Nothing could have prepared Laura for what the man had just said, and the terrible thoughts of murder and death quickly ran in and out of her mind. She kept waiting for her father to say something, but he just sat in silence while the man continued to speak.
“I understand your hesitation, of course,” he said. “It’s no easy task to murder a duke. However, I do have some information that might motivate you if you care to listen.”
At this point, Laura noticed that her father was now staring straight ahead, directly into the man’s eyes. It seemed that he was now interested in what the man had to say.
“Edwin,” the man said, directly to her father. “Do you think it’s time that we inform your wife and daughter about how you dragged James into gambling?”
Edwin gasped now. “No…please!”
The man got louder as he said, “Or perhaps we should inform them about the debts that he could not pay…that you could not pay. Right, Edwin?”
“Please, Sir…” Edwin begged.
“The Duke of Farnworth does not appreciate when debts owed to him are not paid. My superior knows this all too well, as do I on a personal level. James was unable to pay his debts to the Duke, and in return, well, I’m sure you can guess, right Edwin?” the man said, turning toward Laura’s frightened father.
Edwin stuttered, “Sir?”
The mysterious stranger continued, “Isn’t it obvious, Edwin?” He began to laugh an evil laugh. “The Duke of Farnworth killed James!”
Once again, the family was shocked. The Duke of Farnwoth? It can’t be!
Laura felt the breath quickly leave her body as she gasped. Along with it came the irrefutable feelings that come with the need for revenge. She saw red, and immediately, she knew that whatever this mystery man asked her to do, she would do it. She had to avenge her brother’s death, even if it meant killing someone else.
“I assume you have a plan?” she boldly said directly to the stranger.
“Ah, yes. I do have a plan,” he responded. “A plan that, interestingly enough, involves you.”
Edwin jumped in at this point and said, “No, Laura. I don’t want you involved in this plan. I have already lost one child. I don’t want to risk the life of another.” He turned toward the stranger who was still sitting in James’ chair, and said, “If the Duke must die, it will be by my hand.”
“How noble, Edwin,” said the man. “Unfortunately, that’s not how this plan works. My superior will accept nothing less than the death of the Duke of Farnworth to pay off your debts, and he will only accept that if Laura is the one to do it.”
Laura could feel the rage boil up inside her, and she didn’t even realize it, but she was balling up her fists, tightly. I will kill this man…this Duke…he murdered James, and now I will murder him.
She was brought out of her lethal daydream by the wavering voice of her father. “How is Laura supposed to do that? She can’t very well walk up to the Duke’s estate and kill him.”
“Quite an astute observation there, Edwin,” remarked the smiling stranger. “We have a plan for that, too, of course.”
“Oh? What is the plan?” asked her father.
The man replied, “The Duke has a young sister, Lady Emily. As you may or may not know, their parents were killed many years ago in a carriage accident. Since their death, it has only been the Duke and his sister at the estate. He has allowed the girl to become quite wild with no regard for rules nor discipline. It recently came to our attention that the Duke is seeking a governess to help tame his sister.”
The stranger then looked toward Laura and said, “This, of course, is where you come into the plan. You shall be Emily’s governess.”
Laura almost laughed, herself, upon hearing these words. A governess? I can’t be a governess. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see how this plan could work. I am no governess. I’m a farmer. I barely have an education, nor do I have papers proving that I have one. Surely, the Duke would see right past that.”
The stranger smiled at her. “You are smarter than you think, Laura. You are correct in that the Duke would not hire a governess who didn’t have the proper education and papers. Fortunately, for you, we have papers and recommendations that you can use to prove to the Duke that you are, indeed, a governess. Of course, these are falsified documents, but my superior has never failed when using these papers, as they are real enough to fool anyone. I daresay you could easily get a position as a governess in the Duke’s home, especially since he is in dire need of one.”
The stranger pulled a paper out of his dark coat, and he slid it across the table toward Laura. She picked it up, and it certainly looked like what she would expect of the recommendations a governess would look like, though she had never seen one in her life. She noticed that the name on the paper was ‘Laura Elkins.’
A false name to protect my identity.
Laura looked from the man to her parents, and then looked at the man, again. She knew she had to avenge the death of her brother, and if this was the only way, she must do it. “All right,” she said to the man. “I will pose as a governess for the Duke’s sister. Once I earn his trust, I will kill him.”
“Very good,” said the man as he stood up. “I knew that I could count on you, Laura.” He turned toward Edwin and said, “Your daughter is making a great sacrifice for you, friend. I hope you appreciate it.” The man then turned to Laura as he began walking toward the door. “I knew you would say ‘yes,’ so I left the other papers you need in the barn. Collect them in the morning. There is no sense going out now. You never know who could be out there.”
The mysterious man smiled at Laura, winked, and walked out of the door into the dark, cold night.
Chapter 4
Alexander was reading his correspondence while waiting for breakfast to be served. All of the letters were very much the same: newborn babes, exciting family news, and invitations to visit during the summer months. Though he enjoyed reading his letters, he had some to write of his own.
I must find a governess.
Though he had already informed several people of his intentions, including his own staff, and he also wanted to be sure that he explored every possible option. He decided to write some letters to other people he knew, and to send a letter to the registry office.
As he wrote, he realized that he not only had to find a governess, but also get the inventory for the brewery organized.
Gοd, I’m always working.
“Good morning!”
Alexander looked up from his letter writing to see Emily bouncing toward him with an enormous smile on her face. She still wore her dressing gown as she sat down at the table.
“Good morning to you, too,” replied Alexander. “You seem happy today.”
“Yes, I am!” said Emily, as she took a piece of bread and cheese to break her fast. “Sarah and I are going to take a walk, and then she said we can go pick flowers, and I can pick any flowers I want.”
“That sounds lovely, Emily,” said Alexander with a smile. He wanted to give her this time to have fun, as he knew that when the new governess was hired, she would be focusing more on her studies.
Alexander also took a piece of warm toast and then sipped on his tea, which had been poured into the teacup that sat before him. I have to walk over to the office. It’s getting late.
“Well, Emily,” Alexander said as he stood up from the table. “I do hope you enjoy your day. By tonight, we may have a new governess.”
He saw his sister’s smile fade into a small frown as she continued to eat her bread and cheese. He then collected his letters and handed them to the nearest footman with a smile, before walking into the entryway and out the door to his office.
“Good morning,” said Bernard as Alexander opened the door to the office building. “How late were you here last night?”
“Good morning, Bernard,” Alexander replied. “I wasn’t here late, but it was already getting dark by the time I walked back to the house. Why?”
> “No real reason, but the cellar door was open when I got here this morning. I thought you might have worked late and simply forgot to close it.”
Alexander felt a moment of panic. I’m certain I closed the door.
“That is certainly strange,” he said, thinking hard about his actions before he left the office the night before. “I did go down to the cellar last night to collect the inventory list, but I am positive that I closed the door behind me.”
“It’s no worry,” said Bernard with an optimistic smile. “I’m sure it was an oversight. I know that you generally don’t leave doors open, so it certainly stood out to me.”
“I must have left it open,” replied Alexander. “It was getting late, as you said. Speaking of the cellar, though, when I was down there last night, there were some strange noises. Have you seen any mice?”
Bernard furrowed his brow as he thought for a brief moment. “I haven’t seen any, nor any signs of mice, but it’s certainly possible that there could be rodents down there.”
“Well, mice or no mice, we have work to do, today, Bernard,” said Alexander, getting right to business. “Would you join me in my office so we can go over the day’s tasks?” Alexander began walking toward his office and opened the door. As he walked in, his eyes fell directly onto his desk. Have those papers been moved? Was someone in my office?
Alexander felt that he must be imagining things. Certainly no one had been in his office. He shook his head slightly, and then turned toward Bernard, who had followed him in.
“We have to go over our inventory today and plan what we need for these orders. Also, one of us has to make contact with the local farmers about contracts.”
“I know you prefer to handle the management of the brewery, and we have two batches of ale we should start today,” replied Bernard. “So, if it’s agreeable to you, I will go to walk around to some of the local farms, and you can take care of what is required here.”
Alexander smiled slightly before looking up at Bernard. “I am very agreeable to that arrangement,” he said. Alexander knew that Bernard was offering to go speak to the farmers because Alexander did not like that part of the business. It wasn’t that he didn’t like interacting with people, but he greatly enjoyed his work at the brewery and would much prefer rolling up his shirt sleeves and adding ingredients to the barrels that were already aging.
Bernard laughed, and then said “That’s why we work so well together, friend. I certainly don’t want to be elbow deep in fermented grain.”
It was Alexander’s turn to laugh, “And I don’t want to be out there walking around in the hot sun. My hair is red enough, my face doesn’t need to be as well.”
Both men chuckled, and Bernard turned to walk out, but then stopped. “Oh, before I leave, I spoke with Louisa last night. She knows a potential governess for Emily. I have the name on my desk. If you like, we can make arrangements for her to meet with you and Emily. She has references and is young, so surely she would be a perfect match.”
“Ah, thank you,” said Alexander. “It would be wonderful to have a governess who comes highly recommended by your lovely wife.”
“We will always do our best to help you and Emily,” replied Bernard with a smile. “I don’t know the woman, but perhaps she is even beautiful, too.”
“Oh, don’t start with that again, Bernard,” said Alexander. “At least don’t get your hopes up.”
Bernard gave a hearty laugh, and then said, “A beautiful woman in the house is never a bad thing, my friend.”
“I know, I know,” said Alexander. “I’m getting to work,” he said with a smile. “I suggest you get to work, too.”
“Very well, we can talk this afternoon,” said Bernard, as he walked out of Alexander’s office. About thirty seconds later, Alexander heard the main door to the building open and close, too, signaling that Bernard was on his way to talk to the farmers.
Though Alexander greatly enjoyed working with Bernard, he was a man who also loved his solitude. It was how he worked best, and if Alexander was nothing else, he was a very hard worker. Over the course of the morning, he had gotten a full inventory of the stores done and wrote out some invoices. A very successful day so far.
Before getting back to work, Alexander decided to step outside for some fresh air. He had planned on spending his time cleaning some of the brewery vats during the afternoon, but it was such a beautiful spring day, he was considering working outdoors. In fact, he was almost regretting telling Bernard that he preferred to stay inside.
As he looked down the road, which was situated outside of the brewery building, he noticed a figure walking toward him. The figure was small, so he believed that it was likely a woman, and as the figure got closer, he discovered he was correct.
At first, Alexander thought the woman might be a child, but as she got closer, he noticed that she was small in stature, and young, but she was certainly an adult. Once she noticed him staring at her from a distance, she froze, almost as if she was spooked by something, but then she kept walking with confident steps.
Alexander assumed that the visitor had some type of business with the brewery since she was walking toward him with such assurance, though it was unusual for a woman to deal with his brewery directly. She walked up to a footman, and Alexander could see the pair out of the corner of his eye conversing. He finally looked up from his work when he saw the footman walking toward him.
“Your Grace, I have a Miss Laura Elkins here to see you,” the footman said.
“Who is she?” asked Alexander.
“She said she is here to speak with someone about the governess position. I am happy to take her to the house to speak with Mr. Grove,” said the man.
“I can speak with her,” said Alexander. Typically, he would allow Grove to handle the hiring of staff, but since this was directly going to affect Emily, he wanted to at least meet her.
The footman motioned toward the woman and she slowly walked forward, almost apprehensive in her actions.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace,” she said.
Whomever this woman was, she knew that Alexander was the Duke of Farnworth based on her greeting.
“Good afternoon,” he responded. Immediately he noticed her striking hazel eyes, which seemed to sparkle. Her long, dark hair fell around her face. “May I help you with something?”
“My apologies for calling without an appointment, Sir,” she said. He noticed that she had freckles across her face, which further enhanced the look of her eyes. “I am inquiring about the governess position that you have available.”
* * *
“Oh, of course,” replied Alexander. He was slightly puzzled, but then realized that this must be either someone who Bernard had found this afternoon, or perhaps she was the governess who Louisa had suggested. “Pardon my surprise,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to meet with a governess at this moment.”
“I can come at a later time, Sir,” the woman said.
“No, no, this is fine,” replied Alexander. “The sooner I find a governess for my sister, the better off the entire household will be.” He smiled at her, but she did not return the gesture.
“I take it Lord Woodworth sent you?” asked Alexander, studying the stoic expression on the woman’s face.
“Yes, Your Grace,” replied the woman. “Lord Woodworth sent me. He said you required a governess for your sister, Lady Emily.”
“Indeed, I do,” said Alexander, “If Lord Woodworth sent you this quickly, you must have some wonderful experience.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” said the woman. “I have my references here, too.” She reached into her reticule and pulled out papers. She took a quick glance at them, and then handed them over to Alexander.
He took the papers into his hand and looked down to read them. They were, indeed, papers that stated she was a governess and had all of the education necessary to teach his sister. There were several references, too. “Your name is Miss Elkins?” asked Alexander.
“Yes, Sir, I am Laura Elkins, the daughter of a merchant in London. I have come to the countryside looking for work, as my last charge recently came of age.”
Alexander was a bit surprised by this, as he would think that there were more jobs available in London for a governess, but again, he trusted Woodworth, and if he sent Laura for the job, that was good enough for Alexander. After all, she had references, she was young, and she certainly didn’t seem like she would allow Emily to get out of line. In fact, she seemed as if she was a very strict person. She had yet to smile, and he couldn’t help but notice that her eyes seemed to darken when he spoke to her.
“All seems to be in order, here,” said Alexander to Miss Elkins. “And if Lord Woodworth sent you, I am confident that you would make a wonderful addition to the staff.”
“Thank you, Your Grace” responded Miss Elkins. “I assure you that I am focused on my task and goals.”
She looked at him coldly, but Alexander didn’t mind. Emily needed a strong hand to tame her, and from what he had seen of Miss Elkins, it seemed like she would be a perfect fit.
“When are you available to start working?” Alexander asked the young woman.
“I am available to start whenever you require me, Your Grace,” she replied.
“If you could start tomorrow, it would be ideal,” said Alexander. “I’m sure Lord Woodworth told you that Lady Emily could be a bit…excitable…but she is a very intelligent girl, and I’m confident that the two of you will get on quite well.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” said the woman. “I’m confident that we will.”
She is very polite and looks so sweet and innocent, but she’s certainly a bit cold.
Alexander couldn’t help but notice the curves of Miss Elkins’ hips beneath her coat, which was pulled tightly around her waist. His eyes followed the shape of her body, and the tight buttons on her coat also pushed her breasts up, which were sizable and shapely when compared to her small frame.
Seduced by the Brooding Duke Page 3
