Tempting The Ruined Duke (Steamy Historical Regency Romance)

by Olivia Bennet

  * * *

  Several burly showmen were checking the crowds as they entered at the turnstiles but nodded to Louisa and Mr. Jones who were let through a side gate.

  “I see your stage reputation precedes you, Miss” chuckled Mr. Jones his hands clasped behind his back.

  “Oh, I do believe so” countered Louisa in her most theatrical voice as they walked through the crowd.

  “So what shall it be first then Miss Notley? The puppets, the flying acrobats or perhaps the play? Or shall we just stick to the stalls?”

  “I think it would be better if we stick to the stalls, Mr. Jones.” She was not keen to possibly run into the Duke who she had left watching the acrobats.

  “Oh? Is there any in particular that you favor?” Mr. Jones leaned in solicitously, making Louisa slightly uncomfortable.

  “Not really. But I would like to sample as many as I can – assist in the enrichment of residents.” she said matter-of-factly.

  She leaned in confidingly. “Including our own stall where I have some paintings for sale.”

  He turned to her with a large grin on his face as they walked on.

  The lingering aroma of bread and butter pudding, apple dumplings, and mince pies hung in the night air in a heady mix.

  “Well Miss Notley, your choice? The Hall of Horrors, a fortune teller or shall we venture to see Professor Gordian Gall and Madam Alwilda?

  “Why don’t we just walk around and see what we’ll see?”

  Suddenly they were aware of having walked into a group of young men and women with a fist fight at its center.

  “Hit him ‘enry, clobber the ben!” screamed several youths as they jostled and jeered someone in the middle.

  “She’s nowt but a trollop” shouted Henry pointing at a girl. “A demi-rep. Ask Angus.”

  A young man stood in front of a crying girl, wiping his bloodied nose on his shirt sleeve, his jacket on the ground. “Say that again …Henry …an’ al knock your bleeding head off!”

  This lad was quick, too quick for Henry. Angus and two others put a stop to his fleetness by grabbing him, landing several punches at the same time then held him down so that Henry could deliver his left hook.

  “Hey!” shouted Mr. Jones stepping in between Henry and the now-restrained lad “This fight is not fair.”

  “Go away” sneered Angus, “or you want to take his place?”

  Mr. Jones turned round toward Angus and glared at him. “There’s always one, isn’t there?” he murmured to himself.

  “Mister” the lad said. “I can take a beating off these fairies any day. You needn’t get involved.” and with a deft push back he managed to crack Angus and his cronies’ heads together.

  Mr. Jones handed his coat and jacket to Louisa. Then lifted his hat in salute to the young ladies present. They giggled and he handed his hat to Louisa. She held the hat in front of her face, stifling her titters. Clearly Mr. Jones was a bit of a showman.

  “Let’s see what you can do,” he said to Angus even as he leaned toward the lad and whispered something in his ear. He smiled and nodded back at Mr. Jones.

  With a quick right hook, he hit Angus on the cheek, sending him spinning away before landing on the ground in an untidy sprawl.

  “Oooh!” shouted a showman, “pick your prize” pointing to a side stall.

  But this just sent Henry into a rage. He swung at Mr. Jones but he was ready for it and hit Henry in the stomach then knocked him out with right hook.

  There was an uneasy silence, then Henry’s cronies stepped forward looking to get some sort of revenge.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” came a loud familiar voice.

  “Jeremy! …. I mean, Your Grace.” gasped Louisa.

  The Duke was watching them with narrowed eyes. When his eyes fell on Louisa, he seemed disappointed and Louisa didn’t know why.

  Mr. Jones stepped back and took his hat and coat, putting them on neatly and looking for all intents and purposes as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

  He stood ramrod straight, waiting for the Duke to address him. But His Grace simply ignored him.

  “Miss Notley…I never thought to find you in a public brawl.”

  “I wasn’t,” she pointed at Mr. Jones, “my friend Mr. Severus Jones here felt compelled to intervene. He’s a barrister you see and probably could not stand by and watch an unfair fight.”

  “Oh, your friend is he?” the Duke was still looking only at her.

  “Uh, yes. A friend of mine and my father’s.”

  Mr. Jones held out his hand. “Severus Jones at your service, Your Grace.”

  The Duke looked down at his hand as if it was made of dung. “Your hand is muddy.” He said, looking down his nose at Mr. Jones. Louisa narrowed her eyes at that display of rudeness. She bit her lip so as not to reprimand the duke in public.

  “My apologies,” Mr. Jones said and wiped his hand on his coat. Louisa closed her eyes and shook her head in mortification. She did not understand why the Duke was acting this way.

  Meanwhile, the brawlers had all scattered and that at least, was a relief for Louisa. “I was just taking Mr. Jones to see our stall.” Louisa said to fill the awkward silence.

  The Duke turned to glare at her. “Indeed? And where is your chaperone?”

  Louisa’s mouth dropped open. “My…chaperone?”

  “Yes. Do not tell me you’re not aware that this is highly inappropriate.”

  “We’re in public!” Louisa’s cheeks were red for a whole other reason.

  “Indeed. And people can see you. They know we have an association. How do you think it makes me look when you are gallivanting around with men?”

  “Excuse me?” Louisa could not believe what His Grace was saying.

  Mr. Jones cleared his throat quite loudly. “I do apologize for any impropriety caused. I am glad to take the blame for that. Miss Notley is quite innocent; I do assure you.”

  “Oh, I have no doubt.” the Duke stepped closer, looming over the barrister, “Your intentions however, are exceeding suspect.”

  “Your Grace!” Louisa was absolutely mortified. What must Mr. Jones think of them?

  The barrister blanched, looking confused. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” he said stepping back from the Duke.

  He turned, bowing formally at Louisa. “Miss Notley, allow me to take my leave of you. Please give your father my compliments. I fear I must be going.”

  “O-oh, all right Mr. Jones. I-I’m sorry about…” her eyes darted to the Duke and then back to him. Mr. Jones gave her a small smile and then nodded to them both before striding off.

  The Duke watched him go with narrowed eyes and Louisa watched the Duke.

  “Would you care to explain yourself?” she asked once they were alone again.

  “No.”

  The Duke turned and strode away, but Louisa was not about to let him off the hook that easily. She hastened to follow him, still glaring. “You were so rude to him. Why?”

  “Why were you gallivanting about with him, unsupervised?”

  “Unsupervised? I am not a child, Jeremy.”

  “No. but you are a lady and you should act like it.”

  “In the sense that you mean, I am no lady, Your Grace. I am a simple painter’s daughter, free to ‘gallivant’ about with any man I choose.”

  “Oh, you think your father would agree to that?”

  “My father is the one who told me to take Mr. Jones around. So I do not know what your issue is, but you can take it up with him.”

  “He told you to take that man around? Why?”

  “Because he is a friend. Honestly, Your Grace, have you taken leave of your senses?”

  “Men and women are not meant to be friends.” Jeremy said quietly.

  Louisa lifted an eyebrow. “In that case, what are we?”

  The Duke just stared blankly at her, and then he turned and walked away, leaving her all amort.

  * * *

  Jerem
y had no idea why he felt so murderous toward the barrister. He could not believe how awfully he had behaved both toward Miss Notley and her friend.

  He simply had not been prepared for the possibility of Miss Notley having a suitor. It had filled him with such rage that he did not think – he just acted. And now he would have to find a way to apologize to her.

  He stumbled into the manor, shutting the sounds of the fair out.

  “Your Grace?”

  He looked up to see Miles watching him with concern.

  “Can I get you anything?”

  “No, thank you. I am fine.”

  “Very good, Your Grace. Did you forget something?”

  “Forget something?”

  “For the fair?”

  Only my manners.

  “No. I just feel a little tired. I think I shall go and rest.”

  “But…” He could see that Miles wanted to protest vigorously. The fair had attracted lots of distinguished guests and they had come to see him specifically. He could not just disappear.

  “Just a short rest, Miles, and then I shall go back out.”

  The butler bowed stiffly. “Of course, Your Grace.”

  He walked off slowly and Jeremy sighed, rolling his eyes. The last he’d seen his mother, she’d been in the thick of things, entertaining a group of ladies from the Women’s Guild who had come down to see how they had organized the fair so as to imitate them when they held their own.

  Jeremy was happy that she hadn’t had an episode since he’d asked for her help in organizing decorations and registering vendors. Miles was right, of course, in his censure. He needed to be courting the ton, not having a crisis over a painter’s daughter.

  He knew how ridiculous it was yet that did not stop him from going to his study and pouring himself a stiff drink.

  He was startled when the door opened suddenly and Miss Notley was standing in his doorway like the wrath of god.

  “You cannot do that! You cannot hurl insults at me, treat my friends rudely and just walk off as if nothing had happened.”

  Jeremy took a deep breath, at a loss for words. He simply stared wide-eyed at her as she heaved with anger.

  “What were you doing? Why did you treat poor Mr. Jones like that?”

  Jeremy frowned, all contriteness forgotten. “Poor Mr. Jones? I find that one of my dear friends is in a compromising position with a man who brawls in public but I am simply supposed to shake his hand and smile?”

  “That is not what happened!” Her color was high and her eyes glittered either with tears or anger, Jeremy wasn’t sure. What he was sure of is that she was ethereally beautiful to him in her rage and all he wanted to do was–.

  Suddenly he was striding toward her and pulling her into his arm. His hands went up and cupped her face and his lips descended onto hers, latching on like a calf on its mother’s teat.

  He felt as if he was drowning in her, and yet all he wanted was…more. He was shocked when she wrenched herself away from him, chest heaving, eyes wide and shocked.

  “Why did you do that?” she whispered.

  “Because you drive me mad,” he replied, wiping the spit off his lip.

  Chapter 17

  Introspections

  Gilbert stood down the corridor from the Duke’s study, listening to the raised voices. If he were to venture a guess, he would say that there was a definite attraction between His Grace and Louisa. He was torn, not knowing what to do about the fact that they were currently alone in the Duke’s study.

  Louisa was no lady…but on the other hand, that did not mean that her reputation should be compromised. Just in case…

  Gilbert sighed and walked slowly toward the Duke’s door. He knocked, and waited. After an interminable time, the door opened, the Duke looking slightly disheveled. “Yes, Notley?”

  Gilbert straightened to his full height and looked the Duke in the eye. “I was merely concerned that my niece was without a chaperone.”

  The Duke raised an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Forgive me, Your Grace, but I feel responsible for her, especially with her father being indisposed.”

  Louisa herself came to the door. “My uncle is right. Excuse me.”

  The Duke moved aside and his niece slid past him and stumbled down the hall. Gilbert looked after her, wondering if he should follow and then turned to look at the Duke.

  “What–?”

  “You should see to your niece.” He interrupted grimly before slamming the door in Gilbert’s face.

  Gilbert rolled his eyes before trotting down the hall after Louisa. He caught up with her at the foyer, staring sightlessly at the floor.

  “My dear? Are you all right?”

  “I-I’m fine thank you, Uncle Gilbert.”

  “Are you sure? You seem…flustered.”

  She stirred from her frozen pose, looking everywhere but at him. “I assure you Uncle Gilbert, I am well. I simply was…unsettled at realizing that I almost compromised myself.”

  “Indeed?” Gilbert moved closer, trying to see her face. If indeed the Duke had done something to her it might be grounds for…

  She turned suddenly and looked him in the eye. “I am mortified at my carelessness. Forgive me, I must get back to the fair.”

  “Of course. Allow me to escort you back to your father.” He held out an arm and to his surprise, she took it…even gave him a small smile. They walked slowly out of the door and back to the fair. When they came upon Americus, he was deep in conversation with another man, one who Gilbert did not know.

  He came to a stop and Americus turned to them with a smile. “There you are, Louisa. We were wondering what happened to you.” There were barely perceptible signs of strain around Americus’ eyes; especially when he looked at his daughter. She on the other hand seemed embarrassed.

  It was quite entertaining.

  “I found her wandering the halls and thought I’d deliver her back to you,” Gilbert said with a grin.

  His niece gave him a jaundiced look, and let go of his hand. “Well, thank you, Uncle Gilbert.” Her voice was dry as the desert, then she turned to the third man and her expression became more contrite. “Mr. Jones please allow me to apologize for the Duke’s behavior. I have no idea why he acted like that.”

  The man bowed. “Thank you, but it was in no way your fault.”

  “I am glad you have not left yet. Perhaps we can go and visit our stall now? We have some very good pieces I feel sure you’ll enjoy.”

  Gilbert worked hard not to show his surprise. He had no idea that the girl had a suitor.

  “I should also like to see what you have on display,” he said, “Why don’t we all go?”

  Americus’ eyebrow rose but he nodded. “Yes that sounds like an excellent notion. Louisa, please…do show your uncle and Mr. Jones our pieces.”

  “Yes, father.”

  “Gilbert, forgive me, this is my dear friend, Mr. Severus Jones a barrister, two towns over. Mr Jones? My brother, Gilbert Notley. He is a steward for the Duke of Munboro.”

  Gilbert smiled at the barrister. “Pleased to make your acquaintance sir.”

  The barrister bowed formally. “You as well, Mr. Notley.”

  Louisa smiled at him and then at the other man before leading them away. Gilbert nodded to the other man before commencing his walk, hands clasped behind his back. Mr. Jones walked with Louisa, asking her questions which she answered quite readily.

  He was surprised that she was not more of a coquette with the man. Gilbert had always imagined that that was how women behaved in front of a prospective mate. He had never had the privilege of courting but he had seen plenty of ladies behave in such a way when they came to call on the Duke and his mother. Not that it seemed to work.

  They reached the Notley stall, which was manned by an unfamiliar woman. She smiled when she saw Louisa and moved aside for the girl to take her place.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Douglas,” she said before turning to them. “Well, this is
our stall. You’re welcome to examine all the paintings.”

  From all the empty spaces he could see, Gilbert deduced that they had sold quite a few pieces at the fair.

  “I do hope we haven’t missed out on all the best pieces,” he said.