Regency Hearts Boxed Set

by Jennifer Monroe

  “Yes, of course,” the man said. “Please send word when you are ready, and I will make time in my schedule to do so.” He gave William a deep bow, and then he and his wife continued down the street.

  “The power of my words!” he said with a wide grin. “Before, I would have asked him when was best for him. Now I see what you spoke of earlier.”

  “You have done well,” Sofia said with a curl of her lip.

  Then he turned and his eyes went wide as a face he had not seen in some time came into view. Thomas, the man with whom he worked at Millweed manor, came walking toward him, a stumble to his step and a bottle of spirits in his hand.

  “William!” the man said with a jovial smile. “Look at you. I ain’t never seen a gardener look so proper.” He laughed and then let out a hacking cough followed by an undignified extraction of phlegm. “What’s the matter? Ain’t you happy to see me?”

  William cringed at the man’s loud voice and he glanced around at the stares of onlookers, many of whom had stopped to watch the fiasco before him.

  “Do not let him embarrass us further,” Sofia hissed, her face filled with shock.

  Thomas lifted the bottle toward William. “Want a drink? I got yer letter and decided to come down for a bit and see ya.”

  Red hot anger coursed through William when two women gasped as they walked past, covering their noses as if from a horrible stench. “I do not know you!” he shouted. “Keep away from me!” He pushed past Thomas, who stood with his jaw hanging open, watching as William and Sofia walked away.

  “William?” Thomas called after him.

  “You must keep walking,” Sofia whispered. “I will see to it that it is known he is a drunk who tried to rob you. You can never let anyone learn that you know him.”

  William nodded. “I know,” he said, a sickness making his stomach clench. “Though I did know him.”

  “A Duke must be powerful,” Sofia said as they came to a stop around the corner where Thomas could no longer see them, and the man had not followed them. Thankfully. “Do not forget.”

  William nodded again, although what he had done did not sit any better with him than what had happened with the Earl. No, it felt worse by far. However, the last of her words bothered him the most, the words ‘Do not forget’, for there was something he was forgetting, though he could not quite place what it was.

  Chapter Nineteen

  William paced in his room, much to Hugh, his valet’s, chagrin, though the man was much too well-trained to comment. However, William could not keep his body still, for soon, guests would begin arriving for the party. Because several would be traveling a long distance, he had Mrs. Templeton see that all of the extra bedrooms were aired and cleaned to accommodate those who would be staying for the night so they would not need to return home after dark. Lord and Lady Garvey, his previous employers, had hosted gatherings, and that was what they had done. Plus, Sofia had told him that doing so would put him on a high level in the eyes of the ton, and she would know.

  However, it was not his introduction to society that had him pacing like a wild cat in a traveling show, but rather how such an introduction will appear to Marianne. What he wished more than anything was that she was who she said she was, a woman who cared for him for he was and not a means to meet the needs of her father. What Sofia had told him still tickled the back of his mind, and he could not shew it away any more than a horse could shew away a fly. The more he tried, the firmer the thoughts returned.

  The sound of a carriage coming up the drive alerted him to the arrival of his first guests, and William allowed Hugh to brush his coat once more before he headed downstairs to welcome the new arrivals. William still was not accustomed to having someone help him dress, and it had taken all of his willpower to not send the man away. By the end, however, he was glad Hugh was there to help, for the man was well-trained in the correct forms of dress, right down to the perfectly tied cravat around William’s neck; William would never have appeared the well-dressed Duke if he had been left to dress himself. He wondered, not for the first time, if it was the reason the aristocracy had a valet; the specificity of dressing for dinner was enough to drive a normal man mad, but to ready one’s self for a party? All the more so.

  William arrived in the foyer just as Mr. Barnsworth was taking the coat and wrap of a couple William did not know. However, as luck would have it, Sofia also arrived at the same time, for she knew everyone on the guest list—she had compiled it for him as a way of helping him, another aid for which he was thankful.

  “Your Graces,” Sofia said with enthusiasm, as if they were great friends of hers, which in all likelihood they were. She kissed the woman’s cheeks and allowed the man to kiss her hand and then she turned to William, “I present to you His Grace, Benjamin Young, Fifth Duke of Thornbrook, and his wife, Cecilia Young. They hail all the way from Bandford, Dorset.”

  “Hawkins,” the Duke said as he offered the man his hand, “it was kind of you to invite us to this momentous occasion.”

  William took the man’s hand and shook it. He glanced at Sofia, and she nodded encouragement. “I am pleased you were able to attend. I hope your journey was not too long.”

  Young raised his hand as if it was nothing, though William suspected it had taken at least two days to travel from his home to the west. It amazed him that someone would come all that way simply to see him introduced to society, but he also understood that, if he was to become a great Duke, all of the ton would wish to meet him.

  “I believe that Mr. Barnsworth can see them to their rooms,” Sofia said, clearly making an attempt to guide him in what he needed to say and do. “I imagine they are weary after such a long journey?”

  William smiled. “Of course. Mr. Barnsworth most certainly will see you to your rooms.” He turned to the butler, who already stood beside a pair of footmen holding the Youngs’ heavy chest. “I recommend the Russian Room.”

  Mr. Barnsworth bowed. “Yes, Your Grace.”

  “If you need anything, Mrs. Templeton is our housekeeper, and she will get you what you need.”

  “Thank you,” Young replied. “And again, thank you for having us. We look forward to tonight’s party, do we not, my dear?”

  “Oh, yes, very much so,” his wife replied. The woman was young, perhaps no more than four and twenty, and she gaped around with wide eyes at the entryway.

  William wondered if she, like himself, came from a modest background. However, he knew better than to ask such questions, so he waited for the couple to make their way up the grand staircase before he smiled at Sofia.

  As if knowing his thoughts, Sofia whispered, “The Duchess comes from a merchant family, and she and the Duke married only a few years ago. They have two small children now, but despite her humble beginnings, she has become a favorite among the ton.” She lowered her voice even further. “Although, I believe it to be a favorite for rumors because of her upbringing. You will learn rather quickly that the ton can be…fickle…when it comes to those of us who were not raised as they were. That is why keeping your past a secret is of the utmost importance. If people were to learn the truth, they would find a way to use it against you.”

  William found her words irritating, but he had to trust that what she said was true. If he was to be the most powerful Duke in history, then he had to do what he could to prove himself, even if it meant keeping quiet about his childhood.

  ***

  Although the party William had planned was not her first, Marianne found keeping her anticipation under control difficult as the carriage made its way to Silver Birch Estate. The improvements William had made in his mannerisms and speech were enough to fool even the most rooted families of the ton, and Marianne could not have been prouder. Tonight would be, in a sense, his debut, and she suspected it would be the talk of the ton for years to come.

  Lights blazed in the main windows of the grand house as the carriage pulled up behind several carriages queued to drop off their passengers at the front
doors. It was difficult for her not to simply jump from the carriage and run up to the doors instead of waiting their turn.

  Her mother must have sensed her impatience, for she patted Marianne’s hand and said, “We will be there soon enough, my dear. This is the Duke’s night; allow him to stand on his own two feet.”

  “Yes, Mother,” she said as she forced herself to sit back in the seat. However, the urge to leave did not leave her, and soon she was peering out the window to see how much longer it would be.

  “Oh, bother!” she said as she sat back once more. “Lord and Lady Dowding is in the carriage before us. I cannot believe our luck.”

  Her mother chuckled. “You will be as old as they one day, God willing. It is not nice to be angry simply because they are elderly. Be patient.”

  “I am not angry because they are elderly,” Marianne said aghast. “I do not mean to sound disrespectful of their age; it’s just that my impatience is wearing me down.”

  Her father laughed. “And your life is just beginning. Wait until you are our age and see what waiting will do to you then.”

  Marianne did not laugh. Her parents simply did not understand. Or perhaps they did not remember. Whatever the reason, she did not see the humor in their words.

  Finally, they were at the front of the queue where a footman placed a step and helped first Marianne’s mother and then Marianne from the carriage. They were ushered into the foyer to await William’s entrance, which Marianne anticipated above all else. She knew that he had commissioned new clothes for this occasion, but he had refused to show her, stating that she would ‘simply have to wait until that night’ to see what had been made for him. Regardless of the style, he would look handsome, for even in his gardener clothes, he had made her heart flutter. Newer clothing would not change how she felt about him.

  As they waited, the Dowager Duchess of Durryham walked up to Marianne and her parents, a wide smile on her face. “Ah, Mr. And Mrs. Blithe. Miss Blithe. It is very good to see you here on such a momentous occasion. I must admit that I am quite proud of our young William…that is, His Grace.” Marianne was certain the mistake was intentional, but she made no response. If William chose to befriend the woman, he had his reasons. Regardless of which friends he chose, she would be the one to marry him.

  “My, oh my,” the Dowager Duchess said. “Mr. Sharp! It is so good to see you.”

  Marianne groaned inwardly. She had not seen Mr. Sharp since the last time he called before she and her mother began their instruction with William, and she had hoped he had moved on in his life. However, the wide smile he had for her told her that the chances were not on her side in that arena. Well, he would learn soon enough that she was no longer available for courting, although she could not tell him as of yet.

  “Miss Blithe,” he said with that same bored tone she remembered before, “it is wonderful to see you.”

  She gave him a nod. “How are you, Mr. Sharp?” she asked. “I see you received an invitation to the party, as well. How…fortunate.”

  “Yes, well…” he leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “In all honesty, I am unsure why I was invited. You see, I received a note…”

  “You two make the most handsome of couples,” the Dowager Duchess said as she moved in closer to them, moving Mr. Sharp in closer to Marianne in the process. “I am so happy you were able to attend. I thought when I did not hear a response that you would not come.”

  He cleared his throat. “As a matter of fact, I had considered not attending. However, after the note…”

  “Oh, here he comes!” The Dowager Duchess opened her fan and hid a smile behind it.

  Marianne stared at the woman for a moment, just as Mr. Barnsworth announced William, and she decided to put the woman out of her mind. This was William’s night, and no one would take that away from him.

  ***

  By eight that evening, the ballroom was filled with people, and William could feel nothing but pride for how everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sofia had assured him that only the best food and drink could be served, so a long table sat along one wall with a variety of hors d’oeuvres and canapés. The wine flowed freely as did the brandy and the port, and laughter and music filled the room.

  However, one woman kept William’s attention above the rest and that was Marianne. She looked resplendent in her emerald-green gown with the silver threading. It had a deep-scooped neckline, but not too low to be considered immodest, and the emerald necklace only enhanced her beauty. Although he was called away for a majority of the night so Sofia could introduce him to all of the guests who had taken time out of their busy lives to meet him, many times William caught himself gazing across the room at the woman who held his heart.

  It was during one of these moments of far-off admiration that he noticed Marianne speaking with a man of the same age as she. William had not met the man as of yet, for he would have remembered him. The man was well-dressed in a deep-blue tailcoat and held himself with quiet dignity. He imagined that most women would have found him handsome, and William could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she laughed at something he had said.

  “Who is that with Marianne?” he whispered to Sofia when the Lord and Lady Lockington walked away.

  Sofia followed his gaze and frowned. “That would be Mr. Sharp, but what he would be doing here, I have no idea. I do not remember his name being on the guest list.” Her frown deepened as she studied the pair. “Is he not the man that was courting Miss Blithe before she and her mother began instructing you?”

  William studied the man. The name did sound familiar. “I believe so, but I understand that she rejected his advances.”

  Sofia sniffed. “She appears to be quite happy in his company now, does she not? Even her mother has left her alone with the man, which says much about the two.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked as he turned toward her.

  “Well, it might be nothing, but if a man is left alone with a woman, it oftentimes means that…arrangements…are being made.” She waved a hand at him. “Oh, never mind my old-fashioned ways. Perhaps expectations have changed since I was of courting age.”

  William frowned. There was the issue of Marianne’s father wanting to get into his good graces, but if she had eyes for another man, then perhaps she convinced her father to allow her to choose who made for better company than he. What he wanted to do was go over and find out what they were speaking about, but Sofia pulled at his arm.

  “Oh, there is Lord and Lady Dowding,” Sofia said, pointing with her fan. “You remember them; they attended your dinner party.”

  William sighed. He would have to find out the topic of their conversation later, for he had duties that required his attention. However, he would find out the truth, one way or another.

  ***

  Marianne glanced over at William, who was once again standing with the Dowager Duchess. He had barely spoken to her the entire evening, but this was his moment to show the ton that he was one of them. His stately stance gave off a sense of self-worth that made her proud, for he had earned the approval the people showed him. It was hard to believe that the man hosting the party this evening was the same man who had bowed so awkwardly to her and her mother only a little over two months prior.

  “Miss Blithe,” a voice said from behind her, “I hope you are enjoying yourself.”

  She turned to find Mr. Sharp standing there with a glass in his hand and a wide smile on his face. “Mr. Sharp,” she said, “I am. And what about you? We did not have much time to speak earlier.”

  “I must admit that I am happier than I have been in my life,” the man replied.

  “Oh? And why is that, if I might ask?”

  The man’s smile widened, if that were possible. “I am to be married.”

  “That is wonderful news!” she said, placing a hand on his arm. “And who is the lucky bride-to-be?”

  “Miss Graves is her name. We met through a mutual acquaintance, and she enjoys a good
hunt as much as I. We immediately found we were compatible in every way, and so we knew we had to marry.”

  “I truly am very happy for you, Mr. Sharp,” Marianne said. And she was, for not only did this mean that a happy couple would be wed, but it also meant that her father could no longer force her to allow him to call on her; although the former made her happier than the latter, for everyone deserved happiness, even a man such as Mr. Sharp.

  She glanced around behind him. “Is your intended with you?” she asked. “Will I be able to meet her?”

  “Alas, she was unable to attend. Her grandmother has taken ill and she and her mother have traveled to Newcastle to care for her. However, the banns will be called beginning this week, and when she returns, we will be wed.”

  Marianne found his enthusiasm contagious, and she wished she could tell him about her and William. However, she could not do so until he officially asked for her hand; therefore, she kept it to herself. Tonight was about William and his Dukedom, but she predicted that it would be very soon when she would be able to share the same news with Mr. Sharp as he had just shared with her.

  “I imagine that Miss Graves has been quite busy with the plans for the wedding?” she asked.

  “Oh, yes,” Mr. Sharp replied. “When we are married…”

  “What do you mean ‘when you are married’?” an angry voice said from behind Marianne.

  She turned to find William standing there, a deep frown on his face. “Well? What is it you mean by those words?” He did not allow Mr. Sharp to answer, for he turned to Marianne and added, “So, apparently what I heard was true.”

  Marianne gaped at him. “What you heard?” she asked with shock. “And what have you heard?”

  “I know what you and your father have been up to,” he shouted, and the entire room fell silent. “I know all about how your father wanted a way to reach deep into my pockets and was willing to you use you to get there.”

  It was as if the world was closing in on her as Marianne’s eyes widened. “And where did you hear such things?” Then she noticed the Dowager Duchess standing beside him and she knew the answer to her question. “So, you will believe lies?”