“Always listen to my advice,” she counseled with a mischievous grin. “As long as you succeed, then that is payment enough.”
“You have put me above yourself. Your ways are unselfish.” He studied her for a moment and then a thought came to him. There was a way to show his appreciation. “The jeweler’s there,” he said, motioning to the same shop he and Marianne had visited before. “Later, after I leave, I wish you to purchase whatever your heart desires. It is the least I can do.” She went to speak, more than likely to argue against it, but he forestalled her. “Do not defy the wish of a Duke.”
“Very well, Your Grace,” she said with a smile, and they resumed their walk. “I will do it only because you insist.”
“That I do,” he replied.
They arrived at the area where men were unloading various tools from a cart. Watching from a short distance, Sofia whispered in his ear, “Although I have hired them, they are under your command.”
He frowned down at her. “My command? But why…”
She hushed him with a lift of a finger and then pressed her body against his arm. “I need a strong Duke to make sure they do not take advantage of me…and to help oversee my estate.”
“I do not understand,” he said, furrowing his brow. “You wish me to take control of your businesses?”
“Not as you think,” she said with a laugh. “However, I would like you to continue to help me after our plans have been completed. Your strong presence, the presence that demands respect, I will need it. A woman in this day and age has very little power, but with a powerful man to help her whenever she needs something, well, that will be of great importance to me.”
He considered her words. What she said made sense. It was true that women were considered poor business owners, although he did not see it as so. “Then you shall have it,” he said.
They stood watching the men continue to unload the carts, and he imagined what it would be like to own even more than he already did. “So many shops and business,” he said with a laugh. “Even Mr. Blithe wishes to rent a shop space from me.”
“That is because…” She bit off the words and shook her head. “Forgive me. Forget I said anything.”
His curiosity was piqued and he turned back to her. “No, tell me what you were going to say.”
“I am sorry, but I cannot. I value our friendship too much to hurt you.”
Confusion rushed through him, and the anger that had subsided earlier returned. “Why is it that no one respects my wishes?” he demanded. “Everyone wants something from me, but when I ask a simple question, I cannot get an answer.” Several people stopped to stare, but when they noticed him watching them, the moved along with a hurried step. “Now, tell me. What is it?”
“Very well,” she said with a sigh. “Mr. Blithe has been using you; I can see it from a far distance, although I am afraid you cannot, and it is right in front of you.”
William laughed. “That is not possible.” Yet, for some odd reason, he began to doubt his own logic. Could it be true? Why would Sofia lie about something such as this? The woman would gain nothing by speaking lies about Marianne’s father, at least in this manner.
“He has used his own daughter,” Sofia explained, clearly with great reluctance.
“I advise caution with your words, Madam,” he hissed.
“Do you not see?” she said. “Mr. Sharp was courting her, and now that man is heartbroken, for she has done her father’s bidding once again.”
“What do you mean?”
“Her father was happy for her when Mr. Sharp had her eye. When Miss Blithe told her father of you, he was more excited, for your fortune outshines that of Mr. Sharp a hundredfold. I do not doubt she cares for you in her own way, but she is allowing you to court her to appease her father. He only sees your money and how he will benefit from it, but he does not see you.”
William had to hold his hands at his side to keep himself from rubbing his temples. “Do not ever speak of her again,” he said. “I do not wish to hear it.”
She shrugged. “When confronted by the truth, few rarely do,” she said. “I will leave you now. Enjoy the rest of your day, Your Grace.” And with that, she left him to stew.
The woman had given him wonderful advice on many things, but on this, she was wrong. Yes, Marianne’s father was prone to talk about business at every turn, but Marianne cared for him. Did she not?
Chapter Seventeen
Marianne spent a good portion of the morning readying herself for William’s arrival. She chose her dress with the utmost care—a lace and muslin day dress, the color of lilacs, that flowed around her slippered feet. Her mother had gone out of her way to sew on tiny pearls, remaining awake many nights to have it completed on time. Marianne’s hair had been meticulously curled into tiny ringlets and then pulled back into a kerchief of the same color as her dress and then topped off with a wide-brimmed hat with a matching ribbon. With the faintest hint of rouge and lip color, she was satisfied that William would be impressed.
“Come, my dear,” her mother said from her bedroom door. “He will be here any moment. We must be ready to receive him when he arrives.”
Marianne studied her dress once more. “No.” She replied with a smile. “I believe I will await his arrival at front of the house.”
Her mother gasped. “You wish to wait for him outside?” she asked in horror. “Whyever for?”
“The pearls on my dress will glint more in the sun than if we waited in the drawing room where the lighting is not as bright.”
Her mother clicked her tongue. “I do not understand what has come over you, child. To stand outside waiting for him? Well, it is…” She shook her head. “I can’t find the words to express such an act.”
Marianne laughed. “Mother,” she said as she turned toward the woman, “there are many times when the rules of society must be upheld. However, on a day such as today, with the bright sun in the sky, it calls for those rules to not be adhered to.”
Her mother snorted. “I have never heard such drivel. However, if you wish to stand outside like some ninny and risk freckling, then you go right ahead. You will not find me by your side.”
Yet, twenty minutes later, her mother was beside her, quite put out as she fanned herself although the day offered a cool breeze to keep the heat at bay. Julia also was in attendance, ready as ever for yet another adventure as Marianne’s chaperone. Marianne wondered if she would grow bored of following her and William around, but when Marianne asked the woman if it would be so, she had laughed.
“I assure you,” she had said, “it is great fun watching the two of you together. I can learn a lot about two people in love, which I use to my full advantage whenever Mr. Ambrose comes calling.
Marianne had sent one of the young stablehands to wait at the entryway to their modest estate to await the arrival of the carriage, and when the young man saw it turn up the drive, he ran with all his might to inform her that the Duke had arrived. Her mother had been surprised at her ingenuity, but it did not quell her complaining about being forced to stand outside her own home to await the arrival of a guest, even if he was a Duke. Or especially because he was a Duke.
The carriage came into view just as Marianne and her parents—her mother insisted her father be in attendance, as well—as the carriage pulled up alongside them. A footman rushed over, placed the step, and opened the door for William, who stepped down from the carriage in a weary fashion. He was dressed with the same care he had taken since embracing his newfound position, but dark half-circles unlined his eyes and his shoulders slumped slightly. To someone who did not know him, he would not appear any different from anyone else of the ton; however, Marianne knew him as a spry, energetic man, and that was not the man who stood before her now.
Despite his obvious weariness, he wore a smile, although even that looked tired. “Mrs. Blithe,” he said with a bow as he took her mother’s hand and kissed it. Then he turned to Marianne. “Good afternoon, Marianne.”
“Your Grace,” she replied, just as her mother had responded. She struggled to contain her excitement, for she had much to discuss with him today, and she looked forward to their outing, as well.
“Miss Bevington,” William said as he bowed to Julia. “I understand that you will be accompanying us again today.”
“Indeed, Your Grace,” Julia replied.
“Your Grace,” Marianne’s father said with his usual hardiness. “Shall we go inside and have a discussion?” He turned around as if to re-enter the house.
“To discuss what?” William demanded as he narrowed his eyes.
The small hairs on Marianne’s neck raised. What was bothering him this day?
“W-well, business, of course,” her father sputtered, clearly put out by the tone William used with him.
“I find it insulting that I come to call on your daughter and you only speak of business to me. Not once have you asked me anything about myself.” Marianne had never seen him as angry as he was at this moment, and she could not help but take a step back for fear he would strike her father. “When I wish to conduct business, I will inform you. Now, however, I have other, more important, things to consider.” He turned to Marianne. “Are you ready?”
No sound would escape her lips, so she simply nodded her reply.
“Good. Now, let us be on our way.” He headed back to the carriage without waiting for her, and she found herself hurrying to keep up with him. What she feared was that her parents would demand she remain at home after the way the man had treated her father, but they said nothing as she climbed into the carriage, Julia joining her on the cushioned seat.
It was not until they were well on their way that Marianne released the breath she had been holding. What had gotten into the man? “William,” she said cautiously, “are you all right?” When he did not respond, she added, “My father, he often speaks without thinking, but he is harmless.”
He snorted. “Oh, I do not doubt what he thinks,” he snapped. “He is thinking only of himself and what wealth his daughter may bring him.”
Marianne stared at him in shock. “Bring him? I do not understand.”
William waved his hand as if to dismiss her, and Marianne gaped at him once more. Who was this man? For certainly he was not the same man who had won her heart. Marianne glanced over at Julia, and the woman returned a smile of encouragement. There was more Marianne wished to ask him, but she decided now would not be the best time. Perhaps once they arrived to wherever it was they were going, his former countenance would return.
The silence was enough to drive her mad, however. “I have been looking forward to this day all week,” she said in an attempt to ease the tension around them. She did not know what was bothering him, but she was determined to find out. Yet, she would not learn anything if they sat in silence.
The carriage continued down the road, and William did not move his gaze from the passing landscape, nor did he respond to her words. Marianne sat back in the seat and wondered if she would be able to help the man as she once had, or did he find her no longer necessary and soon would have reason to discard her?
Julia took Marianne’s hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. At least she was not alone with William; she would have her friend there to help her until he came back around to the man he once was, for she knew he had not completely disappeared. That man never would.
***
The carriage came to a stop alongside the road, and Marianne watched in fascination as the driver handed William two large blankets and a wicker basket. Then he offered his hand to first Marianne and then Julia and helped them alight from the carriage. Before them lay a wide, open field filled with wildflowers and ankle-high grass, and Marianne followed William up a short hill where a large tree stood, Julia following not far behind.
When they reached the crest of the hill, Marianne took a deep intake of breath. “The view is wonderful,” she said. The other side of the hill led to a small valley where a cottage sat beside a stream. The patchwork hillside on the opposite side of the valley sported different fields in varying shades of green. “Are these your lands?”
“Yes,” he said in reply, his previous temperament now cooled once more. “The far border of it, anyway. It is lovely, is it not?”
“Very,” she replied with all honesty. She offered to take the blanket from him, but he refused, so she studied the clear sky that she saw as a clear sign that their outing would end much better than it began, for which she was glad.
The blanket flicked behind her, and she turned to watch William lay it on the ground in the shade of the tree. When Julia insisted she take the second blanket and sit off to the side, he argued that it was not necessary. However, after a few choice words, he finally relented, and she placed her blanket on the other side of the tree. She had always been a good friend, and this only proved it all the more.
“There we are,” William said, and he offered his hand to help her sit.
She lowered herself to the ground and then smoothed her skirts around her, hoping he would notice the pearls glittering in the sun. Not that men noticed such things, but she did hope he was not like most men.
“Julia is a good friend to chaperone you as she does,” he said as he sat beside Marianne, his back against the trunk of the tree.
Marianne nodded. “She is. We have been the best of friends since we were children, and like you, she is someone who is dear to my heart.” She looked up at him through her eyelashes hoping her words would please him. His smile told her that they did. In a burst of courage, she put her hand out and covered his, and he, in turn, held hers. The touch was strong and the feeling safe. “William, you look worried. Have I done something to upset you?”
“No,” he replied, much too quickly. “I suppose I am concerned for the party next week. Much arranging remains to be done, so that does worry me a bit. Plus, this will be my big introduction.” He gave a heavy sigh. “I fear I will fail.”
“You will not fail,” she said firmly. “In fact, I know your introduction will be one everyone will be speaking of for years to come.” She gave him an encouraging smile to punctuate her words.
He tilted his head. “You believe in me that much?” he asked. “You may be disappointed.”
She laughed. “No, I could never be disappointed in you,” she replied. She hoped her words would relieve his tension, but it hovered over him like a thick fog.
He removed his hand from hers, bent his legs, and placed his forearms on his knees. “Marianne, might I ask you something?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“Do you miss Mr. Sharp?”
Marianne was taken aback. What on Earth brought this on? she thought. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”
He shrugged, much like a young boy asked why he stole a tart. “The man seemed to enjoy your company,” he said. “The truth is, I thought maybe that you felt obligated to accept my offer to court you. Did you not help me because your father forced you to?”
She scrunched her brow. “You understand how these things work,” she said, not understanding where his concerns came from. “Granted, I had no choice when it came to me tutoring you, for my father insisted I do so. However, do not doubt that I care for you, for I do, and there is no one else for whom I care.”
He reached over and pulled a bottle of wine from the basket. “I know you care for me,” he said as he pulled the cork from the bottle. Then he poured them each a glass of wine.
Marianne took the glass her offered with reluctance, but she did not drink. Something did not sit right with her, and she needed to keep her wits about her if she was to get to the bottom of it.
“I care for you, as well,” William continued. “I just wondered is all. I will never speak his name again.”
Marianne took his hand back in hers once more. “There is no other man in my life.”
“You are my friend,” he said as he turned his gaze on her and looked into her eyes, “and the only woman
I care for. When the party is over, we will spend more time together, for I miss seeing you more often than I do.”
“I have missed seeing you, as well,” she said, glad he had changed the subject away from Mr. Sharp and his clear jealousy of the man. “Now, how has your week gone?”
He laughed and reached back into the basket. “Many meetings to discuss the placement of sheep,” he said as he pulled out a large loaf of bread. “It is a story that would take hours to share. Would you like to hear it?”
“No, thank you,” she said with a giggle. “Perhaps another time.”
He tore off a piece of bread and handed it to her. “Miss Bevington, would you like some bread and cheese?”
“No, thank you,” Julia called from behind the tree. “I had a fairly large breakfast this morning. But thank you for the offer.”
William chuckled and shook his head. “A very good friend, indeed.”
Marianne nodded as she nibbled on the bread. “William, this is beautiful,” she said as she glanced around them. “The picnic, spending time with you, it is everything I could have hoped for and more.”
“I am glad,” he said before taking a large bite and washing it down with a gulp of wine. “It is not an outing that requires money or fine things.”
“It is more valuable than that,” Marianne said in a low voice. “I do not want those things from you. I want things of the heart, much like this, what we are sharing here and now.”
He gave her a wide smile and then they both laughed when Julia sneezed. “Sorry!” she called out and then returned to the book she had brought with her.
“There is something I have been wanting to share with you,” William said.
Marianne’s heart quickened. Was he experiencing the same emotions she had been feeling? Was he on the verge of telling her how much he loved her?
“Over the last week, I have found myself greatly concerned, angry, and ill at ease. Although Sofia is a great adviser, just as Mr. Ludlow is, I have found that neither of them can ever take your place.”
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