The Dark Duke

by Landon, Laura

  She turned, then walked away from him. When she was the length of the room from where he sat, she faced him.

  “I know you feel obligated to offer me mar—” She stuttered, as if she couldn’t finish the word. “—offer me something permanent. But you’re not. Even if you were, I’d feel obligated to refuse your offer.”

  “Why?”

  “For the reasons I stated earlier, Your Grace.”

  “Sterling.”

  “For the reasons I stated earlier, Sterling.”

  “Would you mind repeating those?” he asked.

  He heard her sigh of frustration all the way across the room.

  “Because we don’t suit. You may think we do now, but some day you’ll wake up and regret that you did something so foolish.”

  “So foolish as what?”

  He was going to make her say the word. He was going to make her admit that he intended to marry her whether she wanted to or not.

  “You know what.”

  “No, what?”

  “Marry you! You think that because of what happened last night we have to marry!”

  “And that would be so disastrous?”

  “Of course it would. It isn’t what you truly want. And it isn’t a risk I am willing to take.”

  He slowly rose from his chair and walked to where she stood. There was something about the tone of her voice that indicated there was an underlying meaning he didn’t understand. Something about her choice of words that signified a fear he didn’t understand. He would have to think about this before he tried to reason with her.

  He clasped his fingers around her arms and held her. “We don’t have to decide anything right this moment. Discovering who is behind the smuggling and trafficking takes precedence.”

  She nodded in agreement. “And with that, we’re back where we started, aren’t we?”

  “Let’s say, we haven’t made the progress I’d hoped we’d have made by now.”

  “So what are we going to do now?”

  “For a day or two, nothing. We need to think. We need to evaluate what we know, and what we don’t. We need to come up with another plan. And you need to rest. You look as if you haven’t slept all night.”

  She rolled her eyes. “And whose fault is that?”

  He couldn’t stop a hearty laugh from escaping. The smile on his face refused to leave. He tapped her on the tip of the nose then placed a kiss on her forehead. “I think you omitted another description I’m sure I used at one time or another when referring to you.”

  She tried to look offended. “And that would be?”

  “Cheeky, my lady. You are insufferably cheeky.”

  “Of course I am.”

  Her voice contained the pride he was used to hearing from her. His heart swelled with admiration.

  She gave him another look of confidence, then stepped out of his arms and walked to the door. “I’m going to my room to rest for a while. Then, I’m going to sit in the garden for some peace and quiet.”

  “Are you implying that you don’t want to be disturbed?”

  She turned from him and opened the door. “Sometimes I’m amazed by your astuteness, Your Grace.” And she left the room.

  He knew he was smiling as he watched her go. If anyone in the world was his match, Amanda Radburn was at the top of the list.

  If he could only figure out why marrying him was such a risk for her to take. Because he had no intention of letting her go.

  CHAPTER 17

  Amanda had done her best to avoid Hadleigh as much as possible over the last three days. She’d eaten as many meals in her room as she could without appearing like the coward she felt she was. She’d even gone so far as to ask her maid Nellie when His Grace was out of the house. When he was, she used that time to sit in the garden and escape the confines of her room.

  To her frustration he didn’t leave all that often.

  She also spent a great deal of time with her brother Harry.

  He’d changed. He wasn’t at all the carefree, man-about-town brother she’d grown up with, or the brother whose extravagant lifestyle had frustrated her so. The man he’d become was more serious—too serious. He’d become almost a recluse, refusing to leave his room, except when he was assured the two of them would be alone.

  Amanda knew why he’d changed so drastically. She attributed his transformation to three events: the unsightly scar on his face, the guilt he harbored because his exorbitant lifestyle had pulled him into a world that went against every moral aspect he’d been brought up to uphold. And, he had watched an innocent young girl die without being able to help her.

  She was worried about him. But there was nothing she could do to help him until they solved the question of which earl was behind the smuggling and trafficking operation.

  They had to come up with a plan. There had to be something they’d missed that would help them identify the villain. And, since they’d come up empty-handed the night of the dinner, she could think of little else except what to try next. Little else except the amazing night she’d spent with the Hadleigh.

  She regretted that he felt obligated to offer her marriage because of that night. Which, of course, she wouldn’t consider. They didn’t suit. She was bound to disappoint him. It would only be a matter of time until he realized that, too. But she’d handle that problem later. Now, she needed to devote all her time to devising another plan to expose the earl who wanted Harry dead.

  Except, she didn’t have the slightest idea what to try next.

  Maybe if she returned to the docks she would—

  She felt a giddy rush of excitement. Yes, she needed to return to the docks. She wasn’t sure why, but something about that idea felt right. She wasn’t accomplishing anything here. Perhaps she could discover something there.

  She rushed to the door and stepped into the hall.

  Nellie was approaching the room with an armload of folded towels.

  “Is His Grace in?” she asked.

  “Yes, my lady. He’s in his study. Working on his ledgers I believe Barkley said.”

  “Thank you,” Amanda said, then quickly left to find him.

  She made her way down the stairs, then rapped on his study door. When he bid her enter, she turned the handle and stepped inside the room.

  He lifted his head and his gaze met hers. And he smiled.

  His smile was stunning. The welcoming expression on his face was one she would remember—and cherish forever.

  He belonged here, behind his mammoth oak desk. Surrounded by reminders of his position. Taking care of his domain. Emboldened by his place in Society.

  His handsome face and distinguished physique exemplified the room’s magnificence. Everything in the interior was very masculine and bold, the colors rich and dark.

  The room was large in size, and Hadleigh’s significant form seemed to dominate every square inch of area between the four walls.

  He rose. “Amanda, what a surprise.”

  “Surprise?”

  “Yes. You’ve left your room so infrequently over the last three days I thought you were avoiding me.”

  Amanda felt her cheeks warm. “I wasn’t avoiding you, Your Grace. I was staying in my room in an attempt to come up with another plan to expose the earl.”

  “And have you?”

  She shook her head. “Not really.”

  She hadn’t really come up with a plan. She simply knew she needed to revisit the docks and look at the shipping offices of the four men still on her list. Maybe something would rekindle something she’d missed. “I would like to ask a favor.”

  “Anything.”

  “I would like to revisit the docks.”

  His expression darkened. “Anything except that.”

  “I’m not asking you to take me to the docks so I can break into one of the shipping offices. I only want to drive there.”

  He stepped to the side of his desk. “May I ask why?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not cert
ain. I just feel as though I missed something. Something obvious. Something important.”

  She waited for him to give her an answer. When he didn’t say anything for several long seconds, she added a promise she hoped would cause him to agree to take her. “I just feel compelled to go there, Your Grace. I promise I won’t—”

  “Sterling,” he corrected.

  “Yes. Sterling. I promise I won’t even leave the carriage.”

  His lips lifted slightly, and his eyes gleamed with a smile that indicated he recognized her capitulation. “Very well. When would you like to leave?”

  “Now?”

  His eyebrows shot upward. “You must think this trip is important?”

  “I don’t have any other ideas, and I can’t simply sit here and do nothing.”

  “I know what you mean,” he added. He pointed to his desk. “I made a list of what we already know, and what we need to find out, and everything comes back to this damned elusive earl. Until we discover who he is, we won’t be able to shut down his operation.”

  “Those are my thoughts as well,” she said on a sigh. “Although I have to admit I’m disappointed none of our candidates show promise, I’m also relieved. I didn’t want it to be any of them.”

  Hadleigh stepped toward her. When he reached her, he looped her arm through his and walked her to the door. “Get your bonnet and cloak and I’ll call for a carriage. We’ll take a tour through Hyde Park first, then make our way to the docks.”

  “But everyone will see—”

  “Yes, Amanda. They will.”

  His smile told her he thought he’d won a major battle. She only considered it a minor skirmish, but nevertheless, he’d won a skirmish.

  She hated to allow him any forward progress in her battle to convince him that they wouldn’t suit. He was a formidable enemy. An enemy with a mighty arsenal at his disposal.

  And she was alone. Alone except for the traitor in her camp.

  Her body.

  . . .

  Sterling sat on the seat beside Amanda and reveled in how natural it felt to be with her. And enjoyable. His driver took them on a leisurely drive through the Park, even though Amanda clearly wasn’t enjoying herself as much as he was. If he could have gotten away with it, he’d have left the top down on the carriage so the world could see them together. But she’d insisted they turn it up—at least halfway.

  Her determination made him smile. Didn’t she know it was only a matter of time before all of Society knew his intent—if it didn’t already.

  “The weather is perfect,” he said, taking in the sun that was able to filter through the raised top. He doubted she’d noticed what a glorious day it was, since she’d buried herself deep into the corner of the carriage.

  “If you say so,” she answered.

  He couldn’t help it. He laughed. “I never thought of you as a coward, Amanda.”

  “Wanting to avoid being the topic of speculative rumors doesn’t exactly make me a coward.”

  “It never seemed to bother you when you and my sister were terrorizing Society.”

  “We hardly terrorized anything, Your Gr— Sterling.”

  “I doubt Baron Chardley would agree with that.”

  Sterling enjoyed seeing Amanda’s guilt-ridden expression. “Yes,” he continued before she had a chance to make up any excuses. “I know the role you and my sister played in sending half the male guests at Lady Roegher’s musicale to Lord Roegher’s study because you heard thieves there.”

  “Well, they could have been thieves.”

  Sterling chuckled. “Highly doubtful when it was Gladys Combersom and Reginald Westlawn you saw enter Roegher’s study.”

  She folded her arms across her body and sported an expression of feigned innocence. “How were we to know the two were still in there?”

  “Probably because my sister stood watch to make sure while you went to alert Lord Roeghers.”

  “How did you know that?” she asked.

  He laughed. “It wasn’t hard to see through your scheme. You and Cecelia were forever involved in trouble of one sort or another.”

  “This wasn’t trouble,” she defended. “Gladys Combersom and Westlawn had been in love since they were youngsters. She would have been miserable with Chardley, but because he came with such deep pockets, her father was going to insist she marry him. Anyone with eyes in their head could see she and Reginald belonged together. Celie and I just made sure that would happen.”

  “You caused one of the biggest scandals of the Season.”

  “It’s hardly my fault Gladys and Westlawn couldn’t control their passion.”

  Sterling put a smile on his face and nodded to a passing carriage. “Of course not,” he answered, greeting another carriage when they met. “That’s what Cecelia said.”

  “Celie knows you know about that?”

  He turned his head and looked at her. “Yes.”

  “She never told me.”

  “I venture that’s probably the only bit of knowledge she withheld from you during the entire length of your friendship. The two of you seem to have shared everything else.”

  “That’s what friends do, Your Grace.”

  “Sterling,” he countered. “And smile, Amanda. Lady Remington and her daughter are approaching.”

  “I don’t know why you had to leave the top half down. No one could see us if you’d put it all the way up.”

  “What fun would that be, I ask?”

  “I question your idea of fun, Your Grace.”

  “Sterling,” he said, and this time he gave her a stern look.

  Fortunately, she didn’t have the opportunity to argue because Lady Remington’s driver slowed as they approached, then came to a stop. Hadleigh’s driver stopped, too.

  “Good afternoon, Lady Remington. Lady Francis.”

  “Your Grace. And Lady Amanda. What a surprise.”

  Sterling gave the two ladies a broad smile. “It was too enjoyable a day to waste it indoors. Luckily, Lady Amanda agreed to accompany me. The sun always seems brighter when you’re with a pleasant companion.”

  “How fortunate you are, Lady Amanda,” Lady Remington said, looking from Amanda to him, then back to Amanda.

  “Yes, I consider myself extremely so,” Amanda answered through clenched teeth. “I’ve always been fond of the out-of-doors.”

  The look on Lady Remington’s face said she couldn’t wait to share her news that Hadleigh had serious intentions concerning Lady Amanda Radburn.

  The expression on Amanda’s face told him she couldn’t wait until Lady Remington was out of earshot to slay him with words.

  He was inordinately pleased with himself.

  “Are you going to attend Lady Bladen’s ball tomorrow night?” Lady Remington asked, obviously curious.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “No,” Amanda answered at the same time.

  He looked at her and smiled, then turned back to Lady Remington. “Yes,” he said slowly. “We’ll be there. And you?”

  “Oh, but of course. Lady Bladen’s affairs are not to be missed.”

  He gave the ladies a nod of farewell. “We’ll see you there, then. Have a good day.”

  Amanda smiled, although the grin on her face seemed far from happy, then nodded farewell to the ladies as their carriage moved forward.

  “I heard once,” he said taking note of the tight press of her lips and the taut lines of anger around her mouth, “that in some cultures, it’s recommended that one count to five very slowly before speaking. Especially when one is angry.”

  “How dare you,” she ground out through clenched teeth.

  He also noticed her hands knotted into two tight fists. “Sometimes,” he added, “it’s necessary to count even higher. To eight. Or even nine.”

  “Why did you tell Lady Remington that we would be attending Lady Bladen’s ball? I have no intention of attending. Especially with you!”

  “Or maybe eleven or twelve.”

  �
��Oh.” She slammed one fist against the seat beside him. “You are impossible.”

  “Thank you for the compliment.”

  “That wasn’t a compliment!”

  “It wasn’t?”

  “No!” She turned her head and leveled him an angry look. “Do you realize that before I finish this sentence, the passengers in every carriage in Hyde Park will think we are courting?”

  “Probably.” He nodded, then smiled at another approaching carriage.

  “And do you realize that by late afternoon tomorrow, nearly every morning caller will have the guest list made out for our nuptials?”

  “It will take them that long?”

  “Grrr.”

  Her sound of frustration caused him more satisfaction than he could say. But the angry expression on her face told him that she’d been through enough. “Would you care to return home?”

  “No! I want to go to the docks. I endured our drive through the Park in return for your promise that we could go to the docks, and you will not get out of taking me there.”

  “Very well,” he said. “Reynolds, the lady would like to visit the docks.”

  “Yes, Your Grace,” the driver said over his shoulder, then headed toward the exit.

  Sterling tried to start a conversation several times during their trip to the docks, but she refused to participate. She was evidently angrier than he thought. Or she truly did find the idea of having their names linked that disagreeable. He didn’t want to think that might be the case.

  The carriage slowed when they neared the area where the shipping offices of the Earl of Marquit, and the Earl of Flanders were located. They were fairly close to each other.

  “Do you want Reynolds to stop?” he asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  Reynolds stopped the carriage and for several long minutes, they sat in silence.

  “I searched the files in both offices,” she finally said, “and didn’t find anything that would link Marquit or Flanders to the Calliope Anne. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t have missed something, but there was nothing in their files to indicate an involvement.” She breathed a deep sigh. “The only thing I noticed when going through Marquit’s ledgers was that if the earl doesn’t stop skimming such a huge percentage from the profits, before long there won’t be enough left to run his shipping business.”