The Scandalous Duke Takes a Bride

by Tiffany Clare

  Jessica stood from the vanity, walked over to her bed, and flopped face forward onto it with a groan. She really wanted to climb back under the blankets and sleep until her head felt normal.

  “We’ve been over this,” she mumbled into the coverlet.

  “Give him a chance, Jez.”

  Hayden still hadn’t mentioned last night’s activities. Perhaps he was willing to forget everything that had happened and that was why he was here, kind of like a truce, for surely he regretted the actions as much as she. And if that was the case, she was almost willing to see this man of business. Almost.

  “I need at least half an hour. I haven’t even had my morning tea.” She peeked up at him from the bed.

  His smile was staggeringly handsome. She frowned at the thought.

  Why did his smile affect her now when it never had prior to their kiss? She shrugged, then pushed the image away. She didn’t like the direction of her thoughts this morning.

  “Half an hour and not a minute less.” She pointed a threatening finger at him. “You can wait for me in the parlor. Mrs. Harper will have tea brought down to you.”

  “Exactly what I wanted to hear.” He came forward and brushed his lips across her forehead. It was an action she was used to—or had been used to, but it meant something different now, didn’t it?

  She banished her wayward thoughts. What had gotten into her head to twist everything around when it had never crossed her mind before? She pressed her fingers to her lips. Hayden looked up at her just as he was about to shut her bedchamber door. She dropped her hand and narrowed her eyes too late. He was smirking, the rascal.

  Ringing for her maid, Jessica brushed her hair, which was still damp since washing out the talc last night. Hayden would have to amuse himself for the next hour at the very least. Today was going to be a long day if this ache in her head didn’t go away.

  Served him right for calling on her at such an ungodly hour and expecting her to run errands with him at the very last minute.

  * * *

  On waking this morning, Hayden had decided it would be best not to mention the intimacies they had shared at the ball. All in good time, he supposed, though he barely had a hold on his patience as it was. Their kiss would definitely be a topic for later, as would the future.

  When he’d arrived at Jessica’s today, he hadn’t expected to find her still abed. And now that he’d seen the state she was in this morning he knew not to expect her for at least an hour. Mrs. Harper had been kind enough to have a sandwich tray prepared for him with tea, so he took the time to read the morning paper while he lunched in the parlor.

  Waiting in the first parlor off the foyer, he didn’t miss the knock at the front door. Wilson answered, his voice too quiet to hear other than the greetings exchanged. Hayden put down his teacup and narrowed his gaze in the direction of the newcomer. Before the butler could show Mr. Warren to another room, the parlor door slid open, bringing the men face-to-face.

  “Your Grace,” Warren said, surprised.

  Why Warren should be shocked to find him present seemed odd; it was well known that barely a day passed without him, Leo, or Tristan spending time with Jez.

  “Wilson,” Warren said, “that’ll be all. I think I’ll keep company here with Lord Alsborough till Your Ladyship makes an appearance.”

  The door shut behind the butler, who looked none too happy to be leaving the two men alone.

  “I see you’ve made yourself rather at home,” Hayden pointed out.

  “It already is my home.” Warren tossed his hat on the mantel and unbuttoned his coat before taking a seat on the sofa. “What’s your point, Alsborough?”

  Hayden took a step toward him, not entirely sure how he should handle the blackguard. He knew secrets about this man that could put him into a boiling tub of water. There was always a time and place to show your cards; that time wasn’t quite yet, not without the permission of other parties involved in those damning secrets.

  “My point is that you should give Lady Fallon more space. She is still in mourning, and you constantly nipping at her heels makes it difficult for her to move on and adjust to her life as a widow.”

  “The only thing she’s mourning is the life she too freely enjoyed without consequence until now.” He folded his hands together and rested them on his knee. “You know as well as anyone that I can end her time in this house without preamble.”

  “And what of the whispers of cruelty that will befall your name? You wouldn’t want to make too many enemies before taking your seat in the House of Lords.”

  Warren snorted, uncaring. “Politics are not new to me, Alsborough.”

  Which was true. Warren was a prominent figure in Parliament matters for the House of Commons. But the two circles had very different social obligations—Warren could not easily navigate the ton with his common friends.

  “I’m surprised you would even threaten me when I hold your dear friend’s fate in one hand.”

  “It would be my greatest pleasure to crush you, Warren. Never forget that you are but an interloper in your newfound position.”

  Warren gave him a sardonic glare. “I’ll be sure to remember that when I’m out and about during the evening. Speaking of evenings, yours seemed rather … how shall I say this … entertaining.”

  Hayden felt the last reasonable part of him snap. Before he could check himself, he was halfway across the room, with an iron grip around Warren’s throat.

  “Never for one minute think you can predict the outcome of Jessica’s life. It will be your undoing.”

  And that was how Jessica found them.

  She pointedly cleared her throat where she stood in the doorway, dressed in a white-checked day dress, her hair up, curls cascading down at her temples. Her gaze—severe and unimpressed—rested on Hayden, then on Warren. She crossed her arms over her midsection and gave them both a questioning look.

  He released Warren just as suddenly as he’d taken hold of him, but he did not take his gaze from the man. Hayden pulled down his vest to neaten his appearance. Though there was no hiding the fact that he’d been about to turn Warren into a punching bag.

  How did Warren know anything about last night? They had never made eye contact. Could Hilliard have mentioned his quick meeting with Hayden? Perhaps this had nothing to do with the masked ball.

  No, it had everything to do with his attendance at the Malverns’ last night. And he would find out exactly what Warren knew before it could be used against Jez. Right now, however, Hayden had a schedule to keep with Jessica.

  “We were just catching up,” Hayden said to Jez, unable to keep the venom from his voice as he straightened the cuffs on his jacket.

  “I’m sure you were.” She turned from him to narrow her gaze on their mutually unwanted guest. “Warren, I didn’t realize you were coming by today. Do you have your man with you to conclude the inventory?”

  “We completed the inventory yesterday for the most part. The upstairs can be done when I take over the house.”

  “I’ve made plans this afternoon. Shall I have a plate prepared for you before I leave?”

  “Not necessary. I have a lunch engagement.” Warren retrieved his hat from the mantel and glared at Hayden before turning back to Jessica. “There were some personal matters we needed to address, but I can come back at a more convenient time.”

  For some reason, Hayden didn’t think Warren was usually so accommodating. If Hayden’s presence made him better mannered, he’d make a point of coming over more often, especially when Warren was scheduled to be in the house.

  “My day is full and I won’t be back till early evening. Would you be kind enough to send a card ahead of you, so I know you plan on visiting?”

  Hayden could tell that this was a request she made often. It was just as he thought: Warren was making himself at home and making Jez uncomfortable with the current living arrangement.

  Warren did not respond as he put on his hat.

  “Hayden, shall
we be off?” She put out her arm.

  “Indeed, we do have a full day.”

  “You can show yourself out, Warren,” she said.

  Hayden shouldered past Warren and took Jez’s arm to lead her away from the tension-filled room. Once they left the house, he said, “I’m glad to have intercepted his meeting with you, considering he was not invited.”

  “About Warren…” She fidgeted with a button at the side of her glove.

  “What is it?” Hayden prompted.

  She looked away from him before she answered. “He’s given me till the end of August to wrap up my affairs and find new accommodations.”

  Hayden halted suddenly and turned to face his friend. “And you didn’t think to tell me this before now?” He released her, ready to mete out justice and cause serious injury to Warren.

  Jessica grabbed Hayden by the forearm before he could make it any great distance. When she had his attention, she dropped her hands and looked toward the spectators watching them.

  She stepped close enough that she could whisper what she wanted to say, close enough that passersby wouldn’t hear their discussion. “He knows about the miscarriage.”

  Hayden stood stunned for a moment, not sure how to respond.

  How was that even possible? Hayden had personally watched the last person who knew of Jessica’s condition sail away from English shores a month ago. Could the blighter, Miller, have come home after the first docking? If Miller was in London and spilling Jessica’s secrets, he’d kill the bastard the first chance he got.

  “It’s not possible for anyone to know, Jess.”

  “My husband spoke with Warren after his first collapse. In all probability, there are a great many things that Warren knows that could be used against me. I can’t fight him on this. Last night…”

  Hayden took her arm, realizing that too many eyes were on them right now. They couldn’t risk being heard.

  “Let’s discuss this later. Did you eat this morning?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Someone didn’t give me the opportunity.”

  “We’ll stop at my house,” he said. “We can talk without worrying we are being overheard.”

  “We don’t need to discuss this further. I just want this meeting with your man of affairs done and over with.”

  “I will send a note to request a later time. And I will not allow you to bury this topic so easily, Jessica.”

  “You’re incredibly assertive today.”

  “Then you’ve never noticed it before.”

  “Hayden, really, I’m fine. I’ve come to terms with my circumstance. I plan to remarry before summer ends.”

  Had he heard her right? He pulled her to a stop again and studied her. “All I had to do to convince you of that was kiss you?”

  His fist clenched at his side and a twitch started in his eye. She wasn’t thinking logically, he decided. She’d acted without thought of consequence before, and she was doing it in a dire period of her life. Maybe this was part of her denial that what had happened last night had felt right.

  “You’ve gone from having a year to make arrangements for your future to two months. And you think a husband is going to just happen along?”

  “No. But I have no other choice but to move onward.” She leaned in close to him, saying softly, “There were things my husband said to me that made me believe he was going to petition for divorce.”

  “The man would have no grounds.” Hayden scoffed at the very idea until he recalled part of his conversation with Miller. “What did Fallon think he had that would grant him that right?”

  She ducked her head, the rim of her bonnet covering her eyes. “More than you can imagine.”

  “We’re back to you shutting me out of your life. You need to be honest with me if I’m going to help you, Jess.”

  She nibbled on her lower lip. “It’s no secret that I haven’t been cooperative with Warren since my husband’s death.”

  “And you shouldn’t have to be.”

  “I couldn’t agree more; Warren on the other hand thinks that I should turn a new leaf and be the paragon of all that is pious and seek redemption for my past sins.” She let out a soft snort. “He disapproves of me. And he has no shortage of secrets that could make my life a living misery.”

  Hayden grew paranoid about being out in the open, so he didn’t respond or ask any more questions as they strolled the remainder of the distance to his home in near silence.

  Once they walked up the wide stone steps of his townhouse, the door opened and Jessica pulled her ecru lace parasol shut. Hayden took it from her and handed it off to the footman, giving instructions to have finger sandwiches and other refreshments brought into the study. He tossed his hat on his desk and turned to face Jessica once they were alone. She pulled out her hat pin and untied the satin ribbon to remove her hat, too.

  She had one eyebrow quirked in question. “Now that it’s only the two of us, what did you want to discuss?”

  “Miller mentioned the divorce before he boarded his ship.”

  “And you didn’t think that you should have told me this before now?”

  “What purpose would it serve? Fallon can’t divorce you when he’s buried six feet beneath the ground.”

  Hayden watched, helpless, as tears swam in her eyes. What had he said to upset her?

  He stood before her, his hand cupping the side of her face as he searched her eyes. “If I thought that information was vital to you, I would have told you. I wasn’t intentionally keeping you in the dark. I would never do that to you, Jess. Never.”

  “Yet you have been doing just that.” She turned away from him and walked over to the window. Her arms crossed over her midsection and her fingers wrapped tightly around her waist. “What else did Miller tell you?” she asked on a shaky breath.

  “I’m afraid he was more worried about running than talking.”

  Hayden went to her, his hands warming her upper arms, trying to soothe her. Her shoulders rose and fell once, a sure sign she was fighting back the tears that had threatened to spill moments ago.

  “Did he tell you why?”

  “I didn’t believe him. I only asked why your husband ended the pregnancy the way he did. I was never given a clear answer.”

  She nodded her head as a soft sob escaped her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and proclaim that everything would turn out right in the end, but how could he make that promise when not even he was sure how this would end?

  To hell with it, he thought, and pressed the front of his body against her back, wrapping both arms around her and tangling their fingers together. She didn’t stop him, which he took as a good sign. He was halfway to winning her over, whether she knew it or not.

  “You have to let the past go, Jess. There will be children aplenty if that’s what you desire.”

  “So easy for a man to declare.” She slid her hands away from his but did not step out of their embrace. “I was married a long time, Hayden. That was my second pregnancy to make it past the third month.”

  He pressed the side of his face against her temple. Even though he could guess the answer, he asked after a long pause, “What concluded the first?”

  “The main staircase up to the second floor.”

  Hayden’s jaw clenched and cracked.

  She turned in his arms, but she didn’t look him in the eye. “It was a long time ago.”

  “That doesn’t excuse it, or make it any less tragic.”

  She leaned forward, her forehead resting against his chin. “What else did Miller tell you?” There was an added firmness in her question. What was she trying to hide from him?

  “There wasn’t much he could say, as his face was the worse for wear.” Hayden looked at her for a long moment, all the while searching her eyes, silently willing her to open up to him. “What other secrets are you trying to hide from me?”

  She stepped away from him. It was perfect timing, for a knock sounded as the door opened and trays laden with
cucumber sandwiches and pastries were brought in. His staff knew what Jez preferred and always made her favorite dishes when she was here. A glass pitcher brimming with lemonade accompanied the trays.

  “If you’re planning to ply me with food this afternoon, I may not be able to move from your sofa to see this businessman of yours.”

  Her good humor, he was sure, was put on for his staff setting out the trays and dishes for them.

  “Just an appetizer to prepare you for the day to come.”

  She turned to him, a sly look in her eyes, and not an ounce of the tears that had been awash there moments ago. How easily she shut herself off from everyone around her—had he ever noticed her do this before? He didn’t think so.

  “I thought it was going to be an afternoon filled with errands,” she said.

  “And I thought I might also persuade you to an evening out.”

  She raised an inquiring brow. “Do tell. It’s been an age since we crashed a decent party.”

  “And what of the duchess’s ball last month?”

  “As I said, it’s been an age.” She poured out two glasses of lemonade and handed one to him. “Will Tristan and Leo join us tonight?”

  “They’ve both been preoccupied with the task you gave them.”

  “Yes, I nearly forgot about Ponsley’s daughter. She’s a conquest neither will easily win.” She sipped at her lemonade and then made up a plate for herself.

  “Why did you ask them to pursue the young lady?”

  “My reason was twofold. First and foremost, I wanted to prove a point to Warren—he gloated about his upcoming nuptials, about filling my childless home with babes, since I wasn’t up for the task.”

  That heartless bastard. Hayden should have taken a swing at him earlier while he’d had the perfect opportunity.

  “Jess…”

  She gave him a sad smile. “When he said that I already knew I was losing the child. I was hurt at the time, even though he couldn’t have possibly known that my husband was the reason for the miscarriage. Fallon would never paint himself in so poor a light—the blame would have been put to me. And that brings me to the other reason I asked Leo and Tristan to pursue Lady Charlotte. I wanted neither to take note of my condition. But to do that, I knew their focus needed to be elsewhere.”