A chance at love (The Winter Sisters Box Set) : Special Edition Regency Romance

by Regina Darcy

  With a long, heavy sigh and a deep sense of regret, Ann turned away from the Marquess and began to walk towards the door with purposeful steps. She had to get out of the room as quickly and quietly as possible.

  “Wait!”

  The Marquess’ voice was still slurred, his hand reaching for her as he attempted to stand.

  “I should leave you, my lord,” Ann replied, firmly, even though the longing in her heart was increasing all the more. “It is unwise for me to remain.”

  “But such a beauty as you needs to be by my side,” the Marquess insisted, staggering towards her with a look of confusion on his face. “I insist upon it.”

  Ann let out a long, slow breath, wishing that those words had been spoken to her when he had not been in his cups.

  Telling herself that she was doing the right thing, she moved again towards the door and tried to smile.

  “Do excuse me, Lord Penderstone,” she told him, as he began to quicken his staggering steps. “I must depart.”

  However, just as she turned to open the door and pull it open, the Marquess’ hand landed hard on her shoulder. He lost his balance and leaned down on her heavily, just as the door was pushed open by someone unknown.

  A stifled scream escaped from Ann’s mouth as she fell to the floor, with the Marquess staggering forward and ending up practically on top of her. The air pushed out from her lungs, rendering her speechless, as she lay flat on her back, trying to make sense of what had just occurred.

  “Ann!”

  Theodora had come into the room, having evidently been in search of her wayward sister. Accompanied with her was the Duke, who was glaring at the prone form of the Marquess, who did not move in the slightest even though one of his legs was on top of Ann’s and his shoulder pressing hard into her chest.

  “I was trying to leave,” Ann whimpered, finding it difficult to drag in air. “I would have left but he was determined to have me stay.”

  The Duke grunted, pushed the Marquess to the side and kicked him hard in the chest, his anger clearly visible in his expression. Hurriedly, Theodora closed the door tight and then reached down to help Ann to her feet.

  Hot tears sprang into Ann’s eyes at the look on her sister’s face. Despite her attempts to behave in an appropriate manner, somehow Ann had managed to make everything as bad as it could possibly be.

  “Whatever were you doing following him, Ann?” Theodora asked, as the Duke prodded the Marquess with the toe of his boot. “I saw you leave the ballroom and had very little idea as to where you had gone!”

  Ann stifled a sob, aware that she had no excuses with which to defend herself.

  “I thought that he was ill and feared that he had no-one who might aid him,” she told Theodora, praying that her sister would believe her. “When I realised he was in his cups, I made to leave but he was eager for me to remain. It is as you see here now.” She gestured to the Marquess, who was now groaning and attempting to sit up.

  “I did not think that he would try to be so forceful in his attempts.” Blinking back her tears, she looked into Theodora’s face and saw her sister’s struggle to believe her. It broke Ann’s heart to realise that Theodora did not trust that she spoke the truth. She was upset that she had almost behaved as foolishly as Theodora suspected.

  “I did not behave as I should have,” she admitted, hoarsely. “I should have never followed the Marquess alone. I know that now, Theodora.”

  Theodora took in a long breath, let it out slowly and then wrapped one arm around Ann’s shoulders.

  “It was foolish indeed,” she admitted, her voice gentle. “And yet, it is done. The Marquess, if he did behave as you have described, should not have tried to hold you back. Now, it seems, we must have a betrothal.” Her expression grew grim. “It seems you are to wed the Marquess of Penderstone after all, Ann.”

  Closing her eyes, Ann allowed tears to spill down her cheeks, wondering why she did not feel content nor happy, for now all she could feel was sadness and regret.

  FOUR

  “Your guests are waiting, my lord.”

  Charles blinked rapidly, trying to recall who it was that had been residing with him. He could not remember bringing anyone back to his townhouse last evening but, then again, he could not recall very much about it at all.

  “Might I ask,” he began, slowly, seeing his butler’s eyebrow lift slowly. “Which guests are you referring to?”

  The butler cleared his throat gently. “The very same who brought you home last evening, my lord,” he replied, without even a hint of an accusatory tone. “They returned this morning and said they would wait until you were ready to greet them.”

  Charles swallowed hard, his fork halfway to his mouth. He had been busy enjoying a late breakfast and had not even known that guests were present in his house.

  He sighed deeply. How could he not have recalled that he was to have callers this afternoon? It was a little too early for morning callers, which meant that perhaps there was a little more seriousness to the matter in hand. He put down his fork, no longer feeling hungry, and drained the rest of his coffee.

  “I shall go to them at once,” he murmured, getting up from his seat. “In the parlour, did you say?”

  “I did, my lord,” the butler replied, inclining his head. “And shall I have more refreshments sent?”

  Charles cleared his throat, not wanting to show the butler that he was a tad bit concerned about the unexpected visit.

  “How long have they been waiting?” he asked, as nonchalantly as possible.

  “A full hour, Lord Penderstone.”

  Groaning inwardly, Charles nodded as though this was not unexpected.

  “Then yes, have some more refreshments brought,” he stated, straightening his cravat even though it was already impeccable. “And ensure there are a good few things to eat, in case they are hungry.” The butler made to leave but Charles prevented him from doing so with a lift of his hand.

  “My lord?”

  A little embarrassed, Charles gave him an enigmatic smile.

  “You may put it down to the clouds that are in my head this morning, Matthews, but might you remind me of the names of my guests?”

  The butler did not even blink.

  “The Duke and Duchess of Sotheby, my lord,” he told him, making Charles frown. “And Miss Winters.”

  “The Duchess’ sister,” Charles remembered aloud.

  His frown deepened, wondering what could possibly have sent the Duke, Duchess and Miss Winters to his door at such an early hour. Shrugging, he turned from the table and made his way to the door, thinking that perhaps it was simply that they wished to ensure he was quite well after bringing him home last evening.

  Wincing, Charles recalled that he had been rather in his cups at the ball, having found an excellent brandy situated in the card room and discovering that he quite enjoyed it. There was not much else that he recalled, save for the fact that an elegant beauty had been with him at some point, although he could not quite make out her face and certainly could not remember her name.

  He had awoken this morning with a great weight lying on his head but, since it was not the first time that such a thing had occurred, Charles had known precisely what to do.

  He had drunk three glasses of water, bathed in tepid water and then forced himself to dress and walk around the gardens. This had been followed with a hearty breakfast and a good deal of coffee and, as it always did, had left Charles in a much better state than when he had first awoken. It was his tradition whenever he had drunk a little too much, for one could not miss the following evening’s entertainment for the sake of a sore head!

  Clearing his throat and pressing his fingers to his cravat again, Charles took in a quick breath, ran his hand through his hair and walked into the parlour.

  His welcoming greeting was met by three murmurs matched by three expressionless faces. None of them seemed to be glad to see him and Charles immediately felt a deep sense of unease.

 
“Please accept my apologies,” he said, with a quick bow. “I did not recall that you were waiting and my butler just informed me of your presence.”

  Miss Winters threw a quick glance towards her sister, who was staring, stony-faced, at him.

  “You do not recall the events of last evening then,” Miss Winters murmured. There was apprehension in her eyes. “You do not recall a single thing?”

  “No,” Charles replied, with a small shrug. “Aside from enjoying an excellent brandy and being in some excellent company, I am afraid that I do not.” He gestured for them to sit down.

  “Please.” Just as he did so, the door opened and refreshments were brought in. “Miss Winters, if you will pour the tea, I would be very grateful.”

  Miss Winters stared at him for a long moment, her eyes wide and her hands fluttering slightly in her lap. He could not understand what had come over the girl. He looked at her intently and waited patiently for her to do as he had asked. Surely he was not being rude with his request for her to do so?

  “I think, Penderstone, that we have something of great weight to discuss and I will not allow you to put me from my task by pretence.”

  The Duke’s tone was harsh, making Charles sit up straight in astonishment.

  “I do not know to what you are referring, Sotheby,” Charles protested, all the more surprised to see the way the Duke frowned hard, his brows low over his eyes. “I am at a loss. Truly.”

  “This is disgraceful,” the Duchess said, shaking her head at him. “Your behaviour has been thoroughly dishonourable.”

  “Were it not for the fact that my sister-in-law’s reputation must be saved, I would have challenged you to a duel,” the Duke interjected.

  A ripple of deafening silence passed between them. Charles felt something cold trickle down his back, as he looked from the Duke to Miss Winters and back again. What was it the Duke had said? Something about his sister-in-law’s reputation?

  “You truly do not recall, Penderstone?” the Duke asked, his voice still holding the same ice-cold gravitas as before. “You have forgotten?”

  “In truth, I recall very little about last evening,” Charles protested, his stomach clenching tightly and sending a wave of nausea over him. What could he have done that warranted such an uncharacteristically strong reaction from Sotheby?

  “I remember the fine brandy and, as I have said, being in some excellent company…..” his words trailed away, his voice growing quiet as he suddenly recalled the face of the beauty that had been with him. He had reached for her, begged her to stay. Surely that could not have been…..Miss Winters?

  “Oh no.”

  Leaning forward, Charles buried his face in his hands, horror filling him. What was it he had done?

  “I am sorry my lord.” Miss Winters’ voice was shaking but Charles did not bother looking at her. “I thought you unwell and came after you to ensure that you would not be alone. However, I soon realised that you were simply overcome by liquor and, in realising this, I attempted to leave.”

  Charles groaned again and finally forced himself to look up, seeing the Duke’s angry gaze still lingering upon him.

  “My wife and I entered to find you lying atop of Miss Winters,” the Duke growled, his eyes narrowing. “It does not matter that you were in your cups, Penderstone, for you have brought disgrace to my sister-in-law’s good name and therefore, you must make amends.”

  Swallowing hard, Charles took in a shaking breath, trying to find some sort of clarity in amongst his whirling thoughts.

  “Surely, if only you and your wife saw what occurred, there is no need for -”

  “It is the only thing that will satisfy me,” the Duke interrupted, holding up one hand to silence Charles.

  “You may now consider yourself betrothed to Miss Winters and, this very evening, will announce your engagement to her.”

  “Betrothed?”

  Charles’ voice was unrecognisable, even to himself, given how harsh and cracked it was. This could not be. Surely, this could not be!

  He was suddenly betrothed to a lady he barely knew.

  He had taken little notice of her, although he had always been aware of her presence in some small way, but now to consider her as his future wife was nothing short of horrifying.

  Relishing his freedom had been one of his life’s constant pleasures and now, it seemed, it was to be snatched away from him without warning. He could not bear it! To consider himself no longer free caused his stomach to twist and his breath to come in rough gasps, his mind trying to find a solution that would remove this threat from him.

  “I – I cannot.”

  “You will, and you must,” the Duke stated, unequivocally. “We cannot risk that someone else may have seen what occurred, or even caught a glimpse of it. Therefore, you will announce your engagement and begin preparations for your wedding.” His brow lowered all the more, leaving Charles in no doubt as to how the Duke felt.

  “You are not at all the sort of gentleman I had intended for my sister-in-law but it appears I have no choice and neither have you. Do I make myself quite clear, Penderstone?”

  Charles wanted to protest, wanted to tell the Duke that he simply could not do such a thing, but his tongue remained silent. He could find nothing to say, struggling to comprehend what was occurring.

  “I am sorry, my lord.”

  Miss Winters voice was soft, barely loud enough for him to hear, but he did not respond to it. Her apologies meant nothing to him, not when he was struggling to make sense of what was occurring.

  By this evening, he would have to be prepared to take Miss Winters arm and walk through the ton and announce that he was to marry her. The ripples of shock were bound to crash through the crowd at once, leaving everyone whispering and talking about him. He would become the latest piece of London gossip, with the beau monde wondering what had occurred to make him commit to such a lady as Miss Winters.

  “Do I make myself quite clear, my dear Marquess?” the Duke repeated, reminding Charles of his rank. His voice had risen a smidgen, his words demanding an answer from him.

  “Unmistakably clear, Your Grace,” Charles replied through gritted teeth. There was no escape for him. He had to accept that his future was now unavoidably linked to Miss Winters.

  Trying to find some sort of light in the shroud of darkness that now surrounded him was proving impossible.

  Yes, he might still have a mistress, should he choose, but he would still have a wife and that would tie him to her for good. The ladies of the ton would no longer surround him in the way he enjoyed so very much. They would look upon him differently, now that he was betrothed. His enjoyment of the London Season had already begun to evaporate.

  “This evening, then,” the Duke said, rising to his feet and gesturing for the Duchess and Miss Winters to do so also. “We will expect you to call upon us in order to take Miss Winters to Lord Johnston’s ball. Of course, both the Duchess and I shall be in attendance and we will follow your carriage in our own. That should give both you and Miss Winters the opportunity to discuss matters. For the moment, however, we shall leave you.”

  Charles did not move from his seat. He did not rise to bid his guests farewell, nor did any words leave his mouth. Instead, he remained precisely where he was, staring blankly ahead, trying to come to terms with the fact that, from this moment on, he was tied to Miss Winters and that life as he had known it had come to a swift and sudden end.

  FIVE

  Miss CAROLINE Winters to Miss ANN Winters

  Somerset, ENGLAND.

  Dear Ann,

  I write this missive in haste and bewilderment. Your correspondence has me worried that it is you and not Beatrice that is in desperate need of my counsel.

  You know that I am a very practical person, I am not prone to believe in such lofty ideas such as love at first sight.

  I think love is like a flower. It is something that is nurtured and fed by deeds, large or small. But for it to exist in the first place it
needs a seed and water. You are providing the water dear sister through your affections but has the Marquess provided the seed?

  Your bewildered sister,

  C.Winters

  

  As much as she knew she should not have any delight in finding herself engaged to the Marquess, Ann Winters could not help but feel a small thrill of excitement in her chest as she climbed into the gentleman’s carriage. Her sister had, thankfully, accepted both Ann’s apology and believed that the Marquess had been the one to prevent her from leaving the room, which had done a good deal in easing Ann’s conscience.

  Her guilt lingered still, however. The Marquess’ reaction to the news that they were not only in some difficulty with regards to the previous night’s events but that he was now to consider himself engaged, had not been a good one. In fact, it had seemed to break his spirits and for that, Ann was sorry.

  “Good evening, Miss Winters.”

  The Marquess climbed in behind her, settled down against the squabs and looked at her directly as the footman shut the door.

  “Good evening, Lord Penderstone,” she replied, feeling a slight trembling in her soul as she faced her future husband. They were to be alone together for the short time it would take for them to reach Lord Johnston’s home and Ann was more than a little nervous about what would be said.

  “I confess that I am rather surprised about our engagement,” the Marquess continued, as the carriage began to roll away. “And yet it seems I am expected to announce to all and sundry that I am delighted about what is to occur between us.” He snorted, turning his head away in derision. “You can hardly expect me to be able to tell such lies with conviction.”

  Ann’s spirits began to sink to the floor. She had hoped that the Marquess might find even a modicum of happiness about their engagement. Chiding herself for being foolish, Ann straightened her shoulders and tried to smile.