The Blind Duke

by Emma Brady

  "Have you given thought to what you will do after I'm married?" asked Sarah the next day when the two of them were alone in the dressmaker’s shop. "The season will not be over yet and I hope you are expecting to stay here for the rest of it."

  "No, I don't think there is a reason for me to stay." London was not a pleasant place for Eloisa and she was eager to leave. "I plan to join my father again. Last I heard he was doing well in India and would enjoy my company."

  "That is an expensive trip to make and I doubt your father has the money for it."

  "I have my own money."

  Sarah shook her head. "Any small savings you have left won't be enough to support you for the rest of your life. A woman isn't meant to fend for herself."

  "Now you sound like Lady Harris."

  Sarah made a face at her in the fitting room mirror and she laughed. Eloisa was expected to sit and wait while her cousin finished the fittings for her new gowns. This would be the last ones they needed for the season if Sarah accepted the duke's proposal by his deadline. As always, Sarah looked lovely in the soft pink gown she wore, with the delicate roses trimming the low neckline. It was for the ball that evening and she would attract every eye. Eloisa had never looked that beautiful in any fabric.

  "I'm worried about you," said Sarah. "You have given up on the idea of marriage altogether."

  "It gave up on me a long time ago." Eloisa said with a sigh.

  "There is still time for you to give it another chance. You are so much more confident now." Sarah smiled at her in the reflection of the mirror.

  Eloisa did feel different than her first season in London. The fear was gone, replaced with the feeling of disdain for those who lived on the approval of others. The loss of her mother had taught her there were worse things in the world than not being popular. She no longer wanted to be one of the ton, or pander to the whims of others.

  "That's because I know I'm leaving soon. Take that away and I’ll go back to being a wallflower," said Eloisa.

  "Why does it have to be one to have the other?" Sarah sounded so earnest that Eloisa wished she had stopped this topic of conversation when it started. "You could find a gentleman who appreciates you. Then you wouldn't have to leave."

  Now Eloisa realized why Sarah was so determined to find her a husband and it made her chest tighten. The two of them had been close all their lives, even when distance kept them apart. but now they were going to be headed in different directions and that was more difficult to overcome. This would be more than just a temporary separation. That didn't mean they wouldn't still be close.

  "I wouldn't be gone too long before I came back to visit." She gave her cousin a reassuring smile. "I couldn't possibly miss the first baby between such beautiful people."

  "You mean Thomas and I?" Sarah looked uncertain at the possibility. "Do you think he's the right choice for me?"

  This was the part that Eloisa knew would come but wasn't ready for. The part where she would have to persuade her cousin to be his wife and convince her that Thomas was the best choice. The words were true but they felt bitter in her mouth.

  "I think he would be the right choice for any woman. He's handsome and rich, but most of all he's kind," said Eloisa. "He has been kinder to me than any of your other suitors. I think that suffering his own loss has made him compassionate."

  Sarah appeared to be thinking that over as the dressmaker returned to help her into another gown. This was the one she was going to wear to the duke's ball. It was much more elaborate than any of the others, since it was meant for a masquerade. She had decided to go as a dove, so her dress was draped in various shades of gray lace. The color suited her, making her eyes a deeper blue and her skin a soft white. The lace mask would cover the upper part of her face, but it wasn't finished yet.

  "I’ve also brought a new one that you might try," said the dressmaker. "I had it made for another lady but she didn’t have the funds to pay for it."

  "I have never looked good in a gold color." Sarah ran her hand over the shimmery silk fabric. "My cousin might look nice in it."

  "Your father said I wasn't to buy anything for myself this season." The warning was given with firm consequences.

  "Then we won't tell him who wore it."

  Eloisa had to admit the evening dress was lovely. It was simple, with a low rounded collar and a small bustle in the back. She suspected the original lady was a bit older, because it had a mature sophistication to it. No frills or elaborate adornments. Just the delicate gold color of the fabric it was made from gave it life. With reluctance, Eloisa let the dressmaker slip her into the gown, which fit her well. Standing next to her cousin she was surprised to see how the gold caught the highlights in both her hair and her eyes.

  "That would be lovely for tonight. We could do your hair in something fancier than your usual knot and perhaps you can borrow a few of my pieces of jewelry." Sarah said, smiling at her brightly. "The ton won't even know what to think. You will set that spiteful Lady Harris back for what she said."

  As pretty as she looked, Eloisa didn't think she would amaze them the way Sarah did. Any gem might sparkle a little here or there, but that didn't make it a diamond. The way Sarah looked in her costume, Eloisa knew that was the kind of sparkle they wanted.

  Sarah must have noticed her staring in the reflection of the mirror because she started to blush. "Does it look flattering on me?"

  "Of course. You are going to be the center of attention." Eloisa felt a twinge of jealousy. "The duke won't be able to take his eyes off you."

  "I feel like he's not the man they said he was, but I don't know if he is the man he claims to be either. I'm waiting for something to convince me that he's the right one."

  "Like more time alone?" Eloisa felt her stomach sink at the thought.

  "No, I'm not curious about that anymore. He was convincing in that regard." Sarah couldn't hide the blush in her cheeks and Eloisa felt her emotions rise.

  Eloisa wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to continue to hide her true feelings. Pretending was never something she was good at. Time spent around her cousin and Thomas was only going to make it worse. She needed to make the final push to finish her task before the ball. Tonight they were attending a smaller function, a ball being held by Lord Stanhope for some of his affluent friends in the Horticultural Society. The more intimate setting might be the key to helping Sarah make her decision.

  Lord Stanhope was a quiet and reserved man, but for his fellow flower-loving friends he would spare no expense. The guests were not being squeezed into a tiny ballroom, but instead he had a dance floor built outside in the garden. That meant they were all going to be dancing out under the stars.

  The two ladies arrived and the crowd in the garden was thin and people were standing in small groups. It was easy for them to find the duke and his mother standing with her friends. Eloisa genuinely liked them and wished she could have spent more time with them before it was time for her to leave. Thomas’s mother was one of his best assets.

  "You look stunning, my dear," said Lady Powell as they approached.

  Eloisa was surprised when the lady embraced her instead of Sarah. She had allowed Sarah to talk her into a fashionable hairstyle that left soft waves of her hair falling down her back. The only jewelry she would agree to was a simple gold chain with a golden pendant in the shape of a heart. Anything else felt too elaborate for a chaperone. Now that she saw the expressions on everyone's faces she began to think she had still done too much.

  "It was Sarah's idea for me to wear this." She felt embarrassed that so many people were looking at her now. "I shouldn't have let her talk me into it. A chaperone is supposed to be hidden in the background."

  "You were never meant to be a chaperone," said Lady Powell. "You should have been out where you could be seen all along."

  "I'm here for my cousin, not myself."

  "That is the problem, my dear," said the duchess.

  Thomas had been standing there quietly d
uring the discussion and Eloisa wished he could see what she looked like. That was not something she had ever thought before. The one time she looked beautiful and the one man she wanted to see her couldn't.

  "I believe they are about to begin the dancing," Eloisa said to Thomas. "Perhaps you would like to claim the first one with my cousin?"

  "I'm not good at the social dances anymore," he said. "Hard to follow what my partner is doing when we switch."

  "I believe they are starting with a waltz."

  As the band started to play the familiar notes of the waltz, Thomas frowned but offered his hand to Sarah. Eloisa watched the two of them enter the dance floor and she her throat tightened with unshed tears. This was what she wanted but she hadn’t realized how painful it would be to watch. Lady Powell and her friends went to get refreshments, leaving Eloisa alone to watch them dancing from a distance.

  "When did chaperones start dressing better than their charges?"

  Lord Bittleby came closer with an empty glass in his hand. The strong smell of brandy explained why he wasn't standing upright, but tilting slightly to the left. Those fatty cheeks of his were droopy under his bloodshot eyes and when he spoke his voice held a lisp. His evening clothes were sloppy and untucked, but he still had his top hat on.

  "I didn't know you paid much attention to the chaperones," Eloisa replied, trying to turn away from him without giving him the cut direct. She didn't want to do anything that would cause a stir and he was a well-respected gentleman.

  "Normally I wouldn't but tonight you have dressed in hopes of gaining everyone's attention. You have succeeded admirably." Lord Bittleby continued to get closer, past the point of what would be considered proper. Eloisa tried not to flinch as he leaned in to continue speaking to her. "Perhaps you have decided to try your hand at another season? Now that your cousin has made her choice it leaves the field open for you to hunt."

  "My cousin has not made her decision that I am aware of."

  "Anyone who sees the two of them can see it is only a matter of time. They are smitten with each other."

  Looking at Sarah and Thomas on the dance floor, Eloisa had to agree that they did look like a couple in love. Sarah laughed at something Thomas said and he gave that heart melting smile. Her cousin might have said she still had reservations about him, but she didn't look like she was against the idea anymore. Eloisa’s chest hurt as she watched the two of them together.

  "Now I can see that you are after a husband of your own. Very sneaky of you." Lord Bittleby sneered at her. "I guess you will have better luck now that you have such fine connections. Even an ordinary looking woman is more attractive when she is related to a duke."

  "I have no intentions of finding a husband. I’m simply wearing this because my cousin insisted and I’m too good a friend to say no. You can take your insulting accusations elsewhere."

  "I wonder what your mother would think if she saw the schemer you turned out to be."

  "You never had the chance to meet my mother. Don't you dare talk about her."

  Eloisa felt her cheeks burning with the rage she struggled to contain. Drinking did not give him the right to say such things and if he continued she would be forced to do something truly rude. Possibly even violent.

  "I didn't know her personally, but I know from talking to Lady Sarah that she wanted you to do well your first season and you made a mess of it. She must have been disappointed when she died, knowing you would never be married." He tried to take a drink form the empty glass and frowned.

  "It was only my first season." Eloisa hated how close what he said came to her own thoughts. "She wouldn't know that I would remain unmarried. I could have had better luck in the next year if I hadn't left."

  Lord Bittleby let out a bitter chuckle. "You are an ugly wallflower with no dowry. You could have come back every year and not made a match."

  The words hurt and the way he smiled as he said them only added salt to the wound. She lifted one gloved hand to wipe away a tear before it slipped down her cheeks. She didn't want to make a scene that might ruin the night for Sarah.

  "You might look pretty tonight, but that doesn't change the way things stand," he hissed in her direction. "Nobody wants you, same as they didn't want you years ago. Without Sarah you are nothing."

  That was too much and Eloisa could feel the tear begin to build in her eyes. If she didn't leave soon she would be seen sobbing in the middle of the ball. Covering her mouth to hide her sobs, Eloisa pushed him out of her way and ran towards the house.

  Chapter 18

  EVEN THOUGH HIS FACE felt like he had been trampled by a horse, Thomas had allowed his mother to guilt him into attending Lord Stanhope's ball. There would be a lot of influential people there who might consider it rude if he didn't attend. He wouldn't mind, but his mother acted like it would be a disaster. Once again he gave in to the will of a woman.

  All night he listened while people cheered him for his heroics and gave him sympathy for his injuries. Mostly, they were concerned with how his good looks might be at risk. His enjoyment of the attention lessened and he quickly became irritated with the entire scene. Before he lost his control and insulted the next person who tried to share their thoughts, Thomas decided to slip away for some much-needed quiet.

  It wasn't difficult for him to find the doors that led into the quiet back parlor of the house. When he had been a different man, this had been a good hiding spot to sneak off to with a willing lady. Now he found it was also good for being alone. At least until he heard someone opening the inside door. Not wanting to be forced into more polite conversation, Thomas quickly stepped behind long draperies that flanked the backdoor where he wouldn't be seen.

  "I can't believe you falling apart like this," said Eloisa.

  At first Thomas waited to hear the response from the person she was with, but nothing came. The woman was talking to herself. That made him smile. Then he heard the sniffle and his smile vanished. She was here alone and crying. Instinct made him step out and announce himself.

  "What are you doing out here? Sarah will be looking for you if you are gone too long," she said. "The second waltz is going to be played soon and all the guests are expecting you to dance with her again."

  Thomas was taken back by the tone of her voice. She’d gone from crying to angry in a moment. "I was in here first, getting my thoughts together. You intruded on my solitude."

  "I didn't know you were in here. I tried to find my way back out and got lost."

  "Does that mean you would have gone somewhere else if you did?"

  "Yes."

  That stung his pride. "You were already crying, which means someone has upset you before me. Why am I always the one you blame?"

  "I don't know, you just are." Once again her voice held the wobble of tears. "You are there every time I wish you weren't."

  "Do you want me to go?" Even as he said it, Thomas knew there was nothing that could make him leave at that moment.

  "No."

  He sighed with relief and moved to stand closer to her. He knew he couldn't touch her, that in her delicate state she needed space. That didn't mean he wasn't torturing himself with thoughts of it.

  "Want to tell me what has you so upset?" he asked.

  "Memories. Just terrible memories I was reminded of by a man I despise."

  "Lord Bittleby strikes again." It was easy for Thomas to guess who she was talking about. Someone needed to teach that boy better manners before he pushed Thomas too far. "You shouldn't let him get to you."

  "It's not just him, but being here in this place and this moment. It reminded me of the last time I tried to impress people at a ball." Her voice got softer as she spoke. "It was the last ball of my failed season."

  Thomas tried to remember if he had been in attendance at that ball, but nothing came to mind. Back then he didn't spend much time at things like this, because they were a waste. The only time he went to a ball was if he was in need of a new lady friend. That wasn't often enough to l
eave a memory.

  "You weren't there and it wasn't here." Eloisa knew exactly what he thought.

  "My mother wasn't as influential on me back then."

  "Mine was. That was the one that she insisted we go to, even though I had been a miserable failure all season. She was convinced that one would be different."

  It was the bitter tone in her voice that made Thomas reach out and brush her arm. She pulled away from him.

  "My mother used every trick she knew to get the gentlemen to dance with me, but no one wanted the waltz. Those were for the pretty girls I guess." Eloisa sounded hurt and he wanted to help her.

  "I hardly ever dance. I feel like it's too many steps to remember." That was the worst attempt to make her feel better.

  "Of course you do. You just stand and wait for the world to twirl around you." She mocked him, but he didn't mind as long as it meant she wasn't crying anymore.

  "One of the many things we suffer for polite society," he said.

  His comment made her turn away with a sigh. Thomas could hear her ragged breathing as she tried to gain control of her emotions. When he touched her elbow with his hand he felt a tremble.

  "At one point she found a respectable young man finally willing to take his turn with me. A third or fourth son of a lower title I believe. I still don't know how she pulled it off, but he asked for a waltz."

  "Why do I think this story isn't going to have a happy ending?" Thomas’s jaw clenched at the thought of her tears again.

  "My mother collapsed before the music started. It caused a big scene and Lady Harris accused her of doing it just to garner more attention for me."

  "That's absurd. Someone doesn't fake an episode for popularity."

  "The sympathy,” Eloisa said. “She claimed my mother did it for the sympathy."

  "I hope your mother corrected that notion."

  "She didn't have time." There was that sniffle again. "She died that same night. Doctor said it was the strain on her delicate heart."