by Cee, DW
Damn. She was mad, but adorable. I had to ask, “How did I do you a disservice?”
“It’s not me you need to worry about. It’s your future lady I worry for, you...you...cad! You sit there and praise my designs and my forward thinking, but in the end, you’re no different from my parents who encourage me to do well in my studies, but dissuade me from attending UCL. You’re all talk, Harry Bennington. Find another woman who’s interested in listening.”
Before she stood up and stomped out, she finished her cup of coffee. Perfect. She was perfect for the role of the future Bennington duchess. I’d found my future in a fiery, dark-haired, blue-eyed maiden. I’d make her mine before this house party ended.
*******
Estelle
“Jackanapes. Arse. Imbecile.”
Did he think a fancy cup of coffee and some teacakes were going to fool me of his real character? For a brief while there, I thought I finally met someone who understood me. He seemed to be a kindred spirit of sorts. Until, of course, I realized he was no different from all the other men and women. They all thought men and women had roles that couldn’t change. I’d forever be fighting to assert my right as an accomplished human being.
Whatever! I was done with Harry Bennington.
“Stella? Whatever are you doing out here by yourself?”
“Hello Mother. I’m headed to my room is what I’m doing. Why are you not at tea?”
“Why are you not with Harry?”
“You knew?” I accused.
“Of course I knew. Did you think a man like Harry would be in a room with you all alone without asking our permission?”
“Mother.” I was so tired of telling her the same thing. “This is the twentieth century. A man and a woman can have a private conversation without expecting to walk down the aisle. We are friends, though no longer.”
I walked off before she could ask more questions.
“Stella.”
“What?” I bit out a little too angrily.
“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Roland stepped into me and pulled a ringlet of hair behind my ear. “That pompous arse bothering you again?” I started laughing hysterically at his statement.
“How did you know?”
“Harry Bennington has that effect on people.”
“And what would that effect be?” Harry asked ominously. Damn. I didn’t know he was nearby.
“Angering women and children.” Roland answered with a straight face. I couldn’t help but laugh again.
“Gentlemen, I haven’t finished my tea/coffee and when I’m hungry and parched, I tend to get a little cranky. Let’s play nice and enjoy our afternoon respite.”
I didn’t care if they followed. I chose to walk toward the garden and join the rest of the party.
“Why don’t you and Roland join me in the sitting room? It’ll be quieter and I was told that the coffee was delicious.” I continued to walk outside, ignoring the voice behind me. I was almost there when Harry grabbed my arm and asked, “Please?”
What could I do? “Oh, all right,” I agreed, “but only if Roland Ascot III can join us.”
Harry led us all to our unfinished feast.
*******
Roland
“Beautiful, you ran off before telling me anything about yourself,” I started the conversation.
“I believe I followed a man who promised me tea with my parents,” she accused Harry while sipping her coffee. I’d never met a woman who enjoyed this bitter drink. Estelle Cowper was no ordinary woman.
“Never follow a duke. He’ll promise you the world, but eventually will do only what he wants. That’s how they breed them.” I spoke in part-jest.
Harry was giving me his stately, duke-worthy glare. “If that’s how dukes are bred, then how are the sons of Barons bred?”
“I thought you were a nobody, like me.”
“I am a nobody. The Ascots aren’t noble by blood. My grandfather earned a barony after fighting in the war. Whoever acknowledges anything less than an earl nowadays?”
“Well, I personally think being titled is ridiculous. A man or a woman should be judged on his or her merit, not birthright.” This woman was one after my own heart.
“You are absolutely correct. I couldn’t agree more.”
“That’s what women say until a dukedom is promised with marriage.” Harry was always so sure of himself. That would be his downfall with Stella.
“Beautiful, I believe this conversation was about you?” I preferred to hear Estelle talk to Harry’s inane gibberish.
“I’ve been accepted to UCL and I hope to attend as soon as this house party is over.”
“Brava!” I congratulated this extraordinary woman.
“That is, of course, assuming my parents will allow me the honor of joining my fellow students.”
“Your parents want you married by the end of this weekend and with child by the end of the month?” I kidded.
The smile was unmistakable. “You are all knowing, Roland Ascot III.”
“I wouldn’t go as far as all knowing. Just observant. What do you think of Miss Cowper’s achievement, Harry?” Knowing how old-fashioned the Bennington family was, Harry’s answer was sure to put him on the outs with Estelle for good.
*******
Harry
Roland Ascot was as challenging as ever. He was doing his damnedest to put me in a difficult spot with Estelle. I’d show him how we dukes were really bred. “I would love to have Miss Cowper join me as a fellow student at UCL. Then, I could be in her lovely company all the time.” Those words hit all the right notes. Estelle’s eyes widened in surprise. Roland glared at me in disgust.
“I thought you didn’t approve of forward-thinking women? Shouldn’t we all flounce around in dresses and give parties in our London townhouses?” Estelle was ever challenging as well. That was one of her more exasperating, but adorable traits.
“Can’t I want the best of both worlds? An educated wife who is able to enjoy a hobby, as well as one who could give parties in our London town home, our summer home, our apartment in Paris, our castle in Fife—among other places?”
“You’d approve of a woman studying?”
“I’d approve of her going abroad to study, too. Assuming, of course, that we were married and I went with her. Why we could take a year-long honeymoon on the continent before she started her studies in Paris.” I gave a knowing wink.
“You presume too much, Sir,” Estelle whispered. She understood my intentions. Fortunately, so did Roland.
“Maybe. Maybe not. I only speak of what I know I’d like to provide for my bride. If she wished to study, she could. There must be a happy medium, though. She must desire to further our family lineage. That’s a non-negotiable. Do my ideas meet with your approval, Miss Cowper? If you were a miss in need of a husband, would you consider my proposal and think it adequate?”
“I don’t know,” her voice was still lost. “I haven’t ever thought of proposals. I only know of what I’d like for my own life.”
“Well, if you’d accept a proposal like mine, you’d have no worries for your own life or of your parents’ desires. They’d have no say,” I sensed she was about to shut down my idea, so I added, “hypothetically speaking, of course.”
“Those are big words from a man who can’t do everything he wishes. You have no obligations to the dukedom? You can go around throwing out proposals to any woman you come across without approval from your father and grandfather?”
“I can do any damn thing I want, Roland. That’s how we dukes are bred.” I threw his words back at him. That would teach Roland to stop challenging me if he wasn’t ready to fight.
*******
Estelle
I was tired of useless words and false promises. The bickering was no better. I decided to stop this ridiculous war of words.
“OK. I think we’ve said enough about me. What do you do, Roland Ascot III?”
<
br /> “I finished my studies and am off to law school. I begin next month, but plan to leave after this house party as well.”
“Where will you study law?”
“Harvard.” Wow!
“Impressive.”
“Nothing compared to what you’ve accomplished. What will you do with your education?”
“I’d eventually like to study design in Paris. I don’t know that I’m good enough to become a designer, but I’d like to give it a shot.”
“I think you’ve already succeeded, Stella. Very few women can claim your accomplishments. Brava.” Roland Ascot III knew how to make a girl feel valued. Though he was a virtual stranger, his support meant a lot to me.
“Thank you. How about we finish our refreshments and join the group? I was told that the duke requested all of us on the lawn in half an hour.”
The three of us finished our refreshments and went to play games with the rest of the party.
With each outing, Harry and I were paired; I couldn’t get away from him.
“I meant what I said about your future, Estelle.” Harry Bennington was as brazen as men came.
“Harry. You hardly know me. To think you’d offer for me over a cup of coffee, no matter how fine the coffee, is ridiculous.” I couldn’t believe him. I didn’t want to believe him.
With an easy smile, he answered, “I can give you everything you desire. No, I’m not as forward thinking as you are. Yes, I’m old-fashioned. But I won’t stand in the way of what you want. I would honor your dreams because I know how much they mean to you.”
This man was an enigma. One minute, he sounded like a duke from the Regency era and the next minute, he was the man of my dreams. Which one was the true Harry Bennington?
“How about we part for the day and you think over all that you’ve offered. You might be horrified to find that you’ve leg-shackled yourself in the course of an afternoon.”
“I don’t think so, Estelle. I know what I want and I want you,” he professed.
“And what if I don’t want you? What if I prefer someone like Roland?”
There was a glint in his eyes when he closed in on me and said, “Oh, I’m pretty sure you like all I have to offer. Deep down, a girly part of you wants to be married, living like a princess, while pursuing your dreams. Only I can fulfill that fantasy for you.”
“Is this how all privileged men behave? All they have to do is say a few fancy words and poof, all women fall at their feet?”
“Maybe for some, but I don’t need all women. I only want one and you’re it. Marry me, Estelle Cowper.”
To say I was shocked by his proposal didn’t come close to what was going on inside my heart and mind. We’d only just met. How could he want to marry me? He wasn’t wrong when he said I wanted the fantasy as well as the dream. What woman didn’t want to marry and have children? Of course, I wanted everything—the attainable as well as the unattainable. In the end, though, I couldn’t fully trust Harry Bennington’s words. His family was one of the oldest, blue-blooded families. To think they’d allow a future duchess to have a career was unthinkable. I needed to cool his ardor and lead this conversation elsewhere.
“Harry, you must stop. Don’t play with my emotions. How can I possibly think you’re serious when you propose after three hours of knowing me? You must take me for a fool. For the Bennington family’s sake, I implore you not to go around proposing marriage to the first girl you meet at a party.”
Harry’s eyes lit up with fire. He took my wrist and led me to his library, regardless of my protest. The entire group saw us walking off.
“You listen well, Estelle Cowper.” His voice was full of anger. “This is the first time I’ve fallen for a girl and you’re the first one I’ve proposed to—ever! Don’t mock me.”
I didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry, Harry.” I apologized with much sincerity. “Your affections...I don’t know how to understand them, more or less accept them. Love? Marriage? How can you feel so much in so little time? I don’t reciprocate.”
“Yet, Estelle. You don’t reciprocate, yet. If that’s what you can promise me today, we’ll work toward love and marriage. I’ll court you. You’ll fall head over heels in love and desperately desire marriage with me.” He edged in closer, his lips a whisper away from mine. “Give me a chance to show you what life would be like with me. You won’t regret it.” With a gentle touch of the lips, he gave me a taste of my first kiss. It was absolutely delicious!
“Let me think about it?” I pled.
“Don’t think too long.” He smiled and walked away.
*******
Harry
It had been a few hours since our kiss, and I couldn’t get the image of Estelle Cowper’s expression out of my mind. The way she touched her lips in shock. The way her big blue eyes stared into mine with such innocence. I would bet my future dukedom that I had given Estelle Cowper her first kiss. My already-healthy ego grew exponentially.
“What has you smiling thus, Son?”
“I’ve decided to marry Estelle Cowper, Father.”
“Good choice, Son. I like her attitude. She’s beautiful, spirited, and smart. Estelle will make a fine duchess.”
“What are her parents like? Seeing that they’re here, I assume you and mother approve?”
“The parents are as lovely as the daughter. We’d make good in-laws. When will you propose?”
“I already did.”
“Already?” To say Father was surprised would be an understatement.
“The moment was right. I knew I wanted her to be mine, and it annoyed me to see other men giving her so much attention.”
“But do you think it wise to ask within hours of meeting her? You’re not worried it’s just a physical attraction? Girls don’t come any more stunning looking than Estelle does. Those eyes give the feeling of staring into your soul. They’re almost haunting.”
“I promise you, Estelle is the woman for me, Father. I’m confident I’ll love her the rest of my life.”
My father chuckled. “Whatever happened to courtship and wooing a girl?”
“Now that my intentions are clear, courtship begins, immediately. If you’ll excuse me, Father. I have a wife to pursue.”
“Carry on, Son.”
*******
Estelle
A proposal was not anywhere on the itinerary for this weekend, was it? How could I have allowed Harry Bennington to get me thinking about a topic that was far from my list of immediate accomplishments?
What befuddled me was the attraction I felt for this man. As annoyed as His Pompous Grace could be, he endeared himself quickly. Fitting a future duke, he was confident, a born leader, and had the ability to make my dreams come true. If he truly meant what he said about letting me attend school in London and abroad, I would consider his suit in earnest. I’d rather take my chances with Harry and pursue my goals than be forced to give up school and my dream future. If my parents had their way, I’d end up married and with child by Christmas. Wedding myself to Harry and continuing my education might be the best of both worlds for me.
Oh, it was all so sudden and so very confusing.
“What has you frowning, Beautiful?”
“Roland. Hello. Where’d you come from?”
“I was walking up to get dressed for our formal dinner and dance when I saw you sitting here frowning at the paintings on the wall. Are Harry’s ancestors that ugly? Are they what has you wondering if you should escape back to London?”
“Are you always this humorous?”
“I’ve been told on more than a few occasions by the misses that I was boring and boorish. You appear to bring out the best in me.”
“I can’t imagine, Roland. You’re very fun.”
“Why thank you, Miss Cowper. Now that I’ve placed a smile on your face, share with me what’s bothering you.”
Was it wise to talk to one man concerning another man? I decided
against confiding in Roland. It wasn’t because I didn’t trust him. Right now wasn’t a good time to solicit advice from anyone.
“I’d rather not speak of what’s on my mind. Why don’t you tell me what’s on yours? Why are you here, Roland? Am I wrong when I say you want to be at this weekend party as much as I do?”
He thought through his answer deeply, which was surprising. “I am here at the behest of my grandfather. He and Harry’s grandfather were in the war together and are good friends.”
“A duke in the war? How can that be? Isn’t there a law against such things?”
“He was a rebel of sorts and enlisted without anyone’s knowledge of who he was. Once the military understood his ranking, they assigned my grandfather as his ‘guard’. That didn’t sit well with either man, but they soon became friends. To make a long story short, my grandfather saved Harry’s grandfather’s life. In return, Harry’s great-grandfather requested, to the queen, a title for the Ascot family and a large sum of money and land.”
“I didn’t realize your connection ran that deep.”
“Harry and I are encouraged to behave like ‘brothers’ but we can’t quite find that spirit.”
“So you’ve known him all your life?”
“I’m afraid so,” he spoke with laughter. “I shouldn’t speak ill of him. He’s actually a decent chap. I just don’t care for the attention he’s shown you. Otherwise, I like Harry fine.”
“So you’ve noticed...”
“I think this entire party has noticed. Harry is generally stuffy and keeps to the people he knows. It probably has something to do with the parson’s trap that scares the dickens out of all of us.”
“I’m not looking for marriage, Roland.”
“We know. That’s part of what makes you desirable and delectable, Miss Cowper. It helps that you’re the most beautiful woman any of us has ever laid eyes on.”
“I wish people would see beyond the outside. Most of the times, I despise the way I look.”
“And why would that be?”
“Because men ogle me, women hate me, and I feel as if I’m worth nothing aside from this appearance. When people think of me, I want them to know me for my intelligence and my accomplishments. Even my parents don’t take me seriously. I don’t know how anyone else will take me at face value.”