Tristan was glad he’d beat the hell out of the bastard.
The clock chimed eleven times, drawing his attention. Then he returned his gaze to her. She was staring at her lap. “What happened afterward?” he said softly.
“Later, my uncle told me he never intended to let Richard near me again, but that day, he wanted Richard to reveal his true motivation—that he was after my fortune. Uncle George gave him two choices: Marry me without a penny or take a commission in the army.”
“He chose the army,” Tristan said.
“He said he’d rather join the stinking army than marry a fat chit.” She looked at him. “I have felt ugly ever since.”
“Tess, you are beautiful to me. The first time I saw you, I was struck dumb by your lush mouth and the laughter in your eyes. But it was your quick wit that intrigued me the most. No woman has ever challenged me the way you do.”
She took a deep breath. “I promised you honesty, and I will say the words once. Then you must forget them.”
His skin tingled, though he’d no idea what she meant to say.
“Mortland underestimated my uncle, and he underestimated me. He did not know I love you. I love you so much I would sacrifice myself to complete and utter ruin if it meant I could save you from scandal.”
His heart thumped. She loved him. Loved him. A hot sensation rushed into his cheekbones and stung his eyes. He gritted his teeth, fighting for control.
Tears welled in her eyes. “You do not have to say anything. I know you will act with honor. But in my heart, you will always be my knight in ducal armor.”
He wanted to get down on his knees and beg her to be his wife. But he’d made a pledge to two others. He wanted to break it, wanted to say to hell with society, but Tessa would not let him. She would never hurt those girls, and he could not bring disgrace upon them or Tessa.
There was one thing he could do for her, something he’d planned while waiting for her to arrive. He stood and helped her rise. “Come with me.”
He led her to the hearth and set the screen aside. Then he removed the blackmail letter from his coat pocket. “I want you to burn his letter, and I will witness. When it is finally consumed, you will never think of him again.”
She fed both pages at once into the fire. He held her hand until the papers and her past disappeared in the flames.
One week later, Tristan stood at the open window in his study, staring at the soot-filled sky. The door opened. His mother walked in and stood beside him. “You spoke to the two girls and their fathers?”
“Yes.”
She cleared her throat. “I suppose one of the calls you made proved difficult.”
He struggled not to laugh at her obvious attempt to wrangle the information out of him. “All in all, matters went far better than I expected.”
She tried again. “Should I send out the invitations for the ball?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
She swatted his arm with her fan. “You are purposely torturing me. Who did you choose?”
“I thought of surprising you at the ball.”
“Insolent puppy. Tell me now,” she demanded, “or there will be no ball.”
He did.
She dropped her fan.
When he bent to retrieve it, his very proper mother muttered, “I’ll be damned.”
Tessa and Jane were discussing the wedding plans when Gravesend appeared at the drawing room door. “The Duchess of Shelbourne.”
They both rose. Tessa had read the papers every day, expecting to hear of Tristan’s engagement. Perhaps the duchess meant to inform her. Tessa’s heart squeezed. She must be happy for him, even though her heart ached every time she thought of him. Which was about every five minutes. Next week six, she promised herself.
The duchess sat next to Tessa on the settee and turned her attention to Jane. “Miss Powell, I understand you are to make an advantageous marriage. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Jane said.
“I have a personal matter to discuss with Miss Mansfield,” she said. “Will you grant us privacy?”
Tessa’s lips twitched. How like the duchess not to mince words.
Jane fled the room as if all the society dragons were breathing fire at her.
“May I offer you tea?” Tessa asked.
“No, thank you.” She opened her reticule and handed Tessa an engraved invitation. Tessa opened it. Her heart pounded as she struggled to keep the smile on her face. “Oh, he will announce his engagement at a ball. On Friday.” One week away.
“My son will propose there.”
Tessa gasped. “In a crowded ballroom?”
“He has spoken to the girls and their families at length,” she said. “My son assured me all went well.”
She swallowed. It hurt. It shouldn’t. But it did. “So they know.” Her voice had quavered just a little.
“He plans to honor both girls and their families. In this manner, he will show his great esteem for them and ensure that all of society is witness.”
“Oh.” She looked at the duchess. “Who did he choose?”
The duchess lifted her quizzing glass to her eye. “My son told me you like surprises. I assured him I would not give away his secret.”
Tessa’s lips twitched. “He did that on purpose because I surprised him.”
“I believe hoodwinked is a more accurate word,” the duchess said. “You will attend, of course. He wishes to acknowledge your efforts on his behalf.”
Oh, it would be hard, but she must be brave for him. And happy for him—in a year or so. “In that case, I certainly shall attend. After all, everyone will say I have made the match of the century.” She frowned. That did not sound quite right.
The duchess cleared her throat. “I believe that is a possibility.”
Chapter Twenty-three
On the night of Tristan’s betrothal ball, Tessa’s nerves threatened to overwhelm her. “Do I look presentable, Jane?”
“You look beautiful. Blue suits you,” she said.
She had chosen the color in honor of his unforgettable eyes. “I suppose we should be on our way.”
Jane’s eyes registered sadness. “If I were a fairy god-companion, I would wave my magic wand and make sure your prince chose you.”
Georgette would live the fairy tale tonight. “Let us go before I lose what little courage I have,” Tessa said. After Jane had noticed her moping, Tessa had confessed she’d fallen a tiny bit in love with the duke. Jane had suspected Tessa had developed tender feelings for him.
When they reached the door, panic squeezed the breath from her lungs, but she would not disappoint Tristan. “I can do this,” she said. “I will hold my head up high and sniffle like all the ladies. Sentimental feelings at such an occasion are to be expected.”
“Very true,” Jane said.
A knock sounded at the door. When Tessa opened it, Gravesend’s weathered eyes misted a little. “Might I be permitted to say how very lovely you look tonight, my lady?”
“Thank you, Gravesend. Come along, Jane. We must not tarry.”
“Two gentlemen are downstairs waiting to escort both of you,” Gravesend said.
Tessa blinked. “Who are they?”
“I am sworn to silence,” he said, puffing out his chest.
Tessa and Jane exchanged puzzled looks. Then they followed Gravesend down the corridor to the stairs. At the landing, Tessa paused. Hawk stood gazing up at her with a merry grin on his face. Beside him, Mr. Hodges turned and smiled.
“Oh, my goodness,” Jane whispered.
In a daze, Tessa followed Jane down the stairs.
Hawk offered his arm to Tessa. “Shall we go to the ball?”
Tessa smiled a little. “He sent you.”
Hawk winked. “He doesn’t like to leave things to chance.”
Moments later, the carriage wound through the streets of the West End. Then it slowed to a crawl, stopping and starting, moving only a few feet at a time. A mile of c
arriages stood in front of their vehicle, each waiting to deposit passengers. It seemed like hours before Hawk’s carriage arrived at the wrought-iron gates. Then they were walking through the door of the ducal mansion and the stairwell was before them.
Hawk grinned at Tessa. “Well, Princess, shall we claim privilege on those stairs?” He looked over his shoulder. “Hodges, follow me.”
Then, as if by magic, the guests squeezed aside while Hawk led them up the curving staircase. At the landing, four footmen cleared the path for them.
The crowd stared as Hawk led her inside the grand doors. Tessa’s heartbeat thudded in her ears. Or was that the buzz of voices? Ahead she saw a red-carpeted dais erected at the back of the ballroom.
Hawk led her to the duchess, who waited near the front of the stage. Then he stood beside Tessa.
Tessa curtseyed. “Your Grace.”
The duchess raised her quizzing glass to her eye. “Miss Mansfield, I approve of your gown. Blue is your color.”
“It is my favorite.” Tessa craned her neck and caught a glimpse of Jane walking with Mr. Hodges, but the crowd swallowed her.
Julianne skipped up to her mother and peered at Tessa. “Miss Mansfield, your gown is gorgeous. You will be the envy of every woman tonight.”
“Thank you, but I think someone else will soon be the most envied lady at this ball.” She looked past the dais. Near the stairs, she spotted Amy, Georgette, and their parents. Both girls looked stunning tonight. Amy was tall and regal in a netted gown with a jade underskirt. Georgette looked beautiful, of course, in her white gown with a rose sash. Both girls appeared poised. Tessa was glad they’d learned the outcome ahead of time.
She craned her head, looking for Anne and Lord Broughton, but she could not see them in this crush. With a sigh, Tessa tapped the toe of her slipper, anxious for Tristan to arrive.
A parade of ladies walked toward them. Hawk leaned closer to Tessa. “My family—all female, you will note. My brother Will is languishing in some Italian villa, or so my great-aunt Hester reports. Watch out for her, she’s a live one. And the white-haired lady is my grandmamma. She enjoys her heart palpitations, or rather, the attention she gets when she conveniently succumbs to them. Ah, here they come. Do me a favor, Princess, and tell them you’re done making matches for rakes.”
In the next few moments, she discovered Hawk had a rather eccentric family: grandmamma of the famed heart palpitations, the countess and her three married daughters, who insisted they’d gone into a decline upon hearing of their brother’s ill-fated one-hour engagement, and Great-aunt Hester, who inspected Tessa and boomed, “Hah! She bamboozled Shelbourne with her bosom.”
After they moved on, the duchess leaned toward Tessa. “Dreadful woman. She buried five husbands and keeps a faux mummy in her drawing room.”
The connecting door opened, and the crowd hushed. Tristan strode in and headed for the dais. Tessa caught her breath. He looked very handsome in his formal black tailcoat and breeches as he climbed the short steps. When he reached the center of the stage, he put his hands behind his back.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, projecting his distinctive voice so that all could hear. “Thank you for attending. It is an honor to share this occasion with so many friends.”
After a pause, he drew in a breath. “Most especially, I wish to thank the twenty-four beautiful young women and their families who started out this journey with me. Much as I would have liked to marry all of them, I am not man enough for twenty-four wives.”
Laughter erupted.
Tristan held up his hand. When the crowd quieted, he continued. “I am also honored to have my good friend Hawk here. He willingly attended many of the courtship events and even suffered a night at the opera. It was courageous of him since he is mortally afraid of catching wife-itis.”
Tessa smiled as laughter broke out again.
“Of course, I am also indebted to my sister, who was under the mistaken impression she could engage in mischief while I was preoccupied with my courtship. And I wish to honor my mother.” He made a very formal bow to her. “She thought her lectures fell on deaf ears, but eventually I saw the error of my ways.”
Then he turned to gaze at Amy, Georgette, and their parents. “Will you join me?”
The girls linked arms and walked up to the dais. Their beaming parents followed, standing behind them. Tessa was glad the girls had remained friends, and it seemed their parents had as well.
Tristan addressed the girls. “Miss Hardwick and Lady Georgette, I honor both of you. It is to your credit that you have remained steadfast friends throughout the courtship.”
Murmurs of approval sounded within the crowd.
Tristan continued. “Miss Hardwick and Lady Georgette, you are here for a reason. From the very beginning until the end, both of you demonstrated rare strength of character. I am awed by your unwavering loyalty and friendship. I also wish to pay my respects to Lord and Lady Boswood and Mr. and Mrs. Hardwick. Thank you for allowing me to court your wonderful daughters.”
Tessa’s breath hitched in her throat. She had assumed he’d chosen Georgette, but she could not be sure. He might have chosen Amy. Tessa gripped her hands hard. The suspense was almost unbearable.
Tristan cleared his throat. “During the courtship, I recognized there was an imbalance. All the decisions were mine, and yet the young ladies could not court other gentlemen. I thought this unfair to them, so I told them they had a choice in the matter. They had the option to withdraw at any time, and I promised I would understand.”
Only a few coughs pierced the silence.
Tristan continued. “At a house party, I came to know Miss Hardwick, Lady Georgette, and their parents better. There was and still is friendship among all of us. But I began to worry if we were all not feeling a bit of obligation because of the public nature of the courtship. We all enjoyed our time together, but I felt something missing. So I decided to call on Lady Georgette and Miss Hardwick after we returned to London.
“Earlier in the courtship, I’d asked all the ladies what they expected out of a marriage to me. This time I posed the question a bit differently to Lady Georgette and Miss Hardwick. I asked them what they most desired from a husband. Mind you, I spoke to them separately, so imagine my astonishment when they both gave the same answer.”
Tristan paused again, keeping everyone on pins and needles. “And they said love,” he finished. “So I found myself asking another question.”
Numerous male chuckles followed.
“I asked Lady Georgette and Miss Hardwick if they loved me.” He grinned at both of them. “And they astonished me again. Both reassured me of their great esteem and even mentioned I wasn’t a bad-looking fellow.”
More laughter followed. Tessa’s eyes misted. She’d not failed him after all.
“Naturally I lamented the lack of passion in their regard, but I understood if they wished to withdraw. Now here is the part I found somewhat peculiar. Both girls assured me their decision was a near thing, but Miss Mansfield told them the law did not permit me to marry both of them.”
Mr. Hardwick shook his head, making the crowd laugh louder.
When Tristan turned to the girls again, the crowd hushed. “Miss Hardwick and Lady Georgette, I wish you happiness and most of all, I wish you love.”
Thunderous applause erupted. Tristan took the opportunity to bow to their families. Tessa clasped her hands and regarded the duchess. “Oh, that was wonderful. Like watching a play.” Then she frowned. “Oh, dear. I suppose I’ll have to arrange another courtship for him next season.”
The duchess fanned herself. Hawk made a choked sound. Julianne snickered behind her hand.
Some of the guests began to head for the refreshment tables, but they halted when Tristan held his hand up once more. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention again?” He paused for silence. “You may be thinking what now? But a certain lady once told me some of the most wonderful things in life are a surprise.”
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Tessa clasped her hands to her heart.
“One night at a ball, I was searching for a bride, and I stepped on a fan quite by accident. When I looked up, I saw a lady with laughing green eyes. I offered to pay for her damaged fan, but she reassured me its death was a kindness as it was quite ugly.” He looked down at his sister. “Julianne, will you do the honors for me?”
Tessa accepted the ugly little fan and smiled. It was so wonderful of him to recognize her. He must know how much it meant to her.
“Miss Mansfield,” he said, “Julianne and I were unable to find any fans with putrid green paint, but my sister assured me this one is hideous.”
Tessa laughed with everyone else. She was so touched.
His smile faded, and he took a deep breath. “I wish to honor you, Miss Mansfield.”
Hawk offered his arm. “Princess, may I escort you?”
Tessa’s heart started racing as she took Hawk’s arm. “I do not understand.”
The duchess took the ugly fan and leaned closer. “Don’t disappoint me, gel.”
Tessa’s nerves jangled as Hawk led her round the dais and up the steps. Then he winked at Tristan and retreated. She stood there, dazed. Tristan beckoned her with his fingers. She walked forward, feeling as if she’d done this once before. He gazed intently into her eyes when she stopped before him. Then he reached into his coat, drew out a sealed paper, and offered it to her. “A gift for you,” he said.
A hush descended over the room.
She broke the seal with trembling fingers. The silence unnerved her as she unfolded the page. Her breath caught at the words.
You are my one and only, for all eternity.
The same words her father had written to her mother every day of their marriage.
The paper fluttered to the carpet as he took her hands. Then he kneeled before her. She gasped, along with two hundred other guests.
His beautiful blue eyes were shining as he gazed up at her. “Tessa, I love you with all my heart. If you will agree to be my duchess, I will honor, protect, and love you all the days of our lives.”
How to Marry a Duke Page 32
