Falling for a Duke (Timeless Regency Collection Book 8)

by Rebecca Connolly

  Madeline felt the blood drain out of her face. Another task? She couldn’t possibly take such a chance again. She was lucky she’d gotten away without getting caught the first time around.

  “Miss Hart, you will witness another scandal before the close of the ball, and you will report it to me by dawn. There are still a few hours left, so it is more than obtainable.”

  The girl lowered her head and nodded.

  “You may sit.”

  Madeline’s fists clenched. She wanted to shout at Lady Louisa over the unfairness of it all. Miss Hart had stood up for her in addition to accomplishing her own task, and now she was being punished for it. But Madeline knew if she spoke up now, she’d lose her chance forever.

  “And you, Miss Maybury, if you did indeed kiss the Duke of Hargrave, I see no reason why you can’t spend a little more time with him. You will pass my test only if the duke accompanies you to the flower show in two days. If you don’t show up or if you come alone, then you lose your place and there will be no more chances. Is that understood?”

  Cornflower-blue eyes mocked Madeline. Lady Louisa knew there was no way the duke would step out with her. It had been a miracle she’d been able to kiss him. To have the Duke of Hargrave—a man who never accompanied any marriage-eligible women to events—escort her was practically impossible. With her standing and looks, the impossibility of the task only grew.

  She should forfeit right now. The duke might have enjoyed kissing her, but he had probably forgotten her already. A man with so many admirers wouldn’t waste his time on her.

  But the same part of her that had pushed for this, that had taken the risk and flung herself at the duke, refused to back down. She’d already come this far. One more task, that was all she needed.

  “The duke and I shall see you at the flower show.”

  Some of the smugness in Lady Louisa’s face disappeared, and Madeline felt a thrill of satisfaction. Lady Louisa had sadly underestimated her—first with the kiss and now with this new task. In a few days, Lady Louisa would never underestimate her again.

  Miss Hart flew out the door once Lady Louisa dismissed them, and Madeline did her best to cover her wince. She truly hoped the girl accomplished the task laid out for her. She’d been kind and courageous when she’d stepped forward to defend Madeline, and if the opportunity arose, she would return the favor.

  And now, Madeline had her own task to complete. Again. It might be unfair and wrong, but there was nothing to be done about it. At least this time Lady Louisa couldn’t feign disbelief. There would be too many witnesses.

  But good heavens, how was she going to do it? She couldn’t sneak back into the family suite and force the duke’s hand. Truth be told, it would be almost impossible to get close enough to talk to him in the crowded ballroom.

  What if he showed up at the flower show and she pretended she was with him? Perhaps if she stood close enough . . . She was fooling herself. Lady Louisa would see right through that, but there had to be some way to accomplish this ridiculous task.

  Madeline made eye contact with her mother, giving her a small wave as she moved to the side of the room a few feet away. At least as a wallflower, she would have plenty of peace to figure this out.

  Gazing over the room, looking for the duke, she noticed Miss Hart leaning closer to numerous couples as they spoke, eavesdropping for any juicy bits of gossip she could toss at Lady Louisa’s feet. Couples twirled around the dance floor, the ladies’ skirts billowing like fans, as the dancers wove in and out. Matrons were at the side of the room, whispering rumors and news like old hens. Miss Hart would not get anything new from them. If she stayed by the younger couples though, perhaps she’d get lucky and overhear details of another rendezvous.

  If only Madeline’s task were so easy. She had to find the duke!

  Almost as if he appeared at her will, the Duke of Hargrave entered the room across from Madeline, far on the other side of the dance floor. A flurry of activity buzzed around him as young ladies and their mamas crowded in for attention. There was no way she could break through that barricade. Unless, of course, I jump from the balcony above.

  The ridiculous thought made her grin, but she knew if there was a way to accomplish getting closer to him without causing a scandal—or dying—she would consider it.

  The current song ended, and a ripple of envy coursed through her, knowing a waltz would play next. No one liked standing at the side of the room, watching couples pass by, laughter floating on their lips as they enjoyed the companionship and joy of partnering with someone. Oh, she’d danced a few times, though not necessarily at every ball—or with the most desirable partners—but just enough to know what she was missing. What would it be like to have a suitor aggressively pursue her, just because he wanted to spend time with her? Just once she would like a man to show interest in her and not stand up with her out of pity or duty.

  She sighed and glanced back at the duke as he expertly maneuvered away from the crowd surging toward him. She snorted out a quiet laugh as desperate mothers chased after him. She was sure he was on a mission to find a married or much older woman—someone who would be safe to partner with him.

  She watched him stride around the room, his buckskin breeches clinging to his thighs, and she sighed at how ridiculously attractive he was. Some would even consider it a sin to look so good. She’d noticed the lack of padding in his coat when he’d held her. Unlike most other men, his muscular frame didn’t need any artificial assistance. He filled out his clothing to perfection quite well on his own.

  He rounded the corner of the room, and his eyes connected with hers. Madeline’s spine straightened, as if lightning had struck her.

  He couldn’t possibly be coming for me.

  He smiled at her before bowing to her mother and spoke with her. Madeline wondered if he was asking her own mother to dance. That wouldn’t be humiliating at all.

  She saw her mother’s companions’ mouths drop open, apparently shocked that the duke had sought her out. Fortunately though, her mother recovered quickly, closed her own mouth, and fanned her flushed face.

  Even though Madeline couldn’t hear their words over the music, after a few glances in her direction from her mother, she knew they were talking about her.

  She chewed on her bottom lip, worrying what this meant. He wouldn’t dare tell her mother what had happened between them, would he? If he were about to ruin her in front of her mother’s friends, he wouldn’t have smiled at her first, right?

  Madeline had worked herself up into quite a state before her mother loudly proclaimed how pleased she would be to introduce him to her daughter, Madeline.

  Could her mother be any more untoward? She’d spoken loud enough to ensure the people surrounding them, who’d gone suspiciously quiet, would clearly hear of the duke’s request for an introduction. A hot flush painted Madeline’s cheeks, and she fought the urge to cover them, especially when she remembered him teasing her earlier about blushing.

  By the time the duke and her mother approached Madeline, she could hardly make eye contact. The room was already warm, but with his presence, the temperature increased until Madeline was certain flames would ignite and consume her. She could certainly use a cool glass of lemonade, or even better, a quick dip in a winter lake. She somehow managed to give him a proper curtsy when her mother introduced them.

  The duke bowed to Madeline and said, “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Maybury. I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

  “Have you?” her mother asked with a surprised gasp.

  Madeline winced. She loved her mother dearly, but the woman was acting like the pack of ravenous mamas, who were now glaring at Madeline as if she’d stolen their favorite bone.

  “I was hoping to claim the next dance with Miss Maybury,” he announced, then paused before adding, “That is, if she’s available?”

  “Oh! Why yes, I believe she is.” Her mother turned so the duke wouldn’t see her, and her eyes were w
ild with glee. “Have a wonderful time, darling,” she said with such restraint that Madeline didn’t know how she managed it.

  An urge to flee rushed through Madeline when Ethan took her gloved hand, but she tamped it down. The whole room watched them, and she refused to embarrass either of them with a quick escape or cause a scandal by refusing. But when she spotted Lady Louisa, her eyes brimming with anger, Madeline reconsidered. Perhaps running and ruining herself for life just might be the better option. Lady Louisa had to know she’d been telling the truth now, and she clearly wasn’t pleased.

  As if sensing her desire to flee, Ethan’s grip on her hand tightened. He obviously wasn’t going to let her get away. The stunned crowd parted as the duke who never danced with eligible ladies led her to the floor, and couples finally emerged out of their trance to join them. She wondered if they were truly interested in dancing or if they only hoped to overhear his conversation with her.

  Once in the middle of the floor, he wrapped his arm around her, and the music began on cue. He started with a slow back and forth, allowing her to get accustomed to his lead before twirling off in a rush. Her steps matched his effortlessly, like she’d always partnered with him. Although she couldn’t claim to have a long list of dancing partners, the ones she had danced with never had this kind of dancing chemistry with her. It unnerved her and made her tremble inside, though no one could tell, as her posture was perfect and her gaze remained steady over his left shoulder.

  “Why did you do it?” she asked, softly enough that others wouldn’t overhear.

  “Do what?” he asked innocently, then his voice held a teasing lilt as he leaned forward and whispered, “The dance or the kiss?”

  She missed a step, but he twirled them with a laugh to get back on track.

  He is enjoying this! Her gaze trailed to his, and she could see the humor in his eyes.

  She’d never spent a lot of time watching him or dreaming about him like other women did. He was so far beyond reality for her future that it felt like a waste. Still, she’d heard the rumors and knew he kept to himself, that he refused to court any eligible ladies, even though it was past time to settle down and produce an heir.

  But the man in front of her—the one who had just teased her about their kiss, who had practically announced to the entire room that she was important when he’d asked her to dance—didn’t resemble the cold, distant man she had heard so much about.

  “I’m serious,” she told him.

  “I wanted to.” He answered in such a matter-of-fact way, she believed him. He’d wanted to do it, so he had.

  “I thought you would just forget all about me.”

  He chuckled, shaking his head. “If you think I could forget a woman who was brave enough to sneak into the family suite and convince me she needed to kiss me before proceeding to do just that, you’re mad.”

  Well, when he said it like that. “You mean you don’t have ladies throwing themselves at you all hours of the day?” She tossed a telling glance toward the envious debutantes lined up along the dance floor, eyeing her with hatred.

  He shuddered amusingly. “None nearly as interesting. They want to get caught kissing me, thinking it will make them a duchess. You, however, wanted the complete opposite. Still can’t tell me why you needed to do it?”

  Madeline pressed her lips together. Perhaps she could give him a little information, without completely revealing the details and breaking the rules. “I needed to perform a task to get something I desperately need.”

  Some of the humor left his voice. “And you got what you needed?”

  “Sort of. Not completely.”

  “I don’t understand.” Ethan guided them around the floor, seemingly without thought.

  “It’s complicated.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, the one person I needed to tell about the kiss . . . she didn’t believe me.”

  “She wanted proof?”

  “Proof was never mentioned before, but after the fact, she demanded it.”

  Ethan turned them sharply, avoiding a collision with another couple that wasn’t paying attention, but the almost accident didn’t rattle her. She felt completely safe with him. Odd, since she had always spent more time worrying about such things with previous partners.

  “So she didn’t believe you. Now what?” he asked.

  The air in her lungs turned heavy. This was her moment, and she was sure she wouldn’t get another opportunity to speak with him before the flower show. It was a miracle she was speaking with him now. She took a deep breath, gathering her courage before meeting his winter-blue eyes.

  “I was given another task, but it’s practically impossible.”

  His brow raised, and she could see he was intrigued.

  “Practically means there’s still a possibility.”

  “Yes. Well, you see . . .” Why am I holding back? I’m wasting time. The dance will be over soon. “Somehow, I need to convince you to accompany me to the flower show in two days,” she said in a rush, a little ill now that she’d opened herself up for rejection and possibly even ridicule.

  “Are you serious?”

  Is he angry? Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell from his expression. “Forget I mentioned it.”

  Madeline knew she had just lost her opportunity to join Lady Louisa’s group. She’d been so close.

  “Oh no. You can’t just take that back.”

  Her gaze snapped back to his when she heard the twinge of humor in his tone. “You aren’t mad?”

  “No. In fact, I’m fairly amused. Why would someone keep asking you to do things that only seem to involve me? Unless you were tasked with kissing more than one gentleman?”

  “No, of course not!” Madeline bit her lip. It was a fair question, she supposed. If she had kissed him, why not another as well? “Only you.”

  A slow smile appeared, and she felt dizzy when she remembered how those lips felt against her own.

  “I’m glad to hear it. All the same, I’d like to know why you’re doing all this.”

  She wished she could come clean and tell him why it was so important, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t risk alienating Lady Louisa any further. “I’m sorry.”

  Ethan was quiet as the music drew to an end, and Madeline knew that was it. It was all over. Her opportunity for a good match was lost to her forever.

  He led her back to her mother and bowed over her hand in farewell. She wished she had something more to say, some way to prolong this last moment with him. After her foolishness in asking him to help her, for the second time no less, she was sure she would never see him again.

  As he straightened, he gave her another slow smile. “It was a pleasure, Miss Maybury. I look forward to our outing with earnest.”

  “Outing?” her mother screeched in joy, her head bobbing back and forth between them.

  Madeline looked at him curiously as he turned to her mother and said, “I have asked for the pleasure of escorting Miss Maybury to the flower show in two days, with your permission of course.”

  Madeline didn’t hear her mother’s reply as hope bloomed in her chest.

  Madeline was going to be sick.

  The duke would arrive at any moment to escort her to the flower show, and she was starting to have doubts. Although this was exactly what she wanted, being seen with the duke would cause all sorts of other complications. All eyes would be on them, and the gossip was already running rampant from just one dance. Everyone would think he had been forced into this or assume he’d merely taken pity on her. In any case, they would all be certain he didn’t really want to escort her.

  Ugh! She shook her head at her chaotic thoughts. The two of them would simply attend the flower show with her mother as chaperone, and then he would take them home. The end. Her task would be complete, and she could take the next step toward her future, which Ethan wouldn’t be any part of.

  Madeline frowned. She would still see him at balls and parties, but it would never be the sam
e. She would never have his full attention, the way she had at his ball the other night, and the thought saddened her.

  She forced the maudlin thoughts away and attempted a weak smile as she tightened the mint-colored ribbons of her bonnet under her chin, then took a final look in the dressing mirror. She looked pretty. Not breathtaking, but pretty. Her eyes were a bit too wide with apprehension, but there wasn’t much she could do about that.

  A knock sounded at the front door as she walked down the hall to the stairs, and a few moments later, she heard her mother greet the duke in the sitting room.

  Bolstering her courage, she raised her chin and descended the threadbare stairs, another reminder of why she had to do this, why he was joining her today. It was the first step toward securing a future for herself and her family, and she would make the most of it.

  But as she rounded the corner and entered the sitting room, her eyes connecting with Ethan’s, she knew she was only fooling herself. She might be doing this for her future, but for right now, what harm was there in pretending he was actually interested in her, that he wasn’t doing this because he felt sorry for her?

  “Good morning,” Ethan said, bowing. His deep voice flowed over her like a caress, and she shivered as gooseflesh covered her skin.

  “Good morning,” she returned with a quick curtsy of her own, doing her best to act and sound as normal as possible.

  He glanced back at her mother and asked, “Are we waiting for anyone else? Mr. Maybury, perhaps?”

  “Mr. Maybury, unfortunately, had a prior engagement. It is just the three of us, Your Grace. I hope you aren’t disappointed.”

  “Not in the slightest.”

  He grinned at Mrs. Maybury and offered her his arm, and Madeline could only watch in shock as her mother giggled like a girl in the schoolroom, batted her lashes, and took his offered arm. Was this how her mother had acted in her youth?

  Madeline hid her amusement behind her gloved hand, until the duke stepped forward. Her laughter vanished.

  “Miss Maybury?” He held out his other arm for her.