by Abby Ayles
He was not worried about the Duchess. He was not there to talk to her or discuss business with her. As a matter of fact, he doubted he would have two words to say to the woman, other than Hello and Goodbye. Maybe he would tack on a “your Grace” or “Madam” to be civil.
Duke Colbourn did not think of himself as a man who had time for frivolities like females. He saw no need to pursue anything of that nature until he was ready. He did not consider himself ready.
His mother, the Duchess of Cardinal, still lived, though her countenance was not the same. It took everything out of her when her Duke died. She reacted similarly to Lady Rickman, although she was perfectly capable of continuing to make good decisions regarding her children and life.
She got out of the house, attended balls and parties, socialized often with the people of the ton. They regarded her highly.
But she was rarely seen with a smile unless she was looking at Duke Colbourn. He was her pride and joy. She expected great things from him and great things was what he had given her. He loved her dearly and vowed to always take care of her.
His trip to Norrend was made even more special to him because they owned a valuable piece of artwork by the great Tiziano Vecellio, an Italian painter known for his colorful style and unique brushstrokes. He had created many beautiful paintings in many different styles, including portraits of individuals, landscapes, and mythological subjects. He was very well liked and his mother practically worshipped his work.
There were three of the 16th century Venetian painters works of art hanging in the Colbourn mansion already. He was proud of them and hoped to purchase another for his mother from Duke Cartwright.
He’d heard the Duke had procured the Salome with the Head of John the Baptist or Judith, a religious work that depicts a woman holding the head of John the Baptist while a maiden looks on. His mother considered this to be one of the most beautiful works of art ever to be painted.
“It’s a portrait of beauty and sadness,” she would say when seeing it in a volume of famous paintings.
He was excited to get a chance to put his hands on the actual painting, should the Duke still have it. He leaned to the window and looked out at the mansion on the hill. It had a winding roadway up to the house. It was lined with trees on both sides but he could see how it wound up the side, following a flowing stream that ran along the right side of it.
The hill the mansion was sitting on was dotted with sculptures, fountains, shrubs, flowerbeds, and the prettiest green grass the Duke had seen in quite some time.
The carriage ran smooth over the graveled road and he was impressed by the care the Duke was taking with his landscaping. It was quite beautiful.
Duke Colbourn continued admiring the Duke’s land until they reached the front doors. He stepped out of the carriage and nodded at the driver, who would stay until Duke Colbourn was ready to leave.
He went up to the front doors. Before he could knock, it was opened by a young woman in a uniform, carrying a burlap sack. She paled when she saw him and nearly dropped the sack. He reached down and steadied it in her hands.
“I… I apologize, my Lord. I am so very sorry.” She curtsied to him several times.
“Do not worry yourself, young lady. I am the Stephen William Colbourn, the Duke of Cardinal. Your master is expecting me. Will you announce me?” While he spoke, he took the bag from her and placed it to the side. She looked down at it and then back to him, her face red.
“Yes, your Grace, of course. Please follow me.”
Duke Colbourn did so after she took his hat, cane, and the light cape he’d been wearing. It was not a cold day but it was somewhat humid and he did not like the feel of it.
She put the cape over one arm and held the hat and cane in the other. She went to the third door on the right, passing the curving staircase that would take a visitor to the bedrooms upstairs.
“He is in his study, your Grace. I’ll announce you.” She opened the door and poked her head in to see if the master was in the room. “My Lord? His Grace, The Duke of Cardinal, is here to see you.”
Duke Cartwright raised one hand, looking up at the young maid over his eyeglasses. “Tell him to come in, please, Mary.”
The girl went in the room and held it open for Duke Colbourn, who passed by her with a curt nod.
“Thank you, Mary,” he said in a low voice. She colored again, lowered her eyes and nodded. She was out the door and closed it behind her just moments later.
Duke Colbourn looked at Duke Cartwright, who had stood up and was holding out his hand. “Hello, Duke Colbourn. I trust your trip was a good one.”
“It was, thank you, your Grace. How has your day been?”
“Productive, for the most part. Please sit.”
Duke Colbourn sat in a chair closer to the window. The Duke of Norrend came around his desk and sat in another chair that faced Duke Colbourn at an angle.
“Tell me,” Duke Cartwright said. “How is your mother faring? A fine woman, she is. I was saddened to hear her condition has not gotten better since the death of your father.”
“It has been four years, my Lord,” Duke Colbourn said. “And I fear she will never recover. I am glad that she chooses to continue with her social life but I miss her smiles. I would do all I could to make them come back.”
“I am sure you do your best, Colbourn. It is a matter of the heart that we cannot fathom. I must admit, I fear the day I will lose my beloved, Louise, though she is a bit difficult at times.”
The men smiled at each other.
“Women are a conundrum,” Duke Colbourn said, shaking his head. “I have not met one yet that has struck me to be less than extremely complex.”
“Complex, yes, for all of womankind. Difficult? Louise would fit in the latter category. There is a difference.”
“I have no experience to use as examples to debate you on that fact, Sir. I will bow to your superior knowledge.”
Duke Cartwright laughed. “I am glad you have come, Sir. I do hope you plan to attend the ball at the Conservatory this evening.”
“I heard of it and have brought the appropriate attire,” Duke Colbourn replied. “I am looking forward to it. I do not believe I have been in this area before to attend such an event. I believe it will be quite a lot of fun.”
“I do hope so. I insist you ride with us. There is no need for you to attend solo. I have opened my home to you and am obligated to ensure you are entertained, as well as satisfied with our business dealings.”
Duke Colbourn nodded. So far, the reputation of Duke Cartwright held strong. He was a decent man, intelligent and well-spoken.
Duke Colbourn could tell they would become friends. Perhaps he would learn from the Duke, since the man was twice his age. “That is excellent, my Lord.”
“Shall we take a look at the paintings I have in storage now?”
“I would certainly like that.” Duke Colbourn felt a jolt of excitement pass through him. Duke Cartwright was a man who liked to get things done right away. That was Duke Colbourn’s kind of man.
He stood up and followed Duke Cartwright to the door. Before they got to it, it was opened and a young woman ran in. Her dark blond hair was pulled back in two braids. Some of the strands had strayed from the braids and was curling around her face.
She halted in place. He noticed when her hazel eyes moved to him. He was somewhat taken aback by her beauty. She had glowing skin, small dark pink lips, high cheekbones, a tiny button nose. She was the ultimate beauty.
In all the paintings he had ever seen – and he’d seen quite a few – Duke Colbourn had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life.
He stood back, waiting for Duke Cartwright to introduce him to this lovely young woman. All the women he had encountered that had their fair share of beauty had turned out to be ugly inside. Greed, jealousy, and lust were abounding. He was not that type of man.
He looked at the young woman, scanned her body from head to toe, wondering if she was ugly on th
e inside. From her face, it could not be told. He thought of her as angelic from the moment she stepped into the room.
“Duke Colbourn, allow me to introduce my eldest daughter, Miss Annabelle Cartwright.”
Duke Colbourd took Annabelle’s outstretched hand, bent at the waist, and gave the top of her glove a kiss.
“Charmed, I am sure.” He turned to look at Duke Cartwright.
“You have no need for beautiful paintings, my Lord. You have a lovely beauty right here in your home.”
The Duke of Norrend smiled wide, turning his eyes to his daughter. “She is a lovely girl, you are right. And a beautiful soul, as well.”
Annabelle laughed, covering her mouth for a moment. “Oh, father, you do flatter me. That’s why I love you so much. Well, it is not the only reason.”
The three of them laughed, the first time that Annabelle would hear the sound of Duke Colbourn’s joy.
She liked it very much.
Chapter 3
Annabelle was so surprised when she saw the Duke in her father’s study, she lost her breath for a moment.
He was a tall man, with hair that was almost shockingly blond. It fell down past his ears to his shoulders.
Her first thought was that the features of his face worked so well together, he could be considered one of the most handsome men in all of England. That might have been just her opinion but she was fairly certain it had to be a fact.
His eyes were a bright blue and his smile stretched across his face, revealing a dimple in his right cheek that made her legs feel weak.
When he kissed her hand, she did not want him to let it go. She reined in her feelings and smiled back at him. When her father introduced them, she curtsied.
“It is good to meet you, your grace,” she said.
“My Lady, it is my pleasure, I assure you.”
“We were about to go to the storage room to look at paintings, Annabelle,” Duke Cartwright said. “Is there something you needed?”
“Yes, father, I think you might want to speak to mother before you go down to the cellar. She is quite upset because of Joanna.”
“What has happened now?” The sound of exasperation was apparent in Duke Cartwright’s voice and made obvious by the rolling of his eyes.
“She has run away, I suppose. She cannot be found. When we were dismissed earlier, we assumed she was here in her room. We asked her to go with us, papa, but she did not want to. We did not know she would run off…” Her father held up one hand to stop her flow of words. She clasped her hands in front of her and pressed her lips together.
“This is a large house,” Duke Colbourn said. “I suppose it would take quite a while to find someone if they are hiding.”
Duke Cartwright and Annabelle looked at him. “You are correct, my Lord,” Duke Cartwright said. “But this young woman, she is a handful. My wife has a lot of trouble with her.”
“Another one of your daughters, I presume? One of a very young age?”
“She is a ward, of sorts, but close enough to be a sister to me,” Annabelle replied. “She is our age. She is just… a little upset. She lost someone dear and… oh, I will not bore you, my Lord, with the details. She has a sad heart.” Annabelle’s voice dropped, softly.
Duke Colbourn was impressed by her compassion. Especially if the girl in question was not blood. He was impressed with her intelligence and good will, as well. He enjoyed a woman of sound mind and logical thinking. Most of the women he knew were not that way at all and could not hold a decent conversation with him. He had a sneaking feeling this woman would be different.
“She is not really a ward,” Duke Cartwright replied, waving for Annabelle to turn around so the three of them could leave the room.
“She is a young woman my wife mentors. She is the same age as Annabelle. She has a twin sister named Julia Rickman.
Their mother lost a child and since has lost her senses. It is feared she will never return to her normal state of being. It is a very sad situation and she is a very sad woman.”
“I am very sorry to hear that,” Duke Colbourn said in a gentle voice. “Is Miss Rickman also a handful?”
Annabelle smiled and said in a teasing voice. “Miss Rickman is a handful, too.”
Her father shared the smile as they walked out in the foyer.
“My daughter teases. Julia is a charming young girl with a pretty face and a heart of gold. It is surprising she has not found love yet.”
Annabelle looked at her father. She could tell he was thinking the Duke would be a good match for Julia. Why would he skip over his own daughter to another man’s daughter?
She reassessed the Duke to see if there was anything about him her father did not approve of. She saw nothing.
She had to assume their talk before she had entered the room gave him some indication he did not want Duke Colbourn to court his daughter.
“Will you be attending the ball tonight, your Grace?” Annabelle asked, deciding not to allow any feelings to grow because her father’s approval meant more to her than the discovery of a handsome man in her home.
“I will,” Duke Colbourn replied.
Annabelle nodded. “Wonderful! Miss Rickman Julia and her sister, if she is found, will be going with us, as they always do. You will meet Miss Rickman then.”
Duke Colbourn blinked in confusion for a moment and then nodded. “I see. That sounds lovely.” He turned to Duke Cartwright.
“Shall we see to the paintings then? The time is passing and I must still get ready for the ball.”
Duke Cartwright nodded. “Yes, I am sorry for the distractions. I will attend to my wife for a moment. Please stay here in the foyer, as I am sure the Duchess does not want company at present.”
“Of course, my Lord. I will not move an inch.”
Duke Colbourn grinned. “You can move an inch. I will send a maid to you directly to show you to your room. Annabelle, you will come with me. When you are settled in and I return, we will have a look at the paintings I have to offer.” He clapped his hands loudly, turning his head to the side.
“Danielle? Danielle?” he called out. A door opened to their left and behind them. All three turned to look as the maid entered.
“Oh father, must I come back to mother?” Annabelle asked hurriedly. “I do not want to hear it all over again. I tire so of hearing about this ongoing issue.” Annabelle would plead with her father to be let out of that assignment. It was all she’d heard about for much too long now.
“You go along with what you were doing then. I will return shortly. My Lord?” He turned his eyes to Duke Colbourn.
Duke Colbourn was a little disappointed that he would have to wait longer, prompting him to ask, “May I ask, my Lord, if you have the Salome with the Head of John the Baptist by the renowned Italian artist Tiziano Vecelli? I was told you have it.”
“I do have it, yes,” Duke Cartwright nodded. “It is one of the pieces I am selling.”
The Duke of Cardinal hadn’t felt so elated in his entire life. He was going to purchase the painting for his mother and bring her some happiness. “I will purchase it, my Lord. My mother is a collector and adores his paintings.”
“It is a true masterpiece. I will take my leave and return to you shortly. Mary, please show the Duke to his room. I wish for him to know his bearings. He will be staying with us for a few weeks.”
“Yes, your Grace,” Mary replied, looking up at the handsome duke. Annabelle was disappointed in the feeling of jealousy that streaked through her. It was much too soon for her to be thinking such a way.
Duke Colbourn bowed slightly at the waist. “I do hope you will not be disturbed that I have a curator coming next week. He will assess the value. It is not that I do not trust you, my Lord, as I highly respect you on many counts. But I do feel it necessary to have my expert take a look at the paintings and any other items you have for purchase.”
Annabelle moved her eyes between the two men, wondering if Duke Colbourn’s decision to brin
g in a third party to assess the value of the paintings would seem disrespectful to her father. Instead, he nodded and looked gracious making his daughter proud of him.
“That is perfectly acceptable, my Lord. It is always good to have an expert opinion.” He turned away from the two of them. “I will return shortly. I do not expect to take more than ten minutes.”
“I will be relaxing in my room, I am quite sure.”
“If you wish to have a drink brought to you, please inform Mary.”
Duke Colbourn nodded.
“I will go find Julia. We must get Joanna so we will all be ready for the ball.” Annabelle leaned over and gave her father a peck on the cheek. He smiled, lifting one hand to touch her elbow.
“Good girl.” With that, Duke Cartwright walked away from them.
Colbourn and Annabelle looked at each other for a moment before one of them broke the silence. It was Annabelle. She barely noticed that Mary was staring at the two of them, waiting to be told what to do.
“I feel as though we should be saying something to each other,” she said quietly.
He grinned. “It does feel a bit awkward, does it not? Let me ease the tension. I have an unnatural obsession with pineapple cake. Do you like pineapple cake?”
Annabelle thought it was the strangest question she’d ever been asked. She stammered her reply, completely taken off guard. “I… I cannot say that I have an answer. I do not believe I have ever had pineapple cake.”
“Do you like pineapple?” Duke Colbourn asked, not losing his smile.
“I do.”
“And do you like cake?” She could see his grin stretching wider on his face. She expected at any moment, he would burst out laughing. She could see where he was going with the line of questioning and decided to play along.
“I do.”
“I suppose you would love pineapple cake then,” he laughed softly, much lower than Annabelle had expected. A braying laughter would have been too much, frankly. She felt his laugh was completely appropriate to the level of humor he was conveying.
She was impressed once again and tried to deny the urge to allow her feelings to take over. It seemed her father wanted the Duke to meet Julia. So she would go along with that. Her father had always known best in the past.