John Farrington, Duke of Warwick, pulled himself to his full height and looked down his nose at the importuning whore lying in his bed. ‘MASTERS!’ he shouted with the voice that he used in the House.
‘You wouldn’t.’ Lady Greyston said in horror, scrabbling for the sheet to cover her nakedness.
‘I would!’ He said abruptly and turned on his heel.
Masters opened the door. ‘You called, Your Grace?’ he asked.
‘Yes, Masters. There is something uninvited in my bed that shouldn’t be there. Will you remove it please?’ The Duke said as he strolled out into the sitting room. He went to the sideboard, poured a glass of brandy, with shaking hands he threw it down his throat and vacated the room. It was most shocking to find the leechlike Lady Greyston in his bed without his invitation. He sauntered to the nursery wing, entered Elizabeth’s room and stood at the end of her bed and watched her sleep. He found her gentle snore soothing, a balm for his tortured soul. He’d spent many a disturbed night standing watching her sleep.
Lady Greyston didn’t realise that she reminded him of Victoria. Just as grasping and venal. He knew she only coveted his title. Probably the money too! He told himself. But I’ll be damned if I’ll let her have either of them. This time it’s going to Jessica or nobody and the title can pass to Verity’s son if she has one or if not the bloody crown can have it.
‘Everything alright, Your Grace?’ Mrs. Beaton asked softly from the adjoining door.
‘I just came to see her while Masters removes something unpleasant from my bed.’ He said cryptically.
‘Would that be Lady Greyston?’ Mrs Beaton asked impertinently and smiled at his shocked expression. He just nodded. ‘She’s been trying to get Masters to let her in all week.’
‘Has she?’ He frowned again ‘Maybe Masters is losing his touch.’
‘I shouldn’t think so, Your Grace.’ Mrs. Beaton smiled broadly. ‘She strikes me as a very determined Lady.’
They chatted amiably about Elizabeth’s day and then John kissed his daughter’s cheek and went back to his room.
Masters stood contritely in the sitting room. ‘I’m sorry, Your Grace. I didn’t know she was there.’ He sighed deeply. ‘She must have slipped in when I was fetching the water. I’m so very, very sorry.’
‘I didn’t intend to blame you, Masters. But please keep the door locked in future.’ John shook his head sadly. ‘She’s too much like Victoria for my peace of mind.’
‘I understand, Your Grace and it will not happen again.’ Masters said firmly.
‘Good. So now you can get me ready for bed and I won’t search the armoire for her.’ They laughed as they both relaxed.
Once the Duke was in bed and the candles were out, Masters retreated to the upstairs servant’s hall, where he was sharing a dormitory with seven other valets and three footmen.
‘That was an unfortunate occurrence.’ Masters muttered to Viscount Boston’s valet in the next bed.
‘What happened?’
‘The Duke just found Lady Greyston in his bed. Fucking bitch got in there when I went for the hot water and I didn’t notice. He was steaming by the time he called me.’
‘Why would he turn away a free fuck?’ the valet asked. ‘I sure as hell wouldn’t.’
‘She reminds him of his dead wife, title grabbing witch. She’s the type that would make eyes at him to pull him in and them once the ring is on her finger and the title before her name, she would fuck just about every other noble in London!’ Masters said disgustedly. ‘The last Duchess was just the same, but he put the mockers on her lascivious ways. He threatened her with a public divorce if she got a belly full with another bloke.’ Masters laughed nastily. ‘Served the silly bitch right. She played him for a fool from day one.’
Masters climbed into bed as Viscount Boston’s valet said ‘My Governor is shagging Lady Pritchard in between the maids. I feel sorry for the poor little bitches, but he accosts them when they least expect it and then practically rapes them.’
‘He’ll be lucky if he don’t end up on the end of somebody’s pistol.’ Masters murmured and was asleep in an instant.
~*~*~*~
Lady Eleanor Greyston was in such a rage that her maid was hiding beside the washstand. She had only worn a housecoat to the Duke’s apartments and the sash was having a hard time keeping her overabundant assets covered up.
‘The impertinent bastard!’ she shouted. ‘How dare he have me evicted from his room like I’m some kind of money grabbing whore!’
She paced and threw things around. She upended furniture and smashed the mirror on the dressing table, when she threw her silver backed hair brush at it. The crashing noise made the maid scream and brought Eleanor’s tantrum to an abrupt end. She sat down in front of the dressing table and put her head in her hands. ‘Why?’ she asked softly. ‘Why would he send me away?’
‘Perhaps you remind him of Victoria!’ Lady Christina Pritchard said from the doorway. She gestured for the maid to leave and strolled into the room, looking at the carnage around her. Overturned furniture and the ruined dressing table. ‘I do hope that wasn’t an antique piece.’ She said as she looked at the broken shards of mirror on top of the dressing table. ‘Be careful you don’t cut yourself.’
‘Why would I remind him of Victoria Asquith?’ Eleanor asked rather innocently for such an experienced Lady.
‘Didn’t you know the Duchess?’ Christina asked and when Eleanor shook her head, she smiled. ‘Then let me enlighten you. Lady Asquith wanted to be the Duchess of Warwick so badly, that she started the rumours of her affair with John Farrington and subsequent pregnancy herself. Her idea was to entrap the Duke and force a marriage. It worked superbly, as Emily Farrington was beside herself with shame over the rumours and to keep the peace in his household, John agreed to marry Victoria.’ Christina sighed deeply. ‘But my tale doesn’t end there, so let me warn you about chasing a man that doesn’t want you. John Farrington felt nothing for Victoria, not even respect. She killed that on the wedding night. John Farrington had the reputation of a rakehell right from when he first appeared in the City, so Victoria assumed he’d be able to service her just fine and she was prepared to give him the heir he needed, before satisfying her own debauched needs.’
‘What do you mean debauched?’ Eleanor asked enraptured at this tale.
‘Victoria had certain....proclivities.’ Christina continued. ‘Not only was she insatiable, but was more than willing to bed any number of people at the same time. Man or woman, it didn’t matter to Victoria Asquith. Orgies and whipping were the order of the day, why do you think Edward Asquith took to gambling, he couldn’t keep up with his sister. He found it intensely embarrassing that she had a larger appetite for sex than he did.’ She sighed again. ‘Of course, once she married the Duke, she had to hide these tastes. I was always surprised that he didn’t know what she was like.’ She said in wonder. ‘But I’m digressing. The marriage ceremony went fine and everybody feted the happy couple, but there was misery in paradise. John had a problem. A problem many men suffer from but one that a rake doesn’t usually have, but it seemed that John couldn’t get hard for the venal and debauched Victoria.’ Eleanor gasped and thought about the Duke’s britches as he stood over her and it was lax! ‘She laughed at him at the time and proceeded to vilify him at every opportunity.’
‘But she gave him a daughter!’ Eleanor said indignantly. ‘He must have doffed her at some point.’
‘I believe he did one night when he was so drunk, he thought she was somebody else, somebody called Jessica.’ Christina looked at Eleanor knowingly.
‘As in Jessica Gordon, the Governess?’ Eleanor ventured.
‘I must assume so. Although at the time Victoria told me this I had no idea who she meant. Jessica Gordon was almost unheard of on the ton as she was too well protected by her mother Lady Helen Gordon.’
‘The Earl of Westmoreland’s daughter?’
‘The very same.’
‘Wasn’t she caught in some scandal?’ Eleanor asked, but Christina just shook her head.
‘I believe she met the Duke on her debut and they danced twice. But other than that there was no gossip over her at all. Not until after Victoria had died and Jessica was forced to marry David Carruthers. But I’m digressing again. John Farrington rakehell, can fuck where his body tells him it wants to fuck. Now I would imagine when he looks at you, he sees Victoria in all her venal glory.’ She tutted deliberately. ‘You haven’t exactly been discreet in your approach to this very skittish Duke.’
‘But I want him.’ Eleanor spat petulantly.
‘First lesson in this life. We don’t always get what we want. You know that, otherwise you wouldn’t have ended up with the aging Lord Greyston on the end of your marriage contract.’ She looked at her friend firmly. ‘Just as I ended up with the equally aged Earl of Falkirk. Now our estates have been entailed away to children from earlier marriages, which leaves us relatively penniless. So if you can’t have the dashing Duke, who will you settle for?’ Christina asked harshly.
‘You’re very cruel to mention my financial difficulties.’ Eleanor said moodily.
‘Nevertheless, you can’t rely on the one suitor. I personally have looked at Dean. His estates are in good order. And I have found sexual satisfaction in the bed of Viscount Boston. He seems to have the impression that I’m in love with him, but he’s just a dalliance to alleviate my boredom at this asinine party.’ She smiled brightly. ‘So who would be your second choice?’
‘I don’t know.’ Eleanor muttered. ‘I’d not really given it much thought.’
‘No, I didn’t think so. You saw yourself as a Duchess, lying under that magnificent body and taking every stroke of his cock didn’t you?’ Eleanor nodded her head dejectedly. ‘Well, it’ll take more than sneaking into his room at bedtime. You’ll need to hone your acting skills to hide the venal side of your nature. So I would get some practice in for the rest of this week.’ She smiled brightly and left as abruptly as she’d arrived.
Eleanor, removed her dressing gown and climbed into bed, but she didn’t sleep well at all. Her overactive imagination kept showing her the Duke with a massive hard on mounting the governess like a dog and even though she masturbated, it didn’t relieve the ache in her groin.
Chapter Ten
Jessica woke slowly and stretched luxuriously. She had been dreaming of John Farrington. Innocent dreams of innocent things, as Jessica didn’t have a debauched sinew in her body. She climbed briskly out of bed when Annie arrived with the bath tub.
‘Good morning, Milady.’ Annie said brightly. ‘What an uproar went on last night!’
‘An uproar?’ Jessica asked as she sat on the counterpane and rubbed her face awake.
‘To be sure! Milady.’ Annie replied as she manoeuvred the bath tub in front of the fire. ‘Lady Greyston’s maid was crying and shaking like a leaf last night.’
‘Really?’ Jessica said absently, not really paying attention to the servant’s gossip. She brushed out her hair as the maids were filling the tub with hot water.
Annie spread out the towels and waited until the last maid left then she blurted out. ‘Oh yeah! I’ll say. Lady Greyston was chucked out o’ the Duke’s bed last night and she was in such a rage that she demolished ‘er room!’
Jessica looked at her in horror. ‘Which Duke?’ she asked as she stripped her night gown off and approached the bath.
‘The Duke of Warwick, Milady!’ Jessica looked up and Annie nodded her head and folded her arms. ‘The very same gent ‘oo came a calling ‘ere last evening!’ she said in disgust.
Jessica bent over the bath and dunked her head under the water. ‘How do you about this?’ She asked as Annie started to soap her hair.
‘Well, ‘er maid came back at bed time and she was all a dither. Crying and shaking and she told us that’s what ‘ad ‘appened. The Duke kicked ‘er out o’ his bed in disgust and ‘er mistress was livid about it!’ Annie laughed. ‘I’ll never be surprised at the things nobs do.’ And then suddenly realised that she was talking to a nob. ‘Not you Milady, you’re nicer than the rest.’ She muttered and fell silent while she rinsed Jessica’s tresses, finishing with vinegar in the last one to strip the soap residue off and make it shine.
‘People are stupid, aren’t they?’ Jessica asked to ease the tension in her maid as Annie wrapped a towel around her hair.
‘That they are, Milady.’ Annie sniggered. ‘I don’t like ‘er, that Lady Greyston. She’s ‘ad the ‘ots for the Duke since the first day.’
Jessica plunged her body in the water and sighed. ‘Has she?’ It was just a case of keeping Annie talking to discover all the servant’s gossip. Jessica leisurely soaped herself and rinsed while Annie talked.
‘Right put out she is, ‘specially wiv the Duke’s valet.’ Annie carried on regardless. ‘She’s run afoul o’ ‘im a coupla times. Masters, I think ‘is name is. ‘e’s shooed ‘er away before, but last night she managed to sneak into the Duke’s bed. The poor Duke arrives to find ‘is bed curtains closed!’ She held a towel out for Jessica. ‘When ‘e opens ‘em, there she is naked in ‘is bed!’ Annie was horrified, as Jessica was, that a woman would debase herself so much to hide naked in the bed of a man who was not her husband.
Jessica sat in the chair beside the fire. ‘No doubt the Duke was just as horrified as you.’ she said and dried herself vigorously.
‘‘e was so angry that he called ‘is valet to get rid o’ ‘er!’ Annie laughed delightedly. ‘Serves ‘er right! A lady should wait for a gentleman to call. It’s debauched to wait for ‘im in ‘is bed like a common light skirt!’ she finished the tale abruptly as Jessica slipped her robe on.
As she sat on the dressing table stool, Annie said ‘we’ll not get your hair dried quickly, Milady. I’ll have to leave it loose today.’ She swept it all back into a ribbon and left the pony tail hanging down her back. Jessica had glossy dark hair, which looked almost black when it was wet. It also had a tendency to curl and she’d always found it easy to make the ringlets that were so fashionable. But her hair would turn wild without being restrained and she knew she’d have to come back to her room before lunchtime to deal with. But there was nothing she could do now. To dress the hair onto her head properly would only make it remain damp and it would stink by the end of the day. Annie carefully handed her every item of clothing she was to wear. She sat and slid her silk stockings on and fastened them with the garters before shoving her feet into her most comfortable shoes, rather than her everyday boots. She donned a lisle chemise, followed by two fine lawn petticoats, adorned with lace and completed her ensemble with a pretty lemon muslin day gown, split up the front to reveal the intricate petticoat. She draped a small, fine lace shawl to match the petticoat around her neck, to cover her décolletage and secured it with a broach made of iridescent mother of pearl that produced a flash of colour on the otherwise plain gown. Without even being aware of it, her apparel was tasteful and of understated elegance. It was obvious that she had noble bloodlines.
‘Thank you, Annie.’ Jessica said softly as she looked over her appearance in the tall mirror on her wardrobe door. ‘I don’t think I’ll need your services anymore.’ She smiled at the maid. ‘And you must have other duties to perform.’
‘I do, Milady. But I’ve always wanted to be a ladies maid and now I ‘ave some experience maybe I can ask for a transfer.’
‘I’m sure Susanna will require her own maid soon.’ Jessica smiled, ‘and if you need a reference I’ll be happy to oblige.’
‘You’re very kind, Milady.’ Annie bobbed a curtsey and withdrew.
Jessica went out into the main school room and took charge of the children. The day passed in a flurry of activities that included a three legged race and other field events. Jessica spent the early part of the morning arranging ropes on the lawn with the aid of Bates, the gardener. It was mid-morning before the children arrived and Jessica quickly sorted them into their racing gr
oups. The parents watched with fascination as their children strived to win and Jessica was surprised when all the adults turned out. She expected at least half of them to be doing something else.
Elizabeth was paired with Stephanie, the Countess of Cromer, as they were the same age and size. Both Duke’s stood and watched proudly as their daughters won. They’d had a side bet, of course, but Boston was disgusted because he thought his daughter would win.
The children laughed and screamed, the parents exhorted them to excel and Jessica stood back and watched with satisfaction. She became aware of Lady Greyston’s baleful stare and wondered about her in the Duke’s bed. In the end she stared back, with an inquisitive expression and Lady Greyston turned her back. ‘Giving me the cut direct, are you?’ she muttered. ‘I wonder why?’ She mulled it over while she got the boys ready for a sack race. Andrew had supplied the grain sacks and the half dozen boys waited at the start line. Perhaps Annie was right and she has the hots for the Duke. She sniggered at that thought, but decided she needed to keep her distance from the petulant Lady.
Jessica was stood watching the race when the Duke approached her. ‘Thank you, Lady Carruthers.’ He said formally, she curtsied in response.
‘Good morning, Your Grace.’ She responded with equal formality and distance. ‘Why would you thank me?’
‘Because I’ve never seen my daughter happier.’ He said, ‘look?’ and he pointed to Elizabeth as she squealed and jumped about for the racers. ‘I suppose it’s time I employed a governess for her.’ He murmured.
The Duke and The Governess Page 13
