Regency Romance: Winning The Indecisive Duke (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (Historical Romance Fiction)

by Jessie Bennett

  She was touching her lips with the small brush, painting them a pretty bronze red color that made them stand out nicely, when her door was flung open. Her sister entered. She was already dressed in a long blue ball-gown, a plume in her hair.

  “Are you not ready? We will be late!”

  Elizabeth tried to hold in her sigh. They had plenty of time.

  “Worthington Manor is not far from here, Alexandra,” she said evenly. “We will be on time. We might even be early. Especially if you insist on leaving in the next twenty minutes. We have nearly two hours before the start of the ball!”

  Alexandra dropped herself onto the edge of the four-poster bed. She looked nervous. “I still say we should leave a little early. There is supposed to be a newcomer arriving tonight, and I hope to get a glance at him.” She sounded casual, but Elizabeth suspected her interest was deeper than she was letting on.

  “Just because he is new in town doesn’t mean he is ready to court anyone,” Elizabeth observed, powdering over the rouge to hold its color. She had not heard of a new arrival in the region and was mildly surprised at Alexa's sudden interest in the matter.

  “If he wasn’t, why would he attend the dance and meet everyone in the ton?” Alexandra asked mildly.

  Elizabeth dabbed at her soft lips with a square of linen. “So that he meets more people?” she asked, equally mild. “He may not necessarily be looking for a bride.”

  “Men are always looking for a bride,” Alexandra said thinly. “That is why I hope to catch his eye.”

  “I wish you well, then, Alexa.” Elizabeth glanced at herself in the mirror, evaluating the overall effect of the make-up. Alexandra didn’t even know what the new arrival looked like and it seemed she had already married him in her mind.

  “I’m sure you do,” she said dolefully. Elizabeth had truly meant her words, but Alexandra was never one to believe that anyone had anything good to say about her. Or to her. No matter how hard Elizabeth had tried over the years, she could never turn Alexandra into her friend. They were polar opposites, even in coloring. Elizabeth had a positive and gentle outlook on life, while Alexandra saw nothing but misery everywhere she looked. Elizabeth wished she could change that, but she had never yet succeeded.

  She turned to look at Alexandra. “I do wish you happiness, Alexa. Why don’t you believe me?”

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “Well, why wouldn’t you? I have never told you a lie. Have I?” she countered reasonably.

  Alexandra looked away, turning her eyes to the nearby window as if she was very interested in watching the sun dip behind the far away mountains.

  “No.” Elizabeth answered her own question. “I haven’t. I can see that you are ready. Why don’t you wait for me in the foyer? If you insist on being there early, we shall be.”

  “Thank you, sister.” Alexandra lifted herself to her feet, clearly relieved and went to the door with heavy steps. For a slender woman, Elizabeth thought her heaviness of gesture was strange. It matched the general sense of impending doom she seemed to carry about with her and marred her otherwise attractive presence.

  Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment. Riding to the ball with Alexandra was going to be exhausting. She didn’t even want to contemplate it. She enjoyed the silence around her as she took out her silk shawl. Gossamer light and pale cream, it matched her pale green gown as she shrugged it over her shoulders.

  Elizabeth was also wearing one of her favorite dresses, but not because she was expecting to meet someone new. She was wearing it because she personally liked it. It was also one of Jonah’s favorites. He’d told her that she was sure to find a wonderful man and when she did, she would probably be wearing that very dress. The thought made her smile.

  She pulled on her dance slippers and walked downstairs, wondering as she did so who this new arrival would be. Alexandra acted as though she knew all about the man already but Elizabeth did not see how she could. She had not even heard of his arrival or even heard his name. She decided to ask about him.

  As soon as she got into the carriage, Alexandra started talking. Elizabeth didn’t have to ask about the new arrival; Alexandra was forthcoming with everything she knew.

  “The man who is coming tonight is named Daniel David Forsley. He is the Duke of Athlone. His mother is Alison Forsley, the dowager duchess. Do you remember her from when she visited Mother and Father a few years ago?”

  The name did not ring a bell with Elizabeth so she shook her head. “I do not recognize that name. Is this man our age?”

  Alexandra raised her eyebrows. “I’m not sure what you mean by ‘our age,’ considering I am a full three years older than you are.”

  “I meant is he young? Of our age?”

  “He is nearer to my age.”

  Elizabeth could tell she was skirting around the issue. She suspected Alexandra was trying to hide something. “Well, tell me how old he is, Alex?”

  “I will not tell you anything if you insist on calling me by that horrendous shortening of my name.”

  “I’m sorry, Your Highness Alexandra Marie. Please tell me what his age is.”

  Alexandra sneered. “He is six and twenty years old.”

  It was Elizabeth’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “He has not married yet? What is wrong with him?” She had not meant to say it so baldly, and she covered her mouth shyly.

  Alexandra huffed and looked offended, as though Elizabeth had personally insulted her. “Twenty-six is not old, my dear. It is the perfect age for a girl like me.”

  “Or me.”

  “Not you.”

  Of course not. How could Alexandra possibly let me get married before her? She hid a grin. That was typical of her older sister.

  “You do not know what will happen.” she said instead, recalling her maid's reassurance.

  “I do not,” Alexandra admitted thinly. “Though I do know one thing – that is, that you are not free to marry whomever you choose. I am. I was not betrothed to the next-door neighbor when I was a baby.”

  Elizabeth sighed. She hated arguing with anyone, especially with Alexa. “You know Father might yet change his mind,” she said hopefully. “Or yet the Earl of Macefield himself. He has an older son to fulfill whatever obligations are needed to be filled, after all.” The moment she mentioned the elder son, she tensed.

  “How dare you mention Jonathan to me?” Alexandra said, hurt.

  “I apologize, Alexandra. I did not mean to raise a bad memory.”

  “You know that I cared for Jonathan very much,” her sister said, mournfully.

  “Yes, Alexa, I know.”

  “I do not see why our father would agree to have you married to Jonah but not me married to Jonathan.”

  “It is a mystery,” Elizabeth said quietly. “And unfair, as I do not want to wed Jonah, as you know. I will do whatever I can to keep it from happening.”

  “I asked Father if he would allow me to marry Jonathan in the place of you and Jonah,” Alexandra said.

  This caught Elizabeth by surprise. “You did?

  Alexandra nodded. “I did. But he wouldn’t budge. He said the Boothes would not allow a sudden change to the contract. And I have heard that Jonathan…” Alexandra stopped to clear her throat. “Is very close to becoming betrothed to another.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you know who it is?”

  “I do.”

  Elizabeth suddenly felt sorry for Alexandra. Her heart had been broken not too long ago, and her spirit was broken further when she realized that Jonathan was already in love with another. Elizabeth was silently grateful that other woman had not turned out to be her. Jonathan had the right to choose his bride. Jonah did not.

  Elizabeth was determined to see that changed. She was surprised that Alexandra had been forthcoming about asking their father if she and Jonathan could take the place of Elizabeth and Jonah.

  “Thank you for your efforts for myself and Jonah. Lord knows it
would have made all of us happier.”

  “I was selfish to do it,” her sister said bluntly. “I wanted to be happy, and I wanted Jonathan. I thought it might make it happen if I was just able to get Father to agree. And Lord Macefield, as well.”

  Elizabeth sighed. She wanted to change the topic of conversation. It was painful for them both – she hated to think of the forthcoming betrothal and was close to giving in to the fact that she would not be able to change it. She sighed. She did not know why she was even attending the ball. No man would dance with her; no suitors would appear. She was wasting her time. Everyone wanted her to be married to Jonah.

  “Well, perhaps this new duke will bring some light into the situation,” she said, seeking to change the subject. “Maybe he will be interested in you. I’m sure you plan to dance with him.”

  “I do. I hope to get to him before any of the other ladies. Especially that Lady Rebecca Addington. She always has her claws into any new man at the dances and parties.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “She is also a single woman. Of course, she is making herself attractive to the men.” Elizabeth liked Lady Addington and couldn’t help defending the slightly older woman. “She has always been like a sister to you. You should not be unfair to her.”

  “The truth is always the truth,” she said morosely.

  “Your stated opinion is not necessarily the truth,” Elizabeth said fondly. Alexandra tended to give herself airs.

  “That is how I see it, and I will say whatever I want to say, Lizzie,” she said, nettled. “You are just upset because you cannot get a man to dance with you. Everyone who comes knows about your situation and they steer away from you.” She gave a bitter laugh. “It's ironic, the pair of us. I am terrified of spinsterhood, and you are terrified of being married. And neither of us seems to have much leeway to change it.”

  “I do not know why not,”

  Alexandra laughed shortly. “If a man were to dance with you and become interested, he would be wasting his time. The moment he expressed his interest, Father or Lord Macefield would interfere and tell him the truth. You're as held into this situation as I am out of it.” She sighed.

  Elizabeth’s heart sank, and she took in a deep breath. “It simply isn’t fair. I will not be happy.”

  “Who is?” Alexandra said, sounding mildly surprised by the concept. “No one I know.”

  Elizabeth sighed. Her sister did tend to make her feel depressed. She wanted to lighten things, but the heaviness and misery had already exhausted her. She moved her eyes to the carriage window and the passing scenery. She ignored her sister when Alexandra repeated, “No one I know.”

  There must be such a thing as happiness. I felt it when I was a child. Before Jonah and I came to know that our world would be changed forever.

  She felt a tear slide down her cheek and dabbed it ferociously, fearing it would spoil her makeup. Her sister passed her a handkerchief wordlessly, entirely unsurprised by this display of misery. It seemed she thought misery entirely natural and was only comfortable when it was expressed around her.

  At least someone will feel happy about it. Elizabeth was not sure she would ever feel happy.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  DUKE OF ATHLONE

  DUKE OF ATHLONE

  Daniel Forsley stepped into the ballroom, wincing as the steward announced him to the hall.

  “His Grace, Daniel Forsley, Duke of Athlone.”

  Some of the attendees turned to look at him. Several of the mothers stared, and Daniel bit his lip, waiting for the moment when they would approach him, dragging their miserable-looking debutante daughters with them. He ran his eyes over the young ladies, dreading the inevitable meetings with each and one of them.

  He looked around for the Duke of Fairbanks. He had not intended to attend the ball – his original intention had been to talk with him beforehand and leave before the event was underway. He was not particularly interested in dancing, at least not at present. He was still drained after a long and difficult journey from his summer residence, Athlone. It was a good two hours away by road. His carriage had broken a wheel and caused a long delay. The trip had taken almost four hours, and the duke was exhausted. If he had been here on time, he would not be meeting the duke here at the ball. He closed his eyes wearily. At least I had thought to dress worthy of the occasion. By a stroke of luck, he was wearing his best velvet jacket and new cream-colored trousers. He would have hated to be poorly-dressed – to turn up at the duke's manor for a party inappropriately-dressed would be terribly rude.

  He didn’t want to be rude, and he greeted several couples as he made his way across the room. At last, he spotted where the Duke of Fairbanks and his duchess were standing. He headed to the dais, where they stood a little off to the side, listening to the orchestra tuning up.

  The Grand Waltz would begin soon.

  He approached Shawn, Lord Worthington, the Duke of Fairbanks, who acknowledged him by lifting his chin.

  “Your grace.” Daniel said, bending forward slightly. “It is good to see you again.”

  “Your grace,” the duke said, eyes crinkling with pleasure as he returned the bow. “I have not had the pleasure of your presence since your father’s funeral. You look well.”

  “Thank you. My family and I are doing as well as can be expected after Father’s sudden death. But it has been a few years now, and Mother is doing better than I had thought she would.”

  “Have you come to find a bride? There are many eligible ladies here this evening. I last heard you had not yet married.”

  The duke laughed. “My goodness, Shawn, but you speak plainly. As you ask it so boldly, I am looking for a bride, yes. But first, I would like to speak with you a while?”

  “Of course. Follow me.” He moved to his right, holding out one hand to indicate that Daniel should follow him. They went through the throng of people without stopping to speak to anyone. Daniel noticed that although the women – mostly the mothers of the debutantes at the party – looked longingly in his direction, they did not approach. He had to assume it was because Shawn was in front of him, his walk matching the determined look on his face.

  His eyes rested momentarily on Shawn’s wife. She was an epitome of elegance and regal charm and she was standing talking with a beautiful young lady Daniel didn’t recognize.

  He pulled his eyes away from the young woman, wondering why he would recognize her – or anyone for that matter – here in Fairbanks. He had not been here for many years, since he was a teenager, in fact. His business had kept him in town, all the more so since his father's death, and he had not visited the country house for ten years.

  Now he followed Shawn into a private study, and they closed the door behind them.

  Elizabeth, speaking with the Duchess of Fairbanks, had noted Daniel as he passed.

  “Who is that?” Elizabeth asked quietly.

  The duchess smiled. “I barely recognized the young man! In fact, I would not have, were he not introduced as Daniel Forsley, Duke of Athlone. I met him once before his father passed away. The funeral was in Brighton and I could not attend, though Shawn did. He has grown to be a handsome young man, has he not?”

  Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes, he is very handsome.”

  Daniel was not the tallest man she had seen, but she thought he had to be almost six feet. Jonah was six feet tall, and she had decided long ago that if she was to be married to anyone, he would have to be at least six feet tall. With Daniel’s dark wavy hair, trim beard and mustache, and sparkling deep blue eyes, she thought she could reconsider the six-foot rule. She grinned and bit her lip, feeling suddenly wicked for even thinking it. But it was a delicious wickedness.

  “I see that look on your face, my lady.” The duchess smiled at her. “Perhaps you will find love tonight.” Of all the members of high society, the duchess was the only one who knew Elizabeth's pain at the arranged marriage and who also sympathized with it. Her love of the duke was legendary, and she always had a k
ind ear for others, a firm supporter of choice in marriage whenever the topic came up.

  “I don’t know, my lady,” Elizabeth said quietly, “but I would take a chance if the opportunity was presented to me.” She gave the lady a sidelong glance, and Lady Worthington smiled warmly.

  “Perhaps he will ask you to dance.”

  “Perhaps. He didn’t look like he was very interested in dancing or conversing with any of the ladies, though.”

  “He seemed intent on going to speak to Shawn.”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth said softly. She remembered how the man had looked at her as she passed and felt her cheeks flush.

  “He did look at you, my lady,” Lady Worthington said softly.

  “He looked at both of us, Your grace,” Elizabeth said in a small voice.

  “He may recognize me,” the older woman said tolerantly. “But he will not know who you are. I think you are the only lady in the room he has rested his eyes on. Did you see the way he held his hand up to Lady Churchill and her daughters? And the Banning sisters and Lady Banning? He is not here to dance.”

  “No.” Elizabeth shook her head, her voice sad. “I do not believe that he is.”

  “At least, he was not here to dance.” The duchess smiled. “Mayhap when the business he and Shawn are discussing is concluded, he will change his mind.”

  Elizabeth nodded but said nothing more. The two women were quiet, waiting for the men to leave the study. When they finally came out, Daniel did not look any happier. Elizabeth felt the duchess nudge her with her elbow.

  “Now’s his chance,” the woman whispered in her ear, cupping one hand over her mouth. “Watch him come over and introduce himself.”

  Daniel was indeed on his way to the two women. He felt the need to introduce himself again to the duchess, since it was her home and her party. Before he could reach her, a young woman stepped in front of him, escorted by her petite mother.