Kind Ella and the Charming Duke_A Historical Regency Romance

by Bridget Barton

  “It does not seem so extraordinary to hear it from her own lips,” Rufus said somewhat defensively.

  “Perhaps not, Your Grace, it is simply that I cannot imagine under what circumstances a young lady might approach a Duke with such a curious problem.” Henry was staring right at him, and Rufus realised that he might have said just a little too much.

  After all, it must now be instantly obvious to Henry that Rufus had indulged in more than just a passing conversation with the young lady, and certainly not one to which her own family was privy. But, of course, Henry was as discreet as the day was long, and Rufus knew that he could trust him entirely. And who would Henry discuss it with, at any rate? In all the years that he had worked for the Duchy, there was never a moment’s suggestion that he had once, not even once , parted with any confidences.

  “I suppose the young lady was suffering a great upset when she mentioned it. You will remember that I told you how the Earl and Countess had all but dismissed her from the room the first time I went for afternoon tea? Well, I must have failed to tell you that I happened upon her on my way out and sought to discover if the young lady was quite alright. She was naturally distressed and embarrassed that I had made any sort of approach. Anyway, I suppose I pressed a little too strongly, and she told me a little of her circumstances before she had gathered herself.”

  As explanations went, Rufus knew it was particularly sketchy, and he had adjusted the timing of her admission to suit himself. However, it mattered not; Henry would surely not suspect anything amiss.

  “I do not like to say it, Your Grace, but they seem to me to be a very fine family, and if what this Miss Winfield says is true, perhaps the Earl has a good reason for keeping her away from the rest. Without knowing the young lady better, I daresay it is impossible to attest to her character, good or otherwise.” Whilst he knew that Henry spoke sensibly and without any further information on the subject, still he wanted to defend Ella Winfield.

  “Henry, I really cannot think that young lady anything other than good. And she certainly makes up for her family’s decided lack of manners.”

  “Dear me, I had no idea that you had any objection to the Dandridge Estate.” Henry seemed so put out that Rufus felt quite guilty about it.

  “I do not have any particular objections; I think my biggest objection is the treatment of that young woman. I can see no reason for it, and I can see no possible benefit in it either. It strikes me as completely arbitrary, and I cannot help wondering if there is not a little cruel streak running through that family.”

  “But the girl’s mother is there, is she not? Surely she would not stand by if any cruelty was being practiced upon her only child?” Again, Henry spoke sensibly, and Rufus knew it.

  Still, he stopped himself from giving Henry the full details. He did not need to tell him everything that Ella had told him about Ariadne Belville and the rest of the family. It would only perturb Henry further, and Rufus did not want to do that. In truth, he wished he had never embarked upon the conversation in the first place.

  “Still, they do provide very good fair, it has to be said. I still cannot quite get over the amount of food at the Earl’s dining table last week.” He laughed amiably, trying to return them to their original footing.

  There was something in Henry’s manner which disturbed him a little, and he could not help wondering if he had done or said anything to upset the old attorney. Henry had been quiet for a day or two, seemingly distracted by something.

  Whilst they did not particularly involve themselves in one another’s day-to-day lives, Rufus felt sure that Henry would have told him if anything was troubling him to such an extent. Still, he could not stem the idea that something was amiss.

  “I am pleased to hear that you were so impressed by the meal.” Henry laughed, and Rufus was a little relieved to hear it. “And I suppose it is only natural of a man of such great wealth to try to display it now and again. And his wealth is considerable, Your Grace, I can assure you.”

  “Yes, and you have no need to assure me, Henry, for the Earl has assured me himself in a number of imaginative ways since first I met him.” Rufus laughed, but Henry did not.

  “I suppose he merely wishes to display himself and his family in a good light. It cannot be an easy thing to have the interest of a Duke. By which I mean it must be a little intimidating, Your Grace.” Henry’s tone was full of its customary kindness, and Rufus mellowed a little.

  He felt a little shabby in mocking the Earl of Dandridge and his family when Henry was so much more tolerant and forgiving.

  “Yes, you are quite right, Henry. You must forgive me, for I think I am a little out of sorts today. I have probably had one too many rich dinners this week in the homes of hopeful fathers.”

  “Oh yes, of course, Your Grace.”

  “But you have not asked me how I got along with Lady Caroline,” Rufus said conversationally.

  “Have I not, Your Grace?” Henry said and raised his eyebrows. “You must forgive my oversight.”

  “There is nothing to forgive, my dear fellow. You are already so busy with matters of the Duchy that the matter of my matrimony cannot always be at the forefront of your mind.”

  “And yet it is an important matter, Your Grace.” Henry removed his pince-nez and rubbed his eyes. “And did you get on well?”

  “Yes, when I finally got there.”

  “Finally got there, Your Grace?” Henry said quizzically.

  “Yes, I had something of a curious journey.”

  “How so, Sir?” Henry seemed suddenly all interest.

  Rufus suffered a moment’s indecision as to whether he should tell his attorney what had occurred. Surely there could be no real secret in it since he did not know who sought to upend him or even who truly sought to warn him about it. And perhaps if Henry knew the details, he might look at it under a different light and somehow come up with some suggestion or answer that would help Rufus work things out a little better.

  “Henry, this might seem a little curious, but I received a warning this week that I ought to be careful on my journey to Lord Mortcombe.”

  “Warning?” Henry’s eyes flew wide open. “But how was the warning made?”

  “It was in an anonymous note, Henry. It was a simple thing which suggested that I ought to take care as I crossed the county.”

  “I beg your pardon, Your Grace, but might I see the note?”

  “I am afraid I have discarded it, Henry.” Rufus was surprised at the ease with which he lied, but he did not want to risk Henry seeing that little sketch of the mask and deducing that it was somehow connected to the mysterious woman he had been so very interested in at the ball. “But it really said no more than I should have a care,” he went on.

  “And did something … happen … Your Grace?” Henry seemed to be greatly disturbed by the news.

  “No, nothing in particular. Well, nothing happened to me, as such. I was cautious, of course, and as we came to that rather thick woodland on the ordinary route, I thought I saw a flickering light in the distance. Taking no chances, I turned my driver around, and we took an alternative route.” He laughed dismissively, not wanting to distress his attorney any further. “And the truth of the matter is that it might just be some ridiculous hoax. After all, there could be any number of explanations as to why somebody might be in the woods at that hour and, being dark, only natural that they would need a light of some sort. I suppose I was just overly cautious, but I made the dinner, and I daresay, given all your hard work in the matter, that that is the main thing. Really, Henry, you must not look quite so distressed about it all. I am sure that it is nothing.”

  “I am sure you are right, Your Grace,” Henry said most unconvincingly. “But do you have any idea at all who would send you such a curious note? Do you have any reason to suspect anybody of your acquaintance of writing it?”

  “Honestly, I do not. Really, Henry, I almost wish I had not mentioned it. As I say it all out loud, I realise that
some silly joke or other has been played upon me, and I feel rather embarrassed about it all.”

  “Well, as long as you are sure, Your Grace,” Henry said and raised his eyebrows.

  “Henry, believe me, I am quite sure,” Rufus said, determined never to raise the subject with his attorney again.

  After all, he did not want to have the poor man worried; he had enough on his plate in his determined search for a suitable bride for him.

  Chapter 24

  “Ella … I mean, Miss Winfield,” Violet said as she burst into the morning room so suddenly Ella almost dropped her teacup. “Forgive me, Miss Winfield.”

  “It does not matter, Violet,” Ella said and put her cup down and turned to give her full attention to her overexcited, pale-faced maid. “Has something happened? Are you quite alright? Really, Violet, you look unwell. Here, sit down next to me.” Ella patted the seat on the couch vigorously, and Violet plopped down onto it.

  “Oh, Miss Winfield. Forgive me for bursting in on you in this way, but I have just heard something which has frightened me.” And as Ella studied her face, she realized that Violet really did look frightened.

  “You must tell me what has happened. You must tell me what you heard immediately.” Ella took both of Violet’s hands in her own and held them firmly. “And you must speak freely, my dear.”

  “Just an hour ago, I saw Mr Henry Mercer climbing out of a carriage at the front of the hall, and I realized immediately that he must surely be coming to speak to his Lordship,” Violet began breathlessly. “And sure enough, before twenty minutes had passed, the housekeeper told me to deliver the tea tray that the cook had put together to his Lordship and Mr Mercer in the study.”

  “I wonder why Mr Mercer was here,” Ella said almost to herself.

  “I thought the very same thing, Miss Winfield. I delivered their tea and, when I left the study and closed the door, I remembered that the last time Mr Mercer was here, you told me that next time you would make me listen at the door.”

  “Oh, my dear girl, I was only in jest,” Ella said and felt suddenly very guilty.

  “I know you were, Miss Winfield. I did not mean to suggest that I felt pressured. But I did it,” she said and fixed Ella with such an honest look. “I listened at the door, and I really have heard the most worrying things.”

  “You must tell me everything.”

  “At first, I almost scurried away. There was some mumbling that I could not make out, and then His Lordship was suddenly shouting, and he sounded so furious that I just wanted to run away. I was sure that he would eject Mr Mercer from the room at any minute and discover me there with my ear pressed against the oak.”

  “But you stayed? You did not run?” Ella said and felt a wave of apprehension.

  “I did stay, but my heart was beating like a drum.” Violet subconsciously held a hand to her chest. “And His Lordship seemed to calm down a little, and I was able to hear better.” Violet paused and took a deep breath before continuing, “Anyway, His Lordship said tell me again about this warning message that the Duke received. Tell me everything, miss nothing out. Miss Winfield, my heart sank into my boots when I heard that.”

  “As my heart has just done,” Ella said, and her mouth went dry.

  Surely the Duke had not admitted to his attorney that he had received a letter of warning. But then why would he not? After all, Ella had never suggested in her anonymous care of him that he should be aware of his own attorney, a man he likely thought of as a friend.

  But why had she not thought of it? She should have realized at the time that there was a significant chance that he would confide in Mr Mercer. Ella realized what a grave mistake she had made and the devastating consequences her oversight might have.

  “And how did Mr Mercer respond, Violet?” Ella said, wanting to hear the rest and yet not wanting to at the same time.

  “He did say that he had not seen the message, and there was no mention of the little mask that I had drawn on it for you. Mr Mercer told His Lordship the Duke had discarded the message and even that he had come to think of it as a hoax of some kind.”

  “Then perhaps all is not lost,” Ella said hopefully.

  “But Mr Mercer went on to say that the Duke had noted the advice that he ought to have a care in his journey to the Earl of Mortcombe’s home and that he ought to take a different route. And, Miss Winfield, somebody did lay in wait for him, they did plan to do something to the Duke.”

  “So, they went ahead with the staged robbery.”

  “But not entirely. Mr Mercer told his Lordship that the Duke had seen a light in the woodlands on the way to Lord Mortcombe’s home and that he had instructed his driver to turn around and take another route.”

  “That is the only bit of good news it seems.”

  “Not quite. The Earl went on to say something like I should have got Proctor to do the job instead of Snaresbrook. Snaresbrook is a fool. He drinks too much, and he cannot adapt to changing circumstances. No, Proctor should have been my man. He would have chased that carriage down and done whatever was necessary. Proctor would stick at nothing. Miss Winfield, it made my skin creep. He sounded so evil.” Violet shuddered. “And all because he cannot bear the competition. For it is clear that His Lordship sees Lady Caroline as the greater competition for the Duke’s interest. But to go to such lengths.”

  “It is clear, Violet, and it is a dreadful way to go about things. How awfully underhand and uncaring. What a man he is. And I wonder what this Proctor might have done to the Duke instead.”

  “Miss Winfield, I truly believe that His Lordship is a dangerous man, and that is what frightens me.” Violet’s little eyes were wide and round.

  “Did they say anything else on the matter?”

  “Not really. Mr Mercer was keen to assure His Lordship that the Duke really does think the whole thing to be a hoax, regardless of the light that he saw in the woodland.”

  “But do you really think that the Duke could seriously think it a hoax?”

  “If he turned his carriage around on that night, he must have had some feeling that something bad was about to happen. But I cannot fathom why he would finally tell Henry Mercer that the whole thing was probably a silly joke. It does not make sense.”

  “Unless he is beginning to suspect something of Henry Mercer,” Ella mused. “Maybe that is it.”

  “Perhaps he just does not want to worry Mr Mercer, given that the man is getting along in years.”

  “Violet, I really do not know what to do next. I wonder if I should be honest with the Duke and finally tell him everything?”

  “I have thought it all along, Miss Winfield. I am sure that the Duke will understand your need for secrecy, and he seems such a good man that I cannot think that he would be angry with you.”

  “I am still very unsure about it all, I must admit.”

  “But I do not think there is time to waste, Miss Winfield. I think your stepfather will soon realize your part in things; he might even know it now.”

  “But how could he?” Ella said, and any last vestige of self-assurance evaporated.

  “Because as I continued to listen, I heard your name mentioned,” Violet began slowly as if to lessen the effect of her words.

  “My name was spoken? But what did they say? What did you hear?” Ella felt a pricking on the back of her neck, and she knew it was fear.

  “At first, his Lordship began to question Mr Mercer about Lady Caroline and if the Duke had said anything of his dinner at Mortcombe. He was keen to discover if the Duke had been at all impressed with Lady Caroline, that much was clear.”

  “And was he?” Ella said and felt a dull feeling in her stomach.

  She knew that it was not entirely connected with her fear of discovery and her stepfather’s wrath. Her feelings for the Duke of Hillington had grown day by day, had been building from the moment she had met him at the masquerade ball, and she was fast reaching the point where she could deny it to herself no longer.

&n
bsp; Even the idea that he would marry Lady Caroline was upsetting to her, even though it would mean that he was safe from either Patience or Georgiana.

  Ella knew that she did not want him to marry anybody, even though she felt certain that it was impossible for him to marry her. For one thing, she had not a penny to her name and, for another, she knew that her stepfather would never allow it. And, for all their ease and good company of late, she knew that she could not assume that the Duke of Hillington was falling in love with her, even though Ella knew she was beginning to fall in love with him. That was one presumption too far, and she knew it.

  “It seems that he did not say one way or the other, Miss Winfield. Apparently, he spoke only of the journey there to his attorney and nothing more.”

  “I see,” Ella said, mildly relieved that she had not had to hear it said that the Duke had fallen head over heels in love with the beautiful Lady Caroline. “But what did they say next?”