“You have been sleeping late a lot nowadays,” Madelene commented. “If I did not know you better, I would say you are expecting.”
“Expecting?” Regan gulped loudly.
Madelene looked at Regan. Her eyes widened when she noticed that her face was paler.
“Dear Lord,” Madelene murmured. “I have not changed a bloody sheet this month.”
A burp escaped Regan’s mouth. Her eyes widened and she quickly covered her mouth. Madelene became more suspicious.
“You are with child, young miss,” Madelene happily concluded.
Regan touched her stomach. A sudden happiness overwhelmed her. She secretly counted the days and then giggled joyfully. God had given her a wonderful gift on the day she and Warin revealed their feelings for each other in the cottage.
“You should tell His Grace,” Madelene suggested. “He would be ecstatic. The Derbyshire has an heir.”
Regan lovingly rubbed her belly. She smiled at Madelene and said, “I will tell him after the dinner tonight. I am sure he will be extremely happy to be a father.”
Chapter Nine
“You should control yourself, Miss Regan,” Madelene reminded Regan as she almost skipped towards the drawing room. “The other ladies may notice how you’ve grown familiar with your womanhood.”
Regan controlled her smiles and walked gracefully into the room. When she saw Warin, her face glowed and a delighted smile flashed on her face. She quickly hid her smile when she saw her father’s suspicious look.
“Someone looks happy today,” Margaret said.
“Two of them, actually,” Lady Tindale added. “The Duke of Derbyshire has been happy these past weeks as well.”
Warin blushed as he ushered Regan to the seat next to his.
“I have good news for you,” Regan whispered. Warin looked at her. “I will tell you after dinner.”
“Just tell me now,” Warin demanded.
“You have to wait, my love,” Regan charmingly replied. “It is worth the wait.”
James cleared his throat aloud. “It would be proper if you share your discussion with us,” he teased.
The elders laughed together. Regan laughed with them. Warin did not. He held Regan’s hand and asked her to tell the good news. His betrothed shook her head and insisted on telling him after the dinner.
“I deeply apologize, my dear,” Lady Tindale said to Regan. She tapped Regan’s hands lightly and added, “Had I known that you could make my son so happy, I would have chosen you first.” She turned to Margaret and said, “Who would have thought that this absurd idea of yours would lead to such a lovely relationship?”
Margaret smiled proudly. “We cannot stop fate, Lady Tindale.”
“I believe so,” Lady Tindale agreed.
Regan looked at Warin. It was her fate to be his wife. She touched her belly gently and released a wider smile. And the mother of his child, she happily thought.
“Miss Katherine Knowles has arrived,” Ruther, the steward of the house, declared from the front door.
Katherine Knowles? Everyone inside the drawing room was shocked. Regan turned to Warin. She clutched his hand tightly. Her face turned pale. She held her belly as her heart thumped hard. The real bride had returned.
The drawing room fell quiet when Katherine entered. Regan could not look at her sister. Her hands trembled as she tried to control her anger. She wanted to ask her why she returned.
*****
The elders and the duke were in James’s study. Regan and Katherine waited for their decision.
Regan knew that the situation was unfavorable to her. She was only a bride in waiting. She held no legal rights against Warin, even if she was carrying his heir.
“Did you enjoy your moments with the duke, sister?” Katherine asked.
“Stop it, Katherine,” Regan said softly.
Katherine laughed arrogantly. “You probably thought that you were so close to being the next duchess.”
“I have no interest on his title,” Regan answered. “I will be Warin’s bride. He promised. And he will keep that promise.”
“Do not raise your hopes so high, my dear, Regan. Warin and Lady Tindale chose me first,” Katherine reminded her. “And we already have a license to wed.”
Regan fell silent. No. She convinced herself that Warin would stand by his words. He promised her and he would keep that promise.
But when Warin entered the room with heavy shoulders, her confidence was lost. The sadness and shame in his eyes told her that, once again, she had lost to her sister.
“The wedding between Warin and Katherine will be celebrated as planned,” Lady Tindale declared.
Regan looked at Warin. The duke evaded her eyes. Lady Tindale continued to talk, but Regan could no longer hear the Lady’s words. Only one thing was clear to her. The duke broke his promise and her heart.
“About the second condition, we agree to waive it,” Lady Tindale ended. “Regan will not be the duke’s mistress.”
Regan glared at the duke. She wanted to run towards him and beg him to fight for them. She wanted to confess that she was carrying his child. But she chose not to. Her father was right. The duke was not the man for her. He did not have the backbone to fight his mother’s decision. She held her stomach again. He did not deserve to be the father of her child.
*****
“You should have told him,” Madelene said.
Regan wiped her tears. She chose to retire to her chamber instead of lingering in the drawing room. She hated how Katherine smiled arrogantly at her. The duke continued to avoid her. Her mother and Lady Tindale, who were fond of her before Katherine’s arrival, had started planning for the real wedding. She was pushed aside in a corner again.
“He does not deserve this child,” Regan sobbed. “I will talk to father tomorrow. I will leave right after Katherine’s wedding.”
“But, Leicestershire is still close to Derbyshire, Miss,” Madelene reminded her.
“I will find another governess position in Norwich,” Regan replied. “It is far from London and Derbyshire.”
“What about your child? No family will accept an unwed mother.”
“I will tell them that I was widowed,” Regan said without a thought. “They would not care to find the truth about it as long as I do my job well.”
Regan held her belly. I am sorry, child. Tears sprung to her cheeks as she thought of her fatherless child.
*****
Warin smiled happily when a footman, sent by the Duke of Birmingham, gave him a document. It was a special license issued to him and Regan signed by the prince himself.
He tucked the license in his waistcoat and headed towards the front door of their Derbyshire Castle.
“Where are you heading, my son?” Lady Tindale asked.
“I want to go fishing, Mother.”
Lady Tindale gave him a half-grin. “Fishing for a different bride?”
Lady Tindale waived a folded letter before Warin. His eyebrows curved angrily at his mother. The letter was for Regan. He invited her to the cottage with the plan of eloping with her. With the special license, he could marry her immediately.
“Your wedding with Katherine is tomorrow,” Lady Tindale reminded him. “Everything is ready. Even the nobles from London are coming to witness it.”
“I do not love Katherine, Mother,” Warin strongly declared. “I am tired of letting you rule my life. I am the Duke of Derbyshire, not you. I will marry the woman I love and not the woman you chose for me.”
“You are right. You are the Duke of Derbyshire. And no duke will abandon his honor because of a woman,” Lady Tindale reasoned.
Warin’s hands turned into fists. His mother was right. The society would look down upon him for abandoning a bride on the day of her wedding. The Viscount of Chesterfield, his kin and next in line to his position would use it to declare him unfit as a duke. He shook his head.
“I am marrying Regan today, Mother. I do not care about what the ton wil
l say about it.”
Before Warin could take another step, several men stepped inside the castle. He looked at his mother.
“For years, I protected your position from your cousins who desired it. I am not going to let you risk it for a woman,” Lady Tindale declared. “You will remain in this castle until your wedding tomorrow.”
“You cannot do this, Mother.”
“It is for your good, Warin,” Lady Tindale insisted.
Chapter Ten
“Tell him,” Madelene whispered.
Regan and Madelene were outside the small chapel that served as the bridal room. They stepped out of the chapel to avoid Katherine, who enjoyed taunting Regan. As the only sister of the bride, she had to stand as Katherine’s maid of honor, even if she despised her.
“Tell him. Or at least Mr. Knowles,” Madelene repeated.
Regan shook her head. She looked at Warin. The duke stood in the altar of the Derbyshire Cathedral. Though he looked ravishing in his blue and gold tailcoat, and brown pantaloons, his face looked weary – no – somber.
Regan felt sorry for Warin. He must be suffering. She wanted to comfort him. She frowned at her thought. It was his choice to marry Katherine instead of her. You should not care about him, Regan she kept telling herself.
For two days, she waited for Warin to see her. She hoped that he had changed his mind and had been insistent on marrying her. She was frustrated. Warin did not come to see her. He did not even approach her during the breakfast buffet before the wedding. All he did was follow his mother around.
“You should tell him, Miss Regan,” Madelene insisted. “If he knows you are with child, he will stop this wedding and marry you.”
“So I can live as a wife to a man who never cared for me?” Regan answered. “Everything is set. I am going to live in Norwich away from him and my sister.”
“Miss Regan…”
Madelene stopped talking when Margaret entered the bride’s area. The older Knowles had a proud smile across her face.
“Madelene, what are you doing here?” Margaret asked the servant.
“I am here to assist Miss Regan,” Madelene answered.
Margaret looked at Regan. She placed a hand on her forehead. “Dear child, you have a fever. You look so pale. You should go home and rest instead.”
“She can’t mother,” Katherine cut in. She stepped out of the chapel wearing a balloon white gown. “I need a maid of honor.”
Regan clenched her jaw. The gown was supposed to be hers. She heaved a deep sigh. The wedding day was supposed to be hers, too and especially the groom. Katherine looked at her and smiled sweetly. For once in her life, Regan wanted to slap her sister.
“Regan will be leaving tomorrow. She should not miss my wedding,” Katherine added.
“Well, then. Madelene, you should stand behind Regan,” Margaret ordered.
“Mother!” Katherine snapped. “I will not have a servant on the altar with me.”
Margaret glared at Katherine. She turned to Madelene and said, “Just stay close.”
Margaret looked at Regan and smiled softly. Regan knew that her mother somehow felt sorry for her, too.
*****
Warin stood at the altar. When he saw Regan at the entrance of the cathedral, he wanted to run to her and pull her away from the venue. But he could not risk her safety. His mother had warned him that she would have Regan taken away if he came close to her. With his mother’s wealth and her family’s goons, his mother was likely to keep her word.
The music started and Katherine’s entourage entered the cathedral, Warin noticed that Madelene was almost ushering Regan down the aisle. His heart jumped as his lover almost tripped. He clutched the edge of his tailcoat. He wanted to stop Regan from marching. It was obvious that she was sick.
When Regan was close to the altar, she looked at him. His eyes turned watery. She smiled gently. The edges of her eyes narrowed and her tears fell on her cheeks. She stopped walking and just looked at him.
The guests in the cathedral turned to look at Regan as she stopped. Suddenly, she fell to the floor.
“Regan!” Warin quickly ran towards his lover.
“Warin!” Lady Tindale called.
Warin scowled at his mother and continued to help Regan. He held Regan to his chest and tried to wake her up.
“What happened?” James asked.
“She fainted,” Warin’s voice sounded terrified. “Regan, please wake up.”
Regan opened her eyes a little. She caressed Warin’s face and fainted again.
Katherine marched to the altar. “Regan, stop this nonsense!” she yelled. She looked at Warin and said, “Leave her to the servants, Your Grace. She is only trying to ruin our wedding.”
“Stop it, Miss Katherine!” Madelene bravely yelled. She moved closer to Warin and whispered, “She is not sick, Your Grace. She is with child.”
With child? Warin’s eyes widened. He looked at Regan and back to Madelene. The servant smiled and nodded.
“It was the good news she wanted to tell you,” Madelene confirmed.
Warin’s lips curved into a happy smile. He brushed the ringlets from Regan’s cheeks and kissed her. The guests gasped in shock. He did not care. He carried Regan out of the cathedral.
“Warin!” Lady Tindale called.
Warin ignored his mother and carried Regan to the smaller chapel.
Regan slowly opened her eyes. She stared at the ceiling for a while and then suddenly rose from the small cot and held on to her belly.
“Calm down, Regan,” Warin said as he rushed to her side. “You are fine and so is our child.”
Regan looked at Warin with curiosity. The duke looked at Madelene, who was busy putting barriers on the door of the preacher’s room. She could hear Lady Tindale, Margaret and Katherine knocking and yelling on the other side.
“Why did you not tell me?” Warin asked.
“You made your decision. You chose Katherine,” Regan answered. She glared at the duke.
“I chose you, Regan. But, mother, she threatened to hurt you,” Warin confessed. “I cannot bear to see you hurt.” He kissed Regan and added, “I could not forgive myself if I abandoned you and our child.
“But we can never be together. Today is your wedding day,” Regan cried. “You still have to marry Katherine.”
Warin shook his head. He wiped her tears and gently kissed her cheeks. “Not if we get married first.”
Regan stilled. Warin nodded and explained that he had a special license to wed her. The license was issued by the Prince himself. It was superior to the license he had with Katherine.
“Now, all we need is someone who will marry us,” Warin said.
His lips pouted. They were trapped in the preacher’s room. And with the commotion outside the chapel, no deacon or preacher would marry them.
“I know a deacon,” Madelene claimed. “The deacon who officiated at my wedding. He is a bit young, but...”
“Maddie, just get him,” Regan cut in. Her lips curved into an excited smile.
Madelene nodded. She quickly slid out of the window. Regan looked at Warin. Her face had turned rosy with happiness.
A few minutes later, Madelene returned. A stout young man, younger than Warin, followed her through the window.
“He is the deacon?” Regan asked.
“Yes. Luckily, he was in the cathedral,” Madelene happily answered.
“He is too young,” Warin contested.
“I am licensed, Your Grace,” the young deacon replied. “Are you two getting married or not?”
Warin looked at Regan. He held her hand and said, “We are.”
“But we lack a witness, your grace,” the deacon noticed.
Warin looked around. There were only three of them. Only Madelene stood to witness. He looked at Regan and their faces fell. A wedding needed at least two witnesses to be valid.
“How about the people outside?” Madelene asked. “Can they be considered witnesses?”
“I can be the other witness,” a voice from the window answered.
“Father?” Regan murmured.
She and Warin stood from the bed. Warin walked to the window.
“Mr. Knowles,” Warin called. He quickly assisted James through the window.
“Father!” Regan cried as she hugged her father.
James wiped his daughter’s tears and said, “A father should never miss his daughter’s wedding.”
“Now you can get married,” the deacon happily said.
James held Regan’s hand and gave it to Warin. The duke gave him a grateful smile.
Regan and Warin faced the deacon. They married each other amidst the yelling of the three other ladies from the other side of the door.
“You are now man and wife,” the deacon finally declared. “You may kiss the bride.”
Regan smiled happily up at her husband. Warin gently held her cheeks and kissed her on the lips.
Madelene opened the door. The three women rushed inside. They gasped when they saw the newlyweds sealing the ceremony with a kiss.
“More witnesses, I see,” the deacon playfully said.
But Regan and Warin did not hear him. They were oblivious to all but each other. As they held hands and scurried past the furious women, they knew that fate had brought them together and that God would keep them as one forever.
The End
The Duke’s Deadly Secret
©2018 by Sophia Wilson
All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, events or locales is completely coincidental.
Chapter 1
The sun peeked in through the window inside the Arborn house. It was a pleasant spring morning and Jane and Oswald Arborn were gathered around the breakfast table to indulge in the first meal of the morning.
Historical Hearts Romance Collection Page 10