Duke of fire

by Monroe, Jennifer

  His smile practically split his face in two. “Thank you,” he replied. “And although I have only known you a short time, I find you a very nice woman. Not like Miss Pambury.” He grimaced as he said the name and shook his head.

  “Now, Samuel,” Jane admonished lightly, imagining that he was speaking of a former governess, “we do not speak ill of other people when they are not here to defend themselves, and you especially should not speak ill of women. It is not becoming of a young man such as yourself to speak so.”

  The boy sighed. “I know. She’s just mean, and I don’t like her. She doesn’t like children much either.” Jane went to speak, but he continued before she could say a word. “She’s always mean to me when father is not around.”

  Jane cleared her throat, unsure of whom Samuel spoke. The woman could not have been a previous governess if he spoke of her as if she still came around. However, regardless of who this Miss Pambury was, Jane refused to allow the boy to participate in idle gossip.

  “Are you still interested in exploring the gardens?” she asked to take his mind off this unknown woman.

  He nodded and pulled himself up from the blanket. “I’m going to find my rabbit friends,” he said with a wide grin. “Should I look for gold coins so you can buy a new dress?”

  Jane smiled at the boy. His heart was made of the gold he wished to find. “Yes, please,” she replied.

  With that, he ran off, leaving Jane to gather the picnic lunch, or what was left of it, and the blanket. Her plan had been to ease Samuel’s mind so he would feel free to share with her where he left off in his schooling with Miss Hester and to determine what he knew thus far. As it turned out, he was a bright boy, although this did not surprise her. He had a wonderful wit about him and his avid tendency for curiosity showed her that he could pick up just about anything—as long as it interested him. Overall, she looked forward to beginning his instruction come Monday.

  Jane watched the boy as he walked around the corner of the house and out of sight. As she went to stand, the temperature seemed to drop and a shadow fell over her.

  “The boy has taken a liking to you,” a man’s voice said from behind her.

  Jane turned. She did not recognize the man who stood before her, but he had similar features to the Duke, although his hair was shorter with a lighter hue, and he was not as handsome somehow.

  “Please, allow me to assist you,” the man said as he held out a hand.

  She took the offered hand and pulled herself to a standing position before she gave him a curtsy as she looked at the man’s shoes. “Thank you, My Lord. My name is Miss Jane…”

  “Yes, I know who you are,” the man said as he cut her off. “Please, look at me when I speak to you.” Although the words were almost the same as those spoken by the Duke, this man’s tone was not as soft.

  Jane forced herself to bring her eyes to his face.

  “What beautiful eyes you have,” he said in a low voice. Then he cleared his throat. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Robert Blackstone, younger brother of Michael Blackstone, your employer.”

  Jane offered a return smile and tried to hold the man’s gaze. It was not that he was less polite than the Duke, but something about him said he did not share the Duke’s soft countenance but instead preferred to use a more authoritative approach when dealing with servants.

  “I wish to speak to you, if you will. Follow me.”

  Swallowing hard, Jane did as he bade, leaving the remains of the picnic lunch where they lay. She could easily return for them later.

  “I told my brother it was unwise to have you reside here while you watched over his son,” Lord Blackstone said. “Although he claims you are a kind person and there is nothing to fear, I must be certain that this is the case.” They came to a stop before a small birdbath and he turned to look at her. “Tell me, is there anything about which I should worry while you look after my nephew?”

  “No, My Lord,” Jane replied in surprise. “I will instruct him with the best of my ability to ensure his education is the best he can receive.”

  The man nodded, and Jane lowered her eyes. The uneasiness had returned, and she found it difficult to hold the man’s gaze.

  “Very well, then,” Lord Blackstone said with finality, as if she had somehow just passed some sort of test. “I will take you at your word, even if you are a woman. However, I will ask one thing from you, and I hope you will assist me with it.”

  “Of course, My lord,” she replied and then immediately regretted the words. Why would she agree to something before she knew the terms of that agreement? For some reason, her uneasiness with this man increased.

  “My brother is suffering greatly from the tragedy of losing his wife and the mother to his son. His mind has not been his own since, and I am afraid that he only worsens as time goes by.”

  Jane gave a single nod, her memories of the previous night coming to her. His brother spoke the truth.

  “He grows angrier and more confused each day. What he remembers now, he forgets in an hour. What I am asking is this.” He brought his fingers to her chin and lifted her face to look at her directly. Her skin prickled at his touch. “If you see or hear anything that causes you worry, will you inform me? My brother and his son are all I have left in this world. If anything were to happen to him, or if the madness overtakes him to the point he is unable to perform his duties necessary to his title, it will crush me. Promise me you will report at once anything out of the ordinary.”

  Jane nodded again, this time with more vigor. Perhaps the coldness in his eyes came from the pain he felt for what was happening with his brother. Maybe she had misjudged him.

  “Thank you,” he said as he released her chin and gave her a smile. “The relief knowing you are here and watching eases my mind greatly.”

  “Of course, My Lord,” she said with a curtsy. “However I can help, I will.”

  Lord Blackstone smiled again and, without another word, headed back toward the house.

  Jane wiped at her chin before she realized she did so, as if to rid herself of the memory of his touch. His words worked through her mind. If the Duke was going mad as his brother said, it would explain the words about his wife she overheard the previous night. However, she could not shake the confusion within her as she walked off in search of Samuel. If this man cared so deeply for his brother, why did he leave a bad taste in her mouth?

  ***

  “Splendid,” Jane said as Samuel finished writing out yet another sentence. For their first day of instruction, they had completed quite a few lessons, for the boy was more than competent, even at his young age.

  Samuel looked up at her and smiled before returning the quill to its holder. “Miss Hester told me I am very smart,” he said as a statement of fact.

  Jane returned his smile as she rubbed his mop of dark hair. “I believe Miss Hester was correct in her observation,” she said truthfully. “You are a very bright boy. Now, are you ready to show me your skills in reading?”

  “Oh, yes,” he replied with a ready grin. “But might we go outside to read? It’s too nice to be inside today.”

  Jane laughed and looked out the large window. “I do believe you make a very good point,” she said. “Very well, we will go outside. However, we will be there to read. No chasing rabbits or looking for gold coins while completing lessons.”

  “Yes, Miss Harcourt,” Samuel answered, although he sounded a bit disappointed.

  Taking the boy’s hand in hers, the two left the study, passing Jenkins, who gave a polite smile. The butler was rigid, but Jane sensed a kindness about the man. Perhaps after some time he would be less former toward her.

  Soon the pair were outside and Samuel chose a bench under a large birch tree. Storm clouds brewed along the horizon, already bringing about a coolness to the air, but for the time being, the sun shone brightly on them.

  “Now, Samuel,” Jane said as she opened a book she had brought out with her, “I would like you to read to m
e.” She handed him the book, which he took with a soberness that made her hide a smile. He did take his lessons quite seriously indeed.

  “There was…once a man who…” He looked up at her. “What’s that word?”

  “Sought.”

  “There was…once a man who sought to find…”

  Jane listened as the boy called out the words on the page, and although he struggled with some, she was overall impressed at his reading ability. The majority of the words over which he stumbled would have been difficult for any reader his age, but the majority he read perfectly.

  “Did Miss Hester read with you every day?” she asked a short time later when she asked him to discontinue his reading.

  The boy shook his head.

  “Once a week?” she asked, finding it odd that the woman would not have found reading on a daily basis an important part of his education.

  “Just two times,” he said in reply, raising two fingers to punctuate his answer. “She would give me a book and then sometimes she would fall asleep.”

  Jane smiled, the problem now apparent. “Well, from now on, you will read every day. How does that sound?”

  He gave her a skeptical look. “I like that, but will I still be able to play?”

  She laughed. “Of course,” she said. “Go on and play now before we get you ready for dinner.”

  Without hesitating even a moment, Samuel jumped up from the bench and took off down the nearby steps. Jane let out a sigh and then turned, her eyes widening when she saw the Duke walking toward her with long strides. His long hair flowed behind him, and the dark storm clouds provided a perfect backdrop for his scarred face. Her heart raged, for she feared he was somehow enraged at her.

  “Miss Harcourt,” he said as he stopped before her. “May I join you?”

  Jane swallowed hard and tried to regain her senses, hoping her fear would subside. The Duke, however, tilted his head as she struggled to speak, so she gave him a quick nod in reply. Rather than being angry with her, however, he simply took a seat beside her. Her heartbeat quickened; she had never been so close to a murderer before.

  “What is your assessment of Samuel?” he asked in a kind voice that belied the grimace on his face.

  Jane grasped the book so hard as a means to hold onto something her fingers pained her.

  “Miss Harcourt? Are you well?”

  Something inside her clicked and she realized that she was acting the fool. A quick study of his face made her realize that the grimace she thought he wore was, in fact, a permanent expression he carried due to the extensive scarring. What a fool she was.

  “I apologize, Your Grace,” she said when she had released the tight grip on the book. “In answer to your question, Samuel is an exceptional student with a mind that is eager to learn. His skills in mathematics are higher than others his age with whom I’ve worked, and I believe his reading skills will improve with practice.”

  It was quiet for a few moments, and Jane allowed a glance over at the Duke. Was he angry or upset at the news? Did it displease him that she had not included reading as an exceptional skill the boy possessed? She refused to lie about what the boy could and could not do; in doing so, it only hurt the student rather than helped. Granted, it made the parents feel better, but it did no good for the child.

  Her fear eased, however, when the man looked at her, and though she could not see his eyes, for he had pulled his hair back over his face, she could feel them on her.

  “It is good to know how well he is doing. An education is of great importance for the role he will one day inherit, and although he will more than likely attend a boarding school as well as University, the foundation he builds today will only make him a greater success later.”

  “I would agree wholeheartedly,” Jane said. “To walk in his father’s footsteps will be a great task, and I will make sure he is ready to the best of my skills.” She paused for a moment as she returned her gaze to the ground. Her cheeks had heated significantly. “Forgive me for being so forward, Your Grace,” she said when she realized she might have overstepped her place. “I did not mean to imply that I could ever understand the importance of your station.”

  The laugh the Duke gave was not menacing, which is what Jane had expected, but instead held mirth. “You are very kind, Miss Harcourt,” he said, “and I understand the intentions of your words. They were not presumptuous but rather came from the heart.”

  Jane gave him a shy smile. Murderer or not, he did seem kind, and his laugh had a way of making her relax in his presence. Daring to sneak a peek, she raised her head once more and her eyes met his.

  He wore a smile and his cheeks had a pink hue to them. “You are a welcome addition to my home. I had feared that I would not find anyone.” He rose from the bench. “To be honest, I thought I would have to settle for a governess no one else wanted.” Although he loomed above her, she found she no longer feared him for some reason. “Although it seems that my fears were for naught. It seems that I have acquired the most brilliant mind to instruct my son.”

  The compliment warmed Jane’s heart—and her cheeks. “Thank you, Your Grace,” she said. “Your words are very kind.”

  “I do not say so to be kind. I simply wish to be honest.” His smile widened. “I would request that you join us for dinner tonight. It has become lonesome when it is just Samuel and me dining alone, and he would certainly welcome your presence.”

  Jane sat in stunned silence. The Earl of Waterwood had insisted that Jane eat with Arthur—or perhaps it was the Countess who insisted. Regardless, in every position she had held, as the governess, she was never invited to eat with the family, and to be asked to do so was a windfall indeed. What an honor it would be to sit at the same table as a Duke.

  “I will graciously accept your offer,”

  “I will see you at six in the dining room,” the Duke said in a tone that brooked no argument. “If you would like to retire for a short while, I will find Samuel and bring him in.” Without waiting for her answer, he walked away as thunder rumbled in the distance.

  A new thought occurred to Jane. How could the Duke of Fire, a suspected murderer, make her feel at ease while his brother, a man who appeared kind and giving, cause her to tremble in fear? If the stories were true, the opposite should have been true. However, as she made her way back to the house, she knew it mattered not at this moment. For now, she needed to prepare herself for dinner with the Duke of Fire. As the storm above her started to close in, she wondered if it was an omen as to what was to come.

  ***

  The idea of dining with the Duke still held a bit of strangeness—and excitement. Jane looked herself over in the mirror one last time and smiled. Her hair had been pinned up and tied with a ribbon of blue, thick strands of curls allowed to fall on either side of her face. Although she did not typically think herself beautiful, the blue dress she wore—the finest she had ever owned—had her reconsider the notion. Although it was unlikely that anyone of the ton would take notice of her dress, even if it was made of silk, for some unknown reason the thought of the Duke doing so had her shaking, and not in the same way she had done so in the presence of his brother. Now her trembling was a pleasant feeling, one built on some sort of hope. What hope she could possibly desire to fill, she was uncertain, but it was there nonetheless.

  However, when her eyes greeted her, they seemed to mock her, and she quickly looked down at her gloved hands. How could any man see her beautiful with eyes such as hers?

  Letting out a sigh, she released the hope that had been on her heart. Now, she only wished that the Duke would find her dress appropriate and that he enjoyed her company. She did have her wits after all.

  She made her way to the dining room, and as she passed a large clock, she was pleased to see she was early. Even her father had insisted on punctuality when it came to dinner, and he was not even a member of the gentry. However, he did find the notion of his family at the table sharing in a meal as important. In his opinion, if a
person arrived late to dinner, that person was an uncouth fool. Well, she would be no such person to make such a horrible impression by being late to her first dinner with the Duke, a man she had a great desire to impress, even if it was by her punctual arrival to the dinner table.

  When she stepped into the dining room, she smiled at the large table finely decorated with lovely table settings at one end, the Duke in the place of honor at the head and young Samuel to his right. The final setting was across from Samuel, to the Duke’s left. When the two took note of her entrance, they rose, and a footman pulled out the chair for her.

  “Miss Harcourt,” the Duke said with a smile, or a half-smile, as the scars made such an action difficult, “we are glad to have you join us this evening.”

  “Yes, Miss Harcourt,” Samuel said, his smile wide, “you look pretty in that dress. Did you buy it with the gold coins I found?” At least the boy made a comment on her attire; his father certainly had not. She admonished herself for thinking such things; impressing the Duke was not the reason she was here, at least not the main reason.

  The Duke gave his son a light reprimand. “Now, Samuel, we do not discuss the price of a woman’s dress within her hearing, nor do we ask how she paid for it. It is rude.”

  Samuel looked down at the table, but his smile did not leave his face. “Yes, Father.”

  Jane smiled. Father and son clearly had a loving relationship or Samuel would have been far from smiling when his father corrected him. “Thank you both for allowing me this honor,” she said as she took her seat, the footman pushing in the chair. “And Samuel, I bought this dress with coins, but I must admit they were not gold coins.” She glanced at the Duke, hoping she had not overstepped her bounds by discussing a topic he had deemed unacceptable, but rather than be angry, he appeared amused.

  Samuel, however, appeared disappointed. “Well, then the next dress you purchase should be done so with gold.” He said this with determination and finality, and Jane had to hide her widening smile behind her hand.

  The first course arrived, a creamy soup Jane enjoyed immensely.