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Jen’s other published books
Dating the Duke
Time Travel: Regency man in NYC
Back To His Lordship
Regency Time Travel
The Nobleman’s Daughter
Two lovers in disguise
Scarlet
The Pimpernel retold
A Lady’s Maid
Can she love again?
Spun of Gold
Rumplestilskin Retold
Charmed by His Lordship
The antics of a fake friendship
Tabitha’s Folly
Four over protective Brothers
To read Damen’s Secret
The Villain’s Romance
Back to His Lordship
Clean Time Travel Regency Romance
Jen Geigle Johnson
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
20. Chapter 1 Dating the Duke
21. Chapter 2 Dating the Duke
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1
San Diego, California 2020
Evaline Johansen eyed her hair dresser through the mirror. “Are you happy?”
The normally cute and spunky girl looked away, comb and scissors in hand. “Sure. As happy as anyone is, right?”
“I guess.” Evaline sat in the styling chair, a colorful salon cape around her neck. “What I mean is, do you like what you do?” This woman had some of the most elite clients in Southern California. Most people had to book out six months at least. She must make a decent living by hair dresser standards.
“Yeah, sure.” She flipped Eva’s hair over to the other side of her head while she trimmed. “It stuck.”
“I was just wondering.” Eva had never had that satisfied feeling of finding her one place in life. Did she have a dream she worked at or hoped one day would happen? Not unless you counted her fascination with Jane Austen. But wishing you lived in a different time didn’t count as a viable dream. She thought of her lists of things she’d love to do if she lived in the 1800’s. Who did that, made goals for an imaginary 1800 life? Did she really want to live in a time with none of her modern conveniences, where women were treated as less smart, less capable and less knowledgable?
She checked her nails out of habit. They were perfect. Her hair would look just right when the stylist was finished. From the outside, Eva was put together. Plus, she’d completed college, and she made a stellar salary working at a successful marketing firm.
But was that her dream? She sighed.
Her phone rang from her purse, just behind Persuasion, her favorite Jane Austen. Relieved, Eva picked up the call. “Anna?” Her friend in England.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” No hello, no greeting, this was the way with Anna.
“Nothing noteworthy. Why? What’s going on?” Please let there be something amazing going on.
“You need to come! A masquerade ball at Twickenham.”
“Is that the estate near that Austen re-enactment resort?” She’d been to several re-enactments but never the largest and most famous.
“Twickenham. It’s at the actual resort.”
“Oh fun! When is it?”
“Two days. You need to hop on your jet asap.”
“Don’t they do these all the time? What’s so important about this one?”
The pause for her to answer felt thick for a moment, but then Anna laughed. “No reason. I just think you’d love it. I’m bored. Come play with me.”
She only needed another half-breath. “I’ll be there tomorrow. Send a car?”
“Of course. I’m so happy you’re coming. I’ll have the guys there.”
“Ooh, the Earls?” The idea of British nobility was still fascinating to Eva.
“Yes, and my man’s coming too.” The body builder, Trent, from the United States she’d been dating long distance for years.
“Are you two still together?”
“Depends on the day. But he’s as yummy looking as ever so I can’t leave him no matter what.”
Eva smiled. They were the best couple. She wasn’t sure what was holding them back. But maybe this trip she could figure it out, and find a yummy Englishman for herself. She giggled.
Her hairdresser smiled. “Fun plans?”
“I hope so.” She closed her eyes, mentally packing during the rest of her hair appointment.
When she drove up the hill to her home on the bluff, the ocean spreading out to her front, she wondered why she wasn’t satisfied with her life. Walking over her marble tile entry, trying to appreciate the floor length window view of the wide expanse of blue, she called her mom.
“Eva! How are you, dear? Thomas, say hi to Aunt Eva.”
Her young nephew barely had time to say a quick hello before her mother was helping him build a block tower and then calling across the room to her father. Then the phone dropped on the floor and everything sounded muffled. Had she forgotten Eva? She waited for about a minute, hearing the laugher of children in the background, and then she gave up.
“Bye mom. I’ll see you in a few weeks,” she spoke to the empty house.
Her mother loved her, she assumed. She was given everything she could possibly need. But Eva’s brother was married, had kids and lived just up the street. Everything seemed to be about them, their lives which were going at fifty miles an hour, and Eva always felt like a life waiting to happen to them.
Maybe she was a life waiting to happen. She shrugged. Not this week. She ignored the hurt that her mom had forgotten about her and started packing. She’d informed the pilot and everything was all set up for her to leave tonight. She’d sleep in her bed on the plane and awake refreshed and ready to go.
Once everything was in her bags, including her favorite enactment Regency gown with lovely shiny fabric and gorgeous lace. She’d added some extra touches herself. She did one more perusal around the room and her eyes fell on her old journal.
“Oh.” She reached for it and opened to a well-worn page. “My bucket list.”
She laughed at herself. For years she’d been collecting a list of things she would love to do if she lived during the Regency time period. It was silly, but it made her happy.
“Number one, visit Vauxhall Gardens, by boat. Number two, taste one of cook’s biscuits. Number three, attend the opera. Number four, lead a true country dance.” And so on. There was a page full of them. She knew that she’d never be able to really do any of her list, but it was fun to create, and now and then she’d add a new idea to the list. Maybe one day she’d write a book.
Carefully, she tucked the journal into her carryon and walked to the front door. The driver waited outside. Soon she was on her plane and heading across the water to England. She texted Anna. On my way. Can’t wait to see you.
Anna responded with a dancing gif. Eva laughed and leaned her head back with a satisfied smile. There were few places she loved as much as England. And this masquerade bal
l sounded intriguing. She’d brought several things she could wear, but Anna had the closet to envy, and she was generous with her best pieces.
The flight went quickly. She slept and read. Eva just finished the confrontation with Lady Catherine De Bourgh and Miss Elizabeth in her well-read copy of Pride and Prejudice, when the captain announced they were preparing to land. She smiled and tucked her favorite classic up next to her journal in her carryon.
She descended the stairs of her jet, security and customs already taken care of, and hopped into Anna’s car.
“Welcome back to England, Evaline.” Anna’s driver had worked for her for as long as Anna could remember.
“Thank you, Joseph.”
“I understand we are meeting Miss Anna at the house?”
“Yes, that is my understanding as well.”
The drive across country went by quickly as well. She dozed in and out of awareness and at last they were pulling in front of a lovely estate home. The rolling green of England stretched for miles in every direction and if she looked far enough to the right, the walls of Twickenham rose up above the treeline. She couldn’t have limited the stretch of her smile if she wanted to. A vacation full of real British nobles, a masquerade in a noble ancient house, time with one of her dearest friends. Eva hoped the time away would help her figure out the direction of her life, figure out what she should be doing with herself. And maybe, she’d find someone worth spending time with. Was it too much to ask for a good guy, good manners, a ready smile and lots of fun?
Maybe.
Anna’s butler opened the door. “Ah, Miss Evaline. We’ve been expecting you. You’ll find Miss Anna—”
“Eva!” Anna came forward with both hands out. “Everything will be twice as wonderful now that you’re here.”
They kissed cheeks and Eva thanked Simmons, the butler, for directing her things upstairs.
“You’ll be in the corner bedroom. It has a lovely view of the grounds. Go freshen up. They’ll bring up a tray for you.”
“I love the way you live. I keep trying to explain to my parents we overpay our servants to do less work.” Anna laughed and Eva enjoyed the perfectly British high-class sound.
Eva made her way upstairs. Her windows overlooked the lovely green lawns and hedgerows and rose gardens of Anna’s estate. England stretched out in every direction and she drank it in like she was home. Maybe she was home. Could she move across the ocean and set up a new life there? Her mother might not even notice. Her throat pinched at the thought but she pushed it away. Anna didn’t have much going on that could compete with grandkids. That was perfectly understandable.
Sort of.
One of Anna’s capable staff dropped off a tray on the table in her adjoining sitting room. She settled in with a variety of small sandwiches, cookies, and of course, tea. Anna had remembered her affinity for a particular herbal blend and she smiled as she brought it close to her mouth as the spicy smells filled her nose. “MMM.”
A soft tap on the door and then Anna’s head peeking in made her smile.
“Might I come in? I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Of course.” Eva stood.
Anna and a lovely woman who looked similar stepped into the room. Where Anna was light, this new woman was dark in hair. Her skin was a lovely pale creamy tone, but the shapes of their faces, the set of their mouths was remarkably similar.
“This is Bethany Lichfield.”
Eva stepped forward. “I’m so happy to meet you. Eva Johansen. Are you two sisters?”
They shared a look, and Eva was immediately intrigued by the secretive smile that passed between them. Anna laughed, lightly, “Not sisters, but a relation, certainly.”
Eva nodded, unsure what to think about that response but she gestured to her table. “Come, they’ve brought up way more than I could ever eat.”
The three sat to take tea and refresh themselves together.
Bethany leaned forward. “Okay, what is on the plan for tonight? Are you going to bring that yummy Earl, what’s his name? Lord Danbury?”
“Yes, they’ll all come, Tindly, Boxby and Danbury, but I would think you’d be asking about Dr. Charles Smithy.
“Oh!” She fanned herself. “Darcy himself. Yes, will he be coming?”
“If I tell him you’re here it might give him some motivation. After finishing his doctorate, the man spends more time with his intellectual friends, but we can still steal him away now and then.”
They laughed and talked about all the local gossip, the royal ins and outs— Eva drank it in like nectar. She knew it might be somewhat frivolous, but she couldn’t help but be caught up in the life of the royals, the fascinating manner in which they lived and were thought of. Anna, who was from an ancient noble family herself, replaced her tea cup. “And everyone’s talking about who the dukes will marry. It’s the talk of every paper, has been for months. It has their mother in a tizzy. I’m sure she’ll welcome the day they’ve both settled down with proper and titled Englishwomen.”
“And if they marry outside the nobility?” Eva wondered what kind of scandal that would cause.
“I think she’s more open to such a plan. These next few years will be exciting ones in that area, I’m sure.”
“And helpful because it might keep the press away from your lot.”
“Exactly.” Anna dabbed her face. “And now, shall we talk about tonight?”
They discussed the various clubs and places to dine until Eva was dizzy with excitement. “And I need to finalize my costume for the masquerade. Will you be coming, Bethany?”
Her face turned more solemn. “I’m uncertain. A part of me knows I should, but the other part wants to continue on as I have without a care.”
What an odd response, as though the masquerade were an unpleasant task. But before she could ask further questions, Anna squealed and showed them a selfie from the Earl of Danbury.
As Eva laughed with the two of them and planned her vacation full of nothing important, she knew that very easily she could get blissfully lost in this life.
2
A London private ball 1812
Lord Oliver Hereford nearly spewed the lemonade from his mouth. “Keep your voice down.”
“Is she not the one you’ve been pining after for an acquaintance?” Lord Castlebury widened his eyes in a ridiculous, overly innocent expression.
“I might attempt to secure an introduction, yes, but I don’t see how your caterwauling about the woman to everyone nearby will help me win the respect of the woman’s family or more importantly, hers.”
“Are you seeking respect, then?” Lord Castlebury grinned. “If I’d known that was the intention, I might have limited my cups to only two.”
His friends had been in their cups from the start of the evening and much to the hostess’ chagrin, only mildly useful as guests at her ball. Lady Almston may never invite them to her home again. Though Oliver had kept himself in check, his friends were practically useless dance partners and created more of a disturbance than anything.
Perhaps he’d outgrown them. He’d certainly learned to keep matters most important to himself. But he enjoyed his friends. They were loyal to a fault and made endless social engagements bearable.
However, not tonight. Tonight he wanted to try his hand at actually securing the affections of a woman. And his set could be a hindrance more than anything. A distraction was in order. “We playing cards tonight?”
“If we keep the stakes low.” Lord Tillsdale had lost a significant amount of his monthly allowance last week in a ridiculous bet against the Duke of Ramsbury.
“Speak of the devil.” Oliver indicated the duke and his wife should join them.
“I don’t recall speaking of him.”
Oliver laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “You didn’t need to.”
The duke and duchess of Ramsbury bowed and curtseyed and then the duke winked. “I imagine you’d like to win back some of your blunt…”
> Lord Tillsdale huffed and said, “Not tonight. Tonight, the stakes are low. Or I’m out.”
“Sounds fair enough.” He whispered something in his wife’s ear. And the smile she returned to him stole Oliver’s breath. The love match his friend the duke of Ramsbury shared with his wife was something Oliver had thought only existed in books. But when he saw evidence of their great caring day after day, he was motivated to seek out something for himself, not simply a mere amiability but a burning intensity between them. And when he’d determined that goal to be his lot in a marriage search, he became troubled at his friends’ behavior. If only they could all be caught together in a game of cards while he went about the business of introductions and making new friendships.
The world seemed to align to grant his wishes. The duchess stepped forward and placed a hand on his arm. “Would you mind an escort for a refreshment while my husband shows mercy on these other gents in a game of chance?”
His eyes shot up to the duke’s, who smiled warmly at his wife. Oliver nodded and led her away, tipping his head at the men who all had varying degrees of hidden sympathy in their expressions.
Once out of earshot, she whispered. “Now, let’s get you those introductions.”
He nearly stumbled. “What? How could you—”
“Never mind that. His grace and I have been talking. And we are going to help you. Now, who is the first one? A Lady Rosemeade, if I’m not mistaken?”
Back to his Lordship: Clean time travel regency romance (Twickenham Regency Romance Book 2) Page 1