Loving a Fearless Duchess

by Abigail Agar

  Everett and Nash sat motionless as Edward recounted the last three days then broadened his tale to include the last several years. They were shaken.

  Edward held his emotion in check before it could spill out. “I am forbidden to talk about it, to mention anything that goes on around here. We, my mother, Penelope and me, are here because my uncle took us in after my father died. We face great consequences if we break the rules of the house. We have nowhere else to go.”

  Nash had a look of sympathy and grief. He fought the tears in his eyes. Everett looked furious – like a caged animal that would be lethal when it was released.

  He turned to Edward, and in the most fearsome voice Nash had ever heard from him, he demanded, “Who else in your house knows of this?”

  Everett looked out on the lake. “Everyone. Some things can be hidden or whispered about. This is not one of them. Before the healer left, she had screamed the injustice of it to anyone who would listen.”

  Everett nodded. “Good. Avery and I can have this conversation without you being compromised. We now have two incidents to talk with Avery about.”

  Everett and Nash talked together in Nash’s bedchamber before going to meet Avery.

  “Son, he’ll try to kick you out, but I won’t let him. I need you as a witness to this conversation. Do not speak unless he asks you a specific question and only answer after you’ve thought through the repercussions. You can always answer, ‘I’d rather not say,’ if you’re not sure what to say. Got it?”

  Nash nodded. “I’m ready.”

  Everett slapped him on the back. “Good man.”

  Everett and Nash took seats. Avery eyed Nash, his displeasure obvious, but neither Everett nor Nash moved a muscle.

  Avery brought them both drinks then sat behind his desk in a position of power.

  “Your letter sounded urgent. I hope nothing is wrong. How may I help you?”

  Everett leaned forward. “We’ve had a serious problem with our sheep being slaughtered over the past month. They have been gutted from below their necks to their tails in one long cut. Then their insides have been removed, or as much of their insides as possible have been removed with a knife.

  “We found it disturbing that someone would kill sheep, but we also found it disturbing at the manner they were killed.”

  Avery interrupted. “That’s terrible. I can understand why you are upset, but we know nothing about your sheep and can’t help you, I’m sorry to say.”

  Everett leaned back in his chair. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Avery. After two weeks of sheep slaughters, I ordered my men to watch the sheep at night. I had ten men out at night every night.

  “It didn’t take long for the men to see Henry coming into the field. I told my men to wait until the man they found started gutting the sheep before they moved in. It was Henry cutting down the belly of a sheep. My men, ten witnesses, told him clearly never to come back. If he returns to my land, he does so at his own peril. The men will continue to watch the sheep, and they will be armed.”

  Avery nodded. In a voice more appropriate for tea than for talk about gutting sheep, Avery said, “I understand. Who knows about this incident?”

  Everett blinked. It took him a minute to figure out Avery wanted to know how his reputation would suffer. “Ten men and anyone else they’ve told.”

  Avery took a drink, “And will you keep them quiet?”

  Everett shook his head. “I don’t see how. My village is buzzing about what happened to Penelope. There aren’t very many, save the deaf, who don’t know that story. The sheep story is just the jam that is spread on the bread.”

  Avery slammed his palms against the top of his desk. This was the first time Everett had ever seen him lose his control. “The story you heard about Penelope is not true.”

  Everett smiled. “Not true? How can you say it is not true without knowing the story I heard about Penelope? Every villager has spoken to someone here wondering if something that horrifying could be true. I don’t know how many of my villagers have approached your healer, but she can hardly get any healing done she gets approached so often.

  “Keep your son off my land, Avery. I am banishing him from my land, and I mean to enforce it.”

  Everett and Nash stood. Before leaving Avery’s study, Everett turned and said, “Something unexpected came up. We cannot accept your invitation to stay the night. After the evening meal, we will be on our way.”

  Avery nodded. In a sarcastic voice, he said, “I think that’s best.”

  In Nash’s bedchamber, Everett said, “Henry’s not right in the head. I’d call him the village idiot, but he’s worse. Pack everything and bring it to the stables. As soon as the meal is over, we ride.”

  Everett and Nash skipped the drinks before dinner, and a footman knocked on Nash’s bedchamber door when the family made its way into the dining room.

  They entered the dining room and everyone stood. The ladies curtsied, and the gentlemen bowed. They did the same and were shown to their seats.

  Everett was seated next to Cecilia, and Nash saw them begin a cordial conversation. She looked like a lovely woman, he thought. She probably didn’t have many guests so entertaining them was novel.

  Nash sat across from Penelope. She had bandages covering one side of her face wrapped under her chin and around the back of her head.

  He didn’t look at her bandages long because his gaze landed on her warm brown eyes looking at him. Could a twenty-year-old make a connection with a fourteen-year-old? It wasn’t that kind of connection; he was sure of it. It was a two-people-in-the–world-are-on-the–same-hill connection. They stood on the hill. They looked out on the same thing. They agreed they liked what they saw. Brothers had it. Best friends had it. He had it – with her.

  He knew it wasn’t from the sympathy of seeing her head bandaged. It was from the way she spoke to him with her eyes. She spoke volumes with the blink of an eye.

  Nash was jolted out of his reverie by Henry’s uninviting, harsh whiny voice. Nash pictured him differently from what he saw in front of him. He looked … normal.

  He leaned forward and repeated, “Nash?”

  “I beg your pardon, Henry.”

  “I said I’ve heard you have a problem with your sheep.”

  Nash grinned. “No longer, Henry. But thank you for your concern.”

  Henry sat up in his chair. “Oh? And how did you solve your problem?”

  Nash breathed deep. He would have rolled his eyes if he could have gotten away with it. “The perpetrator was apprehended by our ten border guards. They have weapons and have been instructed to kill him if they ever see him again.”

  Henry sat back in his chair. “I see.”

  Avery broke into the conversation and spent most of the rest of the meal talking about the House of Lords and the London nightlife. Nash found it boring but was relieved he didn’t have to talk to Henry any longer. He cast his eyes into Penelope’s, and he knew she had the same feeling about him as he had about her. It felt like home.

  After the meal was over, Nash approached Penelope. She curtsied, he bowed.

  “Forgive me, Lady Penelope, but I wanted to introduce myself. I am Lord Nash Finch, your neighbour.”

  Penelope cast her eyes down. “It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lord. I hope you have enjoyed visiting us.”

  “Very much so. I know we have not met before, but I feel we have.” Nash shrugged. “I’ve heard that happens to people sometimes.”

  “Penelope,” Henry said. “Enough of that. The Finch’s are leaving now.”

  Penelope curtsied, “My Lord.”

  Nash bowed, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Penelope.” He turned and left the house.

  ***

  Henry didn’t know who wanted to be gone quicker, Finch or the Stantons. So they came about the sheep? He was caught and was sure his father would have something to say about that.

  He got off easy. Banned from Finch’s lands. No problem. Henry w
ould not go back to a place where they were waiting to kill him. And he knew they were waiting to kill him.

  “Henry, in my study,” Avery said as he walked by him at a brisk pace.

  Henry shut the door. “Father?”

  Avery looked at Henry as if he was a boil on Avery’s leg. “Sit down.”

  Henry sat, and Avery took no time starting in. “Why didn’t you tell me you were caught gutting the sheep? That came as a complete surprise during our meeting, and I had no response. Why are you gutting sheep on Finch’s property?”

  “I didn’t think they’d come by. I thought they knew I wouldn’t be back once they caught me and that was the end of it.”

  Avery stood and slapped his palm on his desk. “Why the hell are you doing it in the first place?”

  Henry shrugged. “I enjoy it.”

  Avery sat and blew out a breath to calm his nerves. “Look, Henry. Everett says everyone in both villages knows about the sheep but also knows about Penelope. According to Everett, the healer can’t get anything done, so many people enquire about Penelope.

  “Do you have any idea how bad a screw-up that was? The animal thing is bad enough, but no one will tolerate your activities using humans.

  “My reputation is at stake. I can’t defend that kind of action. I will never be able to defend that kind of action. Stop doing it, Henry. Stop it all, human or animal.

  “There will be no dukedom left to inherit unless you stop. Promise me, right now. If I am stripped of my title and my lands, I will do to you what you have done to Penelope. Do you understand how serious this is?”

  Henry rolled his eyes. “You are making much more of this than you should.”

  Avery got out of his chair and circled around to Henry. He grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him up. “You don’t seem to understand what peril we are in. Stop. If you don’t stop, you will live in our dungeon. Is that serious enough for you?”

  Henry nodded and kept his mouth shut.

  “Don’t you ever, ever put me in the position you put me in with the sheep and Penelope ever again. Do you understand me, boy?”

  Henry nodded and remained firm lipped.

  Chapter 5

  He approached Stanton and introduced himself. The man’s eyes lit up, fondly remembering Nash’s father? No, his image was too important. His reaction was for show. If he remembered the incident that had taken place shortly before he and his father arrived for his visit years ago catching Henry in the act of gutting sheep, he didn’t say anything. Although, he couldn’t possibly have forgotten, his face didn’t give anything away.

  They talked amicably in front of Avery’s peers. Eventually, Nash steered the conversation to Penelope, and he asked Stanton about her. To his surprise, Stanton pointed her out across the ballroom. When Nash saw her, his old feelings for her rose up from the depths of his being. She had been too young for him when he originally met her, but he was drawn to her in a way one person is instantly connected with another. He would never forget her. It surprised him. Now quickly and forcefully, the connection returned. He had to meet her again.

  My God, she was beautiful. He remembered her as an adolescent, just after her horrible incident, her scar. She was gorgeous then. But no comparison to now. From across the ballroom, Nash couldn’t see the scar very well, but he did notice those warm, soulful brown eyes that a man could tumble into.

  She looked lovely. Her hourglass figure suited her well. Nash didn’t like girls who were top-heavy sticks. There should be more areas of a woman’s body to feel besides her breasts. The style and colour of her gown suited her, and she showed just the right amount of flesh.

  “Would you introduce us, Stanton?”

  “I’m staying here for now, but her brother Edward is standing next to her and her mother, Cecilia. He’ll do the honours. Be warned. She has a small scar on her face, mostly hidden by her hair. I warn you because she doesn’t want anyone startled by it.”

  “Thank you.” Nash bowed. “I’ll be on my way.”

  ***

  Henry stood rigidly next to Penelope. Seeing Nash again across the ballroom was making the past rise up again. He thought of Nash’s dog. How dare he accuse Henry of killing his dog. He didn’t care how long ago it happened. Sure, it was true, but that wasn’t the point. The point was with no evidence whatsoever he came over to their land and came in their house to make accusations about a terrible crime.

  Revenge would be his. He hadn’t seen Nash in years. Now, they would see each other regularly, and he could put his plans for revenge in place. He wondered if Nash owned a dog. It certainly looked as though Nash didn’t have a wife or fiancé. Too bad. That would have been fun.

  He would prevent Nash from getting a lady to court him. That would be fun. That’s what he would do. Starting this evening, every time he saw Nash, he would stick to him like glue and work on breaking up his alliances. He would make that man miserable.

  ***

  Avery watched as Nash moved across the dance floor in search of Edward and Penelope. This man came out of nowhere. It had been years since he’d seen him about the sheep then the dog.

  Now he was deliberately in search of Penelope. Something must be done. He and Penelope could not get close. If they put their heads together, Avery would be in big trouble.

  Avery handed a footman a coin and asked him to get Henry to the library. He left for the library and started pacing.

  The door opened to Henry. He shut it, locked it quietly, and poured a drink for himself and his father. He sat, but

  Avery kept pacing. “You know why I called you here?” he said.

  Henry got up and handed Avery the glass of whisky he poured for him. “I was shocked when I saw him, and more shocked when he danced with Penelope. He’ll take a long look at her face and run away.”

  Avery shook his head no. “We can’t be sure of that. For all we know, he might like it.” He turned to Henry. “If they even look at each other again, you need to break them up.

  Henry nodded. Not only did he have to do it for the sake of their title, but also he wanted to do it. He wanted to make them miserable. “I will be where they are and do what they do. They won’t have enough time alone to develop a relationship in the first place.”

  Avery looked at him hard. “Make certain of it.”

  ***

  Nash strode across the ballroom floor at the edge of the dancing. The lack of floor space made the dancers look like ants scattered in all directions. There would be a toe or two stepped on tonight.

  Nash was a tall, sandy-haired man with twinkling blue eyes whose presence had rippled through the ballroom. He walked up to Edward and the four girls who looked at him motionless to see who he would approach. He smiled warmly and asked, “Lord Balfour? May I introduce myself? I am Nash Finch, the Duke of Norfolk, and your neighbour.” He bowed.

  Edward bowed. “Edward Balfour. Your neighbour is my uncle, Avery Stanton. Do you know him?”

  “I do,” Nash said, “But not well. My father and I visited you probably four or five years ago now. We dined at your table.”

  “I remember you and your father visited us. I took you around the estate.”

  Cecilia came and stood next to Edward. “Your Grace, may I introduce my mother, Lady Balfour.”

  Cecilia curtsied, and Nash bowed.

  “I remember you, Your Grace. You and your father. He has passed?”

  “Yes, My Lady. Some three years now.”

  “My condolences. I remember you well. So polite and caring. You and your father were pleasant dinner companions.”

  Nash turned back to Edward. “Would you introduce me to your sister, Lord Balfour?”

  “I’d be delighted. Penelope?”

  Penelope walked over to Edward. Nash remembered her, but when he’d met her, she had just acquired her scar. It was inflamed and seemed much harsher and larger than it was now. She wasn’t disfigured by it, and he gave a sigh of relief for her.

  Edward introduced Nash t
o the three girls standing with her. The girls curtsied, and Nash bowed. He turned to Penelope. “May I have the next dance, Lady Penelope?”

  Penelope smiled while the other girls hid their enthusiasm for the single Duke behind their fans. “Certainly.” The ballroom had been buzzing about the young, handsome Duke. The fact he was with them had many in the ballroom turning their way.

  “Our dance, Lady Penelope?” Nash asked. He looked down at her and smiled.

  As they walked to the dance floor, Penelope said, “I must admit, Your Grace, I have only a vague recollection of having met you before. I find it amazing that you remembered.”

  Nash smiled warmly at Penelope, “You made quite an impression on me that day. You handled your dinner guests and your cousin with great ease. I think greater ease than I tolerated Henry.”

  Penelope looked down then up into his eyes, “Yes, Henry. I suppose I was more used to him than you were. Back then, I spent a lot of my time in the practice of staying out of Henry’s way.”

  Nash smiled. It was like sunshine. It lit up his face so perfectly. She bathed in it. He said, “We should talk about a better subject than Henry Stanton. Tell me, are you staying at the Stanton townhouse?”

  Penelope broke into a dazzling smile. “We are. Since my father passed, my uncle has been our saviour. We come and go from his townhouse to his country estate at our whim. He has been a most generous brother to my mother. And he introduced me to the peerage at the ball tonight. We are lucky.”

  “I saw Avery and approached him. He pointed you out and spoke of you with great affection.”

  The dance ended much too soon, and Nash accompanied Penelope back to Cecilia and Edward. As the true gentleman he was, Nash danced with Kitty, Isabel, and Dinah. They were all pleased with him and after he left, a rivalry began about with whom he would end up. None considered Penelope in the running.

  Her mother being curious, Penelope told her how between his visit years ago and his talk with her uncle this evening, Nash figured out who she was and approached her.

  ***