The Temptation of the Duke (Regency Romance)
Page 12
Are you so weak a man that you let your mummy control your life?
“Damn you!”
“Somerset, what in heaven’s name is going on in here?”
Evan looked up to find his mother standing in the doorway, her beady eyes wide and scrutinizing. “You are to knock before you enter my private study!” he roared, unable to get hold of his temper.
“Do calm down, Somerset,” she said, clearly unaffected by his foul mood. “I’ll not take up much of your time, but I thought you might like to know…” She straightened to her full height and sucked in a breath. “Your fiancée has disappeared.”
He ought to have felt some kind of alarm at this news, but he didn’t. Only curiosity, really. Perhaps a little excitement. “Disappeared, you say?”
“Her father believes she’s attempting to elope to Gretna Greene with…with…” His mother could hardly bring herself to say the word, and when she did, it came out on a choked breath of air, “a footman.”
Part of Evan wanted to dissolve into laughter, and another part wanted to whoop and holler with joy. How rich! She’d eloped. There was nothing for it now. He was a free man. Still, he had to keep his composure. “Well, I suppose that’s that then,” he said, taking a secret celebratory sip of his brandy before placing the tumbler back on the desk.
“I beg your pardon?”
He met his mother’s shocked expression. “What? Have I missed something?”
“The point of my visit is not to tell you that you’re schedule has opened up four Saturdays from now,” she said, her tone dripping with annoyance. “You are to go after her, of course.”
“After her?”
She gave a groan, and slumped her shoulders, which was something she didn’t often do. “You’re as thick-headed as your father was.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Don’t.” She took an intimidating step forward. “You’ll leave at once. They can’t have gotten far since yesterday. You can put a stop to this—demand she come back with you.”
“And what if she says no?”
“You’ll threaten her reputation.”
“I hardly think she cares about that now, seeing as she’s run off with a footman.” Evan crossed his arms over his chest, daring his mother to challenge his logic.
The duchess sucked in a sharp breath. “She is rightfully yours, by contract. Drag her back by her hair if you must, but you will marry her in a month, Somerset. Mark my words.”
The last thing he wanted to do was mark his mother’s words. He didn’t even want to listen to them in the first place. But he probably wasn’t going to get out of this room unless he acquiesced. “Fine,” he finally sighed, slumping his shoulders in defeat. “I will leave straightaway.”
The duchess gave a swift nod. “Good. I shall see you upon your return.”
Evan returned the nod, and then left to ready himself for his journey.
~*~
When Grace wasn’t crying her eyes out over the Duke of Somerset, she was going positively out of her mind with boredom. Goodness, it was dull out here in the country. She even helped Mama gather eggs and prepare supper, just for something to do. Blessedly, her mother never asked why she’d returned or why her eyes were red all the time. She was the kind of woman to just let her children be, and if they chose to confide in her, she listened patiently and only offered advice when solicited. If she hadn’t been this sort, Grace never would have come back to the country. She didn’t care to even think about the duke or what had happened, let alone talk about it. It was far too painful. Even now, she bit back her tears as she kneaded the dough for tonight’s supper. It wouldn’t do to cry all over it and turn it gooey and salty.
“Are you going to the assembly in town tonight?” Mama asked, clearly trying to make small talk. “I hear the Earl of Dexter’s son has returned home and will be in attendance.”
Grace scoffed inwardly. The earl’s son was a pompous arse who wouldn’t look twice at a girl like her. “I think I’ll stay home,” she replied.
“I hear it’s to be quite a crush.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
At this less-than-enthusiastic response, her mother finally broke. She dropped what she was doing and leveled Grace with a furrowed brow and beseeching eyes. “Won’t you tell me what this is all about?”
Grace couldn’t help but smile. Apparently, though her mother was quiet and never pushed her children to divulge their secrets, this was eating her up inside. “It’s so unlike you to demand explanations.”
“I know,” she replied, wiping her hands on her apron. “I just… Come, sit down.”
Grace joined her mother at the kitchen table.
“It was different with your sister,” she began, grabbing onto Grace’s hand, which rested upon the table. “Chloe was always quiet, reserved, shy. But she was mature, too. Always dealt with her problems in silence and came out stronger in the end. She didn’t need me, and that was all right. And of course your brothers, well…boys are a different breed, aren’t they?”
They both laughed. Boys were indeed quite a different breed, especially her brothers, James and Stevie. They were playful and mischievous, and walked about as if they had not a care in the world. Even now, they were cavorting about London, raising Hell in less-than-reputable circles. If anyone were anyone to find out they were related, her reputation would surely be brought under even greater scrutiny than it already was.
“Cassie and Jonathan,” she continued, “well, they’re too young to have any problems yet.” She squeezed Grace’s hand. “But you…you’ve always been different, my Gracie.”
Grace swallowed over the lump that had risen suddenly to her throat. Blast her mother and her warm, brown eyes.
“So full of life and aspirations. My little dreamer, bringing such light and amusement to the world. Always full of determination and excitement. Every day was an adventure for you as a child. And when you fell ill…” Her mother’s eyes turned a bit watery. “Not even then could your bright, brilliant light be extinguished.”
“Until now.” Grace spoke the words that had been left unsaid.
“No,” her mother replied tenderly. “It’s not been extinguished, my love. Perhaps it’s only hiding…I hope.”
She couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears spilled forth like a gushing waterfall, and she thumped her head to the wooden table. Her mother stroked her hair with a loving hand, but said no more. Grace couldn’t be sure how long she cried, or how long they stayed in that position. It could have been five minutes or an hour, but at last, all her tears dried up and she lifted her head to find her mother smiling sweetly at her.
“Feel better?”
Grace shrugged. “A little.”
“How about a cup of tea?”
“That would be nice.”
And then she told her mother everything. Well, perhaps not everything. There were some things better left unsaid, but she did give her the vague framework of how she’d fallen in love with a man who could never be hers. Amazingly, she didn’t shed another tear. There were none left to shed, really.
When she was done with her story, her mother asked, “Are you certain you won’t go to the assembly tonight? Take your mind off things? Perhaps find a handsome young man to distract you?”
Grace laughed. “When did you become one of those matchmaking mamas?”
“When I saw my daughter hurting, I suppose.”
“All right,” Grace said at long last. “I will go to the assembly.” She stood and then threw herself at her mother’s feet, wrapping her arms around her middle and placing her head in her lap. “Thank you, Mama.”
“Anything for my sweet Gracie.”
~*~
If someone had told Evan yesterday morning that he’d be attending an assembly in the country the following evening, he would have growled at them and tossed them from his study on their arses. As it turned out, he was quite thrilled to be here, partly because it would drive his m
other to the brink of madness to know he’d come here instead of chasing after his wayward fiancée, but mostly because he knew Grace was here. Her mother had told him so when he’d gone to find her at her home.
Now he stood at the entrance to the party, which was quite a crush. It seemed everyone from within a ten-mile radius had made the trip to dance the night away and search for an eligible match. Evan hadn’t ever attended a country soiree. Perhaps they were always this crowded. Or was there something special about tonight?
He was quite aware of the gawking and whispering that took place upon his arrival, and continued to take place even ten minutes after. But he couldn’t be bothered. He had one goal in mind: find Grace.
“You look as if you’re lost,” came a deep voice from behind him. Evan whirled to find a somewhat familiar looking face, though he couldn’t quite place the man. “Looking for the card room, perhaps?”
“Do I know you?”
The man offered his hand. “Benjamin Wetherby, Marquess of Eastleigh.”
“Evan Gilford, Duke of Somerset,” Evan replied, pumping the man’s hand. And then it dawned on him, “Wetherby, did you say?”
“Indeed I did.”
“Any relation to Lord Andrew?”
“My brother, actually,” the marquess said, flashing the same, easy smile as his brother. The resemblance was quite obvious, even beyond the smile, in his dark, wavy hair, and dark brown eyes. “Do you know him?”
“We’re neighbors.”
“Ah, then you must know Miss Clarke. She’s just come back from London, actually, which is why I’m here. My wife insisted we accompany her this evening, since her sister is still in Town.”
Evan’s chest tightened. So, she was here. “Yes, I do know her,” he finally managed. But how to proceed? Should he admit to Eastleigh that she was his sole purpose in coming to the assembly? In coming to Essex in the first place? Would he look favorably upon him seeking her out?
“Well, then, let us go and find her. I’m sure she’d love to see a familiar face.”
Before Evan could protest, Eastleigh had set off through the crowd. They weaved in and out of small cliques of women and men, past the wallflowers, straight out to a large verandah. The air was a tad balmy, but a lovely breeze dried any moisture that had formed on his brow in the heat of the ballroom. At the edge of the verandah, standing near the wall, was Grace. My Grace.
He’d never thought of her as his until this very moment, but of course she was. His, and only his. He’d laid claim to her, hadn’t he, in the most intimate and possessive way possible? And now they could be together. What a wonderful and blissful thing to realize that at last he might be truly happy.
His heart swelled when she turned to look at him, her blonde tendrils blowing across her face on the breeze. She pulled them away and tucked them behind her ear as she stared at him, clearly dumbstruck to see him there.
“Evan?” she said, as he approached. Her tone and her expression bore so much confusion, perhaps she thought she was staring at a ghost.
“Grace.” He spoke her name as if it were a prayer.
“You two know each other?” the woman beside Grace asked, obviously confused as to why they were so familiar with one another.
Her question broke the spell between them. Evan cleared his throat and Grace began to hem and haw nonsensically. Finally, the marquess spoke on their behalf.
“Somerset here is Andrew’s neighbor in London,” Eastleigh said.
“Oh.” Understanding dawned on the marchioness’s face. “I see. Well, I think I could use a glass of punch, darling.” She took her husband’s arm. “We’ll be right back.” Obviously she wanted them to know they wouldn’t have time for anything untoward, but thankfully she was going to give them a bit of privacy.
“Yes, of course,” Grace said, her tone barely above a whisper. “We’ll be here.”
Thirteen
Here. He was here, standing before her, staring at her with that unwavering blue gaze. He stood so still, like a statue, as if he dared not breathe. Grace, on the other hand, felt as if she couldn’t quite catch her breath. She struggled to take in air, but it wouldn’t go deep enough, and not just because her stays were too tightly drawn. Breathe, Grace. Just breathe! If she didn’t, she would faint, and while some girls used that as a ploy to land in the arms of a handsome gentleman, Grace thought it would be the most humiliating thing in the world.
Finally, Evan opened his mouth to speak. “You left.”
The words hung in the air between them. Somehow, those two little words made Grace’s heart constrict rather painfully. She had left. She’d not been willing to stand about and watch the man she loved so deeply marry a woman for whom he cared nothing about.
“You’re here,” was her response after a long moment.
Evan gave an infinitesimal nod.
“Would you care to explain why?” Grace asked when it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything without prodding.
“Because I missed you.”
He missed me. Her heart wanted to fill with joy, but she wouldn’t let it. She had to be careful, or he would break it all over again. “Thank you,” she replied, her tone slightly colder than she’d meant for it to be. “But unless something has changed—”
“It has.” The wall of apprehension between them seemed to come crashing down at these two little words. Evan rushed across the small distance between them and took Grace’s hands in his. “Something has changed.”
Grace searched his face. “What?” she asked, her voice a whisper, but leaden with a desperate need to know.
“Lady Alicia, she’s…she’s gone.”
Her mouth dropped open in horror. “Dead?” she exclaimed a little too loudly, at which Evan burst into unmitigated laughter. Either he had a morbid sense of humor or she had missed the mark completely.
“Not dead,” he finally clarified. “Gone. To Gretna Greene with her paramour.”
“Oh, my.” Grace brought a hand to her mouth. “How very scandalous.”
“Indeed.” He stepped closer, took her hands and caressed them with his thumbs. “She cried off, though. That’s what matters, isn’t it? I know that’s all I care about.”
What did this mean? Was he proposing to her? Suddenly, Grace wasn’t certain how she felt about the situation. Sure, all seemed grand. Lady Alicia had eloped with her footman. Evan was a free man—free to marry whomever he wanted now. Except…
She took a tentative step back, unable to believe what she was doing. “You were going to marry her.”
“Yes, I know,” Evan said, moving toward her to close the gap once more. “But now I’m not. I—”
“But you were going to. Even though you knew she was unfaithful to you.”
A shadow passed over Evan’s face, and his smile shifted into a stubbornly set jaw. His forehead crinkled with confusion. “It was the honorable thing to do,” he said, a dangerous edge creeping into his tone.
A pit formed in Grace’s stomach, as her thoughts on the matter became clearer and clearer. “I don’t care what Society says,” she returned, meeting his edge. “It is not honorable to doom oneself to a lifetime of misery.”
“I wouldn’t have been miserable.”
“Oh, really?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Do you love her?”
“You already know I don’t.”
“Did you plan to keep a mistress? One you truly loved?”
Evan’s frown deepened, and Grace started to regret the turn in which she’d taken the conversation. But it had to be said; the questions had to be asked. She couldn’t simply agree to marry this man without knowing if he was willing to fight for her.
“You only came after me because she called off the wedding,” she continued, trying to keep her tears at bay. “Not because you loved me. Not because you wanted me above all else. If she hadn’t called it off, you’d still be in London, awaiting your life-long sentence of marriage to someone you don’t love, or even respect.”
“Is that what this is about?” he asked, his blue eyes turning darker, stormier, than she’d ever seen them. “You want me to say that I love you? Have I not shown you already? When I made love to you at the Rollesbrook Ball? When I traipsed across the countryside, against my mother’s wishes, to find you?”
Grace started. “What does your mother have to do with this?”
Evan raked his fingers through his long hair, pulling strands free from the ribbon at the back, and making him look even more rugged and dangerous than he usually did. “She wanted me to go after them, stop the wedding. That’s where she thinks I’ve gone.”
Grace closed her eyes, sorrow flooding her chest and making it hard to breathe again. “Oh, Evan,” she whispered. “It shouldn’t be this hard.”
“Don’t reject me, Grace,” he warned.
“Oh, like you did to me?” she bit back, choosing to display her anger rather than her anguish. “You took my innocence!” she hissed.
“Exactly. You could be carrying my child, for God’s sake.”
“That thought apparently didn’t occur to you a few days ago. And then, instead of making an honest woman out of me, you turned me away. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, you chose her over me, even after you learned of her unfaithful nature.” She stepped closer to him and stared as threateningly into his face as she knew how. To be honest, it wasn’t easy, since he was a good deal taller and broader than she was. “You’ll not make me feel inferior, Evan Gilford. If you love me enough to want to marry me, then you’ll do it properly. You will convince your mother of your reasons and get her blessing on our union. And you will court me. Properly. But unless you’re willing to do those things—unless you’re willing to fight for me as Lady Alicia fought for her footman—do not bother darkening my doorstep.”
Grace rather felt as if she wanted to stomp on his foot at the end of her impassioned speech, but instead she stomped away, toward the ballroom. She’d had quite enough of the Duke of Somerset for tonight, and possibly forever.