The Reluctant Duchess

by Winchester, Catherine

  “Very,” she smiled politely at him.

  “Good, because I would like to let you know that your brother is a sycophantic, ingratiating bore. How you two could be related is beyond me.”

  Annabelle saw Jonathan also grimace at Richard’s words, so presumably he too had experienced Frederick’s less than charming personality.

  “I hardly know him,” Annabelle admitted. “But what little I do know, I never liked.”

  Just then, the bell rang to signify that lunch was served.

  “Ah well, he is seated well away from us at lunch, so we should be safe for a while. Might I escort you to your seat?” Richard offered her his elbow.

  “Please.”

  As they walked over to the table he leant in closer and in a low voice told her, “You look exquisite today and your hair is quite lovely.”

  Her free hand went self-consciously to her hair.

  “Don’t, it’s perfect.”

  She smiled and blushed.

  There were no end seats at the table, so Richard didn’t have to sit at the head but to her surprise, she was seated next to him, an unknown man to her right. Opposite them sat Jonathan and Sophie. Lavinia had seated herself a few chairs away.

  Lunch was six courses, beginning with soup, followed by the fish course of oysters, then a mint sorbet. The main course was cold game pie, warm baked egg, asparagus tips and celery ragout, with freshly cooked bread and butter. The servants kept everyone’s glasses topped up but Annabelle had decided to stick to water for the remainder of the meal. So far it didn’t look as if her brother had noticed her presence but if that didn’t last, she wanted her wits about her.

  Finally dessert was served and plates of delicacies laid out along the table for diners to help themselves to. Richard was about to say something to her, probably to compliment her but she reached under the table for his hand and squeezed hard.

  “Well, this does look good,” was all he said, squeezing her hand back to let her know he understood that she didn’t want attention drawn to her, but he didn’t let her hand go and neither did she tug hers away.

  “Very,” Jonathan agreed. “And I love that each biscuit has your family coat of arms on; a very nice touch.”

  “Yes, mother always did have an eye for details.”

  Conversation continued as they sampled various desserts but as she had before, Annabelle remained mostly silent. Now that she had been exposed as a coffee house owner, she felt out of place, despite her fine gown and pretty hair.

  After dessert there was a cheese course, served with sherry or port and whilst the alcohol proved popular, few people partook in the cheese, since they were already full.

  When lunch broke up, most people headed inside, either for a nap after such fine food or to play a few hands of cards, before reconvening that evening. Richard escorted Annabelle inside but managed to hang back slightly so that they had a little privacy.

  “Why are you so quiet?” he asked, for she was far from the fiery woman that he remembered.

  “I feel out of place,” she admitted.

  “You certainly don’t look out of place.”

  “Perhaps not but now that people know that I run a shop, I feel judged and a little like I’m playing dress-up.”

  Richard stopped walking, took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him. “You are not out of place,” he assured her. “You may be a little unconventional but that describes my whole family, including my mother. Most importantly, we both want you here.”

  “I can tell that Sophie is just being polite with me now that she knows, and it won’t be long before everyone else knows.”

  “Sophie is not a gossip and I am certain that she doesn’t feel that way. Besides, the Annabelle I know wouldn’t cower from people who sought to put her down, she would give as good as she got. Maybe you do look a little different today, but you are still you at heart.”

  She smiled and nodded. “You’re right. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, are you up for a game of cards?”

  “It’s been a while since I played any card games but as long as you don’t mind refreshing my memory, I would be happy to.”

  They passed a happy few hours playing cards with other guests but when they moved onto Faro, which was played for money, Annabelle quickly decided to excuse herself and see if she could find somewhere to freshen up a little. She found Lavinia in the game room and asked her.

  “Of course, dear. I have had your things brought here, so that you don’t have to travel back to the cottage tonight and can leave from here in the morning. I should have told you. Come, I will show you to your room.”

  Arm in arm, they headed out of the room, only for Frederick Wyatt to block their path.

  “Annabelle, I thought that was you. My dearest sister, how are you?” he leaned in and although Annabelle recoiled, he managed to kiss her cheek. She shuddered as he stepped back.

  “I’m very well, thank you Frederick,” she managed to say, although her mouth had gone dry. “If you’ll excuse me, Lavinia was about to show me something.”

  His eyes narrowed and he turned to their hostess.

  “Lavinia, thank you so much for inviting me to this delightful gathering, I have had a marvellous time so far.”

  “You will not be invited again if you continue to address me in such an impertinent manner!” Lavinia raised a haughty eyebrow.

  “I- My apologies, Your Grace, I did not mean to be impertinent, I-”

  “Nonsense, you have addressed me as ‘Your Grace’ ever since you arrived. Your sister happens to be a dear friend of mine and can claim a certain amount of familiarity but I cannot say the same for you. Sharing her kin does not entitle you to claim a friendship with me. Good day, Lord Wyatt.”

  She strode from the room, almost dragging Annabelle along with her. In the hallway they passed the butler and Lavinia stopped to whisper something to him. He nodded and they continued on their way, up the stairs. Lavinia maintained beautiful, decorated in shades of gold, the walls adorned with tapestries that were as tall as Annabelle, a large four posted bed in the centre and two large windows that looked out over the gardens. However Annabelle was far too preoccupied to notice her surroundings at the moment.

  “You should not have done that,” she said softly.

  “Nonsense, men like that must be put in their place.”

  “But I will be blamed,” she said, collapsing into a chair by the fire.

  The door then burst open and Richard came in. He quickly took in the pale Annabelle and the anger on his mother’s face.

  “Mother, what’s happened?”

  “I’m not quite sure.” Lavinia admitted. Then came a knock at the door. “Ah that will be the tea.” She opened the door to the servant and took the tray from her. “Thank you, that will be all.”

  Richard placed an ornamental table by the fire, which she set the tray upon.

  “You’re cold,” Richard noted as he saw Annabelle shivering. “Shall I light the fire?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  So instead, he removed his frock coat and placed it around her shoulders. She didn’t argue and pulled it closer around her, slipping her arms into the sleeves. Lavinia then handed her a cup of strong, sweet tea which she sipped with slightly trembling hands.

  “Perhaps you had better tell us the whole story,” she suggested.

  Annabelle nodded.

  Lavinia took the other chair and Richard knelt on the floor beside Annabelle.

  “Frederick always resented my mother; he felt that she had taken his place in the family. They fought dreadfully, until he struck my mother and was finally banished. When I came along, things only got worse. My father used to like to bring me out when we had guests over and show me off. He would have me play the piano, or perform a dance or recite poetry. Of course, word of all this got back to Frederick.”

  “He can’t have liked that,” Lavinia agreed.

  “No, but then he didn’t underst
and our father. He wasn’t the devil, but he was an entirely selfish man who cared only for his own needs. He didn’t care who else got hurt as long as he was happy. I was never shown off to these people on my own merits but only as his offspring, as a reflection on him. The way one might show off a pretty vase that they have recently purchased. He hit my mother on many occasions but we were his possessions you see, so he was allowed. Frederick was not because we belonged to father. Father much preferred women to his son because women flattered his ego and they were status symbols that he could show off to his peers, you see, which left Frederick constantly vying for the affections of a man who could see no real value in him. Of course, he saw no real value in Mother and me either.”

  “And Frederick was too blind to see the difference.” Richard surmised.

  “Quite. As soon as the guests left, we were put away in our boxes, too insignificant to be bothered with, until he had an audience again and we would be brought out once more.”

  “That doesn’t account for the fear that Frederick struck into your heart.” Lavinia said kindly.

  “No, that happened after Father died.” Annabelle kept her eyes focused on her tea cup, unwilling to look at them as she confessed the rest. “Frederick returned home as soon as he heard and began lording it over Mother and me. Mother was already succumbing to insanity by then, so he took his anger out on me. I wanted to leave but we were stuck there until the will was read because we had no money, save for what we might be left in the will. When Frederick found out that I had been left an inheritance in lieu of my dowry, he was furious and that night when we got home, he attacked me.”

  She took a long sip of her tea and when she had finished, Richard took the cup and saucer away from her, then clasped her hands.

  “I fought him as best I could, then I finally got a hold of a candelabra that had been knocked over in our struggle. The scar on his forehead that runs into his hair line, that’s what I did to him that night.”

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “Bruises…” She swallowed. “He- he tore most of my gown from me before I could stop him. He put his hands…”

  “You don’t need to continue if it’s painful.” Lavinia assured her.

  Annabelle nodded gratefully but Richard still needed to know.

  “Did he… succeed?”

  That flash of fire returned to her eyes and she glared at him.

  “What does it matter to you? Would you lose interest if I am damaged goods?”

  “No, but if he hurt you like that, I will thrash him to within an inch of his life before the night is over.”

  Calming somewhat, she squeezed his hands, appreciating the gesture.

  “He didn’t. My blow dazed him and the commotion brought a few servants who were brave enough. They dragged him off me and secured him until we had packed and were ready to leave. They had to leave too obviously, Frederick would let them go without reference, or worse, claim that they had stolen from him and have them arrested. They make up all but one of my employees and servants now, only Minnie didn’t leave with us that night. She had been unfairly fired by my father and ended up in the workhouse, so I had to find her and take her in too. As long as they all remain in my employ, Frederick can’t hurt them, because I know the truth and I will tell it if they are threatened.”

  “It’s very good of you to take them in,” Richard noted.

  “They were good to me and didn’t deserve to be punished.”

  “I’m so sorry, my dear, that must have been very difficult.” Lavinia sympathised.

  “Actually, no. The hard part was finding a source of income that could support not only me and mother, but the servants who had left with us. That kept me from dwelling on any unpleasant memories and each night I was too tired to have nightmares.”

  “I’ll see to it that he leaves,” Richard said, getting to his feet but Annabelle reached out and grasped his hand.

  “Please don’t.”

  “Anna, you can’t expect me to allow that man to remain in my home!”

  “But I do expect it, because he will think that I asked for him to leave and I will pay the price, not you.”

  Although all his instincts were telling him to get rid of Frederick, he reined them in because he could see how worried Annabelle was. “What kind of price?” he asked, trying his best not to sound gruff.

  “I can’t say with any certainty. He’s had people arrested on false charges before, he has sued poorer men into bankruptcy, and he has stolen the wives of rivals. I’m sure he has many other tactics of which I am not aware.”

  “How do you know all this?” Lavinia asked.

  “Some I read in newspapers, some my father spoke about in my presence, some he told me himself to try and intimidate me.”

  “So what do you expect me to do?” Richard asked.

  Annabelle held his hand against her cheek and leaned into it. “Nothing.” She said softly. “I have been lucky so far. He used to visit the coffee house in the early days and make threats, that's why although he is trained as a groom and could be better employed, Frank works the coffee counter, because I wanted a visible male presence. My reduction in circumstances seemed to appease him for a time and when he realised that things weren’t about to change any time soon, he stopped coming but now…” She sighed. “Coming here was a bad idea; I should never have agreed to attend the party. I suppose time had dulled my memory and…” And she had wanted to attend for Richard, she had wanted him to see her as she used to be, as a Lady but she couldn’t tell him that. “Now he believes that I have more powerful connections than he does, and that will incense him.”

  Richard knew that it was his fault that she had agreed to come, she had tried to say no but he had pressured her. He knelt down beside her chair again and cupped the side of her face with the hand she still held there.

  “Come back downstairs.” He began. “It is my fault you agreed to attend today-“

  “Our fault,” Lavinia interrupted.

  “And we invited Frederick here, so it’s our fault if his ire is raised. We will protect you from him, Anna, I swear.”

  The gesture touched her and she smiled sadly at him.

  “But I’m not your responsibility, either of you.” She looked over to Lavinia.

  “Piffle,” Lavinia said, getting to her feet. She began pacing the room. “It sounds to me as if he picks on those he deems weaker than he is, either physically, financially or in stature. Richard and I have both money and stature, and Richard is certainly far more robust than your brother. It is our duty to stand up to men like him and stop him.”

  “But you cannot watch me every second of every day. He is a petty man and whilst I am actually no threat to him, my perceived slight of him today will eat at him until he is compelled to act. I will not risk people that I care about in such a way. He’s my brother and this is my problem.”

  “Oh for God’s sake, Annabelle, can you not just accept help this one time!” He got to his feet and dashed a hand through his hair in frustration. “I know that you have been responsible for many lives since you were 16, and you have done a damn good job of it, but you don’t have to do everything alone! Please let us help, if not for yourself, for the sake of those in your employ.”

  He saw the pained look that crossed her face and regretted the harshness of his words, although not the sentiment behind them. He knelt back down and grasped her hands in both of his.

  “Please, Anna, let us help you,” he implored.

  Annabelle looked into his eyes. She could see his desire for her still, but she could also see that he was genuine in his desire to help. He had also reminded her of her responsibilities.

  Sal was a pretty girl and although Ethel might not be very bright, she too had her charms. She was certain that Frederick wouldn’t be above attacking them. If he tried to sue her for some frivolous matter, the legal fees alone would bankrupt her, putting them all on the streets. What would become of her mother then? Without the doctor�
�s help, she would become unmanageable and surely be locked up, either in prison, the workhouse or most likely, an asylum.

  No matter what price Richard extracted from her for this, she couldn’t refuse his help for their sakes.

  She swallowed her pride and nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  “Does that mean you accept?”

  “Yes.”

  Richard’s answering smile was so wide that despite her apprehension at what he might ask of her in return, she couldn’t regret her choice right now.

  “Good.” Lavinia said. “Richard, you will need to return to London tomorrow so that you are on hand if anything should happen, so make whatever plans you need to. Now, Annabelle, you will need a very special gown for this evening, so I shall see what can find for you.”

  “Oh, I think I’ve done enough damage, I should stay up here.”

  “Nonsense. We cannot wait around for ever for Frederick to make his move so we must incite him, just a little. Besides, don’t you want to stand up to him? To look him in the eye and let him know that he hasn’t bested you, and he certainly hasn’t beaten you?”

  Annabelle wavered once again. Yes, she wanted that but it was dangerous and she had already allowed herself to be talked into one dangerous thing, did she really want to make things worse?

  “You have nothing to fear,” Richard assured her. “I swear that I will keep you, your mother and your staff safe. You have every right to be here and to enjoy yourself. Claim that right; enjoy the rest of the evening.”

  Annabelle sighed. “Alright, you win.”

  “I very much hope that it is ‘we’ who will win. But if you really don’t want to do this, I won’t force you.”

  “No, I’ll do it, and I promise I’ll do my best to have fun as well.”

  Chapter Five

  The evening gown that Lavinia had found for Annabelle was made of gold satin. The corset pinched her figure into a perfect hourglass, accenting her assets. The bodice was covered with intricate beadwork, though it was concentrated at the top, which further emphasised her full bosom and the full skirt was one of the largest she had ever worn, with so many petticoats that she felt she would have difficulty going through most doorways. Perhaps she was exaggerating a little but not much. This gown was fit for the royal court (Lavinia was the King’s sister, after all) and she would certainly turn a few heads, not to mention start a few tongues wagging.