The Hazardous Gamble of the Alluring Duchess: A Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Hamilton, Hanna

  He noticed that Uncle Kenneth suffered from the opposite problem. From what Elias observed, his uncle had no such demands or responsibilities in his life. In fact, Lord Lonsdale appeared bored. Elias marvelled at his ability to delegate the management of his estate so entirely to his steward.

  The two men, such complete opposites, were not merely cousins but trusted friends. Elias watched as his father’s wisdom and determination were tempered by Lord Lonsdale’s easy wit and frivolity. Elias hoped that, when it was his turn to run the estate, he might find a middle ground between that of these two men, a balance between mirth and matters of business.

  “Do you see this, Elias?” his father called to him from the table. “That was a clear fault. Your uncle denies it because those two points would push me to the win.”

  “I am sorry, Father,” Elias said, emerging from his thoughts. “I regret to say that I did not see the play, but since you are both gentlemen, I am certain you can come to a resolution on your own.”

  Elias forced himself to keep the humor from his voice. Another thing his role models shared was a fierce competitive streak that often led to bouts of bitter disputes. With the past as his guide, Elias knew the wise man’s role was to stay out of the fray.

  “I believe your son’s reluctance to involve himself is proof enough that you are wrong,” Lord Lonsdale said, leaning upon his cue. “He does not want to disappoint you.”

  “You misread the situation,” the Duke refuted. “He knows one should condescend to the guest, but he is too good-natured to lie. He removes himself from our debate as a gesture of respect to you, Kenneth.”

  Elias laughed. “You are both wrong,” he said, standing up and taking long strides to the door. He turned to face them before leaving. “The truth is, I was lost in reveries of my own, and I could not solve your debate under any circumstances.” He patted his father on the back with a playful look on his face, “Besides, I am not foolish enough to insert myself in your disputes. There are no positive outcomes for me.” He bowed to his uncle and to his father. “I will leave you to your game while you are still civil to one another.”

  He turned and walked quickly from the room. The foyer was alive with activity. The servants were working diligently to transform the ballroom and gardens into a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a favorite play of his mother’s and the theme she had selected for the Summer Solstice Ball.

  Heavy garlands full of roses and peonies cascaded over each doorway, and vases full of irises and gladiolas covered every table. The strong floral scent proved too strong for Elias after the stifling billiards room. He hurried out the front door and inhaled the fresh air. He hoped the suffocating perfume of the flower arrangements might dissipate, but he doubted that was possible.

  He hurried down the steps and turned toward the path to the forest, but the sound of horses’ hooves stopped him. Elias turned and saw a carriage dashing down their drive. He waited to greet the new arrivals.

  Before the footman could open the door, a mass of curls, deep auburn hair that matched his own, appeared in the window.

  “Elias, you clever fox. How did you know the very moment when I was arriving? Never mind, it does not matter. The important thing is that you did. You are the very person I wanted to greet me!” Her rapid monologue continued until she threw her arms around him.

  “I’m happy to see you, too, Constance,” Elias said, picking up his sister’s small frame and spinning her in a circle as he used to do when she was a child.

  She squealed with delight. “Oh, you had better put me down. I am sure Mother would not find this behavior fitting.”

  Elias could hear a hint of rebellion in Constance’s voice. She no more wanted to be contained by their position as he was, but it was out of their control.

  A lady’s voice spoke behind him. “Pardon me, but is this the residence of the Duchess of Langley? She seems to have invited me to a ball,” Lady Julia Abbot said.

  “Hello, Julia.” Elias took his cousin’s hand and kissed it. “As always, it is a pleasure.” Formality and the need for decorum was lost on her, so he did his best to model proper behavior. While he acknowledged that maturity developed at varying rates, he feared Julia’s ability in that department might be stunted. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”

  “I detest traveling,” she groaned, “but I adore parties. I do wish the festivities could just come to me; however, that seems unlikely.” She shrugged before disappearing into the house, calling for her Aunt Christiana.

  Elias took a long breath and held it as if his cousin was a hiccup of which he could rid himself. He wondered if it were too late to revoke Julia’s invitation.

  Constance slipped her arm through his and rested her head against his shoulder. “Be kind to her, Brother dear,” she implored him. “She is silly and wild, a nobleman’s nightmare, to be sure. However, she is fiercely protective and deeply dedicated to this family.”

  He could deny Constance nothing. “If it would make you happy,” he said, “I will tolerate her ridiculous behavior, but she is your responsibility.”

  His sister laughed. “She isn’t a stray dog I found in the meadow, Elias. She is our cousin.”

  “I know that,” Elias assured her, “but we might be better off with the stray.”

  Julia was attractive, flirty, and yet innocent of the world - a dangerous combination. He worried that no place outside of the Tower of London was equipped to prevent her from finding trouble. Elias worried that a ball would be too stimulating for her, and he questioned his mother’s decision to include her. He sighed deeply. He must trust his mother.

  “I didn’t mean that to sound so forceful. Just please depend upon your own good judgment to prevail in decisions that involve Julia.”

  “I could not have given warning against my sister in any better terms.”

  Elias turned to see Harry, Julia’s older brother. “Welcome,” he said, shaking hands with his cousin. “I was not expecting to see you.”

  “As you well know, my dear sister requires a chaperone in all instances, so here I am.”

  Lord Nidderdale, Harry Abbot, son of the Earl of Halifax, had grown into a formidable presence. Elias must now look up to his younger cousin who had finally outgrown him by three inches, a considerable feat given Elias’ height. However, Elias noticed that Harry was of slight build, taking after his father’s side of the family. Elias inherited his muscular build from his father’s side of the family. If born into a family outside the aristocracy, Elias would have been a natural soldier, using his strength to defend king and country. Instead, he used his physical presence to inspire confidence in the men who worked his land on the behalf of the family. After a violent storm destroyed several hundred yards of fence on the estate in Norwich, Elias split and hauled rails with his workers to avoid losing any of their cattle. He proved himself to be more of a leader, and he earned the unfailing loyalty of the men who served him.

  Elias clapped his cousin on the back. “I am glad to see you. It has been too long.” The young men followed their sisters into the house.

  “The hall looks lovely, Aunt Christiana,” Julia said, taking in the transformation from house to Shakespearean garden.

  “Thank you, Julia,” the Duchess said, before turning her attentions to Constance. “I have missed you terribly. I am quite certain you had a wonderful time with the Earl and Countess of Halifax, but I am thrilled to have you home again.”

  Elias watched the natural affection pass between his mother and sister. He marveled at their easy interactions. He spent most of his time with his father, but their focus was on crop yields and expected dividends. His mother and sister had a connection that dove past the surface of their lives. They knew each other deeply, and he wondered if he would ever know anyone so well or let anyone see the depth of his spirit.

  With her arm around Constance, the Duchess drew Julia into their conversation. “I do hope you can be persuaded to play the pianoforte for our guests tomorrow e
vening. You have such a wonderful talent.”

  Julia blushed. “I would be honored, but you flatter me too much, Aunt Christiana.”

  “Nonsense,” the Duchess said.

  He wondered how she so deftly managed to tame Julia. The rambunctious young lady who descended the carriage had transformed into a perfect debutante. The Duchess had the power to encourage people to be their best selves around her. If he didn’t know better, he might consider it magic.

  “After your travels, you must be hungry,” the Duchess addressed her niece. “Tea is being served in the morning room as it appears to be the only space not being prepared for the ball.” With a wave of her hand, the guests followed. “Elias, darling, collect your father and uncle. They should join us for tea.”

  “Of course, Mother.” He watched as they drifted down the long hallway. His mother was a natural hostess. Her gracious charm swept everyone along in her current like a powerful river.

  By the time Elias informed his father and uncle that tea was ready, the others had gathered around several small tables set up in the morning room. Despite the empty seat beside his mother, his father walked directly to Harry and indulged in a passionate discussion of taxes. Elias sat beside his mother.

  “I need a favor from you, Elias,” his mother said, before sipping her tea.

  “Oh?” he asked, putting a sandwich and cheese on a plate. “What can I do for you?” It was unlike his mother to ask him for anything.

  “The ball tomorrow is in honor of your return, and I hoped you might offer a greeting at the start of the ball. Just a few words to show your gratitude for everyone’s presence. Would you do that for me, darling?”

  Social commitments were an expected part of his life, but Elias detested public speaking, as his mother well knew. He shifted in his seat and dedicated extra time to chewing his food. “I thought that was more Father’s duty. He is the host of the ball, is he not?”

  “Yes,” his mother sighed, “but he is not the reason people will come to the ball. They will come to see you.” She leaned over the table to squeeze his arm.

  He could not argue with that. He was well aware that the local families wanted to take a look at the prodigal son returned. It was a position he was not entirely comfortable with. “A brief greeting?” he asked.

  “I would not have any other kind. No one wants a long-winded greeting to a ball. Something heartfelt and direct will be fine. Warm their hearts, then allow them to enjoy the ball. Will you do that for me?”

  “Yes,” he said reluctantly. “For you, I will happily give the greeting.”

  “Splendid,” she cried clapping her hands together.

  Elias always felt confused in moments such as these. Her reaction reassured him that he had, in fact, had a choice in the matter, and yet, he knew he had responded in the exact manner she expected.

  His mother was instrumental in organizing all aspects of their lives in Langley Hall, and she made it appear easy. He hoped to find a lady as adept, to assist him when it was his time to take over the responsibilities of land and titles. His eyes drifted to his father. He doubted that he appreciated how fortunate he was.

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  Thank you very much

  Also by Hanna Hamilton

  Thank you for reading The Hazardous Gamble of the Alluring Duchess!

  I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, may I ask you to please write a review HERE? It would mean the world to me. Reviews are very important and allow me to keep writing the books that you love to read!

  Some other best sellers of mine:

  The Salvation of the Deceived Lady

  Sacrificing the Untamed Lady Henrietta

  The Scandalous Deal of the Scarred Lady

  Charity Falls for the Rejected Duke

  The Obscure Duchess of Godwin Hall

  The Scandalous Saga of the White Lady

  Also, if you liked this book, you can also check out my full Amazon Book Catalogue HERE.

  Thank you for allowing me to keep doing what I love!

  Hanna Hamilton

  About the Author

  Hanna Hamilton has been fascinated with the regency era ever since she was a young teen, first discovering historical romance novels by famous authors such as Jane Austen and Lisa Kleypas. She believes that love was just so much more magical back then, more like a fairy tale. She always daydreamed about finding love herself that way, but since that is impossible in the twenty first century, she decided to write about it instead!

  Born in Texas, Hanna Hamilton obtained a degree in Creative Writing, and had worked as a literature teacher before becoming a novelist. When she isn’t writing, Hanna likes to explore the countryside with her husband and two children, gaining inspiration from the natural world around her.

  So, come on a journey into love, confusion, and redemption all within the regency era. Hanna hopes that you will enjoy immersing yourself into her novels, and that you too will find a love for old fashioned romance, just as she has.

  Let’s connect

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  hanna@hannahamilton.com