The Lady and the Duke_A Dangerous Season

by Penelope Redmont

  "Just tell them no," Catherine advised her sister.

  Then Catherine took Elaine aside. "I promised Felicity that if she wishes, she can leave after supper… Watch her, please. She's to dance, and act as if she doesn't have a care in the world."

  "How did you gain her agreement?"

  "Simple. I told her that if she failed me, I would wash my hands of her. And I would see that the gossip sheets got all the details of her adventure at Grenier's Hotel."

  "You wouldn't!"

  "I would," Catherine said. Her eyes flashed green fire. "I'll make it my mission to ruin the chit so that she never dares to set her foot outside Foxton Park again. I've no more patience with her. She's to attend the ball, and behave."

  Elaine knew that if Catherine carried out her threat to destroy Felicity, the scandal would engulf the Eardleys as well. However, she also knew that Catherine didn't care. Catherine had her sword out, and was in Avenging Angel mode.

  Catherine turned away to speak with the housekeeper, who'd entered the room with her menu book.

  Elaine took a deep breath, and sat beside Felicity, who was looking down at her gloves. "Are you well?" Elaine asked.

  "Yes," Felicity whispered. "There's to be a duel, did you know?"

  "Never mind about that. You're a lady, Felicity. Keep your composure. You have no idea about any duel. Tonight, you'll dance with anyone who asks — or Catherine will do exactly what she says she will…"

  She took her friend's hand. "I know that you can do it, Fee. Please, pretend that you haven't a care in the world. Catherine can be fierce, but she will relent if she sees that you're truly making an effort."

  "I will," Felicity promised. She straightened her shoulders, and cast an anxious glance at Catherine.

  Elaine knew immediately when Sommerforth arrived at the ball. She felt a tingle between her shoulder blades. She would ignore Sommerforth if she could, but she knew that she couldn't cut him. If she did, her behavior would be no better than Fee's.

  She was pleased that her friend had taken Catherine's words to heart. Felicity had a full dance card, and chatted and smiled with her partners, and with the new friends she'd made since she arrived in London.

  Elaine knew that she could do no less than Felicity. She could pretend as well. Much as she wanted to avoid the duke, she was nevertheless surprised and downcast when he didn't approach her. He danced with Miss Minty, and with their hostess's three daughters. Elaine pretended to be totally engrossed with her partners.

  Time passed quickly. They had supper, and a few minutes later Elaine realized that the duke was taking his leave of their hostess. Then he approached the Eardleys.

  Elaine was chatting with Catherine, and saw Sommerforth over Catherine's shoulder. She smiled tightly and curtsied. "Your grace."

  "Ladies, good evening. I arrived too late to beg a dance, Miss Eardley. Mrs. Grove, might I trouble you for a moment?"

  Elaine turned her back on her sister and the duke when they walked away a few paces, to an alcove, where they couldn't be overheard.

  When Elaine's next partner arrived, Catherine was still speaking with the duke. However, a few moments later, when the figure in the country dance brought her within sight of Catherine, Elaine saw that her sister was speaking with Anne.

  Although she longed to ask Catherine what the duke had said, Elaine decided that she didn't care. She spoke to Felicity, and went with her to the ladies retiring room. "You're doing very well," she said.

  "I wish that this was over." Felicity slumped onto a chaise.

  "Only another hour — Catherine said we're not to be the first to leave."

  "I wish I knew what was happening."

  Of course she was thinking about the duel, Elaine realized. Felicity looked ready to burst into tears. "Stop," Elaine handed her a handkerchief. "You were doing so well.. Listen, I can hear ladies coming along the hall. Stand up, and I will pretend to pin up a loose curl..."

  By the time the ladies had left, after casting Felicity and Elaine curious glances, Felicity had regained her composure.

  Then it was over, and the Eardleys were back in their carriage, and on their way home.

  "Very prettily behaved," Catherine said to Felicity.

  "I never want to see Sommerforth again," Elaine said. She'd said the words out loud, and she meant them.

  The day after Lady Newell's ball, David visited the Countess of Hazelbridge in her small house in St. James's Square, across the way from his much larger one. He found her sitting demurely in her small library, writing letters.

  A large fire crackled in the hearth. He crossed the room to warm himself in front of it. The day had turned chill, with icy wind and rain battering against the windows. The walk across the small park made his shoes wet and his temper short.

  She rose and swept him a curtsy.

  "Stow it," he said irritably. He hadn't missed the dark looks he'd received from Elaine, neither in the park, nor at Lady Newell's ball.

  Those looks dispirited him, and he blamed the countess. She had insisted that he take her driving in the park to emphasize their friendship. She needed his visible support in her hunt for a new protector.

  "It's done," he said. "See my solicitor tomorrow, and the estate will be transferred to you. You can tell Destry that his fine new estate will be conveyed to him before the duel."

  She sat down again and smiled at him. "This is costing you a lot of money, and I thank you for it, but I want to know — "

  He lifted his hand again. "Isobel, I don't have the patience to carry on a silly charade today, so don't ask questions. You and Destry are enriched. A fine estate to each of you. Yours to support Marion and the child — not my child, as you very well know, but nevertheless — after this, I will be shut of you. And Destry releases Lady Foxton. What else do you need?"

  "Why give an estate to Destry? You can't imagine that he would kill Volkov. He wouldn't do that. He has no wish to live out his life in exile."

  "That's not your concern. Just see that Destry's apology is conveyed to Volkov — they can carry on the duel, for show. It would not do to call it off, I think."

  "Neither man would agree to calling off the duel. The wagers — "

  "As long as the fools understand that they're not to kill each other. And Destry understands that his engagement to Lady Foxton is over."

  "All this for the Eardley chit." He heard the bitterness in her tone. "There's been talk about Miss Eardley, and you should know it. Did you realize that Destry is saying that he could have had her at any time, while she was staying with Lady Foxton?"

  He stared at her, not understanding what she was saying.

  She flushed. "It's true," she said softly. "I wouldn't lie about that. That's what he's saying."

  "What?"

  She hurried to get the words out. "I daresay that he's just annoyed, because the Eardley chit brought Lady Foxton to town, against his wishes. He blames Elaine Eardley for everything — he hates her, and would do her harm."

  He repeated the word. "What?"

  "He's saying that he kissed her, that's all."

  "I see. Then you'd better ensure that he stops saying that, had you not? Otherwise he will find that I'm a bad enemy."

  "You know that he's close friends with Major Grove. That's why he kissed the girl. That, and because he's a fool. He trades on his looks. There's no more to it than that."

  "You have what you wanted. Now you'll leave London, within the week." David bowed to her, and left.

  He stood outside her house for a moment, staring across at Blackwood House, and trying to make sense of what she'd said. Destry and Elaine?

  David was used to controlling his emotions. A red mist had appeared behind his eyes in the countess's library, and it had taken everything he had not to strangle the vicious woman.

  Ten minutes later, he entered his own library at Blackwood House, and found his aunt sitting in front of the fire.

  "My dear," she said softly as she rose to greet him. "W
hat's inspired this dark look?"

  "I think I will call out Destry."

  When Lady Merrill called the day after Lady Newell's ball, Elaine was alone in the library at Eardley House, working on Catherine's accounts. She had to finalize them, because Catherine was meeting her solicitor and Major Grove the next afternoon.

  It was a challenge to hide that Catherine was spending more money than she ostensibly had, because of the income from the estates of which the major was ignorant. However, Elaine was easily able to hide it. She smiled as she worked, humming to herself.

  She looked up when she heard a soft tap on the door.

  "Ma'am — Lady Merrill has called to see you," Morley said.

  "Please tell her ladyship that Mother and Mrs. Grove —"

  Morley coughed politely to interrupt her. "No, ma'am, her ladyship asked to see you alone, if she may?"

  "Yes, of course. Show her into the drawing room. We'll have tea." Elaine gave a final look at the doctored accounts. They were ready.

  Why would Lady Merrill ask to see her? She shook her head, and returned the account books to their locked drawers.

  Ink. She had ink on her hands, but she couldn't leave Lady Merrill in the drawing while she went upstairs to wash, so Elaine straightened her back and her shoulders, and hurried to the drawing room to meet the duke's aunt.

  Elaine curtsied to Lady Merrill, who stood in front of the fire. "Your ladyship, how kind of you to call, and in this unseasonal weather too. My mother and sisters are resting… What a crush at Lady Newell's ball. We're all exhausted."

  Lady Merrill smiled at her, and Elaine indicated the sofa. She waited for Lady Merrill to sit down, and sat beside her. She felt intimidated by the duke's aunt. Lady Merrill was elegance itself, in a plum wool carriage dress, with a lace frill at her throat.

  "Thank you, Miss Eardley. I hope that you'll forgive this intrusion."

  "Of course, ah — here's tea."

  Elaine waited until Morley and Cormac had set out the tea pot, hot water, and tray of cakes, then poured tea for her ladyship. To her annoyance, she realized that her hands were trembling. She took a deep breath.

  "We are friends, are we not?" Lady Merrill asked, after she'd sipped her tea, then set the cup down.

  "Of course, your ladyship."

  "I wish to discuss Sir Oliver Destry with you."

  Elaine's eyes widened. "Sir Oliver? You wish me to send for Lady Foxton?"

  "No, I wish to speak with you, about what passed between you and Sir Oliver at Foxton Park. There is talk, my dear."

  "Talk?" Elaine barely got the word out. "What kind of talk, Lady Merrill?"

  "He's putting it about that he kissed you."

  Elaine felt the blood leaving her face, and for a moment she felt dizzy. She cleared her throat. How dare he? "So he did," she managed to say. She straightened her shoulders. "He did indeed." The wretch.

  Was he determined to destroy her reputation? She could imagine what Catherine would have to say about that.

  Lady Merrill looked taken aback. "Yes... Forgive me, Miss Eardley, I know that this is a horrid imposition. I have no right to question you in this way..."

  "No, you most assuredly do not." Elaine's temper had risen, and she quelled it with an effort. Lady Merrill was Sommerforth's aunt. She collected herself. "Where did you hear this, my lady?"

  "Several ladies told me last evening, at Lady Newell's ball."

  So that was why Sommerforth had been so cold to her. "I've done nothing wrong... and I would rather not speak of it."

  Lady Merrill had the same gift of silence that Catherine had. She waited for Elaine to go on.

  "I was foolish," Elaine managed. "Flattered. I did not know the kind of man he was. That came later. So I walked in the garden with him, and he — he grabbed me." She felt tears behind her eyes, but she refused to weep.

  "Who chaperoned you at Foxton Park?"

  "A chaperone? Felicity's governess."

  "No female relation of Lady Foxton's?"

  "She has no one, Lady Merrill."

  "I see," the older woman looked disapproving.

  "Catherine sent for me to return to Gostwicke Hall as soon as she knew that Sir Oliver had arrived."

  "As I've said, there's talk. You have an enemy in Destry, I fear."

  "I know that. He blames me for everything. He refused to allow Felicity to come up to town, so I said that she might stay with us."

  "You are aware that my nephew wishes to offer for you, after your season."

  Elaine blinked. "I beg pardon, my lady?"

  "You were not aware?"

  "Indeed I was not, and I've no wish to receive an offer, I promise you — I thought that…"

  "What did you think?"

  Although Elaine strove to overcome her resentment, it boiled over. "I thought that he was my friend, Lady Merrill. Now, may I see you out?"

  She walked swiftly to the drawing room doors and tapped on them. When Cormac opened the door, she spoke calmly. "Cormac. Her ladyship is leaving…" She turned and curtsied to Lady Merrill, then ran upstairs to her rooms.

  When Lady Merrill returned to Blackwood House, the butler told her that his grace was in the library, with his man of business. "If he has a moment before dinner, could you ask him to visit my rooms?"

  She knew that she should not have interfered. David would not be pleased. She wasn't either — she was completely taken aback. It astonished her that Miss Eardley obviously hadn't realized that David intended offering for her.

  She had no doubt that if David offered now, she would refuse him. She shivered, her own temper coming to her rescue. Refuse Sommerforth? Outrageous. Elaine Eardley was far too much like her sister Mrs. Grove to make a duchess.

  14

  Elaine heard the front door close, then after a few moments, the creak of leather and jingle of harness which meant that Lady Merrill was gone.

  She paced her bedroom; she couldn't believe that the duke had intended offering for her. Catherine had known, and hadn't told her.

  Elaine wanted to speak with Catherine alone — she didn't want her mother or Anne to be involved. However, she had to develop patience, because Catherine's maid told Denise that Mrs. Grove was asleep. Catherine had given strict instructions that unless the house was on fire, she wasn't to be disturbed.

  Then came dinner. Mrs. Eardley stared at Elaine, as did Anne.

  "What's the matter, child?" Her mother asked.

  "I'm sorry, I'm still tired," Elaine murmured.

  Catherine studied her for a moment, then ignored her, and was called out of the room by the butler during the meal.

  Finally the meal was over, and rather than sit in the drawing room, Elaine told her mother that she wanted to write letters in the library.

  After an hour, Catherine entered, carrying a branch of candles. She yawned, and set the candles on the library table. "I thought I'd find you here. How are my accounts?"

  "The accounts are done." Elaine stood.

  Catherine sat on a chintz-covered sofa, then kicked off her shoes, and curled up into a ball. "Thank heavens for that. I had a message from Lord Worley… The duel is over. Don't tell Felicity, but Volkov was slightly injured. Pinked in the shoulder, so honor is satisfied."

  "Well — ?" Elaine asked, when Catherine merely closed her eyes, and said nothing more. She pulled out a chair, and sat down beside the sofa. "What about Felicity, Catherine?"

  Catherine opened her eyes, yawned again, and chuckled. "Destry sent a message too. He's calling on Felicity tomorrow. I think that he's decided that dear Felicity is too hot at hand… He's leaving London. I hope that Grove goes with him, but I suppose that's too much to ask."

  "What did you and Sommerforth discuss at the ball? I saw him take you aside."

  "Volkov and Destry. The duel."

  "You knew when the duel was taking place, and didn't tell Felicity?"

  Catherine opened her grey-green eyes wider and frowned at Elaine. "What a question. Of course I didn't te
ll Felicity. There was no reason that I should — and what's the matter with you? You're buzzing with temper like a bee trapped in a bottle."

  Elaine folded her arms. "Lady Merrill called this afternoon. She wanted to speak with me."

  Catherine sat up. "What? Why?"

  Elaine flushed bright pink. She wanted to run way, but she forced herself to sit still and tell Catherine everything. She told her sister what Lady Merrill had said, and watched Catherine's temper rise. "What happened at Foxton Park — is it true? He kissed you?"

  "I fancied myself in love with him." Elaine said. She shivered. What a fool she had been. "Then I grew to understand him — the creature that he is. So, I fear that I've earned myself a reputation... I am now fast."

  Catherine said nothing for a long moment. Then she got up and paced the library. Finally she turned back to Elaine and laughed. "Oh dear… You walked out on Lady Merrill?"

  "I did… I was angry. She said — did you know that Sommerforth intended offering for me?"

  "Of course. We asked him to wait until after your season. You're very young, Elaine, but you seem to be what he wants."

  "Indeed. It's just as well then, after Lady Merrill made it plain what she thinks of me, that I don't want him."

  Catherine scrubbed her face with her hands and stretched. "I'm still tired… And Elaine… Calm yourself. Not becoming hysterical, are you? For shame." She chuckled again.

  Then her mood changed, and she glared. "Listen to me, my dear. Sommerforth is a duke. Accept him or refuse him, it's all the same to me. And to Mother, and Anne… and Melly too, of course."

  "Truly?"

  "Truly. Now tell me what happened with Sir Oliver at Foxton Park."

  Elaine's face heated even more. She felt immensely foolish, but she knew that Catherine would get her own way, so she had to tell her. "I didn't like his kisses at all… and yet…" She hesitated. "When the duke kissed me, it was completely different."

  Catherine gaped at her. "What? The duke? Sommerforth kissed you? When — what happened?"