The Duke's Defiant Debutante

by Gemma Blackwood

  Perhaps, once she had brought his family back together, he would be an easier man to love.

  Chapter Ten

  From the little that Edward knew about weddings, the role of the groom was simply to show up on time and say his vows. All the details of the dress, the flowers, the church, the wedding breakfast, the guest list, were the provenance of the bride. He had no objection to it.

  So he was very surprised to find that, when he had opportunity to broach the subject with Angelica, she had almost nothing to say about their wedding plans at all.

  "I have no desire for a particularly long engagement," he said to her one afternoon as he made his obligatory visit to the Stirling household. "If you have no objection, I will organise the reading of the banns at St Peter's church."

  "St Peter's?" asked Angelica, barely rousing herself from her needlework.

  "That is your parish church in London, is it not?" Edward sensed that he was already losing her interest. "Unless you would prefer to be married in the countryside? Or at home, by special licence?"

  "I haven't given it the faintest thought," Angelica admitted, toying with the buttons on her gloves. "I suppose there is no need for a special licence. It seems an unnecessary expense."

  "Angelica, you know that you need not worry about the cost. You may have as many flowers as you wish, the finest dress you can dream of, the most extravagant wedding breakfast. My fortune is entirely at your disposal."

  "Oh," she said, with half a sigh. "That is most kind."

  "You are not pleased?"

  Angelica folded up her needlework at last and set it aside. "I am sorry. I do not want you to think me ungrateful."

  Edward frowned. "Lack of gratitude would not concern me as much as lack of interest."

  Angelica glanced towards her mother, who was sitting far enough away to allow the betrothed couple to speak privately, if they kept their voices low. "I would have thought lack of interest was your aim, Edward. You proposed to me without knowing a thing about me. And I still feel that I do not know a thing about you. I am willing to be married, but it is too much to ask me to be excited. Rather, I am full of misgivings."

  For a long moment, Edward did not know how to reply. She was right. He had not considered her feelings at all, either during his proposal or afterwards. He had played the part of the husband-to-be because it seemed the proper thing to do, not out of any concern for Angelica's feelings.

  His first instinct was to react with anger, but he knew that would be wrong. He was not accustomed to having his flaws pointed out. Dukes did not often meet with criticism.

  "I appreciate your honesty," he said, a little more stiffly than he had intended. Angelica sighed and took up her needlework again.

  "I am only sorry that I have nothing more than honesty to offer you, Edward."

  "Do you fear a loveless match?"

  "I fear nothing about you," she answered defiantly. Ah! There it was! That flash of fire in her eyes which he so admired. Edward found himself longing to see that spark again. He was surprised by how much he wanted to evoke some emotion in Angelica. Not love, exactly – he was not foolish enough to think of that – but something. Defiance would satisfy him as much as admiration.

  "Let us make a bargain," he said. "I will have the banns read in St Peter's. We will be married four weeks from now. In recompense, I will also make a greater effort to understand your character."

  "You wish to – know me?"

  There was such an expression of hope in her eyes that it almost hurt Edward to meet them. "If it would please you, yes. I wish to know you better."

  Angelica smiled. Not a full smile; it did not light up her eyes the way he had hoped. But a smile, nonetheless. "That would please me very much."

  Chapter Eleven

  Angelica was comforted by Edward's promise, but took care not to hope for too much. Nothing had brought them together beyond Edward's whim to take a wife and her father's greed for a title. The most she could hope for was that they would become friends. Perhaps, in time, they would even grow to truly care for one another the way a husband and wife should.

  The passion she had longed for still seemed very far out of her reach.

  Oh, Edward was handsome enough. Rich enough, strong enough, stern enough to thrill her a little. But in terms of character, he remained the perfect opposite of the warm and loving husband Angelica had always pictured for herself.

  Still, she was not one to dwell on misfortune. Angelica was determined to become as cheerful and willing as it was possible to be. She did not want Edward to see her dissatisfaction again.

  Therefore, on the morning that he stopped by the townhouse in a gleaming open-topped carriage, she did not hesitate to accept his invitation for a drive.

  "Where are we going?"

  "I thought Richmond Park might make a pleasant outing. I am sick of the city, myself, and it is the closest thing London has to a wilderness. I have had my cook make up a picnic lunch, and, if we are lucky, we may even see the famous herd of deer."

  Angelica lifted the lid of the picnic basket eagerly. "Gracious! What a lot of food! Your cook must think I eat like a horse!"

  "On the contrary, she has made no suppositions as to your appetite. I was hoping that Miss Lily Stirling might be well enough to join us today."

  Angelica was not sure she had heard him correctly. "Lily is to come with us, too? I thought your intention was to get to know me?"

  "I thought the best way to do so would be to acquaint myself with your closest companion at the same time." Edward raised an eyebrow. "There is no obligation to invite your sister. The choice is yours."

  Angelica could not think of anything more perfect than a day spent exploring the wildness of Richmond Park with her sister. Moreover, she would not then be at all intimidated by the prospect of a full day in Edward's company. If they ran out of things to talk about – which they surely would – Lily would be there to distract them.

  "I think it is quite the cleverest idea I have ever heard," she said, and ran to fetch her sister.

  The two girls chatted away happily as Edward drove them across London. They waved to passers-by and enjoyed the pleasure of being the envy of every acquaintance they passed. Lily in particular drew the attention of a group of young gentlemen of her own age, who cheered her and doffed their hats.

  "Miss Lily Stirling! Can it be true?"

  "Good health, Miss Stirling!"

  "See, you are much missed in society," whispered Angelica, tucking the blanket more tightly around Lily's legs.

  "It is only a pack of silly young men," said Lily, but she was smiling.

  Despite the fact that his avowed intention was to get to know Angelica better, Edward said almost nothing all the way to Richmond Park. The sisters made merry enough without his input, but Angelica found herself sneaking a glance towards him every now and again. The last thing she wanted was to make him uncomfortable.

  Edward looked thoughtful and, perhaps, just a little sad. She wondered what on earth he found to make him melancholy in the sunny day and fresh air.

  When they arrived at Richmond Park, Edward took the picnic basket down in one hand and offered the other to Lily. Angelica scrambled over her side of the carriage herself, too eager to explore the park to wait.

  "Angelica!" Lily scolded her. "Are you going to go jumping around like that when you're a Duchess?"

  "It will become quite the fashionable thing to do," said Edward, with what appeared to be the hint of a smile. "All the ladies in London will be leaping out of carriages ahead of the gentlemen."

  "I shudder to think the effect Angelica will have on the ton," said Lily. "We cannot all be wild, unruly creatures, after all."

  "But look!" cried Angelica, opening her arms to the wide blue sky. "It's simply wonderful!"

  Richmond Park was the largest in London – so big that it appeared to run on endlessly, dotted with little copses and meandering paths. Off in the distance, Angelica saw the unmistakeable shape o
f antlers against the sky. The deer were out in full force today, cropping the grass calmly in the heart of their little paradise.

  She ran out across the grass, forgetting herself for a moment, but stopped as if she were a puppet being tugged back on a string and turned to check that Lily was following. Edward was arranging the shawl around Lily's shoulders and offering her his arm. Angelica ran back, feeling a little guilty. Lily's wellbeing was her concern, not Edward's.

  "Are you quite warm enough?" she asked.

  "Do stop fussing, the pair of you! I am no longer an invalid."

  Lily leaned on Edward's arm as they walked along the path. Angelica took Edward's other side, taking hold of the basket.

  "Let me carry it. I don't mind the weight. Besides, it is not quite proper for my fiancé to take my sister's arm and not my own."

  She thrust her arm through his decisively. This time, Edward's smile was broad and true.

  "You are incorrigible, Angelica Stirling."

  "I do hope you can bear it, Your Grace," said Lily slyly. "It will take a very brave man to tame my dear Angelica."

  "Who said anything about taming me?" Angelica demanded. "I don't like the sound of that!"

  "I wouldn't dream of it," said Edward obligingly. "Now, I have not been to the park in some years, but I doubt it has changed much. I thought we could take lunch down by Pen Ponds."

  "You should have brought your fishing things, Edward. Do you like to fish? I have a feeling that you take more pleasure in outdoor pursuits than London's more famous offerings."

  "You are quite right, Angelica. But I thought it best to leave my fishing gear at home. It is not a lady's sport, and today is for your enjoyment only."

  "Oh, dear!" cried Angelica, catching Lily's eye. "I am afraid His Grace is quite set on gleaning no enjoyment from our outing whatsoever. Lily, you and I must be truly dreadful company. For shame!"

  "On the contrary, there is nothing I like more than a country walk." Edward hesitated. "If it would please you, I will teach you how to fish in the lake near Redhaven Castle."

  "There is a lake?"

  "There are three. One is only ornamental – a large pond, really. But in the wider estate we have the North Lake and the South Lake. The North Lake chiefly serves for boating, the South Lake for fish."

  "Gracious," murmured Lily. "Mistress of three lakes, Angelica!"

  "I do hope they can manage themselves," Angelica sniffed. "Mama never included lakes in my lessons in running a household."

  "You will find that the household runs itself tolerably well. All my properties do, in fact. I only employ the most experienced housekeepers. I have never taken much interest in the day-to-day business of household management myself."

  "Quite right, too," said Angelica. She was pleased to discover that Edward had at last found his tongue. He was not quite sparkling, but at least he was now verging on conversational. "I do not think it is proper for a gentleman to be concerned with running the house."

  "What activities do you consider gentlemanly?"

  "Why, sport of all kinds – hunting, riding, shooting, fishing – and music, naturally. I like nothing more than a gentleman with a pleasant singing voice. He must be an expert card-player, and must win more often than not whenever he plays – but he should never play to excess. His wardrobe should be impeccable, but never fussy. I cannot abide the thought of a Beau Brummell, presenting his failed cravat knots on a silver platter. Oh! And dancing. He must be able to dance in an elegant and graceful manner."

  "And in addition to this, he must be able to recite Shakespeare and read novels," said Edward teasingly. "No small number of accomplishments!"

  "It is nothing more than today's ladies deserve. Why, we are expected to mend clothing, to embroider and sew our fancywork, to dictate the menu for each meal, to ensure the smooth running of the house, to deal with any problems from the servants, and to visit the poor and lend aid to the less fortunate. In addition, in order to be called accomplished, a woman must play, sing, draw, paint, read, and maintain assiduous correspondence. Not to mention the travails of a well put-together wardrobe."

  "I like nothing less than these foolish standards held by society!" said Edward, with feeling. "Why should it matter a jot if a lady can paint, as long as she has found useful occupation?"

  "I am quite of your opinion. The pressures of society can often be too great." Angelica recalled, with a jolt, that Edward had held her to precisely none of those standards when he chose her to be his bride. What criteria did he have for the perfect woman? She did not quite dare to ask. She was already beginning to regret her long list for the ideal gentleman. Thank goodness she had not added witty conversation and sociable nature to boot!

  They had not quite reached Pen Ponds when Edward stopped abruptly. "This seems as good a spot as any," he said, pulling the basket from Angelica's hands. He spread out a blanket underneath a spreading oak tree and helped Lily to make herself comfortable against it. Angelica realised that she had been so absorbed in talking with Edward that she had not even noticed Lily's increasing tiredness.

  "Please, don't stop on my account," Lily protested weakly.

  "On your account, Miss Stirling? Not at all. I am simply hungry," Edward assured her. "Forgive my manners. I am accustomed to eating as and when I please."

  "Not a bit of it," said Angelica, sitting beside Lily. "It is long past noon. I am hungry myself."

  Edward's cook had prepared them a feast of boiled eggs, pigeon pie, three types of cheese, and ham salad, with gingerbread cake and jam puffs for dessert. Edward had even wrapped a bottle of lemonade in a damp cloth to keep it cold.

  "What a clever idea! There's nothing I detest more than warm lemonade," sighed Angelica, accepting a glass from Edward. His fingers brushed against hers as she did so, and for a moment their eyes met.

  The energy between them was quite unmistakeable, though it lasted only for a second. Angelica looked away first, disconcerted. Edward's green eyes filled her with feelings she could not name. Feelings she did not know whether to embrace or to fear.

  Feelings she knew he did not return.

  Once they had eaten, Lily lay down on the blanket and soon fell asleep. Angelica longed to run towards the glimmering water ahead of them, but something restrained her. She knew that the purpose of the day was not only to enjoy herself, but chiefly to get to know Edward better.

  That was what she had asked for, wasn't it? And he had given it to her the moment she made her feelings clear.

  Angelica felt something stirring inside her. Something she dearly hoped was not affection. She was already embarking upon a loveless marriage. A marriage with affection on one side only – that was truly unconscionable.

  "It was very kind of you to plan this for me," she said, feeling almost nervous. She hated being nervous! Why was it happening now? "And kinder still to bring Lily along. She has had so little opportunity to go anywhere of late."

  Edward followed Angelica's eyes to Lily's slumbering form. His face was grave, his strong jaw tight. "Has her recovery been a difficult one?"

  "At times, we thought she would never recover. And even now..." Angelica turned away, not wishing to reveal how much it pained her. "She is not the same. She was always so full of energy, of life. Now, the slightest thing can weaken her. She cannot abide any excess of emotion – stress, unhappiness, joy. A trip to the theatre is too much for her. You cannot imagine how much I wish she could regain her health. Be as she was."

  "But that is quite impossible," said Edward. His tone was so dark that Angelica risked a glance at him, surprised. A black cloud had descended on his face; the shadow of an old yet insidious pain. "I, of all people, should know."

  "You had a sister," Angelica whispered. Edward turned towards her, anguish plain in his eyes.

  "And I knew what it was to watch her suffer."

  For a long moment, they were silent. Angelica felt that it was the first moment she had truly understood Edward, with all his moods and his
silences.

  "Your sister will always be welcome at Redhaven Castle," said Edward, eventually. "Or, if she cannot make the journey, you will always be welcome to visit her. I could not bear the thought of breaking such a precious bond."

  "Thank you," said Angelica. She had not realised how much she feared the separation from Lily until he told her there was no need for it. "Thank you very much."

  "It is nothing. It is only what a husband ought to do."

  "On the subject of family..." Angelica began, remembering her promise to Valentina. Edward was still watching Lily with a haunted expression. It stilled the words in Angelica's throat.

  "Yes? What were you about to say?"

  "Nothing," she said, putting the thought to the back of her mind. "I have quite forgotten."

  The last thing she wanted was to risk the tranquillity of a perfect afternoon by reminding him of another old wound. Whatever strife lay between him and his cousin, she would uncover it in due time.

  For now, it was enough to sit in companionable silence. The warmth in her heart was now unmistakable.

  She could certainly see how it was possible to fall in love with this man. He was reserved, yes, but his thoughts and concerns ran deeper than anyone could guess. His tenderness towards Lily only recommended him the more. The thought of him suffering the loss of a sister – the thought of the rumours that had swirled around him following her death – was almost too much to bear.

  Angelica resolved to guard her emotions as carefully as she could. It would not do to give Edward a heart he had never asked for.

  Chapter Twelve

  Edward pulled the top over the carriage on their way back home. Lily had recovered enough to walk to the lake and back, but her exhaustion was obvious in the way her head lolled onto Angelica's shoulder throughout the long drive. Without waiting for permission, Edward gathered her up into his arms the moment they arrived, and carried her from the carriage up the steps of the townhouse. She was even lighter than he'd expected. If there had been wind in the air he would have been afraid lest she blow away. Angelica went in front of them, holding Lily's reticule and hushing the servants as they entered the house and made their way upstairs.