The Duke's Defiant Debutante

by Gemma Blackwood

  "What you ask is impossible."

  "Nothing is impossible, Edward. I have such faith in you. You are strong enough to do almost anything – why will you deny me this?"

  "You do not know what you are asking."

  "That is of no consequence, since you refuse to tell me. I am simply informing you that I refuse to accept a husband who cannot mend his broken bridges."

  "Refuse?" asked Edward. "You mean you will actually end our engagement over this – this nonsense – this shadow – this ghost of the past?"

  "How can you expect me to enter into a life still haunted by those ghosts?" asked Angelica tenderly.

  "I thought we had grown to understand each other," said Edward. He spoke harshly, but Angelica knew him well enough now to catch the tug of hurt below the brashness. It wrenched at her heart.

  "I long to understand you," she whispered, offering him her hand again. Edward clutched it, his grip so strong it almost hurt her. His eyes locked with hers.

  "I cannot reconcile with Lord Oliver. Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind. I spent a long night searching for a way to forgive the sins of the past, only to discover that it is beyond my abilities. As to the family feud... there is none. Only a lack of love on both sides."

  "That is not what I have heard."

  "That is all I can tell you."

  Angelica sighed. "Then I can only say that –"

  "An elderflower ice, Miss Stirling!"

  The waiter was standing on the other side of the carriage, waiting impatiently as the ices on his tray began to melt in the hot sun. Angelica mustered up a smile and thanked him. Kitty was still standing far enough away that she had heard none of the conversation between Angelica and Edward, and was enthusiastically spooning up the orange-blossom ice Angelica had treated her to.

  Angelica had lost all her appetite for sweetness. She nudged the ice about with her spoon, disconsolate.

  "What were you about to say?" asked Edward. His voice was heavy. He was expecting the worst.

  Angelica took a spoonful of the ice and let the shock of its cold bring her back to her senses. "I cannot demand anything from you, Edward. I am disappointed, that's all."

  "You are lucky enough never to have known the sort of pain Lord Oliver inflicted upon me," said Edward.

  "Perhaps." Angelica longed with all her heart to ask him what exactly Lord Oliver had done that was so unforgiveable, but she knew she would not receive the answer she desired. "I cannot admit to feeling lucky right now."

  She summoned Kitty with a wave. "Kitty, take my glass back inside, please."

  "You've hardly touched it, Miss!"

  "I have lost my appetite."

  As Kitty scurried off to find a waiter, Angelica was surprised to find Edward seizing the side of the carriage and pulling himself up until he stood at her eye level.

  "I cannot assuage your fears," he said, in a low, urgent voice that stilled Angelica's heart in her chest. "But I am more pleased than I can tell you to hear that you have begun to imagine the life you will have with me."

  Will it be a happy one? The question died on Angelica's tongue. Edward seemed to hear it, all the same. His gaze dropped to her lips, as though she had spoken.

  "I intend to make you happy," he said, and dropped back down to the ground.

  As Angelica went home, avoiding Kitty's curious eyes all the way, she could not stop replaying those words in her mind. I intend to make you happy. It was not exactly Shakespeare; it was hardly love poetry. Still, something about it rang truer than all the sonnets she'd read.

  She wondered how possible it was. Could Edward make her happy? Each time it seemed possible, something happened to jar her expectations once more.

  But how wonderful, how perfect it would be if he could!

  Chapter Sixteen

  The space of two days brought Angelica to her promised visit with Valentina Drake. She was sad not to have happier news for her new friend, although she did not think their plan was entirely a lost cause. Edward did not seem to think there was a feud between himself and Reginald Thorne at all: that was something. Angelica still had high hopes that she and Valentina might be able to bring the cousins back together.

  "My dearest Angelica!"

  Valentina had set out a selection of cakes and sweetmeats on a three-tiered cake stand. The fussy floral pattern on the tea cups was the same shade of pastel pink as Valentina's ruffled dress. "I'm simply too, too delighted that you could come! You must tell me everything about the preparations for your wedding. I will tell you all about mine, too – we can compare notes!"

  "We have set a date," said Angelica uncertainly, struggling to find much to tell.

  "How exciting! And who is to be on the guest list? And what colour will your gown be? And the flowers – have you chosen roses, lilies, or something different? Personally, I adore pink roses."

  "I would never have guessed," said Angelica, noticing the pink roses adorning the cake stand, the sofa cushions, the curtains, and Valentina's skirts.

  "Some sugar for your tea?" Valentina dropped three lumps into her own. Angelica winced at the thought of such unnecessary sweetness.

  "No, thank you."

  "A macaron? A slice of cake?"

  There was entirely too much icing on the cake to suit Angelica's tastes. "Perhaps just a small slice."

  "Oh, don't be shy! After all, we will both soon be married women, with no need to watch our figures!" Valentina cut her a large helping and passed over the little plate. More pink roses. "Now, Angelica, before we get onto the subject of wedding flowers – believe me, I can simply talk for hours about my wedding flowers – there is something I must tell you. A little confession I have to make." She let out a high-pitched giggle. "Oh, I do hope you can forgive me!"

  "I am sure you have not done anything that requires my forgiveness," said Angelica politely.

  "Well, I cannot keep it a secret any longer. You know how excitable I can be, Angelica! And I am so desperately excited for you to meet my Reginald!"

  "Mr Thorne is here?"

  "And a dear friend of his, too." Valentina's eyes were glowing with a feverish light that made Angelica irrationally nervous. "I sent them off to the study so that we would not be disturbed, but now that you're settled, I will ring for the butler to call them in. What do you say?"

  Angelica considered the wisdom of meeting Edward's cousin without Edward being present. He had said there was no actual feud, after all. Surely there was no harm in it?

  "I would love to meet Mr Thorne," she said. Valentina let out a tinkling laugh of approval and rang the tiny silver bell on the table.

  "I have told Reginald all about you, dearest Angelica," she whispered, as they waited for the gentlemen to arrive. "He has been longing to meet you! He has several very important things to say!"

  Angelica didn't like the sound of that. She could not imagine what Reginald Thorne could possibly have to tell her. With any luck, it was simply Valentina's enthusiasm getting the better of her.

  Reginald Thorne turned out to be a short, pinch-faced man with greasy hair and a smile that did not meet his eyes. The only resemblance he bore to Edward was in his intense reservation. He was as different from Valentina as night from day. Angelica found herself rather relieved – the last thing she wanted was more than one Valentina to manage.

  After they had exchanged the usual pleasantries, Angelica turned back to Valentina, confused. "I thought you said there were two gentlemen?"

  "Oh, Angelica! Always so keen to meet the gentlemen!" laughed Valentina. The high pitch of her laughter was beginning to give Angelica a headache.

  "My friend will appear in his own time," said Reginald calmly. He took the seat opposite Angelica, next to Valentina, who reached out, grasped his hand, and placed it firmly in her lap.

  "As you can see," said Valentina, "Reginald and I could not be happier."

  "I am so pleased for you," said Angelica, though she could not help but think that someone who needed t
o boast about her happiness must not be truly content.

  "And how are you getting along with my cousin?" asked Reginald. Angelica jumped.

  "I beg your pardon?"

  "He is not an easy man to like," Reginald continued mournfully.

  "On the contrary," said Angelica. "I like him very much. We will be married before the month is out."

  Reginald leaned forward. "Am I correct in thinking that you did not know my cousin well before you accepted his proposal?"

  "I don't see that it's any of your business how well I know Edward," said Angelica sharply. Too sharply, perhaps: Valentina gave a little squeak of surprise.

  Reginald shook his head as though a great weariness had descended upon him. "I can see all too easily how it must have happened. Great men – at least, the men whom society deems great – they are not used to being denied. Once my cousin set his sights on an innocent, unknowing young girl, what could she possibly do to resist him?"

  "I object to being described as unknowing, Mr Thorne. You and I have only just become acquainted; it seems a little soon for you to be passing judgement upon my education."

  "But how could a young lady of such a tender age truly know the darkness that lies in a man's heart?"

  Angelica could not claim that Edward was a man devoid of darkness. She was developing an intense dislike for Reginald, a dislike she strove to overcome. She was there with the intention of reconciling the two cousins, after all, not driving a larger wedge between them.

  "I am perfectly satisfied as to Edward's character," she said.

  Reginald's flat grey eyes locked onto hers. His gaze hinted at all manner of horrors. Angelica found she could not look away.

  "His character is precisely what I feel I must warn you about, Miss Stirling. You have known the Duke for a few short weeks; I have known him all my life. He is a difficult man. A man of whom I can find little good to say, much as I would like to, for my dear late father's sake. He and the old Duke longed for Edward and me to be friends, but it was not to be. Please believe that I tried. I tried very hard. But Edward's coldness – his pride – they were too much to overcome."

  "I cannot agree that pride is among Edward's faults," Angelica protested. Reginald shook his head sadly and continued.

  "It is only right that I illuminate the man's character to you before you embark on a marriage you may come to regret. The sad fact is that Edward has always hated me, through no fault of my own. He simply could not abide having a childhood companion who took attention away from him. As the son of the Duke, he thought himself above my company. That childhood folly has followed him to adulthood, I am sorry to say. In fact, Edward's dislike for me is so intense that he has decided to –"

  Reginald exchanged a wary look with Valentina, as though reluctant to continue. She patted his hand. "Carry on, my love. I cannot allow my dear Angelica to marry him without due warning."

  Reginald coughed into a grey-looking handkerchief. Angelica tried not to recoil at the sight. She reminded herself that he was trying to help her, no matter how unwelcome the help – or his physical appearance – might be. "Miss Stirling. I must tell you that when I received news of Edward's forthcoming marriage, it came as no surprise. The sad fact is that his hatred of me has only grown in recent years. It is my belief that his sole purpose in marrying is to block me from the inheritance I would receive in the case of his death."

  "I hardly thought I was entering into a love match, Mr Thorne," said Angelica coldly. To tell the truth, her heart plummeted at Reginald's words.

  She had never asked Edward exactly why he had been so keen to choose himself a wife. Now, she was glad she had not.

  She was not silly enough to think that her beauty or her wit had entranced him into proposing practically on the spot. She had always known there was some underlying motive. The one Reginald presented her seemed so horribly plausible that she was almost lost for a sharp rebuttal. Almost.

  "Edward's motives for marrying me are his own. The only thing that concerns me is the future of our marriage. And, since you tell me he has no love for you, it does not seem at all proper that I should take your word over his own. I will consult with my fiancé and, if his answers are to my satisfaction, the marriage will go ahead as planned."

  "You are very good to say that!" said Valentina, whose smile had grown a little pinched. "Such fidelity! Such courage! Oh, how I admire you! But that is all the more reason to make sure you know the complete truth about the Duke before marrying him."

  Angelica took a sip of her tea, willing herself calm. "Have you anything more to say?"

  Reginald simply sighed, somewhat theatrically, and looked at his hands. Valentina assumed an expression of deepest sympathy and rang the little silver bell once more. Angelica realised with a start that it was a signal to the second gentleman whose presence Valentina had mentioned – a gentleman who was at that moment waiting outside the door.

  "Lord Oliver?" said Valentina brightly. "Do come in. Oh, Reginald, go and help him to his seat, won't you?"

  Reginald went obediently across the room to offer an arm to the person Valentina had called Lord Oliver, who was struggling with the door.

  The reason for his struggle was the pair of silver-topped canes he was leaning on heavily. As he walked across the room, supported by Reginald, his left hip dragged behind him and his right leg shook with the effort of supporting his weight. Reginald pulled out a chair for him and put an arm around his shoulders to lower him into it. Lord Oliver closed his eyes in pain as he settled in, opening them finally to settle on Angelica.

  Angelica rose to her feet. "Lord Oliver Barnet, I presume? I think I had better leave."

  "Sit down, my dear one," whispered Valentina.

  "It is not proper for me to be introduced to a man who has such a... connection with Edward."

  "Please," said Lord Oliver, his voice surprisingly deep and comforting. "Do not run away. I have something very important to tell you."

  Angelica sat. It was not out of obedience. She would rather do anything than meekly sit down when Edward's enemy commanded her. Her curiosity alone propelled her onwards.

  "Have your say," she said, in the iciest tone she could manage. "But do not expect me to set much store by your words."

  "Very well. I –" Lord Oliver leaned backwards, an expression of pain clouding his face. "Excuse me, Miss Drake, I have left my flask of medicine inside my coat pocket. Would you be an angel...?"

  "At once!" said Valentina, leaping up. She bent to Angelica's ear and whispered as she went out: "It is the only thing that brings him relief, poor soul."

  Once Lord Oliver had drunk some of the medicine and the pain had left his features, he began again. "Miss Stirling, I respect you too much to dissemble. I will tell my story plainly. The fact is that, ten years ago, I was in love with the Duke of Redhaven's sister. He was not the Duke then, of course, but the Marquess of Sandford – his father was still alive. Anyway, we were friends, at the time, so he was Thorne to me. We had been friends since our schooldays at Eton. Goodness knows Thorne never had the knack of keeping friends, but I wasn't about to let him shake me off!"

  "You said you would tell the story plainly," Angelica interrupted. "I have no interest in this reminiscing. Please, get to the point."

  "Ha!" Lord Oliver threw back his head, all trace of pain leaving it for a moment, and laughed heartily. "I wonder if Thorne knew you had such spirit when he proposed to you! Very well, Miss Stirling. The fact of the matter is that I fell in love with Thorne's sister. Lady Adelaide. A girl of such surpassing innocence and beauty... Really, you cannot imagine love like ours until you have truly experienced it." He stopped, and Valentina reached across to squeeze his hand.

  "Oh, poor Lord Oliver! Can you bear to go on?"

  "I must," he muttered. "For Miss Stirling's sake – for the memory of my sweet Adelaide – I must." He relinquished Valentina's hand and fixed on Angelica again. "Thorne did not approve of our plans to marry. I never truly understoo
d why. I think he considered me unworthy of his sister's hand. Worse, he was jealous. He had always been so possessive of his sister. The thought of another man taking his place in her heart unhinged him. He challenged me to a duel, publicly. How could I refuse and remain a gentleman?

  "I did not fire, of course. Nothing could have persuaded me to fire upon my friend. I shot my bullet into the ground. Thorne... he aimed for the heart. Sometimes I wish his aim had been true." Lord Oliver gestured to the twin canes resting against his chair. "You see the state he left me in. I was once considered the most elegant dancer in London. I rode, fenced, swam. Now..."

  "Only a monster would fail to pity your situation," said Angelica. "But there are two sides to every story. Until I have heard Edward's, I cannot cast judgement on his actions."

  "You are every bit as good as Miss Drake said you would be," said Lord Oliver. He smiled. His face was quite transformed. Angelica could easily see how the young Lady Adelaide had fallen in love with him.

  "My dear Angelica, there is one more thing that we must show you before you go back to the Duke," said Valentina. She pressed two envelopes into Angelica's hand. One was crisp and new, the other yellowing with age. "I am so afraid that he will be able to come up with excuses for all of this. He is so clever – so clever, and so cold! Truly a terrifying prospect. But perhaps, once you read these, you will understand why we are so frightened for you."

  Angelica looked at the older envelope. It was addressed only to Oliver.

  The letter inside it was so unexpected that she almost dropped it to the ground.

  My own heart,

  I lie awake each night dreaming of you. When, oh, when will you kiss me again? When will I feel your strong arms around me?

  I will not be satisfied until the day we are married and I am truly yours.

  My love, I am writing in secret and I have so little time! How can I express all that my heart longs to tell you?