A Deal with a Duke

by Christie Kelley

  “So, Hell a little slow with the mourning?” Harry asked with a smile. He’d only been to Simon’s gaming hell once, but he’d been impressed by every part of it.

  Simon nodded. “Horribly so.”

  “Gambling should pick up in another fortnight. Half-mourning will begin in early March.”

  “Let’s hope so, or I’ll be coming to you for assistance,” he replied with a laugh. “Now then, what has you so down in the mouth?”

  Harry couldn’t remember the last time he had a friend to talk to, except for Louisa. Maybe Simon could be that person who was missing from his life. His sister tended to lecture. “I’m considering marriage.”

  Simon held up his glass in salute. “Congratulations. Who is the lucky lady?”

  “I haven’t chosen one yet.”

  Simon sipped his brandy and then chuckled as he placed the snifter on the table. “I suppose as duke, you walk into a ballroom and point to an unmarried lady. She then falls prostrate at your feet in gratitude that you chose her as your duchess.”

  “Not quite.” And there was one woman who would never fall prostrate at his feet. Nor would he want her to. “Besides, there are many things to consider before marrying.”

  “Such as?”

  “She must come from a good family, for one.”

  “I suppose she must have good eyes and teeth,” Simon added with a low chuckle.

  Harry frowned at his brother. “This is serious business, Simon. The choice of a wife determines the connections your children will have and their selection of a wife or husband.”

  Simon tilted his head and arched a black brow at him. “Shouldn’t marriage be about love?”

  Harry’s head fell back against the chair as he laughed. “Not in Society, dear boy. It’s all about connections, or if the peer needs money, who has the largest dowry.”

  “Thank God I’m a bastard then.”

  “I suppose it does come with certain advantages.”

  “If you haven’t chosen this paragon of Society, how will you decide?” Simon asked, sounding genuinely interested.

  Harry didn’t want to wait another two months until the Season officially began. Louisa had offered to help him. The idea of Louisa helping him find a wife left a bitter taste in his mouth. But if he was the best person to find her a husband, maybe she was the best person to find him a wife.

  Everything inside him rejected the idea of a wife. He’d lost the right to happiness. His father had taken it away from him. And Harry had done the same thing by forcing Sabita to England. She had begged him not to leave India, but he had compelled her to return with him. Only to have her murdered within a fortnight of arriving.

  But responsibility came first. He would marry a proper lady, whether he wanted to or not.

  “Are you well, Harry?”

  Harry blinked and glanced over at his brother. “Pardon, just thinking.”

  “I had asked how you would find a wife.”

  “I suppose I will have to attend the Season.” Or have Louisa find him a wife.

  “Excellent. I do believe I shall attend a few balls this year too. Drum up some business as they say. I will need to make up for this current dry period.” Simon rose and looked down at him with a slight furrow to his dark brows. “Are you certain you are well?”

  “I will be.” Once he found a mother for Charlotte and retreated to Northwood Park. He had to do this for his daughter. Charlotte needed a mother. Love didn’t matter any longer. Marriage needed to be a business arrangement and nothing more.

  LOUISA PACED HER BEDCHAMBER, unable to sit still. It was as if she knew something would happen today. But what? Harry would not pay a call on her again. It had been three days since she’d seen him with Charlotte. In a few days, they would both come to call on her to attend the menagerie and view the elephant.

  A walk was what she needed to purge this excess energy. After pulling out her cloak, she called for a footman to accompany her. The walk to Hyde Park stretched her legs and focused her mind on finding a husband. As she walked, she glanced around but mostly noticed either couples or groups of ladies. Not an eligible man in sight. Strolling toward the Serpentine, she heard a familiar giggle followed by the excited cry of Charlotte.

  “Miss Drake!”

  Oh Lord, how was she to focus on bachelors when Harry was walking directly toward her with his delightful daughter in tow? Her breath quickened as Harry turned to face her.

  “Lady Charlotte, how lovely to see you,” Louisa said to the little girl.

  “Papa took me to the park!”

  “Your Grace,” Louisa said with a curtsy.

  “Miss Drake,” Harry replied with a stiff bow. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

  “Yes,” she said, unsure what to say next. Based on his rigid stance and slight frown, she doubted seeing her was any kind of pleasure for him.

  “Miss Drake, we’re to see the elephant in four more days!” Charlotte gleefully filled the awkward silence between the adults.

  She smiled down at the little girl. “Yes, that is right.”

  Two ladies approached whispering to each other as they came near. “Your Grace,” they said in unison before adding, “Miss Drake.”

  “Lady Anne, Miss Emerson, lovely to see you again,” Louisa said with a smile.

  Harry said with a quick bow. “Ladies, this is my daughter, Charlotte.”

  “I see,” Lady Anne replied with a slight sneer. “Come along, Miss Emerson, we must continue our walk.”

  Louisa wanted to shake some sense into them both. How dare they give Charlotte the cut like that. Thankfully the little girl hadn’t noticed the slight, unlike her father. She glanced over at Harry. His jaw clenched, he glared at the backs of the women as they strolled away.

  “Charlotte, go look for some fish in the water. John will go with you.” Louisa nodded at her footman, who smiled at the young girl.

  “Come along, Lady Charlotte,” John said with a grin. “Let us see how many fish we can count.”

  Once they were out of earshot, Louisa whispered, “I am so sorry, Harry.”

  “It only confirms everything that I have said about these ladies.” They slowly followed John and Charlotte toward the water. “I should have known a walk was a bad idea.”

  Her anger at the ladies and him turned to sarcasm. “Oh yes, far better to hide her away and allow no one to meet your adorable little girl.”

  “This is not your business. We’re leaving now.”

  “Don’t you dare go running back to Northwood Park,” she whispered harshly. “Just because those two b—witches cannot see what a darling Charlotte is, doesn’t mean that all the ladies will react the same.”

  “We both know that is the typical reaction.”

  “Perhaps, but you cannot know that for certain. Hiding Charlotte away only confirms to them that you are ashamed of her.”

  His eyes grew dark as his fists clenched by his side. “I am not ashamed of Charlotte.”

  “Of course not,” Louisa said softly. “Then bring her everywhere you wish. She did not observe their slight. If you react to the prejudices of a few ignorant ladies, Charlotte will start to notice. Before you realize, she will begin to think there is something different about her.”

  “So, you are suggesting that I ignore the comments...or lack of greetings.”

  “Yes. At four, Charlotte won’t notice or care. As she gets older, you and your duchess will be her pillar. She will look to you for guidance in dealing with people of their ilk. You can teach her how to be graceful and at times...” She searched for the right word.

  “Sharp-tongued?” he offered.

  She shrugged. “Perhaps. There will be times she, as the daughter of a duke, will need to lead the way in Society. And sometimes give a cut direct to those who would besmirch her.”

  “Your Grace,” a man called out.

  Louisa turned to see Lord Collingwood sauntering toward them. “Well, this may be the perfect time for an introdu
ction.”

  Harry glanced between the two of them and then released a long sigh. “As you wish. Just be forewarned, Collingwood tends to be a little shy with ladies. But he is a good man.”

  “Your Grace, it is so good to see you in town again,” Lord Collingwood said as he approached.

  “Thank you, Collingwood.” Looking over at Louisa, he added, “Miss Drake, may I introduce Lord Collingwood?”

  Louisa nodded with a smile.

  “Miss Drake, lovely to make your acquaintance.” He gave her a quick bow.

  Louisa curtsied to the viscount. “It is a pleasure, my lord.”

  Collingwood cleared his throat as he returned his attention to Harry. “We didn’t have much time to speak while at Windsor.”

  Collingwood and Harry chatted for a few minutes, mostly about the King’s funeral, which gave Louisa time to examine him. The man was slightly shorter than Harry but about the same build. His blond hair was almost light brown and starting to thin on top. Overall, not terrible, she decided. The fine wool of his black jacket and trousers bespoke his position in Society.

  “I do apologize for taking up so much of your time,” Collingwood said with a look to Louisa. “It was dreadfully rude of me.”

  “Not at all,” Louisa replied. “Like you, I hadn’t seen His Grace in such a long time, that I had to stop my walk to welcome him back to town.”

  “I must take my leave now. Good afternoon to you both.

  Harry waited until the viscount was out of hearing distance before asking, “What do you think?”

  “Hard to tell much at all. Collingwood spent most of the time conversing with you and ignoring me. Perhaps he will ask me to dance when Lady Leicester holds her annual ball to open the Season.”

  “I will see that he does.”

  A slow smile lifted her lips. That would mean Harry intended to stay at least until the Season started. They stopped and watched as Charlotte counted a few fish until she became bored and raced back toward them.

  “We need to continue our walk, poppet,” Harry said to his daughter.

  “Can Miss Drake come along too?”

  “No, sweetheart, I must return home now,” Louisa replied but hated seeing the look of disappointment in the little girl’s brown eyes. “But I shall see you again in—”

  “Four days!” Charlotte interrupted as she clapped her hands.

  As Louisa returned home, she concentrated on Lord Collingwood. The shyness Harry had spoken of wasn’t apparent to her. Collingwood seemed to have no difficulty speaking with her after finishing with Harry, which was not unusual. Men tended to gravitate to the higher-ranking peers, whether for words of advice or just the respect of associating with them.

  Still, even from their limited conversation, she felt something lacking in him. Unable to determine the cause of her uncertainty, she would have to wait until she had another time to speak with him. Louisa shrugged. Until the Season opened, there would be no balls and therefore, no opportunity to dance with him. Without either, conversation with an unmarried man was limited.

  Except, she always seemed to find a way with Harry.

  HARRY AWOKE ON FRIDAY to the resonance of Charlotte’s excited shrieks sounding from the hall. He braced for impact as she ran into his room and jumped on his bed.

  “Papa, it’s Friday!”

  “So it is, poppet.” He smiled as she bounced on the bed. “What is so special about today?”

  “We’re going to see Chunee!”

  He couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. Her brown eyes were bright, with the eagerness of a child. “Well then, I suppose you should go eat with Nurse while I dress.”

  “Then we will leave?”

  “We cannot leave until just before eleven since that is the time I told Miss Drake we would collect her.”

  She bounced off the bed and raced back up to the nursery.

  Harry tossed the coverlet off him, and the grabbed his dressing gown. After ringing for his valet, he glanced out at the light snow that had fallen during the night. The white layer coated the city, giving the streets a pristine appearance until people spoiled the beauty.

  “Good morning, Your Grace,” his valet said as he walked into the room with a tray of tea.

  “Good morning, Andrews.” While his valet readied his clothing, Harry sipped a cup of tea.

  “I understand today is the day Lady Charlotte finally gets to see Chunee.”

  Harry laughed. “Has she been driving the staff mad with her desire to see the elephant?”

  “Of course not, Your Grace. The staff adores Lady Charlotte,” Andrews replied with a genuine smile.

  After eating his breakfast and reading The Times, Harry finished some correspondence with his steward at Worth Hall. At some point, he would need to take a few days and visit the ducal manor. One more thing he had neglected over the past two years. Even though it was his childhood home, he much preferred the rustic charm of Northwood Park.

  “Please may we leave now, Papa?” she asked, racing into his study.

  “I called for the coach. As soon as it is ready, we shall depart.”

  Charlotte went to the window to watch for the coach. Within a few minutes, she shouted, “The coach is here!”

  No need for a butler when there was an eager child in the house. “Very well, we shall be off.”

  Once they arrived at the Drake home, he left Charlotte in the carriage while he escorted Louisa and her maid out.

  “How excited is she?” Louisa asked as they stepped outside.

  He shook his head in reply.

  “Driving you mad?”

  “I believe she has driven even the servants insane with her anticipation. I do hope the poor elephant lives up to her expectations.” Harry took her hand and assisted her into the carriage.

  “Good morning, Miss Drake,” Charlotte said politely, concealing her excitement.

  “Good morning, Charlotte.”

  Harry took the seat next to Charlotte for propriety’s sake when all he wanted to do was sit next to Louisa, inhale the light scent of her lilac soap and dream of stripping her naked. What the bloody hell was wrong with him? He could never have her. And his daughter was in the carriage with them. A wife was precisely what he needed to take his mind off Louisa.

  “Are you well, Your Grace?” Louisa asked with a smile. “You seem to be lost in thought.”

  “Pardon me, Miss Drake. I was thinking about some business.”

  “Of course, I understand you have much on your mind.”

  The woman had no idea of the thoughts that plagued him. He’d hoped to have a private conversation at some point during their outing so that he could inform her of his decision regarding a wife. Hopefully, she would find him, someone, quickly.

  The drive to The Exeter Exchange seemed endless with the stifled conversation. Perhaps it was Charlotte’s presence that caused them both to struggle with a topic appropriate for her tender ears. Harry stared over at Louisa. With her bonnet on, her hair seemed to stay in place today. Finally, they arrived where the menagerie was located. Harry assisted Louisa out of the carriage and then pulled Charlotte into his arms.

  “You must stay with either Miss Drake or me. You mustn’t wander off, poppet.”

  “Yes, Papa.”

  He let her down to walk but took her small hand in his large one. Once inside, her eyes widened, and her mouth gaped.

  “There are so many animals!”

  Louisa laughed as she saw the expression on Charlotte’s face. “Did you not know there were others?”

  Charlotte shook her head. “No.” She pointed and said, “There’s a monkey! And a camel!”

  They stopped and watched the two monkeys chasing each other in the cage. Their antics had Charlotte giggling.

  “Good afternoon, Your Grace. Miss Drake.”

  Harry turned to see Mrs. Mary Gardiner stroll by with her daughter in tow. She had married a friend of his from Eton only to become a widow after three years of marriage.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Gardiner.”

  “What a beautiful little girl. Is this your daughter?” she asked with a genuine smile.

  “Yes, this is Charlotte.” Harry appreciated Mrs. Gardiner’s sincerity. After the reaction of the ladies in the park, he wasn’t certain anyone in town would treat Charlotte with kindness.

  “And this is my daughter, Elizabeth.”

  The two girls appeared to be near the same age and immediately started chattering to each other about the animals. Louisa took a step back as if to give him more room with Mrs. Gardiner. He frowned over at Louisa. She should be next to him, not feet away like a servant.

  They walked up to the cage where Chunee was kept, passing the lions and tigers with barely a notice. Louisa stayed in her spot as if unable to move.

  “I read he is over seven hundred pounds,” Mrs. Gardiner said as they approached the elephant. “I also heard you might want to watch your hat, Your Grace.”

  Harry took a few steps closer to the cage and turned toward Charlotte. “Now why is that, I wonder?”

  Just then, he felt his hat lift off his head. Charlotte’s eyes grew as large as saucers and Louisa let out a husky laugh. His gaze moved to Louisa, who immediately stopped laughing.

  “He took your hat, Papa!”

  The hat came back down on his head. It was all he could do to contain his laughter. “Charlotte, an elephant cannot take a hat off a person’s head.”

  “He did, Papa! He did it with his trunk!”

  Harry moved away from the elephant before he lost his hat for good. He picked up his daughter and moved a little closer to Chunee. The elephant stuck his trunk out to sniff Charlotte, causing a riot of giggles to erupt from the little girl.

  “We should move on and allow others to see Chunee,” Mrs. Gardiner stated, holding her hand out for Elizabeth.

  “Yes, of course.” Harry walked toward the lions.