Addicted to a Rascal Duke: A Steamy Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Scarlett Osborne

  Seated in the parlor of the Swinton residence, Lord Montrose carefully set his teacup and saucer on the table beside him. He glanced at the scowling Earl of Swinton. “Thus, I fear, there is a conspiracy to prevent my marriage to Lady Alicia, and have her marry the Duke of Bersard.”

  “While I can scarcely believe it,” Lord Swinton answered heavily, “I must agree with your assessment. I just hope none of my family are involved in this travesty.”

  “I know Lady Alicia is not,” David replied carefully.

  Lord Swinton shook his head. “Of course, she would not be. Her affections for you are clear, nor does she have the desire to marry the Duke. She has told me as such.”

  “Without proof, or directly accusing her,” David said slowly, “I fear the person behind this terrible campaign is the Dowager Duchess of Bersard.”

  Lord Swinton’s scowl deepened, and David wondered if he had gone too far. “If that is the case, My Lord, then she cannot have done this on her own. My dear wife would also be behind this charade.”

  “I have no proof whatsoever that the Countess is involved,” David protested.

  “But I have my suspicions, based on what you told me you saw at the Bersard residence. My wife seems oddly obsessed with marrying our daughter to the Duke, despite all the evidence that it cannot possibly happen. And now suddenly a notice to that effect appears in the paper.”

  “And now we cannot retract it without causing a scandal,” David went on, gloomy.

  “That is not necessarily true,” Lord Swinton advised. “We can demand the paper write that the announcement was in error, and rewrite it as to the truth of who is marrying whom.”

  David nodded thoughtfully. “That could potentially hold off the ton’s scathing comments and regard. It was printed in error. Splendid idea.”

  Lord Swinton beckoned a footman. “Please ask my daughter to attend us here.”

  The footman bowed and retreated, and delight that he would soon see his beloved Alicia rose in David. “We must set a date for our nuptials,” he said with a smile.

  “Yes, well, I will leave that for you and my daughter to decide,” Lord Swinton replied, his frown at last draining away. “There are, of course, people I would like to see invited, and they must be given enough time to prepare and travel.”

  “Of course,” David told him expansively. “I, too, have guests that must come from far away. That is, if we are married here in London.”

  “Again, that is for you and Lady Alicia to decide.”

  As they waited for Lady Alicia, David and the Earl made small talk about potential invitees, David feeling much better about how the crusade to marry Lady Alicia to the Duke was rapidly falling apart.

  To have the Earl on my side, and seeing through the murk to the truth, makes it all so much easier.

  Lady Alicia arrived in the drawing room, her smile for David making his breeches suddenly very tight. She dipped her knee to them both, and sat in an armchair between them as a footman served her tea. “I am so happy to see you, My Lord,” she said, her tone too formal for David’s taste. “I feel it has been years since I last saw you.”

  “And I am delighted to be with you again, My Lady,” David answered, thinking he could not wait the time it took to make wedding preparations and have her naked in his arms.

  “Tell me, daughter,” Lord Swinton said, his blue eyes narrowed as he gazed at Lady Alicia. “And do not be afraid to be truthful. Is your mother plotting with the Dowager Duchess of Bersard to marry you to the Duke?”

  Lady Alicia flushed and stared down at her lap. “Yes, Father,” she whispered. “I have heard them talking. Her Grace spoke of writing a letter to Lady Sophia that would make her refuse to marry the Duke.”

  Her eyes finally went to David, but she did not smile. “Forgive me, My Lord, for not telling you sooner, or writing to you. I was frightened, please understand, that they would force me to marry His Grace. I heard them plot to use me to make Lady Sophia jealous, and turn her love for the Duke to hatred. I did not want to be a part of it, for I love you, and want to marry you.”

  Lord Swinton slammed his fist onto the arm of his chair in a fit of temper. “That is outrageous behavior on the part of your mother as well as the Dowager Duchess. I will not tolerate it. My Lord, please forgive the insult to you and your honest betrothal to my daughter.”

  “Of course, My Lord,” David replied, happy to have the source of the machinations in the open, yet also angry that the ladies dared try to break up his relationship with the lady he loved. “The four of us, the Duke, Lady Sophia, Lady Alicia, and myself are victims here. Do I have your permission to escort Lady Alicia to the Wellingson townhouse? I believe the Duke of Wellingson as well as Lady Sophia should hear this from Lady Alicia herself.”

  Lord Swinton nodded. “I believe that is the right course. Daughter, have your lady’s maid attend you. I will speak with my wife on the matter.”

  In the carriage with Lady Alicia’s personal maid as chaperone, David discreetly held Lady Alicia’s hand where the lady’s maid could not see it. “I am so grateful to your father for seeing through this charade,” he said.

  “Father and Mother have not gotten along for years now,” she told him, her expression hopeful yet frightened. “He would never tolerate disgraceful or dishonest behavior from anyone, and I am afraid he will deal with my mother harshly.”

  “While I do not want that to happen, my love,” David replied, squeezing her hand, “I cannot stand by and let your mother, or the Dowager Duchess, succeed in breaking us apart. Nor do I feel it is right for them to do the same to the Duke and Lady Sophia.”

  “While I do not know either of them very well, I feel for Lady Sophia. I felt so terrible when she came to the Bersard townhouse while my mother and I were there, and they used me to make her jealous.”

  “Now we will set the matter to right.”

  At the Wellingson townhouse, David assisted Lady Alicia down from the carriage, and escorted her up the steps to the door. The butler, as coldly formal as always, inspected David’s calling card as though he suspected it to be forged.

  Then he permitted them to enter, and walked them to the drawing room where he announced them to not just Lady Sophia, but the Duke of Bersard as well. Lady Sophia’s lady’s maid sat in a corner while the Duke rose from his spot on a sofa, his smile of greeting for them warm.

  “Lady Sophia and I were just talking about you both,” he said, smiling and accepting David’s bow and Lady Alicia’s swift curtsey, then shook David’s hand. “How nice that you came at just the perfect moment.”

  “I, too, am grateful you are also here, Your Grace,” David replied, answering the Duke’s warm expression. “For what we wish to say is for you as well as Lady Sophia.”

  “Please have a seat, both of you,” Lady Sophia said to them. “Do you wish for brandy, My Lord? Lady Alicia, do you want tea?”

  “Yes, that would be wonderful, Lady Sophia,” Alicia answered, sitting down on the couch next to Lady Sophia.

  “And I will accept your offer of a brandy.” David took an armchair near the Duke, and wondered how he could inform the gentleman that his mother has been conspiring with the Countess of Swinton to destroy his relationship with Lady Sophia. “I fear what we must tell you will be distressing to you both, Your Grace, Lady Sophia.”

  “I expect you saw the notice this morning?” the Duke asked, his brow high.

  “Yes, indeed I did,” David replied, then took a sip of his brandy. “I went straight to the Earl of Swinton to address the matter.”

  The Duke nodded. “His Grace, Lady Sophia’s father, and I went to the paper and demanded he correct the announcement. He is to declare there was an error, and that I am to marry Wellingson’s daughter.”

  David laughed, and shared his glee with Lady Alicia and Lady Sophia. “That was exactly what His Lordship and I thought to do. However, you and His Grace achieved it first.”

  “The corrected notice will circulate tomorr
ow, hopefully without scandal,” the Duke continued. “This problem should then pass on without much comment or rumor of any impropriety.”

  The Duke glanced at everyone in the drawing room. “I asked my mother if she was behind the notice in the paper, and she denied it. I am not at all certain I can believe her.”

  “Did the paper know who brought it to them?” David asked.

  “No. It was delivered and paid for anonymously.”

  “So we have no proof of who did it.” David sighed.

  “Not yet.” The Duke’s smile was grim.

  David glanced at Lady Alicia’s set, tense countenance. “There is still another matter we must discuss, Your Grace. I think this is where Lady Alicia should speak.”

  “I will hear anything Lady Alicia has to say,” the Duke replied, gazing at her.

  Lady Alicia nodded and drew a deep breath. “First, I must apologize for permitting myself to be used as a pawn. Lady Sophia, I am so sorry that you were put into a position to misconstrue what you saw at the Bersard townhouse. My mother, and the Dowager Duchess have conspired to use me to make you jealous. To make you believe that His Grace is behaving dishonorably toward you, and being unfaithful with me. Nothing of the kind is happening at all. I love Lord Montrose, and will always be faithful to him.”

  Lady Sophia smiled. “Thank you for that, Lady Alicia. I would like very much for us to become friends.”

  “I would like that as well,” Lady Alicia replied. “There is another matter, however. I heard my mother and the Dowager Duchess speaking of writing a letter to you, one that would make you turn against His Grace.”

  Lady Sophia’s smile faded. “It almost worked. It said that Wesley only wanted to marry me for my name and wealth, and loved you, Lady Alicia. It stated that you would become his mistress after our marriage.”

  Lady Alicia emitted a small but piercing shriek of outrage. “What?”

  Lady Sophia smiled sadly. “It is true. I can show you the letter if you would like.”

  “No,” Lady Alicia declared, angry. “How dare my mother be a party to insinuating that I would be anyone’s mistress. What a disgraceful thing to say about me. I have no wish to offend you, Your Grace, but I could never be your—toy—under any circumstances.”

  The Duke smiled. “No offense taken at all, My Lady. For I would not take any woman as a mistress, even a lady as lovely as you. I would never hurt Lady Sophia by being unfaithful, even if I were so inclined. Which I am not.”

  “I love Lord Montrose,” Lady Alicia went on. “We are to be married, and I will look at no other gentleman.”

  “Just as I would look at no other lady save my Lady Sophia,” the Duke said with a fond smile toward Lady Sophia.

  “So what are we to do about the Dowager Duchess and the Countess?” David asked. “How can we stop them from interfering with both our relationships?”

  “I daresay we should confront them,” the Duke said firmly. “Go to my mother right now, all of us, and demand she cease and desist with these outrageous statements and rumors. If she knows we understand she and the Countess are behind it all, and that we will not tolerate it, they may stop.”

  “We are all available,” David commented, gazing around the drawing room, “might we go now?”

  “I was going to suggest that, Lord Montrose,” the Duke answered. “I do believe my mother is at home.”

  Lady Sophia sent her lady’s maid to inform the Duke and Duchess of Wellingson where she was going and with whom. In the foyer, the four of them chatted like old friends as they donned warm apparel, and David was pleased to notice that Lady Alicia and Lady Sophia were well on their way to becoming good friends.

  “Please call me Sophia,” Lady Sophia told her. “We are friends now and I would like us to be less formal.”

  “You may also call me simply Wesley,” the Duke said, smiling at Alicia and David.

  Walking out to the waiting carriage, the nip of the chilly wind biting deep into David as he left the warm house. “How do you think the Dowager Duchess will take this?” he asked, assisting Alicia up and inside.

  Wesley’s expression turned dark. “She will have no choice in the matter. If she persists with this, I will have her sent to the far north.”

  Chapter 29

  Warming herself in front of the hearth fire, a cup of tea in her hands, Sophia smiled at her new friends in happiness and confidence that the campaign to marry Wesley to Alicia would soon be over.

  “I will make certain you both are invited to our wedding,” she said. “Alicia, perhaps you might stand up for me, as I have no sisters and no one else to ask.”

  Alicia clapped her hands in delight. “I would be very honored. Perhaps we will grow as close as sisters, Sophia.”

  Wesley and David leaned against the fireplace mantle, brandy in their hands, talking politics. The door at the end of the room opened, and the Dowager Duchess gazed at them in perplexed surprise. She sauntered casually across the polished floor and the rugs with the air of a queen, taking in the presence of those she wished to harm.

  “I do not appreciate being summoned like a servant, Wesley,” she said with a sniff. “You are entertaining guests, I see. Will they be staying for dinner?”

  Her mouth dry, Sophia eyed Wesley as he straightened from the mantle, and crossed the room toward his mother. Sophia shivered, as she had never seen Wesley’s normally open and mild countenance dark with suppressed rage.

  “Mother,” he began, his voice icy cold. “Perhaps you should sit, for what I have to say may distress you.”

  “I am hardly weak, Wesley,” she snapped. “Say what you have to say for I am busy with important matters.”

  “Like conspiring with your friend, the Countess of Swinton?” he demanded. “Writing anonymous letters to my fiancée, declaring that I am merely marrying her for her name and that I plan to keep mistresses after our wedding?”

  As Wesley spoke, the Dowager Duchess’s flesh blanched white. “What are these lies? Are you listening to that chit?”

  “I am listening to Lord Montrose,” Wesley roared. “I am listening to Lady Alicia Keaton. I am listening to the Duke of Wellingson as well as Lady Sophia. We stopped that infernal announcement. The paper will write that the notice was in error, and that I am to marry Lady Sophia, not Lady Alicia.”

  Sophia thought the Dowager Duchess trembled, but she could not be certain. She had hoped that the lady would capitulate, and apologize profusely, and that would be the end of it. To be called a “chit” was insulting enough, but to be also called a liar—well, she started to rise and confront the Dowager Duchess, demanding an apology.

  The Dowager Duchess spoke again before Sophia could. “I only acted out of my love for you, Wesley,” she said stiffly. “Obviously, my position as your mother gains me little save disrespect and to be accused of reprehensible behavior.”

  “This is not just an accusation, Mother,” Wesley continued, his tone still cold. “This is also a unified demand that we four will no longer tolerate the Countess of Swinton’s and your interference with our relationships.”

  “I only wanted what was best for you,” the Dowager Duchess answered just as icily. “You must cease this paltry affair with the Wellingson girl and marry Lady Alicia.”

  “I have told you before,” Wesley snapped. “I will not marry Lady Alicia. I will marry Lady Sophia. Lord Montrose here will marry Lady Alicia, and that is the end of it. I will hear no more about it.”

  “Since you took that awful tone with me,” the Duchess retorted, “you will not marry the chit. You seem to have forgotten your father’s will.”

  Sophia stared from Wesley to his mother and back again. “Your Grace? What is she talking about?”

  “My father included a clause in his will that I marry within a year,” Wesley replied, his tone softening as he gazed at her. “I fell in love with you at the most perfect moment of my life.”

  He turned back to glower at his mother. “The terms of the will are sat
isfied. Lady Sophia and I will be married well within the year, and her dowry is sufficient.”

  “The will is not satisfied.” The Dowager Duchess glared at Sophia. “That chit is a bluestocking. She has not the sterling reputation the will dictates, and thus she will not pass the solicitor’s inspection. Unless he agrees your choice of bride is of sufficient repute, he will not permit this marriage to pass.”

  Her blood cold, Sophia stared at Wesley, who looked as though he had just been punched in the stomach. “Your Grace, what does this mean?”

  “It means, young miss,” the Dowager Duchess snapped. “Should my son marry you, he loses half his estates.”

  Feeling as though she might vomit, Sophia stood shakily, her hands and feet numb. But she found her spine and glared at the Dowager Duchess. “My reputation is flawless, Your Grace. Only you would find fault with it, and that is because you are obsessed with His Grace marrying Lady Alicia. You spread lies about your own son to make me hate him, you conspired with the Countess to wreck our engagement. Now whose behavior is scandalous? It certainly isn’t mine.”