The Captain of A Lady's Heart: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Alice Kirks

  The lifting and rolling of the coach soon set her into a drowse. She recalled the afternoon – the interview with the Duke’s chief of staff had been surprisingly simple, despite her terrors. Not that she would have expected the questions to be that difficult – her aim was to work as a chaperone for the Duke’s sister. She had felt lucky to hear about the opportunity.

  Alexandra opened one brown eye as the coach went over a bump, then shut it again, sleepily. She had some idea of what the job would entail, and oddly she wasn’t too nervous – she felt sure that a young girl could be a pleasing companion, and the age-difference was only eight years. At four-and-twenty years old herself, she would be a friendlier chaperone than the young girl of sixteen might expect.

  “Here we are, Miss…Blakeley Heights.”

  She looked up at Blakely Heights as she walked from the coach. She could see the edges of the building against the sky – it was three floors at least, crowned with imposing turrets. As she got closer, she saw windows glinting in the dark night, though it was all unlit, save a torch burning by the front door.

  “Good evening?” she said, waiting for the butler to greet her as he opened up.

  “Are you the governess?” he asked.

  Alexandra swallowed. “I am the chaperone…Alexandra Ilfield, yes.”

  “Oh. In you get, then,” he nodded, jerking his head at her. “Let’s have your bags…you get yourself upstairs. Mrs. Watford will deal with you.”

  “Thank you,” Alexandra said, a touch stiffly. He was really terribly rude! She tried to ignore the tingle of fear down her spine as she went inside.

  She looked around. The hallway was marble-floored, the ceiling soaring above them into darkness. The stairs were broad, and faced with pale stone that gleamed in the light of the lamps.

  “Good evening,” the housekeeper greeted her when she reached the top floor. “You’re the chaperone, are you not?”

  Up here, the scenery was quite different – the beauty of the hallway had altered drastically: the walls were bare wood, the floor uncarpeted, the lamp bracketed to the wall sputtery with poor-quality oil.

  “Um, yes. Good evening,” Alexandra said hesitantly.

  “Here’s your room. Now, we put you right on the top floor, so there’ll be no sneaking out late. You understand?”

  “I beg your…” Alexandra began. The woman sniffed.

  “You’re a servant, like one of us – don’t care how fancy you think you are ‘cos you get to sit down with the nobs. You’ll be answerable to me.”

  Alexandra felt her cheeks pale, insult and anger rooting her to the spot.

  “I don’t think anything of the sort,” she said instantly. “I’ll go and rest now, if you please…I had a long journey and I’m tired and whatever I think of someone, I think it’s best not to treat them appallingly. Goodnight.”

  She walked past the woman and into the room, shutting the door behind her.

  She heard the woman gasp, and then the sound of her approaching the door.

  As soon as she’d gone, Alexandra opened the door. She had to find her bag!

  She heard swift footsteps coming towards her and stopped.

  A man in a black suit stopped too. He was tall, with sandy hair and a long, firm-jawed face. He had a high cravat about his neck, fashionably fastened, and his body was lithe and strong, the long jacket and velvety breeches showing his firm muscle. He looked at her with mild surprise. It was his eyes that held her attention, though – dark, wide and cool, they drew her in.

  “Um…” Alexandra tried to think. “Good evening. I’m looking for my suitcase?”

  “Ah. The butler, Mr. Denning, has it. If you can wait here, he’ll give it to you. Please don’t disturb me further…the house is full of guests now.”

  “Oh.” Alexandra stared at him. He was already walking away, his tall back turned to her.

  “Here you are, Miss,” the butler said, heaving her suitcase to the foot of the stairs. “I’ll take it up for you. Now, I trust you found your sleeping-place?”

  “Yes, I did,” Alexandra said. “Thank you.”

  “No trouble, Miss. Good night.”

  Alexandra nodded to him and shut the door. She closed her eyes. Every moment was worth it, for a life of freedom.

  As she rinsed her face and tucked her dark hair back into a bun for sleeping, she found that, despite all the fears of the day, the one thing that stayed on her mind was her meeting with the dark-haired man. She presumed he was the Duke, and he was, she thought, quite handsome, even if he was quite distant. His manner had been confusing – at once rude and not too unfair.

  She fell asleep wondering what would happen tomorrow.

  Chapter 1

  Alexandra woke, stretched, and took a moment to tuck a strand of hair behind one ear. She didn’t feel too tired, and she’d slept heavily following her escape. She studied her reflection in the distorted, silvery mirror on the wall. It was a small looking glass, but one part of it worked reasonably well and it showed her a long oval face with a graceful dark brow, a slim nose, and pale skin. Her eyes were wide and black-lashed, and she thought their dark depths looked frightened.

  “Now, there’s no good in being frightened. You’re safe here,” she told herself.

  She nodded. She was safe here and, when she was dressed in her high-necked cream gown with its long, starched sleeves, she felt sure nobody from home would recognize her.

  “That’s silly,” she giggled. Nobody from her home would ever think to look here. Besides, she reasoned, they wouldn’t think about the possibility that she would have been given this job.

  She knew, though, that she was well-prepared.

  “Good morning,” she greeted the butler briskly, walking past him as she headed down the hallway. “Can you tell me where the schoolroom is, please? And where I might find breakfast?”

  “Yes, Miss. Schoolroom’s over there. Breakfast’s downstairs. I thought you said you weren’t a governess?”

  “I’m not,” Alexandra said, nodding. “But, if Lady Arabella and I will be friends, we should have a good understanding of each other. And part of my job is to prepare Lady Arabella for society, is it not? So, we shall be spending a good part of each day in here, studying important materials and skills.”

  The butler gawped. “Yes, Miss.”

  Alexandra grinned as he walked away. It felt like a victory, if a small one.

  She went into the schoolroom and sat down at the desk.

  “Books. What do they have, I wonder…they have Byron? Yes. Good, and Shelley. And…well, there are a lot of books about the Continent in here…I wonder who reads those?” She ran a hand down the wood, staring at the books that lined the shelves.

  The Duke, she reckoned, must be a strange man if he had prepared all these for the education of his sister. Most men, she imagined, would wish their sisters to present themselves in society, and not to be thoroughly learned on the grounds for the Napoleonic conflicts! She found herself smiling.

  What would he have said if he’d been the one hiring her, she wondered?

  Her stomach growled, and she was just standing up to find breakfast when she heard footsteps in the hallway.

  “Now, Arabella…don’t run…”

  “Brother! I can’t help it!” a high voice replied. “I’m so excited! Oh, where is she? Where is Miss Ilfield?”

  Alexandra swallowed hard, hastily turning to the door. A small, brown-haired bundle exploded into the room, wrapping her arms about her. Behind her walked the man from the previous evening. Alexandra stiffened.

  “Alexandra!” the girl said, looking up. “Oh! Here you are. I may call you that, yes? Only, Brother thinks we must be formal. We don’t need to be formal…you’re to be my confidante. And you do look like an Alexandra, don’t you? So tall and pretty!”

  Alexandra grinned. She had expected Arabella to be shy, difficult, and possibly spoiled. Here, she was holding the hand of a happy, grinning girl who looked up at her wide-eyed. She
was delightful! Her fear of the dark-haired man was forgotten. She grinned.

  “Arabella…don’t be…”

  “Yes, brother.”

  To Alexandra’s surprise, he nodded respectfully to her. “Good morning, Miss Ilfield. You have just met my sister, Lady Arabella. Arabella, yes, this is Miss Ilfield. I am sure that, with her permission, you may call her by her first name?” He looked at Alexandra.

  “Yes,” Alexandra said at once, her gaze dropping to the young girl.

  “Oh! Hurray! Brother don’t go yet…you must promise to take us into the village someday. I can’t wait to show Alexandra all the shops there!” Her green eyes opened wide, large in her slim, pretty countenance.

  “Yes, Arabella,” the Duke said. He was clearly discomforted. “I shall take you there when I have a spare day. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must eat my breakfast. I have to go out with Albert later – we are going to discuss the shipping-trade.”

  “Oh, brother…well, I shall be here with Alexandra, and that’ll be so much better than having to wait for you for hours to get back! I’ll see you at breakfast in a moment…has Alexandra had breakfast?”

  Alexandra, feeling her stomach rumble, gestured awkwardly. This beautiful youngster couldn’t possibly expect her to dine with them!

  “Um…I’ll organize it,” she said.

  “Fine!” Arabella smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Alexandra…I must hurry. Matthew is going out soon and I want to have breakfast before he goes!”

  “Of course,” Alexandra nodded. The Duke, in the hallway, seemed relieved. Matthew. His name was Matthew. Alexandra nodded to him.

  What an odd pair.

  She felt her heart warm at the thought of Lady Arabella – her young charge was wonderful! She had only met her for a few minutes, but she already felt surprisingly fond of her. And the Duke…

  She bit her lip. What could she think? Handsome, yes, he certainly was, but she had no idea to his character. He was fond of his sister, though, and that showed he couldn’t be as bad as his manner suggested.

  “Miss?” a maid said, appearing at the door. “Mr. Derring wanted to know if you’d be joining us for breakfast? Only it’s almost time to pack up.”

  “Oh!” Alexandra nodded swiftly. “Yes. I’ll be down directly.”

  The kitchen downstairs was oppressively hot and crowded, and nobody was friendly. She had felt the need to eat alone. She took some bread and tea back to the schoolroom.

  She looked up as somebody knocked.

  “Miss Ilfield?” the Duke said and bowed. “I must request a talk with you. I had no opportunity to interview you myself, but of course I wish to discuss the support of my sister.”

  “Yes, of course,” Alexandra agreed, getting up from the desk. She stared at him in surprise. She had absolutely not expected him to come in here, much less to talk to her alone. Such an important person would surely have other things to do than interview the chaperone?

  The Duke drew back a chair and they both sat down. Alexandra faced him, heart thudding.

  “What do you view as your role, Miss Ilfield?” he asked. His voice was serious, his expression closed, as if she were standing accused before a court. Alexandra felt a shiver run down her spine. It wasn’t nerves, though – she didn’t really understand what she was feeling. Whatever it was, it was making her heart thump and palms sweat with anticipation.

  “I view my role as a support and companion for your sister, but someone who is able to guide her and teach her the skills necessary to make a good impression in society. I will train her in the arts, languages, and comportment, as well as be a friend and a caring ear for when she chooses to give confidences.”

  “I see.” The Duke nodded. He seemed impressed. “And what will you do for this…education?”

  Alexandra stiffened. “I have decided on a broad curriculum, encompassing modern literature, French and German, as well as tapestry, art, and of course flowers.” That was, she reckoned, the appropriate sort of lesson.

  “I see.”

  Alexandra stiffened. He seemed amused, and she wondered what was making him smile so condescendingly.

  “Your Grace?” she prompted.

  “Art is born of observation and investigation of Nature,” he murmured, seemingly to himself.

  “You needn’t quote Cicero like that,” she said, one brow lifting. “I think it does him little credit to mumble his words softly.”

  “You know Cicero?” the Duke’s head jerked up. He looked interested.

  Alexandra raised a brow still further. “I said to your household head in London that I am well educated. I trust it need not be pointed out that I meant I have a basic knowledge of literature, old and modern.”

  “Yes, but…” the Duke countered. “I am sure the position does not require a thorough literacy in the old masters?”

  Alexandra tried not to snort. “On what hooks must we hang modern literature, except on the workings of the old masters? How, pray, must I teach a subject like poetry, without reference to the works of the ancient scholars?”

  He stared.

  “Upon my word,” he murmured. “I had not expected someone so…well…ready with her thoughts.”

  Alexandra frowned. She wasn’t sure what to say about that. On the one hand, she felt a flare of pride. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure what he had been expecting. Surely, he wanted someone who could provide the best possible education for his sister? She also felt confused. Had she somehow made him reconsider because of her educated ways? She needed him to take her on!

  “I trust that you were thinking of her education when you sought a companion?”

  The Duke shrugged. “I suppose so. Her education, her comportment, and, above all, her protection. I am trusting you, Miss Ilfield. I hope you are aware of the trust I place in you as her chaperone?”

  Alexandra nodded. “I am.” She looked up at him, wondering at the serious expression on his face. He surely trusted her to be of good character? The rudeness of the butler and the coldness of the servants towards her made his suspicion feel even worse. “I believe that, the longer I work here, the clearer it will become that I do not disrespect my position.”

  The Duke raised a brow.

  “I trust you don’t,” he said firmly. “Should I even suspect you took these matters lightly, you would not hold it for long. Good day, Miss.”

  Alexandra stared as he stood and walked out of the room. She couldn’t believe it!

  “What was that?” she murmured, watching him leave. He walked down the hallway and she listened until his footsteps were fading. “Why did he do that?”

  She stood and went to the window, seeking peace. The schoolroom looked out on a lawned area, the green rectangle surrounded by hedges, still in sunshine. It all seemed small from up here, though she could guess the grounds of the estate were vast.

  The house itself was extremely stylish and well-appointed; even here, the bookshelves were made of fine wood and the wide windows allowed light to enter. She had never seen such a graceful, refined home.

  “It’s not all bad,” she told herself firmly, turning to go back to her room. “In fact, this is a fine place and you’re so lucky to be here.” She nodded.

  She had escaped her home – which was the main object – and, not only that, she’d landed in a home where she could use her gifts, she was well-cared-for, and she even had books to read. The difficulties with the other staff and the fact that her room was drab and almost windowless were minor concerns.