Wasting no time, she hurried past and continued through the long corridor which led to the east wing of Dandridge Hall.
The door to the study was firmly closed when she arrived, and she crept on tiptoe, holding her breath until she reached it.
Taking a final look around and finding herself entirely alone, Ella gently pressed her ear against the heavy oak door. The voices inside were muffled, but she was certain that they were two male voices. So, the attorney had already arrived.
She closed her eyes as if to hear more clearly and quickly began to pick out much of the conversation that took place within.
“And the Duke really is determined to find a bride this time, is he Mercer?” Ronald Belville’s braying tones were easy to distinguish.
“Yes, His Grace is most determined.”
“And tell me, are there many young ladies in the running, so to speak?”
“Perhaps it would be a little indelicate of me to say.” There was something about the tone of Henry Mercer’s voice which seemed to suggest that he was making an invitation of sorts.
“Yes, quite so.” The Earl paused for a moment. “But perhaps we can find a way between us, my dear fellow, to ease the way just a little?” The Earl’s tone was so sly that Ella winced in distaste.
Was he really offering some sort of reward for the man to part with such sensitive information? And really, that he could even think that an attorney retained by the Duke himself would be so disloyal to his master spoke volumes about the man Ronald Belville was.
“Perhaps there is, My Lord.” The ageing attorney responded in a way which Ella had not expected for a moment. “But it is only right and proper that you suggest the means, Sir,” he went on as Ella shook her head.
Something about the way the two men were going about the whole thing was making her angry. It was as if they were involved in some sort of elaborate dance, each of them twisting this way and that despite the fact that they both knew they would inevitably reach the same conclusion; a conclusion that was undoubtedly agreeable to them both. How very undignified .
“Perhaps you would find this appropriate, my good man.” Ella noticed how Henry Mercer was going up and up in Ronald Belville’s estimation.
First, he was Mercer , then my dear fellow , and now my good man . She realized that she was silently witnessing the forming of an allegiance, a sinister alliance between two men of little scruple.
“Very appropriate indeed, My Lord.” Henry Mercer’s ingratiating tone sickened her.
As far as Ella could see, the dreadful little man had been charged with a most solemn duty. He had been trusted to find the Duke of Hillington a wife when the poor man had been unable to do so for himself. But surely the Duke’s own attorney would have more loyalty to his master than this? Surely, he could not be bought for a few pounds? And yet was it just a few pounds? Ella knew that Ronald Belville’s resources were almost limitless; it was the thing which had drawn her mother to him so completely, second only to the title. Perhaps it was a good deal more than just a few pounds.
“And let me just say at this point that there is certainly more where that came from. A lot more,” Ronald spoke significantly. “Especially if a certain preferred outcome is realized, you understand?”
“I understand perfectly, Lord Dandridge.”
“Good, I am glad that we have been able to find ourselves both in such fortunate positions.”
“Certainly.” Henry Mercer sounded so terribly self-satisfied that Ella fought an urge to knock loudly on the door and frighten the life out of him. “Now then, to business, My Lord,” he went on and sounded suddenly very professional again. “There are but three other young ladies on the list, barring your own excellent daughters.”
“Excellent?” Ella mouthed the word silently and incredulously to herself.
“Oh yes, three very fine young ladies indeed,” her stepfather said sarcastically, and it was clear to Ella that he was being shown a list with the other young ladies’ names upon it.
How easily a man’s morals fold in the presence of personal rewards.
“So, I presume that my own daughters will receive a little extra attention in all of this?” Once again, her stepfather spoke speculatively.
“I shall make very sure of it.”
“Then you truly do have the ear of the Duke, do you not?”
“I have had the ear of the Duke his entire life, as I had the ear of his father before him.” It struck Ella that Henry Mercer was boasting, and she thought it dreadful.
Could he not hear his own words? Could he not remember that he had, indeed, worked for the Darnley family for so many years that his loyalty ought really to have been assured?
“Then perhaps an afternoon tea here at Dandridge would be the order of the day?”
“I think I can assure you of that, My Lord. Shall we say next Wednesday?”
“Whatever day you can manage next week will suit me perfectly.” The Earl’s tone was practically affable.
“Then I shall let you know immediately. As soon as I have spoken to His Grace and arranged things, I shall have word sent to you.”
Fearing that their conversation and thus their meeting was drawing to a close, Ella decided that she would do better to quit the area altogether.
She had discovered not only what she had sought to discover, but so much more. She had discovered things that she almost wished she had not heard at all. For what good could it really do to know how the Duke was going to be steered and deceived? In the end, there was nothing she could do about it.
As much as the Duke had found her frankness amusing at the masquerade ball, she could hardly imagine that he would be so equally impressed with the word of a self-confessed eavesdropper. That sort of admission would take frankness to its extreme and very likely expose her actions to her stepfather if the Duke were ever to approach him on the subject.
No, she could see no way in which she could help him and realized that she would have to hope that the Duke’s good sense was as fine as his character had seemed to be.
With a sigh, Ella turned from the door and hurried back to the safety of the deserted morning room.
Chapter 10
“No, I want to sit there, Georgiana.” Patience was whining at the top of her voice, and it was a sound that set Ella’s teeth on edge. “The Duke must sit right opposite me, not you. I am the oldest, after all. If the Duke is to sit directly opposite either one of us, it ought to be me.”
“Yes, you are the oldest, Patience, but I am the prettiest. If a Duke of the Realm is to take tea here at Dandridge Hall, surely he ought to be placed in front of the prettiest young lady in the house. Really, he is our guest, and it is the very least we can do.”
“Papa!” Patience wailed loudly. “Please, tell her! She must not keep saying that she is the prettiest, for she is not. I am the prettiest, Papa, am I not?”
“You are both very pretty, girls,” the Earl said in such an indulgent tone that Ella could hardly believe it.
Ronald Belville was a man of short temper and not a shred of patience, and yet when it came to his own daughters and their dreadful behaviour, he seemed not to mind at all. Ella could not help supposing that that was how they came to be so ill-mannered in the first place. They had been given free rein to strut through the halls of Dandridge like two little peacocks, all self-importance, and indulgence.
“And you may sit over here, Ella.” The Earl turned his attention to Ella so unexpectedly that she almost gasped. “Here in this chair.” He pointed to an armchair that was set so far to the side and just a little back from where he intended the Duke to sit it that it seemed likely that he would never once rest his eyes on her in his entire visit. It would be impossible.
Ella almost smiled to herself when she realized his plan. It was just like the evening of the masquerade ball when he had denied her attendance on the chance that she might have upstaged his preening daughters. Something about it gave her a little stab of satisfaction that sh
e was not entirely sure was honourable.
Still, even if her satisfaction was a little dishonourable, it certainly paled in comparison to the Earl’s own behaviour; the behaviour that she had been unable to shake from her mind from the moment she had listened to the conversation from the other side of the study door.
“Certainly,” Ella said and nodded as amiably as she could manage.
“You seem to have put in a little extra effort today, Ella,” the Earl said and looked her up and down as if he was seeing her for the first time that day. “Although I am bound to tell you that you need not have bothered. The Duke of Hillington is not coming here today to see you, and you would do well to remember that.”
As he spoke, Ella felt humiliated. Patience and Georgiana turned to look at her too, and she found herself closely scrutinized by the three people she detested most in all the world. Even her mother turned to join them, and Ella felt her cheeks flush violently. How dare they stare at her in such a manner? How dare they make her feel uncomfortable and ashamed?
After all, she had not gone to any special effort, having assumed that she would have no audience herself with the Duke. But Violet, God bless her , had clearly put in all the effort on her mistress’ behalf.
She had dressed Ella in a simple yet flattering ivory gown with elegant long sleeves and a broad satin band at the Empire line. Her hair was straight, just as she had instructed Violet it should be and had been turned into a thick, shiny pleat on the back of her head. The curls which framed her face were loose, Ella not wanting to give herself away. She did not want the tight ringlets that she ordinarily wore around her face, not wanting to remind the Duke of the young masked woman with whom he had shared so open a conversation.
“I have dressed well, Sir, in honour of the Duke’s visit and nothing more. Surely you would expect nothing less in your household, Lord Dandridge?” Ella almost spat the words she was so angry. “And I can assure you that I have made no special effort with the idea of attracting the Duke. It is something that I do not do under any circumstances; perhaps my mother ought to have informed you better of my character.” She turned to glare at Ariadne.
“Well, just keep out of the way, my dear,” Ariadne said, making it clear that she most certainly would not stand against her husband in defence of her daughter. “And do try to be quiet when the Duke is here. It really is vitally important that he has as much opportunity to converse with Patience and Georgiana as possible.”
“I can hardly imagine that I would be able to think of a single thing to say in these circumstances, Mother!” Ella said and felt her voice rising perhaps a little too loudly. “So, you need have no fear that I will make myself known.”
“You will not raise your voice in this house, do you understand?” Ronald Belville turned and took a step towards her.
Feeling entirely threatened, Ella said no more but nodded as meekly as she could manage. Her stepfather really was not a man to be trifled with, and she knew that she would do well to remember that in the future. It was not the first time that he had subtly used his own physique as a silent threat.
Hearing some commotion outside in the entrance hall, Ella realized that the Duke himself must be drawing up. Grateful that his timely appearance would put an end to the uncomfortable situation, Ella breathed a sigh of relief.
“He is here, Papa!” Patience said, narrowing her eyes as she listened to the sound of carriage wheels on the gravel outside.
There was something in her manner that was almost predatory as if she were an animal of some sort scenting the air and making ready to hunt down her prey.
“Oh, and he really is so very handsome.” Georgiana had darted to the window to peer out at the Duke. “Even though he is a little older, he certainly does look handsome without that awful mask.”
“Georgiana, my dear, you really must come away from the window. We cannot risk the Duke seeing you spying on him,” Ariadne said in such gentle, motherly tones that Ella felt suddenly like crying.
How was it that such awful girls deserved her mother’s care when she herself seemed never to get it? Instead, all that Ella could expect was to be bullied and tormented by a man who would never, ever be able to take the place of her own, excellent father.
“Yes, everybody take your seats now, please,” the Earl said as if he were directing a play. “We want to look fully occupied when the Duke is shown in. You must make much of rising to your feet when he enters the room; due deference must be shown in this house.”
The Earl seemed suddenly a little out of his depth, and Ella decided to be amused by that instead. She could not think of her mother’s treatment of her any longer; she had an ordeal to get through and knew it. She must find a way to suffer the afternoon without becoming emotional and doing anything that would otherwise give her away.
“Patience, have a book open on your lap, my dear. We must look as if we are expecting the Duke, but not actually awaiting his arrival.” The Earl sounded nervous. “And Georgiana, turn to your stepmother as if you are in conversation.”
Ella simply took her seat and bowed her head a little to hide a derisory smirk. What a pathetic little scene she was witnessing, so staged, and so very silly. And she noted that she had no part to play in it all. There was no reason for Ella to appear to be otherwise engaged, for as far as the Earl was concerned, she barely existed as an entity at all.
When the Butler knocked sharply on the door, every one of them jumped, Ella included. The atmosphere in the room seemed suddenly charged like the air outside before a thunderstorm strikes.
As the door opened slowly, Ella felt her stomach tighten. She was about to come face-to-face with the man with whom she had been so very frank and unguarded. Not only that, but he had been most unguarded with her, telling her the secrets of his heart and something of the sadness of his search for a wife who truly would take note of the man he was on the inside, not the Duke that he was on the outside.
If he recognized her now, all would be lost. She realized at that moment that he would be as exposed as she in that situation, and she could not begin to imagine that he would take it lightly. She took a deep breath and held it in the hope of steadying her nerves.
“The Duke of Hillington, My Lord,” the Butler announced proudly.
“Thank you,” the Earl said and nodded the man’s dismissal. “Do come in, Your Grace.” His tone switched immediately to a more sycophantic one and Ella, still holding her breath, felt a sudden and ridiculous urge to laugh.
However, she knew it was nerves and managed to keep herself in check.
“Thank you, Dandridge,” the Duke said and walked easily into the room.
As Ella looked at him, she slowly released the breath, blowing it gently through barely parted lips. She had recognized his deep and resonant voice instantly and felt almost transported back to the night of the masquerade ball. But for all her imaginings of the man behind the mask, she could never have imagined how very handsome he really was.
His dark hair and dark eyes were just as she remembered them, both intense and rich. But his face somehow made them all the more pleasing for its very handsomeness. She knew him to be five and thirty years and, in truth, he looked exactly his age. But it was an age that seemed to suit him very well and gave him an air of experience and confidence that made him very appealing.
His olive skin looked smooth, and his jaw was very firm. His features were large and striking and symmetrical, and his smile, when he gave it, displayed perfect teeth. She could not help thinking his darkness made him look a little Mediterranean and she suddenly realized that she was openly staring at him.
Ella averted her gaze before she could be discovered and instead turned her attention to the rest of the family. Both Patience and Georgiana were tossing their golden heads in a way which made Ella wish that they would not. There was something ridiculous about them, and she could not help feeling a little ashamed to be in their company.
Her mother stood with forced grace as if s
he truly were the well-practiced and demure Countess of some standing. Alongside the Earl’s ingratiating manner, Ella knew that she was in for a most uncomfortable afternoon.
“Well, allow me to introduce you to my family once again, Your Grace.”
Chapter 11
Ronald Belville made a big fuss of reintroducing his daughters, making a much practiced little joke of the fact that the last time they had all met, they were all made strangers by the masks of the ball.
The Duke of Hillington laughed politely, although Ella could tell that he was not greatly amused by it. No doubt he had been in company with many such men who rehearsed their humorous little lines before he arrived.
At that moment, Ella wondered what it must be like to live that way, to know that nobody in your presence was ever truly themselves, just a shell of themselves trying to impress you with a personality and character that was not their own. It must surely be a very lonely existence in many ways, especially for a man who did not have close family to regularly break the spell of such pretence.
Kind Ella and the Charming Duke: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 9
