“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Rita snorted.
“And just how are you going to do that?”
Then she saw the duke’s look. Inverness was smiling. There was a glint in his eye, one she had never seen before. There was so much affection in his gaze that it nearly made her swoon.
Inverness cupped her jaw and leaned forward.
“Have a guess,” he whispered.
But before he could kiss her, Rita pushed him away, jumping to her feet.
“What? You…you mean…marriage?” Inverness didn’t blink, sitting back as Rita stared at him in alarm. “How is marriage to you going to dispel the rumors?”
Inverness shrugged.
“Well, I wouldn’t marry the woman who stole from my mother, would I?”
“I don’t know. You are a strange man.”
Inverness blinked. His eyes narrowed as he stood.
“Did you just call me strange?”
“Well, you are. Don’t deny it.”
“I suppose I am.” Inverness smiled and took Rita’s hand. She couldn’t bring herself to push him away. “But it’s not just that, Rita. I love you. And why would I let the woman I love walk away from me after all this?”
For a moment, Rita lost the ability to speak. Her mouth opened and closed before she could get any sound out. She had thought she couldn’t get any more surprised than catching Victoria stealing. She had thought wrong.
“I…” She swallowed. “I don’t know what to say.”
“How about yes?”
Inverness raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Rita’s heart was pounding hard against her chest. This had to be a dream she was about to be cruelly awakened from, surely? But he was in front of her, holding her hand. He was here, and he was very real.
“I’m a servant, Your Grace,” she pointed out. “A maid. You’re a duke. That’s the worst possible match.”
Inverness chuckled.
“I think you may have noticed by now that I don’t really do things by Society’s rules. I do what I want. If I end up falling in love and marrying my mother’s maid, nobody’s going to say anything because I’m a strange man.”
He didn’t appear to be concerned about their situation. Rita stared at him. He had thought of everything.
“I won’t be leaving the room until I give you an answer, will I?”
“Not really.”
Rita grunted. She knew what her answer would be. But the next step was still tough to take. She stepped closer to Inverness, laying a hand on his chest. His heart was racing as much as hers.
“You do know becoming a duchess is going to be a big shock for me.”
“I’ll help you,” Inverness said eagerly. “Anything to get you to forgive me for what I’ve done.”
Rita smiled.
“I’ve already forgiven you. That’s what people who love each other do.” She licked her lips and giggled. “But I might rethink that if you’ve just made that promise.”
Inverness blinked. Then he groaned.
“You’re going to keep me on my toes, aren’t you?” He laughed.
Rita reached up and tugged his head down.
“Absolutely.”
*** The End ***
Charmed by the Duke
Regency Romance
Grace Fletcher
Chapter 1
Arriving in Bath
Maggie Colster felt the first flutters of excitement as she alighted from the carriage with the help of the young footman, who bowed and kept his eyes on her feet. She stood and stared up at the house her aunt lived in, the sun glinting off the windows. It was a lovely sight and seemed to stand out from the rest of the houses in the street.
It was also to be her new home for the indefinite future. Until she married or, other circumstances came about.
Maggie was looking forward to this. She adored her aunt, and this gave her a chance to spend more time with the fun-loving, ever-smiling spinster who enjoyed spending time with the younger folk in her attempt to appreciate life as she hadn't been able to when she was younger.
How she wasn't married with several beautiful children Maggie had no idea.
The footman and another servant dealt with Maggie's trunks as she climbed the steps to the door. A tall, lanky man in a pristine black suit with slightly hollowed cheeks and thick gray hair brushed back from his head stood in the doorway. He gave Maggie a friendly nod.
"Good morning, Miss Maggie."
"Good morning, Landry." Maggie nodded at the old man as she stepped over the threshold. She pulled off her gloves and undid the tie on her cloak. "Is Aunt Sarah in?"
"She is." Her aunt's butler took the cloak and gloves. "Miss Colster is in the parlor. She told me to send you through as soon as you got here."
"Thank you."
Maggie started off towards the parlor, almost tripping over her dress in her excitement. It had been nearly a year since she had seen Sarah due to her father's ill health and she was eager to meet her favorite aunt.
"Miss Maggie?"
Maggie stopped and turned back. Landry was standing where she had left him. He didn't look so genial anymore; his expression had become solemn. He gave her a slight bow.
"I'm deeply sorry to hear about your father's passing. He was a good man."
Maggie wanted to say that her father hadn't been a moral person. She loved him as a daughter loved father, but if she had known him in any other capacity, she would have despised him. He had been a repulsive example of a human being with his frequent drinking, gambling, and overbearing nature. He had never struck her, but Maggie wasn't able to live a peaceful life. Abiding by her father's rules, she was quiet and uncharacteristically not herself whenever he had been around.
While remorseful her father had finally died from his excessive drinking, Maggie was happy that she could now be the person she really wanted to.
Sarah knew that. She would allow Maggie to be whomever she wanted.
But Landry was only polite. And Maggie liked the old man; she didn't want to upset him. She bit her lip and nodded.
"Thank you, Landry."
Then Landry smiled as he moved towards a door in the wall, opening it to reveal the various cloaks and hats that hung there.
"You'll find living here very agreeable." He commented as he stored her cloak and gloves away. "And I'm sure you'll keep everyone on their toes." He added wryly.
Maggie laughed.
"You make it sound like a dreadful thing."
"At my age, if I move too fast I'll lose my balance."
Maggie was still laughing as she entered the parlor. Landry was jesting with her, of course. He may have been well into his sixties, but he was stronger than he let others believe.
Sarah Colster was sitting on one of the sofas by the window, sipping her teacup. The sunlight coming in through the window behind her highlighted her delicately made up golden curls and made her sunflower-yellow dress appear to glow. She put down her cup when she saw Maggie and stood, hurrying over to her niece with a beaming smile on her plump face.
"Maggie!" She hugged Maggie tightly enough to make Maggie gasp before pulling back. "It's magnificent to see you again."
"I agree." Maggie pressed a hand to her side and managed to adjust her corset slightly. Somehow being squeezed had turned it into more of a torture device than it already was. "Father shouldn't have confined me to the house when he had fallen ill."
Harold Colster was a controlling man. As the oldest between him, Sarah and their middle sister Kathryn, he liked to keep things his way. Everyone kept trying to tell Maggie, even Kathryn, that he simply wanted his only daughter near in case his health deteriorated. As a consequence, he ignored her protests that he was holding her prisoner. Only Sarah understood; she always did.
Maggie was relieved and delighted that she had been given a choice by her father's solicitor as to which aunt she could live with. That had been no contest, and from the look on Kathryn's fac
e when Maggie said she would live with Sarah, she was relieved about the news as well.
Sarah took Maggie's arm and led her to the sofa.
"Come and sit down. I had the tea sent through a moment ago, so it's still hot."
They sat, and Sarah poured out another cup while Maggie helped herself to a biscuit and a freshly-made meringue. Sarah's cook Mrs. Blanchard was extremely proficient in the kitchen, and she always made the best pastries and cakes.
Sarah smoothed her skirt out with her hands.
"How have you been managing?"
Maggie sighed and spoke through a mouthful of meringue.
"It's only been two weeks, but I don't think it's believable yet."
It felt like a dream, almost an adventure that she was living with a relative instead of with her father. Maggie knew it wouldn't be long before she ended up collapsing into a fetal position bawling her eyes out. Over and above her contempt, she did love her father despite his faults.
The realization that he had died and that she was on her own, would take a while to settle in her mind.
Sarah gave her a sympathetic look and patted her knee.
"It will take time, but the grieving won't be for long. Mourn for your father and don't forget this: it's only your dress and not your personality that has to change temporarily."
Sarah was right. Harold Colster was no longer able to stop her from laughing and acting like a young lady shouldn't. Maggie was always the one to come home covered in mud from running through the woods or soaking wet after falling into the nearby stream. She could ride her horse for hours on end and return red-faced and bright-eyed. Her three brothers were boisterous as children but Maggie, as the youngest, always tried to join in. Sometimes she had been even worse behaved than the boys, something that drove her father to despair. He wanted her to be a lady like her late mother, an outcome Maggie had no intention of accomplishing.
She wanted to live life to the fullest before she was tied down with marriage. Thankfully that had not yet happened since she hadn’t attended her first season. Maggie knew it was only a matter of time, however. Her brothers were married young, and it was only her left.
Now Sarah was in charge, and she was a lot more lenient. She wasn't as strict as her brother had been with rules and spent more time laughing at Maggie's antics instead of admonishing her.
How she hadn't married with her charms and pleasant disposition, Maggie had no idea.
She grinned and gripped her aunt's hand.
"I'm going to enjoy living here, Aunt Sarah. It's much better than living with Aunt Kathryn."
Sarah giggled.
"I know what you mean. That wouldn't have suited either of you at all."
"I'm just glad she was relieved I was coming to live with you." Maggie shuddered. "She was just as bad as Father."
"She's not but I can see your point of view." Sarah squeezed her hand. "And I'm going to enjoy having you stay. This house needs a bit of liveliness injected into it."
Maggie didn't believe that any additional liveliness was necessary for this household at all. With Sarah running it; she was like a breath of fresh air and that `was what Maggie needed right now more than anything.
Chapter 2
The Sailors Come Home
“It’s beautiful here.” Maggie gushed. She brushed her fingers over the soft petals of a nearby flower that hung from a bush. “The colors are gorgeous.”
After spending a couple of hours catching up with her aunt, Sarah had suggested going out to the nearby park for a walk. Maggie loved the outdoors and had agreed eagerly. She loved seeing all the flowers in bloom with bursts of color everywhere. Sarah laughed and slipped her arm through her niece’s.
“This is one of my favorite places. I’m glad you like it as I do.”
“How could I not?”
Maggie couldn’t believe how bright and gay Bath was during the summer and she had no idea everyone was so friendly. People passed them with a nod and a greeting to Sarah with some of the ladies even stopping to talk to her. Sarah would introduce Maggie, and the women would be enthusiastic in getting her to one of their evening soirees so they could talk about the latest fashions.
Maggie had no intention of talking about fashion. She may have been young, but she wasn’t naive; she knew exactly what these women wanted to talk about. They had found a pretty new maiden for their sons to pursue as marriage partners.
While she wouldn’t object to an engagement, later on, Maggie had no intention of espousing anyone now.
Sarah knew this, but if she thought the same way as Maggie, she masked it well. Barely batting an eye, she smiled and agreed readily, all the while prodding Maggie in the side to stop her from saying something out of turn. She knew Maggie so well.
After walking through the park once and when were on their way back home, a tall, thin man in his late thirties came walking along the path towards them. He was dressed entirely in black, and he had a white collar around his neck, the sign of the clergy. While he wasn’t overly handsome, there was a quality about him that would make a woman look twice.
They were only a few feet away before he looked up and waved, a big smile spreading across his face. Sarah grinned and waved back.
“Who’s that?” Maggie asked.
Her aunt seemed to know everyone. She could name folks in the road from the highest in power to the lowliest of servants. It was like walking beside an encyclopedia of society knowledge.
“Oh, that’s John Smith,” Sarah answered airily.
“John Smith?” Maggie rolled her eyes. “That’s original.”
“Oh, don’t be silly.” Sarah swatted her arm. “He’s the curate of my church. We’re good friends.” Turning away before Maggie could answer with a retort, she raised her voice in greeting. “Good morning, John.”
“Miss Colster.”
Curate Smith reached them and took Sarah’s outstretched hand, bowing over it before glancing up with a smile.
“It’s a delight to see you on this fine day, Miss Colster.”
Sarah giggled.
“Oh, be off with you. You say that every day.”
“And it’s true.” Smith turned his gaze to Maggie. “And who’s this lovely young lady?”
Maggie could see the way he looked at her. He found her attractive, that much she knew. So why did she feel a shiver when he looked at her?
“This is my niece, Maggie.” Sarah didn’t seem to notice Maggie’s discomfort. “I’ve taken over her guardianship since her father, my dear brother, passed away.”
“Oh, of course.” Smith sounded as though Sarah had gossiped about it in the church. Maggie wouldn’t have been surprised if she had. He took her hand and bowed over it as well. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Colster. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
Maggie wasn’t going to go into it again; she didn’t want to discuss her father. Sarah seemed to realize this and hurried the conversation on before Maggie’s expression spoke volumes.
“How are things today, John?”
“Very good, indeed. I was planning on visiting you later. Marcus Grandston's son has returned on leave.”
“Young Anthony?” Sarah squealed, making Maggie jump. “That’s wonderful. How long is Anthony home for?”
“Quite some time, apparently. They don’t know the full details yet, but Lady Grandston is planning on hosting a small party. She asked me to tell you that there’s an invite for you and your niece.” Smith glanced meaningfully at Maggie. “If she wants to attend.”
Maggie certainly wasn’t going to turn something like that down. She loved parties, and she knew what her answer was going to be.
“Of course I will.” She said brightly. “I would be most pleased to attend.”
It wasn’t until late that she saw her aunt’s face and realized that was exactly what Sarah wanted her to say. She was up to something, but Maggie had no idea what.
The knocking made Erasmus Poltyne’s headac
he even worse. He felt like it was pressing down on his skull. He put his pen down and scowled at the door.
“Yes, what is it?”
The door opened, and his father’s middle-aged butler stuck his head round the door.
“Apologies for disturbing you, Your Grace,” Stewart said with his nasal voice, “Mr. Patterson is here.”
That man’s voice grated on his nerves. Erasmus didn’t like the man, but he had been his father’s valet, and then butler, and he was very proficient at his job. He was not a disagreeable man except his voice was awful. It made Erasmus flinch at the best of times.
But he didn’t care much about that; not when he knew his cousin had returned home safely from overseas.
Erasmus stood up and said, “Show him in, Stewart.”
Stewart left and Erasmus came around his desk as a young man in his early twenties came bounding in. George Patterson seemed to have grown up while he was away. His body had filled out with solid muscle; his skin was tanned, and he appeared taller. Evidently being at sea was doing him some good and Erasmus felt a swell of pride knowing his younger cousin was doing well while serving his country.
A beaming smile spreading across his face, Erasmus hurried to George and embraced him. George laughed and hugged him back. He was certainly a lot stronger. Erasmus coughed as his ribs got squashed and stepped back, giving his cousin another once over.
“Whoa, George. You look well-disposed.”
“Well, being at sea seems to be doing me some good.” George grinned, his blue eyes sparkling. “And it’s most excellent to see you, Erasmus. It’s been too far long.”
Three years too long. Erasmus had sent George off to join the navy with a recommendation, having paid his commission shortly before his nineteenth birthday. George had been at sea ever since. Erasmus had missed his cousin greatly but had gotten George’s superiors on shore to send him missives about his ship as often as they could. With the wars against France still currently going strong, Erasmus felt he had every right to be concerned.
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