“What?” he asked as he returned to his seat.
“This could make their lives so much better,” she replied in a soft voice. “I can only assume you have more money as the duke than you did in Canada.”
His fists instinctively tightened. “Perhaps,” he bit out.
“Staying here would give all the children opportunities they would not have in York, or even in America. As the sister of a duke, the girls are inherently accepted into Society. The boys will be welcomed at Eton. They will all have the ability to make great matches.”
“As you have?” The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He knew nothing about her. She could be a widow, after all. But for some reason, he had to know more about her. He found her strangely intriguing.
She glanced down at her hands. “I could have made any number of matches,” she mumbled.
“Of course,” he said in a disbelieving voice.
She looked up at him with fire in her emerald eyes. “I most certainly could have. I haven’t found a man who suited me yet.”
“Ah, being selective.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
Will shrugged casually. “It really is none of my concern. However, as I understand these books,” he said, looking down at the desk, “this house is not entailed, nor is it leased. I will be selling it as quickly as possible, so you might wish to decide where you will live. Perhaps with a relative?”
He watched the emotions play on her tight face and felt a stab of remorse. He didn’t want to hurt the woman, but she had to understand that this country was not for him. He also knew that his brothers would never be welcomed at Eton, not as the sons of an American.
“I have four sisters, but I am not close to any of them. They are all much older than I.” She clenched her jaw tightly as if attempting to control her emotions. “My aunt is normally here but departed for a visit. She will go live with her sisters.”
“And you?”
“I suppose I could live with a friend of mine.”
He was being completely insensitive to her plight. Her eyes blinked furiously as if she were attempting to hold her tears at bay.
“What about cousins?”
She looked away from him. “Apart from Richard, there is Nicholas, who is unmarried and lives with his young daughter. It might look improper if I moved in with him.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she said, blinking away tears. “After all, you are the duke and you have the final say in all that matters in your house.”
“Elizabeth,” he started as she rose from her seat. “Please don’t leave angry.”
She looked at him, tears filling her eyes. “I am not mad at you, William. Only very disappointed. I thought that you or your father would make a much better duke than my cousin, Richard. I now see I was very wrong on that account. At least Richard would have had respect for the title and the lands.”
She walked slowly toward the door and then turned. “I just need to know one thing.”
“What is that?”
“Why is it so important that you return to America?”
“My future wife is there.”
She frowned but nodded. “I see. And she can’t travel to England?”
“Her father lost his son to the last war with the British, so the last thing he wants is for her to marry an Englishman. Not only an Englishman, but a lord of the realm.”
She shook her head slightly as if confused. “You will always be the duke. If she loved you, it would not matter to her.”
Will closed his eyes against the pain. “She would never disobey her father.”
“If she truly loved you, her father’s wishes would not matter,” she whispered, then left the room.
Chapter 4
Will tried his best to put the frustrating woman out of his mind for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to work. The fresh fragrance of her rosewater perfume remained in the room long after she’d departed. But her parting words ate at him.
If she truly loved you, her father’s wishes would not matter.
Abigail loved him. She only hesitated to go against her father due to…
Will blew out a breath. She had to have a good reason. Was it money? Could Abigail be afraid he wouldn’t be able to provide for her and their children? By staying in her father’s good graces, she might be able to persuade him that Will was a good man. If her reasons truly stemmed from money, that issue would be out of the way now. Even if he couldn’t sell off all that he’d wanted, according to Elizabeth, all of this was his. He could do as he pleased with the profits from the estates.
But his mind couldn’t stop wondering if there was something else holding Abigail back. Had he been wrong about her feelings toward him? She was one and twenty now. If she had truly wanted to go with him, they could have married and left for England. Unless she despised England as much as he did. Her grandfather had fought the British for their freedom, and her brother died in the fight for Fort McHenry only three years ago. With a nod, he realized this reasoning made the most sense. She was most likely waiting for him to return so she could marry him.
Will stared down at the ledgers and papers in front of him and knew he was in over his head. He needed the professional assistance of a trusted solicitor to help him wade through the legalities of his inheritance. Except he didn’t know a soul in London. He barely remembered any one of his acquaintances from when he was eight.
This, of course, meant he would be required to speak with the termagant again. Well, there was no time like the present. He pushed back his leather chair and walked to the front hall.
“Elizabeth!” he yelled from the banister.
“Your Grace, if I may…”
Will waved off the footman and shouted once more, “Elizabeth, get down here.”
Soft footsteps sounded from the hall upstairs. She glared down at him. “Did you just shout for me to come down as if I were a servant?”
A quick rush of heat crossed his cheeks. He had forgotten that he wasn’t in a small home without servants. “I suppose I did.”
“Well, that is not how we speak to people in a civilized country.” She turned on her heels and walked back toward her room.
“I don’t think so,” he muttered and then raced up the stairs. The door to her room shut just as he reached the hallway. He stormed to her room and rapped on the door. “Elizabeth, I need to speak with you.”
“Then I suggest you use a nicer tone of voice.”
Will clenched his fists and looked up at the high ceiling. “Elizabeth, may I have a word, if you please.”
The door slowly opened and her smug face smiled back at him. “Do you need my assistance with something, Your Grace?”
“Can we talk in the study? I have a few questions only you can answer.”
She nodded. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
Every time she called him that, he fought against the annoyance he felt. “I believe I asked you to call me Will.”
“Yes, you did, Your Grace.” She opened the door to leave, and he noticed the valise on the bed.
“Are you leaving?” he asked softly.
“You did ask me to do so.”
She couldn’t leave yet. He had no idea how to survive in this country without her guidance. But he couldn’t tell her that.
“You don’t need to leave today.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” A flash of relief passed over her face.
Will followed her into the study and shut the door behind them. Elizabeth sat in the seat in front of the large cherry desk as he sat in the leather chair.
“What do you need my help with?” she asked in a slightly harsh tone.
At least she’d stopped calling him your grace. “I believe the only way I can sort through all this mess is to find a trusted solicitor.”
She smirked. “And why do you need my help with that?”
Will narrowed his ey
es on her. “I don’t know of any solicitors here. I thought you might be kind enough to assist me.”
She shrugged and rose from her seat. “You might be wrong.”
“Elizabeth, I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Do not be sorry. You are only doing what you think is right for your family. Personally, I believe you are very mistaken.”
“I know how you feel,” he tried again.
She walked to the threshold and turned back at him. “You have no idea how I feel. You’re a man. You can do as you please. You don’t have to worry about what people will think of you if they find out no one in your family wants you.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. Quickly, she raced from the room.
Will stared at the empty doorway, unsure of what to do to help her. But he knew he had to do something.
Elizabeth grabbed her reticule and strode from her room. Bloody stupid man making her say something so appalling. Even if it was true. Her sisters didn’t want her. They most likely either knew or suspected the truth. Her aunt would grudgingly take her in but then she would become nothing but a nursemaid to a group of old ladies.
“Are you going out?”
Elizabeth looked up from her fuming to see Ellie and Lucy walking up the stairs to their room. “Yes. I am off to pay a call on a friend.”
“You’re going visiting?” Lucy asked.
“Yes.”
“May we join you?” Lucy asked, and then received a quick jab from Ellie’s elbow.
“It’s not polite to ask such a thing, Lucy,” Ellie whispered.
“Your sister is right, Lucy.”
Lucy’s face fell with disappointment. “Of course. Ellie is always right.”
Even though Elizabeth had four sisters, she’d only lived with Jane, and that was only for a few years. Elizabeth didn’t understand how to handle the sisters.
“Lucy, you are not ready to face anyone yet,” Elizabeth started softly.
Ellie bristled. “We’re not good enough to meet a friend of yours?”
Oh dear, now both of the sisters were upset. “We need to prepare you for Society. Before you go out, you will need new gowns, shoes, bonnets, undergarments, everything. And you need to learn the rules of Society.”
They both looked at each other and then at Elizabeth. Ellie’s gaze moved toward the floor. “There is no point, then. My brother will only say it’s a waste of money when we won’t be staying.”
“I shall talk to him when I return.” The idea of speaking with that man made her blood boil. She had never met such an insensitive, arrogant, handsome man. Handsome! Dear God, no. She refused to be attracted to such a man.
“What are we to do all day?” Lucy asked. “At home we would be doing chores the majority of the day.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Work on your music or your needle-point while I’m gone. Monday I will have Madame Beaulieu here to fit you for your new clothes.”
Both girls grinned.
“What about Will?” Ellie asked.
She shook her head. “I will take care of your brother. But now, I must go call on my friend.”
Elizabeth walked outside and smiled. The deplorable rain of the past few days had finally stopped, and now the sun shone brightly and the air smelled clean. While she should have waited inside for the carriage to be brought around for her, she couldn’t stand being in that house another moment.
When she finally arrived at Sophie’s home, Elizabeth discovered all her friends were there. While they used to be known as the Spinster Club, even with Avis and Jennette now married, the women remained the closest of friends.
“Elizabeth!” Sophie announced, and then moved to give her friend a hug. “Is everything all right?”
Elizabeth sat in the floral chair by the window and shook her head. “As you predicted, he has arrived.”
“Who?” Avis and Jennette asked at the same time.
“The duke.” Elizabeth glanced outside at the carriage rumbling down the street. “Only it’s not Edward. It’s his son, William.”
“What about all the children, Elizabeth?” Sophie asked. “Does the new duke have a few children?”
She glanced back at her friends and shook her head. “He is unmarried but he did bring his seven siblings with him.”
“Seven?” Victoria said with a smile. “That should bring a little excitement into your home.” Victoria ran a home for orphaned children, so she would know all about the noise children could bring into a home.
“Yes, and I have no idea what I’m doing with them all.”
Victoria reached over and patted Elizabeth’s hand. “I will call on you, and together we will get them organized and settled. You will have to hire a tutor for them. But I can assist with that as well.”
A wave of relief slowly rolled over her. “Thank you, Victoria.”
“Now,” Sophie said, “what about the other issue?”
“What issue?” Avis asked, rubbing her extended belly. With only two more months until her first child was born, she looked more vibrant than Elizabeth had ever seen.
“Has he asked you to leave?” Sophie asked softly.
“Yes.”
“I certainly hope you refused,” Jennette said.
“Of course, I did no such thing, Jennette,” Elizabeth replied. “It’s his home now. I have no right to stay.”
“But you need to stay,” Sophie whispered.
Avis looked at them both and narrowed her eyes. “All right, what is going on between you two? There is no reason Elizabeth should have to stay in her father’s home.”
“But there’s no reason she should have to leave either,” Jennette pressed. She inhaled sharply and rubbed a spot on her belly. She and Avis would both be delivered of their children in about two months. Considering the infants would be first cousins, Elizabeth thought it sweet that they would be so close in age.
“Why do you need to stay, Elizabeth?” Victoria asked before taking a sip of tea.
Elizabeth sighed. She probably should have told her friends about her problem months ago. Maybe they might have helped her. “I need to find a diary I believe my mother hid in one of the houses. I have thoroughly checked the estates and found nothing. The townhome is my last chance.”
“What is so important about this diary?” Avis asked.
Even knowing that her friends would never speak of the matter, Elizabeth hesitated. If word ever got out, she might be ruined.
“You can tell us, Elizabeth,” Victoria said. “We won’t speak of the matter outside of this room.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I believe the diary will tell me who my real father was.”
She watched the reactions of the women. Avis and Jennette both stared at her and nodded slowly as if confirming their suspicions. Victoria looked down at the Aubusson rug as if memorizing the patterns in it, while Sophie sent Elizabeth a sympathetic look. Of all the women, Sophie would understand the most. She was the daughter of an actress and an earl who wished to remain anonymous.
“Well, then,” Jennette started, “you must do what you have to in order to stay in the house until you find the diary.”
“But how? The man has seven siblings. I’m just an unwanted piece of baggage to them.”
Sophie smiled. “Then you must prove to him that you are not an unwanted piece of baggage.”
Jennette laughed. “Seduce the man.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Jennette and Avis, who both nodded at the suggestion. “I cannot do that.”
“Not very handsome, is that it?” Avis asked before breaking into giggles.
Too handsome, Elizabeth thought. Far too handsome. And obviously in love with another woman. “He’s practically engaged.”
“Engaged, not married,” Sophie added, stifling a chuckle.
Only Victoria didn’t seem to find anything amusing about her predicament. “You most certainly will do nothing of the sort.”
“Of course I won’t,” Elizabeth replied. “But what am I t
o do?”
Sophie tilted her head and stared at Elizabeth. “You need to use your wiles to get your way. You wish to stay in the house. Make him understand that he needs you there. You can organize the children, you can assist him with the paperwork and invitations, and only you can completely understand his needs.”
“Exactly what needs are we discussing?” Elizabeth asked as heat crossed her cheeks.
“He must learn how to go about in Society even if he only plans to stay here for a few months. If the children are old enough, they will also need your assistance,” Sophie replied.
“The older girls desperately need my assistance. They actually wanted to come with me today, dressed in some distressingly worn-out cotton dresses.” Elizabeth finally reached for the tea on the table next to her. She could do this.
How hard could it be to smile and be flirtatious to gain his acceptance?
Sophie tapped her foot against the rug with impatience. She glanced up at the clock on the mantel and fisted her hands. He was doing this deliberately. It had been over five hours since she sent that missive to him. He wanted to make her wait just as he had waited so long for his request.
Damn him!
She rose and crossed the carpet to the far side of the salon and back again. What if he wouldn’t help her this time? She needed him more than ever for this plan.
“You wanted me?”
Sophie sighed and turned toward the sound of Somerton’s voice. He leaned in a nonchalant manner against the doorframe as if he had nothing better to do with his time.
“You kept me waiting,” she replied before sitting back down on the sofa.
“It’s a wretched feeling, isn’t it?” Somerton moved from the doorway, and took the seat across from her.
“Very well, Anthony. The time has finally come to help Elizabeth.”
“No,” he replied with a shrug.
“What?”
“I’ve decided not to help you until you answer my question.” The impertinent man crossed his arms over his chest in defiance of her wishes.
But Sophie knew the gambler was bluffing. “Very well, then. You may leave.”
Somerton blinked and slowly his lips tilted upward in understanding. “Then I believe we are at an impasse.”
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