Of Dukes and Deceptions: Dangerous Dukes Vol 4

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘I think that is really sad,’ Alicia said softly, her mind on the comfort she had garnered from her closeness with her own father.

  ‘I agree with you there but that’s the way the gentry do things. He brought some of the toffs he went to school with back to Dorchester Park. All titled and full of self-importance they were, just like the duke was taught to be.’

  ‘It is another world entirely to me, Mr Gibson. And one I don’t aspire to be a part of.’

  They walked on in silence for a few minutes and then Mr Gibson spoke again.

  ‘He was at Waterloo, you know.’

  ‘Really.’ Alicia arched a brow. ‘I did not know that.’

  ‘Aye, that’s where he developed so much respect for Hanoverians. Some of the atrocities we saw, the cruel end some of those noble beasts met with, has stayed with us both ever since.’

  ‘You went with him?’

  ‘’Course I did. Someone had to act as his batman. Besides, I couldn’t trust him to behave himself on his own.’

  Alicia laughed. ‘Did he distinguish himself?’

  ‘Oh, aye.’ Mr Gibson removed his cap and scratched his head. ‘Trouble is he tends to be a bit reckless. Acts without thinking things through. I had to save his skin twice as a result of his rash behaviour.’

  ‘And so now you’re responsible for him,’ she said, smiling.

  ‘What do you mean by that?’

  ‘Oh, just something he said to me after he helped me save that poor rabbit’s life.’

  ‘Did he now?’ Mr Gibson looked at her with a very peculiar expression on his face but said nothing more.

  Alicia wrinkled her brow. ‘If he is so toplofty, I wonder what made him accept my uncle’s invitation. We were astonished when he did so. None of us, except perhaps my cousin Maria, thought he would deign to reply to an audacious approach from someone he didn’t even know, much less take it up.’

  ‘Ah, well, he was bored and, er…well, let’s just say he was anxious to avoid being gulled into an engagement. He needed to put some distance between himself and the lady in question.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘He will have to marry soon. He’s almost one-and-thirty and needs to fill his nursery before he gets much older. He knows that and so do all the matchmaking mamas. He’s besieged wherever he goes, and I have to say I feel sorry for the lad. He only has to speak to a female and within minutes everyone’s talking about his intentions. But this latest one, she was suitable in all respects and I could tell he was on the brink of offering for her just so he’d be left alone by all the others. I told you before, he can be a bit rash. But if he gave way to his impulses this time, wot would that mean for him?’

  ‘It would mean, I suppose,’ Alicia said slowly, ‘that he would have finished up in the same position as his parents. He would have been trapped in a loveless marriage simply because the lady comes from a suitable background and is able to provide him with an heir.’

  ‘Exactly. And I wasn’t gonna let him make that mistake if I could help it. So when yer uncle’s invitation came it seemed like a godsend. I encouraged him to consider it, wot with us both admiring Hanoverians so much, even if I did think it was a bit fishy.’

  ‘And instead of being relieved from the attentions of predatory females for a few days, he has had to spend most of his time fending off my cousin.’

  Gibson chuckled. ‘Aye, and she’s more than a match for any of her better-born sisters, let me tell you.’

  ‘She can be quite determined,’ Alicia admitted with a smile. ‘But anyway, I feel persuaded that his grace is well able to take care of himself. Besides, you will be gone from here soon.’

  ‘That we will. But the good news is that he’s found the right woman at last.’

  ‘Really?’

  Alicia was obliged to quell an irrational surge of jealousy. Quite what she had to be so jealous about, she could not have said. All she knew was that the duke ought to have had better manners than to bed her if his affections were engaged elsewhere. Presumably the duke had discovered his lady love during the course of his visit to Lord Dawson’s estate the other day. His lordship’s wife had a younger, unmarried sister of great beauty. And so eminently suitable. Perhaps his interest in Lord Dawson’s sister-in-law also explained his true purpose in accepting her uncle’s invitation, which had obviously arrived at an opportune time.

  ‘It’s funny,’ Mr Gibson said, ‘how you can look for something for years without any luck. Then blow me down if it don’t turn up in the last place you’d expect to find it.’

  ‘I wish his grace joy,’ she said listlessly. They had reached her animal hospital and Mr Gibson opened the door for her. ‘Thank you, but I will be quite safe here.’

  ‘I’m sure you will, but I’d best stay with you, miss. The guv’nor—’

  ‘Pray, don’t trouble yourself on my account. I am sure you have better things to do with your time than act as my nursemaid.’

  He looked at her for a long time before stepping out of the barn. ‘Right enough. I’ll be directly outside if you have need of me.’

  As soon as the door closed after him Alicia gave way to the pent-up emotion she had struggled to conceal from her guardian, fell into a pile of hay and sobbed her heart out, bitterly regretting what could never be.

  Nick strode into the house and broke his fast in solitude. None of the ladies breakfasted downstairs and neither of the Woodley males were in evidence. Ravenous, he worked his way through a heaped plate of coddled eggs and ham, accompanied by fried mushrooms and copious amounts of coffee.

  He tried to anticipate any stratagems Woodley and his man might be concocting in an effort to gull him but his mind appeared reluctant to tear itself away from thoughts of Alicia and all that had passed between them the previous evening. He couldn’t help wondering why the memories were so determined to linger. Perhaps because her capitulation had been as sweet and natural as it had been poignant, setting her apart from her numerous predecessors. Something about her sultry smile as she surrendered to his touch, the unselfconscious delight she displayed at their activities, aroused him afresh. It was the reason why he had blindfolded her, of course. If she couldn’t see his face, she would feel less inhibited and more likely to behave instinctively.

  Are you feeling rampant yet, your grace?

  Nick chuckled at the memory, still at a loss to understand his distracted state, putting it down to guilt. As soon as the act was completed he usually forgot all about it. It took him a moment to realise what was different about this particular one. Incredibly, she had made no demands upon him, other than those of the flesh, and he was all too willing to oblige in that respect. Alicia hadn’t expected to be rewarded for the gift of her body, nor had she tried to pin him down to a second meeting. He sat up a little straighter as the singularity of her behaviour struck him. He could not remember the last time his interaction with another person of either gender had been entered into without expectation of gain. That being the case, he was obliged to accept that Alicia Woodley really had only wanted to satisfy her curiosity.

  ‘I’ll be damned!’

  Spoken aloud, his words startled the footman who had been standing statue-like beside the door. He jumped to attention.

  ‘Was there something you require, your grace?’

  ‘No, nothing. I am replete.’

  Nick pushed back his chair and walked through the door the servant opened for him. He squared his shoulders as another footman facilitated his entry to the library.

  Woodley looked up and smiled ingratiatingly at him.

  ‘Good morning, your grace. I trust it is not inconvenient commencing our business at such an early hour?’

  The books were accompanied by a badly attired little man. He sported an abundance of whiskers that failed to conceal hollow cheeks and a sallow complexion. He stood and bowed low, looking a little overawed to be in the presence of an actual duke.

  ‘It is not inconvenient,’ Nick said curtly.

 
‘Good, good.’ Woodley beamed. ‘Saunders arrived in the village late yesterday evening but, not wishing to interrupt our little party, he very properly put up at the local inn. That is why he is so punctual this morning.’

  ‘I see.’ Nick took the seat at the head of the table and looked at the two men expectantly. He was in no mood for one of Woodley’s long monologues and wanted to get this thing over with. Every moment he couldn’t be with Alicia made him unaccountably anxious, even though she would be perfectly safe in Gibson’s care.

  ‘Aware of your anxiety to have sight of the books, your grace, I took the liberty of asking Saunders to come at first light.’

  More like you want me to look at them so I will leave and you can safely cover those mares. Satisfied that his private thoughts were not reflected in his expression, Nick turned his attention to the books. He wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when they appeared to be above board, showing a modest profit. He pretended to be taken in by them.

  ‘All seems to be in order, Woodley,’ he remarked to his host after an hour.

  Woodley appeared relieved. ‘I am gratified to hear you say so, your grace. I pride myself on running a tight ship here.’

  ‘You appear to have experienced a very lean year two seasons ago,’ he added, just to see how Woodley would explain away the virus.

  Alarm briefly flittered through his host’s eyes. ‘We were badly let down. A number of mares were due to come to us from the same yard but the gentleman in question lost them in a card game. Their new owner sent them to another stallion.’

  Nick shrugged. ‘How unfortunate.’ It was a ridiculous explanation which he pretended to swallow. He stood up and stretched. ‘Well, Woodley, you have given me much to think about. But before we take matters further, I would like to see records of the mares covered during your tenure here, details of their owners, and so forth.’

  ‘Is there a particular reason why those records would be of interest to your grace?’

  ‘Certainly. I would like to ascertain if any of my acquaintances have utilised your stud. If so I can obtain a first-hand account of the experience from them. There is nothing like word of mouth to make or break a reputation.’

  ‘I see.’ Woodley let out a slow breath. ‘It will take several hours to pull the records together, if you would be good enough to exercise a little patience.’

  Nick didn’t see why it should take any time at all since the information must be lodged in ledgers in the estate office. However, it suited his purpose for there to be a delay. ‘After luncheon will suffice, Woodley. I don’t intend to quit Ravenswing Manor until tomorrow.’

  ‘My wife will be gratified to learn that she will have the honour of entertaining you for a further night.’

  ‘She should not put herself out on my behalf,’ Nick drawled laconically, knowing that she would.

  He swept from the room and left the house by a side door, anxious not to be detained by any of the family members. He discovered Gibson pacing the area in front of Alicia’s barn.

  ‘Is Miss Woodley in her maid’s care?’

  ‘No, she’s in her animal hospital.’

  ‘And you left her there alone? God’s teeth, I told you to stay with her, Gibson.’

  ‘And she told me she wanted privacy.’ Gibson spread his hands. ‘Wot was I supposed to do?’

  ‘You were supposed to obey my orders for once.’ The irrational fear for Alicia’s safety which had been with him all the morning caused Nick to speak sharply.

  ‘Which is why I’ve been hanging about here. I can see the door to the barn and no one’s gone in there after Miss Woodley.’

  ‘And you know for a fact that no one was lying in wait for her inside, do you?’

  ‘Well, no.’ Gibson scratched his ear. ‘Now you come to mention it, that didn’t occur to me.’

  ‘Well, it bloody well should have.’ Nick strode toward the structure in question. ‘Anyone wishing to do her harm would know this barn is always her first port of call.’

  With Gibson at his heels, Nick wrenched the door open with unnecessary force. He felt a coldness gripping his heart, convinced that he would find Alicia dead or, at the very least, lying unconscious on the floor. What he didn’t expect was to see her seated calmly on a bale of straw, their rabbit sitting quietly on her lap as she attended to its injured leg. The tranquillity of the scene stopped him in his tracks.

  Nick drank in the sight of the woman he appeared to be developing something of a tendre for, relieved beyond reason to see her looking hale and hearty. She glanced up when he opened the door, a question in her eyes.

  ‘Wait outside,’ Nick said brusquely to Gibson.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When the door opened, Alicia assumed it was either Will or Janet but would prefer not to be disturbed by either of them. She felt an urgent desire to be alone with her thoughts and looked up, ready to dismiss the intruder. The words stalled on her tongue when she espied Nick’s imposing figure filling the doorway. And he didn’t look pleased. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips when she took in the hard set to his features, the steely determination in eyes as black as obsidian. The duke cut an impressive dash at the best of times. But when in a bad mood, as he clearly was at that moment, she privately admitted to being a little in awe of him. Despite her confused feelings and determination to keep him at arm’s length, she couldn’t help a spontaneous smile briefly flitting across her lips.

  His presence here could only mean trouble, of course. He probably intended to ring a peal over her for some reason, just because he’d decided she was his responsibility. The realisation caused her to quell her fledgling smile and scowl at him instead. This time she would not be intimidated into doing as she was told.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked, returning her attention to the rabbit.

  ‘I might ask you the same question.’

  ‘I work here every morning.’

  ‘And anyone wanting to harm you would be aware of that fact.’ Nick had taken up a position inside the door. He leaned against it, arms folded in a fashion that suggested anything but a relaxed frame of mind.

  ‘Mr Gibson delivered me to the door and saw me safely inside,’ she said, annoyed with herself for sounding so defensive. ‘I thank you for your concern but you can take yourself off to Lord Dawson’s estate now. I am perfectly safe here.’

  ‘Dawson? Why the devil would I go there?’

  ‘Oh, no particular reason. I thought…however, it is none of my business.’

  He looked blank so perhaps she had got it wrong and it wasn’t Lady Dawson’s sister he intended to marry. She would like to know, in that case, who the unfortunate young lady was who would have to live beneath this exasperating, desirable and contrary man’s tyrannical rule for the rest of her days. It was not as if she could ask him outright but she assumed that an announcement would be made in the traditional manner in the fullness of time.

  ‘Don’t let me keep you, your grace,’ she said with an airy wave of dismissal. ‘I am sure you have better things to do with your time than to stand guard over me.’

  Alicia chanced a glance at his face. Still sprawled elegantly against the door, his stern features had relaxed as he scrutinised her closely. Levering himself upright, he watched as she applied a poultice to the rabbit’s leg. Jasper struggled to his feet, wagged at Nick and proceeded to lick his hand.

  ‘How does she fare?’ he asked, nodding toward the rabbit.

  ‘She is a great deal better. I should be able to return her to the wild in a few more days.’

  ‘She looks perfectly content to remain here.’

  ‘Possibly, but that wouldn’t be fair to her. She will be happier mixing with other rabbits. Besides, if I were to keep every creature I rescue, I would soon run out of space.’

  Nick took to prowling round the barn, looking into every pen. He asked questions about their various occupants and actually listened to her responses. But all the time she could sense the tension between them
inexorably building. Nick hadn’t come here to discuss her animals and they both knew it. Why he had chosen to come at all was another matter. He still looked angry, and she quickly discovered that he wasn’t a comfortable person to be around when one had incurred his displeasure.

  Alicia spent as long as she could attending to her patients. Nick watched her, allowing a penetrating silence to stretch between them. He had run out of questions, and she had run out of things to do. She started to pack her medicines away. Then she would return to the house and shut herself in her room. Even he wouldn’t attempt to pursue her there. Not in broad daylight anyway.

  ‘Here, allow me.’ Nick removed a crate of medicine from her hands.

  ‘Thank you, but there’s no need. I am well able to manage.’

  Nick ignored her and stored the crate in her cupboard, saving her the trouble of standing on a bale of straw in order to reach it. ‘Are you finished now?’

  ‘Yes, I shall return to the house and rest.’

  ‘Are you fatigued? But of course you are,’ he continued, not waiting for her response. ‘You are unwell and didn’t get much sleep last night.’

  She examined his face to see if he was taunting her with this deliberate reference to their clandestine activities. All she could detect in his expression was mild concern. ‘I am feeling perfectly well, thank you. My shoulder doesn’t trouble me at all. But that will not prevent Janet from scolding me if I remain outside for too long.’

  ‘I rejoice in the knowledge that someone else has your best interests at heart.’

  ‘Yes indeed, even if you do not.’

  ‘I beg your pardon.’ He appeared surprised by her acerbic tone.

  ‘You have achieved that which you set out to do,’ she said, tossing her head. ‘You no longer need to pretend an interest in me that doesn’t exist to pacify what passes for your conscience.’

  He allowed a long-suffering sigh. ‘What in the name of Hades are you talking about?’