The Curious Life of the Unfortunate Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Emma Linfield

  I will need to choose between my family and the man I love, the man who has held a vigil for my safe return.

  Sighing, she rose from the lukewarm bath and wrapped herself in a sheet which Beatrice had laid out for her. Padding across the floor, she stopped at the vanity to examine her reflection in the mirror. She had undeniably matured in the past three days, a deep, melancholic wisdom touching her amber eyes which had not been there before.

  I have survived a ruthless man. I can certainly decide whether I will stay in Pembroke or return to Gordon with my family, she thought, shaking her head at the ludicrousness of her dilemma. Only a day earlier, she had been unsure if she would live to see dawn.

  She brushed her long dark mane, remembering too late that she had promised Frances the honor but suddenly, the idea of staying in the room was more than she could bear. She had been confined for too long. Elizabeth only wished to be with those who loved her.

  She dressed, the long sleeves of her gown covering the hideous red marks upon her wrists. She reminded herself they would heal in time. When she felt she was presentable, she opened the door and looked to greet Leonard but to her surprise, no one stood in the hall. A familiar sense of panic touched her chest and she paused to catch her breath and still her raw nerves.

  I must not draw silly conclusions, she thought rationally although her pulse was roaring in her ears. I took quite a long while in the bath. They have simply grown tired of waiting.

  Slowly, she collected her composure and continued toward the center staircase, listening for sounds within the vast house. It was not until she reached the second floor that she heard Leonard’s voice and relief seeped into her bones. She increased her strides, hurrying in the direction of the salon but as she neared, she stopped.

  “How dare you make such a suggestion?” David cried indignantly. “Have you taken leave of your senses?”

  “Keep your voice low, David. You would not want Elizabeth to know what you have done.”

  “What have I done?” David shot back. “You are mad if you believe such a thing!”

  “What has he done?” Elizabeth echoed, showing herself in the salon. Both men stood, glaring defiantly at one another but they whirled to look at her.

  “Liza!” David called, rushing toward her but Leonard stood in his way.

  “Leonard!” Elizabeth gasped. “Move from his path at once!”

  “I will not,” Leonard growled. “Not until he confesses what he has done!”

  David cast Elizabeth a look of desperation.

  “Liza, he thinks I had a hand in your kidnapping!” David cried. “Tell him he is mad!”

  Elizabeth stared at Leonard in shock.

  “Leonard, that cannot be!” she choked. “I saw the men who took me and I assure you, they were not friends of my brother!”

  “Someone was behind the kidnapping, Elizabeth, surely you must have suspected.”

  “What in God’s name is all the yelling in here?” Catherine demanded, stalking into the salon. “I could hear you from the kitchen!”

  “He is responsible!” Leonard insisted. “He must be!”

  “How have you reached such a conclusion?” Elizabeth demanded, her voice tight with worry. “David would never harm me or employ someone to bring harm to me!”

  “Catherine,” Leonard said, looking imploringly at his sister. “Explain to her how he planted the shoe in Lord Cooke’s courtyard, the very same shoe which was here. Tell her how the ransom notes were found without any of the guards detecting the presence of an outsider!”

  “Leo,” Catherine murmured, confusion touching her face. “I cannot say that it was David. It could just as well as been Herbert or another member of the household staff.”

  “Herbert?” Leonard’s face was crimson at the idea. “He is my most trusted advisor and friend!”

  “Did you summon me, Your Grace?” Herbert asked, appearing in the salon. Consternation washed through Elizabeth like a tidal wave and she stared about the room.

  Could this be? Could one of these men have tried to harm me?

  “What of Lord Cooke?” Elizabeth asked tentatively. “He could have employed someone—or Miss Priscilla! When I escaped, I found myself in Argonshire, although I had been riding for a number of hours.”

  “Leonard, could we have been wrong about Priscilla?” Catherine asked. The atmosphere was reaching chaotic levels, choking Elizabeth as she fought to find reason in the madness.

  “Stop!” Elizabeth held up a hand, the cuts showing as her sleeves fell down. “We must stop throwing accusations about and discuss this rationally. Sit.”

  No one immediately moved but when she pointed sternly, the group retreated to various chairs and chaises along the room. Leonard rang the bell and Jacob arrived.

  “Send for Lord Gordon at once and bring us brandy to drink. We all must settle our nerves.”

  “At once, Your Grace.”

  A short silence ensued.

  “I will tell you what I recall about the time I spent in captivity,” Elizabeth finally said, breaking the uncomfortable quiet. “Perhaps we can deduct something logical from what I remember.”

  “We know one man was named Cooper—is that correct?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes grew large and fearful at the mere mention of the man’s name.

  “Yes. He was cruel and ready to kill me,” she answered tautly. “The other was named Mark. He had an Irish brogue and he saved me from being killed but he was not ready to give me up until they had the ransom. He hid me from Cooper but they planned to collect anyway. Mark was going to come back and release me forthwith but I managed to get away.”

  “That is why Cooper was so nervous at the drop! I was right! He did not have her!”

  The relief in his voice was palpable and Elizabeth turned her attention to him with sad eyes.

  “I am sorry you parted with all that money. It was my intention to arrive before the drop was to be made but I lost my way.”

  “Irish brogue, you say?” David asked suddenly, leaning forward. “What did these men look like?”

  All turned to look at David who waited expectantly for a response but his face took on a peculiar greyish ting as though he had swallowed something spoiled.

  “Cooper has cold blue eyes, a stubbly face and hair of blonde, I believe but it was difficult to say as he was quite filthy. Mark was darker, also unkempt, albeit kinder.”

  Leonard and David exchanged a long look but no one spoke a word for a long moment.

  “What is it?” Elizabeth demanded. “Do you know these men?”

  “It cannot be, David,” Leonard mumbled. “It does not make sense.”

  “Yet you believed it made sense for me?” David snapped. “It does sound like the same men!”

  “This is quite a leap—”

  “Out with it!” Catherine ordered. “We will determine what can or cannot be.”

  “They match the description of two men we saw,” Leonard offered slowly, again casting David a nervous look. “When we were in London on business.”

  Elizabeth’s brow furrowed.

  “That makes little sense. Many men look as I described.”

  Elizabeth could see there was more to the story than they had yet to say.

  “David, out with it!” Elizabeth insisted. “You cannot keep us in suspense when these men may come back to finish what they started.”

  “You may tell her, Your Grace. I do not wish to be the bearer of such news.”

  “I should have seen it,” Leonard muttered aloud but he was apparently speaking to himself. “We were all run ragged, falling apart, and he was rested, shaved, clean.”

  David grunted at the Duke in exasperation and turned to his sister, regret staining his face.

  “Father met with two such characters in the morning while we were in London. The dark-headed one had an Irish accent and the other had eyes as cold as ice. When Father realized we were nearby, he dismissed them both and claimed they were begging for coins.”<
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  “I thought you were brazen for asking me for the ransom,” Leonard continued, his eyes growing larger with each word he spoke. “But it was Lord Gordon who roused the topic in front of you, knowing that you would ask for the money.”

  Elizabeth could not believe her ears and she began to shake her head vehemently.

  “It is not possible,” she replied flatly. “You believe my own father would have me tied up and held-- for what purpose? You are mad, the lot of you.”

  “He had access to the shoe,” Catherine offered softly. “He not only knew you were going to Lord Cooke’s manor house but he encouraged your confrontation with Priscilla!”

  “WHY?” Elizabeth shrieked, still unwilling to accept what she was hearing. “Why would he do that?”

  “For money, Liza,” Catherine whispered, the final pieces of the puzzle falling into the crevices of her mind. “Gordon suffered great losses despite what your father claims. I had heard about them and I suspect your family fortune is depleted.”

  “I second that,” David sighed, lowering his eyes in shame. “Father has been selling off our gold and silver pieces. He swore me to secrecy but I swear Liza, if I had ever suspected him for this—”

  “What is the meaning of this?” Percival asked, stalking into the room. “You sent for me? Ah, Liza, good. You look much healthier than when I last saw you.”

  Leonard released a guttural cry and lunged for the Viscount who reeled back in surprise. If Herbert had not pulled the Duke back in the final seconds, Percival would not have escaped unbloodied.

  “What is this?” the Viscount roared furiously. “If anyone deserves a good knocking, it is you, Duke! Did you tell Elizabeth how you left her for dead, how you did not pay her ransom?”

  A pang of unease touched Elizabeth but her eyes remained on her father.

  “I know what you have done,” Leonard hissed. “And you will pay with your life!”

  “No!” Elizabeth gasped. “No.”

  She looked at Leonard and his eyes softened under her gaze but his jaw remained locked in ire.

  “Father, is this true? Did you arrange to have me taken?”

  Percival straightened himself and brushed his waistcoat as though he had been tossed to the ground.

  “What nonsense is this?” he snapped. “You believe the Duke who refused to pay to release you? If anyone has secrets, I would say it is him.”

  “He is lying!” David growled. “We saw you meet those men in London, Father. What did you promise them?”

  “You are delusional, David, and a disappointment to me.”

  “You are a shame to this family!” David spat back. “Elizabeth has cared for us since Mother died and this is how you repay her? By sending her with a killer?”

  “I confess to nothing,” Percival told him. “Pack your things, family. I have had quite enough of Pembroke for one lifetime.”

  “We will not go with you!” David cried. “Will you finish what you have started since you did not get your hands on the money now?”

  “That is quite enough out of your mouth, boy! Pack you things at once!”

  “Leonard,” Elizabeth said urgently. “Where is the money? Has my father access to it?”

  Percival’s face paled and abruptly Elizabeth knew all that she had learned was true. Bile filled her throat and she swallowed her pain bitterly.

  “I know where you left it,” David told Leonard. “Do not let him out of our sight while I go check for it. If it is not there, Your Grace, I will check his chambers. You will not go without it.”

  “Thank you, David.”

  “You cannot go into my chambers!” Percival howled and Elizabeth nodded at her brother.

  “Check his apartment first.”

  David disappeared, leaving the group to stare at Percival.

  “You do not know what you are doing!” the Viscount growled at the Duke in a last-ditch attempt to assert his authority. “I will never permit you to marry Elizabeth now!”

  Elizabeth gasped and a laugh escaped her lips and she looked at Leonard in disbelief but he was consumed with glowering.

  “You are a twisted, devious man, Percival Follett. I would throttle you with my bare hands if Elizabeth would permit it.”

  “You are wrong about me!” Percival snapped, slowly backing out of the salon. “I would never do anything to hurt my daughter. You are making a terrible mistake.”

  “Where are you going, Lord Gordon?” Catherine demanded, springing forward as she realized he was trying to make his escape. “You will be sent to the barracks with Jasper.”

  “Indeed, Lord Gordon,” a terrifyingly familiar voice demanded. “Where are you going?”

  Suddenly the looming figure of Cooper appeared, his hand wrapped around a pistol.

  “Cooper,” Elizabeth gasped. “What are you doing here?”

  Cooper’s smile was jovial, pleasant even but the darkness lurking beneath was unmistakable and a familiar splash of terror washed through Elizabeth.

  “Well, I did not get paid, Miss Elizabeth and I daresay, you are more trouble than you are worth.”

  He raised the gun and cocked it at the her.

  “Now sit down and tell me where to find my money.”

  Chapter 31

  With a collective intake of air and all the members of the household shrunk back in unison.

  “There is no need for the gun,” Leonard told Cooper evenly. “I will get you whatever it is you wish.”

  “Will you now?” Cooper drawled. “It seems to me, Your Grace, that you had an opportunity to avoid all this and you have failed terribly. Now this wench will pay the price, especially after all the trouble she put me and my partner through.”

  Elizabeth stepped closer to Leonard where he stood in front of her protectively.

  “Your conflict is not with me,” Leonard told him softly. “That man is the one who made you promises he could not possibly keep.”

  He nodded toward Percival who was ever so cautiously trying to make himself unseen. Cooper glanced at the Viscount and aimed the gun in his direction.

  “You are correct on one thing,” he agreed. “My quarrel is with Lord Gordon who promised me an easy five thousand pounds. I must say, my Lord, it was not easy and I am still without the funds you promised.”

  “It was him!” Percival squeaked, waving his hands foolishly toward Leonard. “If he was not so stubborn, you would have your money. It is here, now, as we stand about bickering.”

  Leonard’s heart tightened, the confession as good as any they were bound to hear.

  “Father, how could you do this?” Elizabeth sobbed and Leonard desperately wished to console her. “I am your child!”

  “That is precisely why I can do this!” Percival growled. “You are my daughter and my property. You need not grow hysterical, when you were fed and cared for by these men.”

  “Fed and cared for?” she echoed, aghast. “Look at my wrists! My ankles! I was starved and bound in the dark! He threatened my life!”

  “I would not have killed you if you had behaved yourself,” Cooper snapped with undue annoyance. “But you had to escape, had to give us trouble.”

  “And who do you think helped me?” Elizabeth hissed. “Mark helped me. He hid me in a cabin in the woods while you believed he was searching for me.”

  “Elizabeth…” Leonard told her in a low, warning tone. The look of madness in Cooper’s eyes was unquestionable. The Duke did not want the situation to end in bloodshed.

  “What lies are you sprouting, girl?” Cooper barked. “Mark is holding the staff as we speak. If he was your ally, would he not be coming to your aid?”

  Elizabeth did not respond and Leonard hoped she would not speak again. Her words only appeared to be angering Cooper and it was clear to the Duke that the man was not fully in grip of his faculties.

  “Come along, Your Grace,” Cooper continued. “Let us find where you have put the ransom. I have no desire to be here any longer than necessary.”


  Leonard knew the ransom was not where he had left it and he hoped to stall Cooper until he could think of a sensible way out of the danger they faced.

  “I do not know where Lord Gordon has put it,” Leonard insisted. “The man stole it from me.”

  Cooper glared at both men.

  “What game is this?” he snarled. “I will give you two minutes to locate that money or Miss Elizabeth gets a bullet in her comely little head, is that clear?”