters was from the manor, they had access to his sons too. “And this is everything?” he asked, staring at the papers in front of him. “Five letters in a week?”

  “Aye, Your Grace,” Laura whispered. “The message in each one is similar.”

  “You should take your leave of the services of the duke and never return?”

  Laura winced at his words, but it was virtually everything the letters said. He picked one up and glanced at it briefly, picking out the words “harlot,” “leave,” and “ruin.” The last word had pointed out the consequences she was to face if she didn’t leave the manor.

  “Mother?” Kent whispered and to his surprise, the dowager duchess shrugged helplessly. It was the first time she had no opinion whatsoever about an issue.

  “Do you suspect anyone?” he asked, turning to Laura.

  She kept quiet in thought while he waited, hoping that her recent accident had nothing to do with the spiteful letters. “Miss Williams?” he muttered.

  She eventually shook her head, and he heaved a sigh annoyingly. She was keeping something to herself, and it wasn’t time to ignore the worried look on her face. “Mother, I think Miss Williams and I need to speak privately.”

  He waited to see a scowl on her face, but she nodded and strolled quietly out of the room. Once she was gone, Laura stared over her shoulder at the door as if she was afraid they weren’t alone.

  “You have stayed this nervous for a week?” he groaned at her, and then to himself for being so oblivious of it. He had joined her at the gazebo twice and had only noticed how she was quiet around him–he had selfishly thought it had to do with their kiss. “You should have come to me when you received the first and second letter.”

  “I didn’t think there were going to be more letters,” she explained. He waited. “Besides, Your Grace,” she finally added, “I am aware that the maids have been speaking ill about me since the dinner party; the dowager duchess too. There wasn’t any way to know if someone wasn’t just trying to frighten me away.”