An Unlikely Duchess

by Nadine Millard

  “Sweetheart, what is it? What is wrong?”

  Rebecca could barely bring herself to speak the words but she had to know.

  “In the woods. Mr. Simons said — he said he was g-going to—?”

  “No,” Edward answered understanding at once what she meant. It tore at his heart to see the fear in her eyes. “He did not touch you, Rebecca. Not, not in that way.”

  Rebecca felt almost faint with relief. It had been her biggest fear. What had he said? Nobody would want her if he had her first. Thank God he hadn’t.

  “As to where we are,” Edward continued, “we are in a farmhouse not far from the lodge.”

  Rebecca vaguely remembered seeing a farmhouse from the woods and wondered if it was the same one.

  “The people here have been incredibly helpful and kind. As soon as we found you we brought you here. The lady of the house, a formidable farmer’s wife by the name of Mrs. Brown took care of you while her son fetched the doctor and her husband, the local magistrate. I am ashamed to say that I was not much help. To you or anyone.”

  Rebecca reached out and grabbed his hand.

  “You saved my life,” she said simply.

  He smiled but it faded almost as soon as it appeared.

  “I thought I was too late,” he said softly and his voice was raw with emotion, “I have never known fear until that morning when they told me you were gone. And when I finally found you. When I saw him and what he was trying to do. The blood on your face” —his own face turned white with fury and his eyes gleamed with remembered hatred— “I could have killed him there and then. I should have,” he spat.

  “No you should not,” answered Rebecca firmly. “You are not that type of man and I would not want you to be. W-what happened to him?”

  “The magistrate came and took him away. We will never see him again, that I can promise you.”

  “He put up quite a fight, I warrant,” she said.

  He looked, to her surprise, a little embarrassed.

  “Well no. Not really,” he answered. “He was unconscious. And tied up.”

  Rebecca eyed him speculatively.

  “And how did he end up in that state?”

  “I punched him. A lot. And then we had to tie him up in case he awoke before the magistrate arrived.”

  “I did not think you a violent man,” she teased.

  “When it comes to someone trying to harm you,” he answered all seriousness, “I will be the most violent man on the planet.”

  Rebecca gulped at his tone and expression. She could well believe it. He was a force to be reckoned with to be sure.

  He suddenly smiled again.

  “Besides, you are one not so innocent yourself, my lady. You made quite an impact with that candlestick of yours.” He looked so impressed that she flushed a little with pride.

  “I was not going to go down without a fight,” she answered.

  He gave a bark of laughter. “Nor would I expect you to my love.”

  “How came my sister to be here so soon?” she asked now, a question that had not occurred to her until now.

  “We wrote as soon as we had you settled, darling. My mother and Caroline were beside themselves with worry.”

  Rebecca frowned in confusion. Even if Edward had written straight away, it made no sense that they would have gotten here so quickly. Unless—

  “How long have I been unconscious for?”

  He took her hand and planted a soft kiss on her palm before answering. “This is the third day.”

  “The third?” she asked in shock trying to sit up. “But, but how? What happened?”

  “You lost consciousness in the woods and we brought you straight here, as you know. Your head” —he closed his eyes as if the memory pained him— “it was bleeding quite a lot. You remember hitting it on a rock?”

  She nodded and he continued with his tale.

  “The doctor. He — he did not know when you would wake, or even if,” his voice shook and Rebecca’s heart ached for him.

  He looked intently into her eyes now. “I have never been so afraid in all my life. I have died a thousand deaths waiting for you to awaken. I have not left your bedside.”

  “In three days?” she asked.

  He shrugged.

  “Edward that is insane. You must be exhausted.”

  “Do you think I could have left you? What if you had awoken and wanted me?”

  There was an awkward little pause then Edward spoke again.

  “The doctor has been sent for. He wanted to know the second you awoke.”

  “Will I be allowed to go home?”

  Edward smiled.

  “Try to be patient, my love.”

  There was that word again. Love. He had called her his love several times now and every time he said it her heart stuttered a little.

  She remembered him, kneeling by her body, saying that he loved her. Was that memory or dream? Dare she ask?

  “There are those wheels turning again,” Edward joked. “Will you not tell me what you are thinking of?”

  Rebecca thought back to her plan to confess her love for him. Was she brave enough to do it now? Thinking of how close she had come to death and how it felt knowing that she would never see him again, Rebecca knew that she was brave enough. Life was too short to live with the regret of things unsaid.

  “Edward.” She started licking her lips nervously. His eyes darkened as they took in the action. Interesting.

  “The night in the gardens, the night we argued, I should not have said the things I said. Lady Sarah said—”

  “I know exactly what Lady Sarah said,” Edward interrupted furiously, “and what she did. Trust me, she will not harm you again.”

  “What did you do?” Rebecca asked momentarily distracted. She had forgotten all about that lady, so unimportant was she.

  “I suggested she leave Town and hide herself away on her husband’s Scottish estate. Her husband’s very remote, very isolated Scottish estate,” he said wickedly. “And I told her if she ever returns I will ruin her, completely and utterly.”

  Rebecca swallowed, once again awed by how intimidating he could be.

  “Rebecca” —he leaned forward now and clasped both her hands in his— “I swear to you that she lied. There was never anything between us and not because I toss women aside, but because I never felt anything for her.”

  Rebecca smiled, knowing that there was truth in his words. Should have known from the very start.

  “And as for me thinking whether or not you are duchess material” —Rebecca tensed a little here. There was no denying that she was certainly not duchess material. And when this story got out amongst the ton… well, she would be deemed even more scandalous.

  “I think you will make a wonderful duchess.” Rebecca stared at him in disbelief.

  “Edward,” she said with a pained little laugh, “we both know that is not true.”

  “Of course it is true,” he argued.

  “No,” said Rebecca sadly, suddenly feeling miserable because he was trying to make her feel better but really, what had changed? “It is not. I am scandalous! I am clumsy, accident-prone, I never say or do the right thing and when people hear of this…” she trailed off disconsolately.

  “You are not scandalous,” Edward replied smiling gently, “a little unorthodox and very entertaining, but not truly scandalous. Yes you are clumsy and accident-prone but those are some of your most endearing qualities. You say things that make an entire room laugh, when you are not charming the occupants with your warmth or astonishing them with your intelligence.”

  Rebecca was blushing at the compliments he was firing at her. And he seemed sincere in them all.

  “People love you, my darling. You have only been in Town a few short weeks and the place is eating out of your hands. You have brought life and fun and joy to my life. Laughter to my mother’s home. You are the only person I’ve ever known who can brighten a room just by being in it. You say the most o
utrageous things and forever keep me guessing and I love that about you. You bring a welcome chaos to my far too organised existence.”

  “And when people hear of this,” he continued, his eyes softening and his face looking so tender it made her want to cry again, “they will know what an incredibly brave and strong woman you are, who fought with every breath in your body to save yourself from the most unimaginable horror. And they will know how I did all that I could, and would do so very much more, to save the woman I love.”

  All the breath left Rebecca’s body in one giant whoosh. Did he just say—?

  “Did you just say ‘the woman you love’?” she asked.

  “Well of course,” he answered a little confused.

  Rebecca laughed at his confusion. She laughed as the purest of joy burst into her chest.

  “What do you mean ‘of course’?” she demanded breathlessly.

  “I mean of course I love you. I have loved you, probably from the first second I saw you chasing that silly kite,” he said with a smile.

  “Oh Edward,” Rebecca managed to sniff before promptly bursting into a fresh set of tears.

  Edward looked at her in panic.

  “Rebecca, do not cry, I beg you. I did not mean to upset you. If you do not love me it is all right, I promise. You do not have to. I love you enough for the both of us. All I ask is that you give me a chance. A chance to make you happy. I swear I will spend every day trying to make you happy. And I will not even be sensible,” he finished desperately.

  Rebecca laughed through her tears.

  “Yes, you will,” she sniffed. “You will be sensible and practical and charming and witty and arrogant and wonderful,” she said with a smile. “You will be all of those things I love you for.”

  It was Edward’s turn to look amazed.

  “You love me?” he asked. Well, demanded more like. “You love me?”

  “Well of course,” she answered mischievously.

  His smile was one of pure, unadulterated joy and he gathered her in his arms and kissed her until she was panting.

  “Marry me,” he said pressing tiny kisses down her jaw, around her ear, careful to avoid the bandages. “Marry me quickly before I expire from wanting you.”

  Rebecca’s newfound joy faded at his question and she pulled herself out of his arms.

  Edward frowned at her.

  “What is it sweetheart?” he asked worriedly.

  “I cannot marry you,” Rebecca whispered miserably.

  Edward’s heart sank.

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Mr. Simons, he said that when he’d — well, after he’d f-finished with me that no other man would have me. That I would be ruined. If people do not believe that you arrived on time, if they think he—”

  “Rebecca,” Edward cut in, “I do not care what people think. I do not care what they might suspect. I would not even care if I had been too late, though it would kill me to know it for the rest of my life. It already kills me to know what you suffered,” he said bleakly, “and I shall never forgive myself for leaving you alone that night. Never.”

  Rebecca made to answer but he shook his head slightly and continued.

  “Even if I had been too late, do you really think me so fickle, such a monster that I would blame you for any fate that befell you? That it would make a jot of difference to how I feel about you? Nothing, nothing will ever change the way I feel for you and how much I completely and absolutely adore you. Please say you will be my wife.”

  “Edward, I love you so very much and nothing would make me happier than to be your wife but I cannot be a duchess, truly I cannot. I do not even want to be one!” Rebecca answered miserably.

  Edward stayed silent a moment.

  “Alright,” he said at last.

  Rebecca told herself to grow up and not be disappointed that he agreed with what she wanted without even putting up a fight.

  But Edward was not finished.

  “I shall make you a deal,” he said, moving to sit against the head of the bed and pulling her to rest against his chest.

  “Marry me and try your hand at being a duchess for, say a year. If you do not like it, and if people do not worship you as I do, then I will hand over the title to Tom and be done with it.”

  Rebecca stared at him open mouthed.

  “You cannot be serious.”

  “I am serious.”

  “But, but that is madness. Edward, you cannot give up the dukedom. It is your life.”

  “Wrong,” he answered gently. “You are my life. And much as I enjoy my duties as duke I am not willing to sacrifice my only chance of happiness for it. I will live anywhere you want and do anything you want, my darling girl. I will walk to the very ends of the earth. I just want to marry you.”

  Rebecca smiled a luminous smile, her eyes shining with the purest of love for this wonderful man who was willing to give up so much for her.

  “Maybe,” she whispered as she leaned up to plant a shy kiss on his lips, “maybe being a duchess would not be a terrible thing.”

  “Let us find out shall we?” asked Edward lowering his head to hers.

  “Yes,” agreed Rebecca against his lips. “Let’s.”

  And then neither of them spoke for quite some time.

  EPILOGUE

  The dowager’s household was a flurry of activity as everyone prepared for the end of Season ball. This year’s was, of course, extra special since it was now to be the engagement ball to celebrate the union of Edward, Duke of Hartridge and Rebecca, daughter of the Earl of Ranford.

  The invitations had become even more sought after since the announcement of the betrothal.

  Rebecca had been reluctant at first to allow the dowager to throw such a lavish party for them since she had not seen or spoken to her own parents. When they returned to London, she had written to them with the news of course and they had been, as expected, beside themselves with happiness.

  The countess had assured her that her father would be fit as a fiddle by the time the wedding arrived and that they should, of course, celebrate the engagement in their absence. She promised to throw something similar when Rebecca and Edward returned to Ireland after the Season.

  They would get married on her family’s estate with only a few close friends and family in attendance.

  “All the more reason,” coaxed the dowager, “to have a lavish engagement party for your friends here.”

  Once Rebecca felt certain that her parents would not mind, she consented.

  She had regained all of her former strength and vivacity since the accident and, thankfully, was not scarred from her brush with the rock.

  When they had all returned to Mayfair, London had been buzzing with gossip about the kidnapping and Lady Sarah’s swift departure straight after it. Rebecca’s fears, however, had been unfounded. Nobody thought of her as anything more than a poor victim and Edward was delighted to have been painted as some sort of knight on a white horse.

  He’d smugly referenced it every day since they’d returned.

  Rebecca sat at the dressing table while Maura put the finishing touches to the most intricate hairstyle she’d ever done. It was beautiful. She had managed to tame Rebecca’s unruly curls so that some of them fell in a river over one of Rebecca’s shoulders. The majority of the hair had been pinned up in a riot of curls giving Rebecca the look of a Grecian princess.

  Her dress had only arrived moments ago and Rebecca had smiled when she read the card from Madame.

  “The greatest works of beauty take time to come together. Enjoy.”

  Rebecca thought of the journey she’d come on with Edward to get them to where they were now and decided that Madame spoke a lot of sense.

  Maura finally finished with her hair and Rebecca moved excitedly to the box. She took a deep breath and reverently opened the lid. Her gasp matched that of Maura’s behind her.

  The dress was a deep bronze, more vibrant than Rebecca, as a debutante had ever worn before. He
r mind threw up images of the scandal she would create wearing such a bold colour. Then she thought of Edward’s face and his reaction should she wear something so daring and knew that she would.

  Maura quickly helped her into the gown, making light work of the laces at the back.

  “My lady,” Maura breathed seemingly stuck for words. She merely nodded her head then gestured for Rebecca to look in the mirror.

  Rebecca turned slowly and her mouth dropped open at her reflection.

  The dress was a masterpiece; there really was no other word for it.

  The sleeves fell just off the shoulders exposing a greater expanse of skin than Rebecca was used to. The neckline fell in a deep V and was trimmed with the most delicate of lace. The short sleeves were made entirely of the same lace so although her shoulders were covered there was the hint of them on show.

  The satin material shone in the candlelight and the overlay of lace was dotted with tiny diamonds, which sparkled and made the dress seem somehow enchanted. Not content with that amount of drama, Madame had added a train of satin and lace that swept behind Rebecca as she walked.

  I will certainly make an impact, she thought with a smile of feminine pleasure lighting up her face. The clock chimed telling Rebecca it was time to go and greet their guests. The dowager wanted Edward and Rebecca in the receiving line since it was their first official event as a betrothed couple.

  Rebecca turned and gave one last smile to Maura then went downstairs to greet her fiancé.

  Edward waited impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. Incredible how mere months ago he had not even known Rebecca existed and now he missed her when he did not spend every waking moment with her. Their wedding could not come soon enough. He could not wait to make her his.

  He had been very sedate in his affections since the incident with Mr. Simons. No other reason than the fact that she would soon be his wife seemed to have snapped the last of his self-control and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed to keep his distance from her. He worried that even one passionate kiss would lead them past the point of no return and he wanted to wait. For Rebecca.

  A noise on the stairs drew his attention and he looked up to see his fiancé appear.