Beyond the Duke's Domain: Ducal Encounters Series 4 Book 4

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘It is not so different for the majority of females in this country. If Papa hadn’t lost his wits and abandoned us, we would have had to kowtow to his demands,’ Lucy paused. ‘Probably. He never took that much interest in us, so I cannot be absolutely sure.’

  ‘I wish my mother was here to chastise me now,’ Ariana said, sighing deeply. ‘I might even pay heed.’

  ‘We shall become ape leaders, objects of pity, and grow old together,’ Lucy said, leaning on Ariana’s arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘We will be called eccentric, and allowances will be made for our idiosyncrasies.’

  ‘I have nothing against the prospect of remaining single, but I shall not be a burden or embarrassment to Martina. I am quite determined to make my own way.’

  Lucy laughed. ‘Somehow, I doubt whether that will be necessary. Anyway,’ she added, ‘time is getting on and I had best return home.’

  ‘As should I.’ Ariana kissed Lucy’s cheek. ‘Until tomorrow then,’ she said.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Raph sat in Lady Vincent’s drawing room beside the duke and duchess, feeling angry and frustrated at the news he had received from Spain. He had been invited to dine with the duke’s brother along with Ariana and Lord Amos. Lord Romsey and his wife had returned to their own home—at least Lady Romsey had, but Raph suspected that her husband would be buried with his masters deep within the corridors of power at Whitehall, reporting their findings regarding Cutler and their suspicions regarding Basingstoke’s involvement. A belted earl lowering himself to such a degree would, Raph knew, have detrimental and far-reaching consequences.

  He would be surprised if Basingstoke wasn’t quietly sent abroad somewhere once he’d been captured to avoid any scandal, his assets confiscated by the crown. He had seen similar examples of coverups for the greater good in his own country after he himself had risked life and limb to capture wanted felons who happened to be well connected. Raph cynically wondered whose greater good such proceedings actually served. Certainly not the common people, or any cause to which they might be connected.

  Raph tried to follow the conversation and contribute to it as it ebbed and flowed around him. The duchess in particular made efforts to include him, but Raph knew that he made for a very distracted guest. He wanted to talk to someone about his news from Spain, but whom could he confide in and turn to for advice? Certainly not Ariana. She was distracted too, he realised, and he knew she must be itching to avenge herself upon the men who had subject her to such a terrifying ordeal.

  He glanced at Martina, who was seated beside her intended. She blossomed with happiness, her gaze seldom wandering from Braden’s countenance, and the sight cheered Raph’s jaded spirits. At least she had come through the horrors that had beset both sisters more or less unscathed, no doubt because Ariana had protected her from the worst of it. Now her future was secure and he didn’t have to worry about her.

  But Ariana was a different matter. Her demons ran as deep as his own and her affairs had to be his first priority. The Spanish business could wait. Tomorrow afternoon he and Lord Amos would pay a visit to the Falkirk Tavern and take their measure of the place. Lord Amos seemed confident that he would know if it was being used for the purpose that interested them simply by posing a few innocuous questions to the landlord.

  ‘What do you think, Mr Sanchez-Gomez?’

  Raph returned his attention to the duchess, who had just addressed a question to him, the nature of which he had failed to absorb. ‘I beg your pardon, your grace,’ he said. ‘You really must excuse me. My mind was elsewhere, which is unpardonable.’

  ‘Not at all. You have a great deal to think about, I dare say. I merely wanted to know if you are finding our part of the world to your liking.’

  Raph bestowed a charming smile upon the duchess and effortlessly slipped back into the guise of the polite guest with polished manners. ‘How could I not, when I have been received with such civility? It is more than I expected and a great deal more than I deserve. More to the point, I am reunited with my sisters.’ He smiled across at Ariana. ‘I never thought the day would come.’

  His answer appeared to satisfy the duchess and the conversation turned to another subject. Raph adjured himself to pay more attention and the evening passed in affectionate familiarity.

  Raph slept badly and woke early, feeling restless and preoccupied. He broke his fast early and then took a walk to the lake that Ariana had shown him the day before. He sprawled on the grassy bank and watched the sun rise over the surrounding trees, promising another fine day. He found the silence and serenity both soothing and disturbing. He was unaccustomed to being idle and found it hard to relax. Being awake to possible danger had become second nature. Every sudden noise—the squawking of a bird, the sound of an animal rustling through the trees—had him reaching for his weapon.

  ‘Steady,’ he said aloud. ‘You’re in danger of making a fool of yourself.’

  After an hour or more he stirred himself and walked back towards the house, almost literally colliding with Lucy Boyd, who was dressed in her red habit.

  ‘Oh, Mr Sanchez-Gomez.’ She appeared a little flustered by his sudden appearance, perhaps because he was dressed casually in shirtsleeves and a leather jerkin to ward off the early morning chill. ‘I did not expect to see you.’

  ‘Good morning to you, Miss Boyd.’ He doffed an imaginary hat. ‘Lucy,’ he added in a seductive drawl for reasons that escaped him. ‘I see you are about to take off on your gelding. You have a lovely morning for it.’

  ‘I had intended to.’ Lucy bit her lower lip, clearly frustrated. ‘Mr Harrison promised to ride with me but there is an emergency in the stud and he cannot be spared, so it will be the schooling ring for me again today.’

  ‘In that case, allow me to offer myself as your escort.’

  ‘Oh, thank you, but that would inconvenience you.’

  ‘Not in the least. I find myself with nothing to do, and I hate being idle.’ His lips curled into a sensual suggestion of a smile, quite without his permission. Flirting with the child was the last thing on his mind, but he didn’t seem able to help himself. She looked so young, so charmingly innocent and pretty with her blonde hair piled up beneath that ridiculous hat and her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink when he fixed her with a provocative look. What the devil was wrong with him? ‘You would be doing me the greatest possible service, I do assure you.’

  She returned his smile. ‘I don’t believe that for a moment,’ she replied, rising to his unspoken challenge and showing a great deal of pluck for one so relatively young. ‘However, if you are serious I shall accept your company with pleasure.’

  ‘You do not mind…’ He indicated his casual attire.

  ‘Good lord, no. It is far too warm to worry about formality,’ she replied, fanning her face with one gloved hand. Raph couldn’t help wondering if she was overheating as a result of his flirtatiousness or if the weather conditions really were to blame. Another good reason to behave himself, he decided. Women had to wear far more clothing than men in the general way of things and he didn’t want to feel responsible for adding to her discomfort.

  ‘Then shall we? I will arrange for Hurricane to be saddled and join your directly.’

  By the time Lucy had slipped into her sidesaddle, Raph had led a prancing Hurricane from his stall and leapt athletically onto his back.

  ‘Lead the way, Miss Boyd. You know the lie of the land much better than me.’

  ‘Have you seen the ruined chapel yet?’

  ‘I cannot say that I have.’

  ‘Well, it’s a good distance away, but the horses are fresh, and I think they will enjoy the opportunity to stretch their legs.’

  Raph rode alongside Lucy, struggling to control a lively Hurricane and covertly watching her to ensure that she had Fizz under control. She handled him well, especially after they had taken a long gallop that helped calm both horses.

  She looked even hotter when they drew rein, but her smile was w
ide enough to challenge the sun that was burning down on Raph’s uncovered head.

  ‘You are happy with your birthday gift, I think.’

  ‘I am delighted,’ she replied, patting Fizz’s sweaty neck beneath his long mane. ‘He and I already understand one another quite well.’

  ‘He’s a fine beast.’

  ‘Cal Harrison has forgotten more about horses than most people know. I trusted him to choose well for me and he did not disappoint. He knew I needed something more challenging than the docile mares that most ladies ride.’

  ‘You enjoy taking risks?’

  She smiled across the distance that separated them. ‘I am starting to. It makes me feel alive in ways I hadn’t realised were possible. Young people are supposed to be reckless—well, young men are—and allowances are made for them. I don’t see why it shouldn’t be the same for us ladies.’

  ‘Well said,’ Raph replied, admiring the fire in her eyes and the swell of her bosom as she stated her point of view.

  They rode on for some distance. Lucy pointed out the tenants’ cottages, which looked to be well-maintained, and waved to the children playing on the dirt path in front of them. Several women turned to look at them and acknowledged Lucy’s greeting.

  ‘That’s the duke’s watermill,’ Lucy said, pointing off in the opposite direction. ‘Another of his efforts to improve the productivity of the estate.’

  ‘I would appreciate a tour at some point to learn more about its workings. I know nothing of these mills you speak of.’

  ‘The miller will be glad to educate you. He is passionate about his work.’

  ‘With just cause, one imagines. The duke appears to be a considerate employer and the cachet attached to working for him must be an added incentive to excel.’

  ‘Absolutely. Almost everyone around these parts is loyal.’ She scowled. ‘With one or two notable exceptions.’

  Raph wondered if her thoughts had turned to Lord Basingstoke, and if so how fully Ariana had confided in her regarding their current impasse. He had already asked her once, he reminded himself, and she had refused to break that confidence. It was a testament to her loyalty towards his sister that he admired and he would not ask her to divulge what she knew for a second time.

  ‘The ruins are on the crest of the next incline. Shall we canter?’

  ‘By all means.’

  Raph held the faster Hurricane back so that they reached their destination side by side. He slipped from his saddle as soon as they did so and reached up to lift Lucy from hers.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said breathlessly.

  Raph tied both horses to a branch where they seemed happy enough to crop at the grass. He then glanced up at the ruined chapel, not much of which was left other than piles of stones and the odd crumbling wall. Even so, he felt the religious overtones and instinctively crossed himself.

  ‘You are a Catholic,’ Lucy said. ‘Well, of course you are. Spain is a Catholic country.’

  ‘I am not sure what I am anymore,’ he replied, sighing wearily. ‘In my line of work, I have seen so many atrocities that makes it very difficult to believe in a compassionate god, or in any god at all for that matter.’ He smiled at her shocked expression. ‘There, now you will think of me as a heathen.’

  ‘Absolutely not. I perfectly understand your point of view.’

  ‘Shall we explore?’ he asked, nodding towards the ruins.

  ‘If you like. In truth, there isn’t a great deal to see or admire, other than the view.’

  ‘Then I shall enjoy the vista and your company.’

  ‘I think you will find the former more inspiring.’

  Raph flexed a challenging brow. ‘Fishing for compliments, Lucy?’

  ‘No, I—’ She flapped a hand in front of her face. ‘Gosh, it’s warm today.’

  Raph chuckled. ‘Apparently.’

  She had been leading the way towards the ruins, but surprised him when she spun on her heel and confronted him with her fisted hands planted on her slim hips. ‘Are you making fun of my inexperience, Mr Sanchez-Gomez? If so I think it very unkind, but be warned, I have not led quite such a sheltered life as you appear to believe, and I am perfectly able to stand up to the likes of you.’

  Her annoyance would have been more convincing had she not caught her foot on an uneven patch of ground and wobbled alarmingly. Raph’s arm swung out to steady her.

  ‘Careful,’ he said. ‘The chapel’s foundations are lurking below the surface, I expect. They will have crumbled, fallen down and got buried as time went on. That’s why the terrain is so uneven.’

  ‘It seems to me there are a lot of dangers lurking in this neck of the woods,’ she replied, sending him an arch look. ‘Now, do you want to see the view, or would you prefer to remain here, patronising me and amusing yourself at my expense?’

  ‘You are too easy to tease,’ Raph replied, wondering what form of madness had overtaken him since he appeared determined to taunt the child.

  Except that she was not a child. She was a very attractive adult who stirred suppressed passions that Raph had deliberately buried deep, tormenting his senses. This situation was uncharted territory, and he was unsure how it had come about. It had crept up on him quite without his realising it. His quick thinking had kept him alive all these years, but Lucy Boyd’s enticing company—her vulnerability, outspokenness, intelligence, innocence and singularity—had caught his attention immediately when they were first introduced.

  And held it.

  Raph had outwitted some of the most ruthless renegades in free Spain, but was in danger of being defeated by this slip of a young woman. It defied belief that her sparkling blue eyes and delicate profile had somehow worked their way through his staunch defences and into his subconscious. It was a disaster, especially since Raph had no time or inclination for romance. If he had an itch that required scratching, he knew the sort of places to frequent.

  A well-connected young woman—a friend of his sister, no less—was most definitely not the door to knock upon to satisfy such base needs. And yet, here he was, alone with her at his own behest. He really must possess masochistic tendencies in opting for a forbidden distraction to—well, distract him—from the far more serious problems he had to wrestle with. Problems that had been compounded by the latest dispatch from Spain.

  Raph hadn’t been able to dislodge images of the waltz he and Lucy had shared. The subliminal feel of her curvaceous body beneath his hands plagued his subconscious and he’d been in a state of near permanent frustration ever since. He ought to avoid her like the plague, yet he felt drawn towards her in a way he failed to comprehend and was near helpless to fight against.

  But fight against it he must. She was reckless and thirsting for adventure, he decided. A danger to herself and others, he felt it his duty to tame the wilder side of her nature. She was unwilling to entertain the attentions of men like Cartwright, who were on the prowl for a wealthy wife, and sought a distraction instead. It was a form of rebellion, he supposed.

  He was here with her now and would enjoy her company, but he would not flirt with her anymore, tempting though the prospect remained. Once they returned to the Park, he would accompany Lord Amos into Winchester and put her from her mind.

  Of course he would!

  ‘Why are you staring at me, Mr Sanchez-Gomez?’ she asked, a note of suspicion in her voice.

  ‘Call me Raphael, or Raph,’ he said, aware that he must extract himself from this interlude without overstepping the bounds. It had been a while since he had exchanged anything more than the mildest of civilities with any lady of quality. The women he usually associated with definitely couldn’t lay claim to that distinction. ‘And because I enjoy looking at you. I am a great admirer of feminine elegance.’

  What the devil? Raph wondered if he was sickening for something. He had just decided to keep her at arm’s length but his heart and brain didn’t appear to be on speaking terms.

  Lucy blushed and turned from him, not responding t
o his provocative comment by simpering and batting her lashes, as most females would be likely to. He had been obliged, on occasion, to mix in elevated society during his time working undercover in Spain, and had not wanted for attention from closely chaperoned young women. He had been indifferent to their charms and hadn’t allowed himself to become involved with any of them. But now, this relatively inexperienced young Englishwoman appeared to be tying him up in knots.

  ‘The best views can be had from up here,’ she said, lifting the skirts of her habit above her ankles to negotiate the rough terrain. Raph resisted the temptation to take her arm and help her over it, not trusting himself to let her go again. Besides, it soon became clear that she didn’t need his help. She negotiated the rubble with elegance and preceded him to the edge of a low, crumbling wall that gave an unimpeded view over the fields and woodland that spread out below them.

  ‘I am impressed,’ he said, coming up beside her. When she perched on the edge of the wall, a warning about its instability sprang to his lips but remained unspoken. The wall in question had clearly survived for centuries, defying the worst the elements could throw at it. Touching what remained, Raph found it solid. ‘Is it all the duke’s land stretching out before us?’ he asked, seating himself beside her.

  Lucy was still staring at the view, giving Raph an opportunity to watch her without her realising it. Her lips turned upwards into a gentle smile, drawing Raph’s attention to their fullness, to her beautifully sculped mouth. The desire to taste the sweetness of those lips was almost his undoing. He returned his attention to the view, which was far less enticing, but much safer.

  ‘Yes, and beyond. This is one of my favourite places. I come up here whenever I can, especially when I have something to think about that requires seclusion and a sense of perspective.’

  ‘As would I in your situation. Why was a chapel built so far from the house itself?’

  Lucy lifted a slim shoulder. ‘I have absolutely no idea,’ she said, stripping off her gloves and then pulling the hat from her head, sending long spirals of blonde hair tumbling about her shoulders in the process. ‘It was all a long time ago.’