The Artisan and the Duke

by Abigail Agar

  Gregory nodded. “Done. Jules, go on and catch up with your mother. I will return shortly,” he said, and he gave Jules a kiss on the forehead before he turned and left with the constable.

  Lady St Claire stepped up next to Jules. “What is that about?”

  “I have a sinking feeling that I might know,” Jules said softly, “but I dare not say it.”

  ***

  Gregory rode with the constable towards a hollow that was riddled with little hiding spots. He and Fredrick had played here often as children along with Boris and Maxwell.

  Fredrick rode up alongside his brother and nodded. Fredrick motioned to two of the young men to come with him, and they flanked around the other side of the hollow in case the wanted man tried to run.

  The hollow was deep with the shadows brought on by the slant of the evening sun. It would be easy enough to hide. Gregory and the constable dismounted and motioned for the young men with them to spread out so that no one could get past them as they walked down into the shadows.

  Gregory called out, “If there is someone in here, then you should come out now!”

  There was a moment of silence before a voice called, “I thought you were dead.”

  The constable and Gregory looked at each other. “Who is there?” Gregory asked cautiously. There was no answer, so Gregory called out again, “We have the hollow surrounded by men. It would be easier on you if you just came out.”

  Finally, there was a scrabbling noise, and a man emerged from a hollow tree. He held up his hands. “Don’t hurt me, Your Grace, I was just doing what I was told,” David said.

  Gregory scowled, “Is that the man you were looking for, Constable?”

  “Does look like the description; I’ll have to let the witnesses have a look at him, though,” the constable said with a nod.

  David begged, “Please, Boris said I would get a big house and land. I had to get out of London. There was nothing there for me anymore.”

  “And whose fault is that?” Gregory asked with contempt as the constable and two men went down to the man and brought him up to the horses. Gregory ignored the man’s pleas for mercy and rode back up to the house.

  Fredrick caught up with his brother. “That was that scum who turned Jules into the police, was it not?”

  “Yes,” Gregory said.

  They dismounted in the front yard of the main house, and two stable boys rushed over to get the horses as soon as they walked towards the house. Jules met them at the top of the stairs, “Did they find him?”

  “You do not want to see him,” Gregory said firmly.

  Jules balled up her fist and walked towards where the constable and riders were approaching the driveway to leave. She walked out into their path, and the constable warily came to a stop. Jules walked over to where David sat in his saddle with his hands tied.

  David said, “Jules, my friend. Surely you can find it in your heart to understand what position I am in. You and I have endured much growing up.”

  Jules glared at the man. “I hope you rot in jail,” she spat.

  David’s face fell, and there was real fear in the man’s eyes as the constable clicked his heels to move his horse forward. David’s horse was tied to the constable’s horse, and the man’s eyes were wide with the fear as they left.

  “Are you okay?” Gregory asked quietly as he approached Jules.

  Jules nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am definitely going to be, Your Grace,” she said with a smile as she embraced her husband.

  Epilogue

  Jules tickled Jacob’s chin which elicited sweet giggles from the infant. Tally and Georgette crowded near the infant and giggled along with their nephew. “He’s so cute,” Georgette cooed.

  “Do you want to hold him?” Jules asked. Georgette looked dubious, but Jules said. “You can sit down, and I will place him on your lap.”

  Georgette thought that sounded safe enough, and she sat down on the sofa in the sitting room. Jules stood up and gently set the infant in Georgette’s arms. Jacob was only a few months old, but he wiggled and kicked much to Tally’s delight.

  “He’s so squirmy,” Georgette complained as she endeavoured to hold onto the infant.

  Jules laughed and scooped the infant up to Georgette’s relief. “I thought you wanted a house full of babies? Is that not what you said?” Jules asked in amusement to her younger sister.

  “Well, perhaps. I think I will wait a long while, though,” Georgette said with a shrug.

  Tally said, “I want a dozen. We can play games all day.’

  “I think you will be a bit too busy to play games with that many children,” Jules said with a shake of her head.

  Mrs Kelley came in and smiled at her daughters. “I thought you two were supposed to be helping plant the garden?”

  “Oh, we forgot,” Georgette said sheepishly.

  Mrs Kelley smiled over at her grandson and said, “I think I can understand that. However, you do still have to earn your keep. Now off you go.”

  The two girls gave Jacob kisses on the forehead before they darted out of the room in a rush to get to their chores. Jules sighed, “It will be nice to have some nice weather. I love snow, but even I can grow tired of it.”

  “I think we’ve about seen the last of the snow for one year,” Mrs Kelley said as she came over and stole Jacob out of Jules’ arms. She gave the baby a gentle kiss. “He’s such a healthy boy,” Mrs Kelley said proudly. “Is the Duke staying in London this week?”

  “No, I suspect he will manage to get home,” Jules said with a wry grin. “He does not like being away from Jacob much.”

  Mrs Kelley nodded. “He’ll need to temper that,” she said.

  “Oh, I’m sure he will be gone more often once the House of Lords convenes this year. We will still have plenty of company with Lady St Claire staying home from the London Season this year. She wants to spend time with her grandchild,” Jules said as she smiled at her mother who was swaying with Jacob in her arms. “You’ll spoil him by letting him sleep in your arms like that.”

  Mrs Kelley laughed. “Oh, you don’t really believe that nonsense do you?”

  “No, not really,” Jules said with a laugh. “But if he does wake up at night demanding to be held then—”

  “I gladly offer my services,” Mrs Kelley said.

  Jules shook her head. “I see your fiendish plan.”

  ***

  Gregory found the house full of laughter and noise as he returned. The two young Kelley girls and the son of the housekeeper were playing a game that mostly seemed to involve shrieking and running.

  Gregory was halted abruptly as the boy came barreling around a corner and ran smack into the Duke.

  The boy’s mouth fell open. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace! I was just chasing Georgie!”

  “That’s quite alright,” Gregory said and then added in a whisper, “I think she went towards the kitchen.”

  The boy beamed and took off the next instant like the wind towards the kitchen. A few moments later laughter and shrieking again ensued along with some scolding words from the cook. Gregory chuckled to himself as he made his way up the stairs.

  He knocked on the door where Jules and Jacob had been sleeping as of late to keep from disturbing him. “And there are the people I want to see the most,” Gregory said as he stepped into the room.

  Jules and Jacob were on the soft rug playing. Jules turned towards her husband with a happy smile. “You made it back! I thought you were held up until tomorrow at the earliest,” Jules said with a smile as Gregory bent over to give her a quick kiss.

  Gregory sank down to the rug beside his wife and held out his hands to Jacob who waved his chubby baby arms excitedly and kicked his feet.

  Gregory scooped the infant up and smiled at the gurgles the child made. He sighed contentedly. “The world outside may still be quite flawed, but I do believe we have the makings of a perfect home in here,” Gregory said with a smile.

  “I think
we do indeed,” Jules said. She bit her lip and then asked, “Where has Fredrick been?”

  Gregory chuckled. “Still meddling? He has been courting Lady Trenton and trying to get in her father’s good graces.”

  “Do you think he’ll win the Marquis over?” Jules asked with a grin.

  Gregory nodded and smiled at Jules. “St Claire men are a tenacious bunch,” he said with a wink.

  Jules laughed. “You certainly are from what I have seen.”

  They sat together with their son and enjoyed the brief moment of time they got as a family. The country estate for the first time in years resonated with the sounds of family life and children laughing. The world outside might have its faults, but within Thornton Hall, peace had found a home.

  THE END

  Can't get enough of Jules and Gregory? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

  How did Jules and Gregory's family grow?

  How does Fredrick spend his time helping the poor?

  Will kind Fredrick also meet his lady love?

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://abigailagar.com/jules

  (After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “A Duchess to Fight For”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)

  A Duchess to Fight For

  Introduction

  Friends since they were young, Percy and Louisa vowed to never marry each other and ruin their deep friendship. Around them, couples enjoying their season pair up motivated by dowries, titles and alliances, but not by love.

  Percy and Louisa reject marrying on those terms but fear they won’t find a partner or worse, they will have to break their vow and risk losing out to being joined in an unhappy marriage.

  What happens after Louisa rejects Percy’s proposal? And how do their feelings for each other change?

  Prologue

  Percy, Cecil, and Kent shuffled their feet, shoulders slumped, head down when they walked into the Duke’s ballroom. At fifteen, the boys could think of hundreds of things they’d rather do than learn how to dance.

  Emma and Rose had come early to giggle with Louisa about the three boys.

  “Cecil is the cutest. I hope I’m paired with him,” Rose said.

  “We switch around. You won’t be with one boy the whole time,” Louisa said. “Besides, Kent is the nicest of the three. I might step on a toe or two. I’d rather dance with someone who would be nice about it.”

  Her Grace, the Duchess of Rutland and Louisa’s mother, clapped her hands like a schoolteacher to get the teens’ attention.

  “This is Mr Downs.” The girls curtsied, and the boys bowed. “He is your instructor. I have told him I want a full report on the progress and behaviour of this, this . . .” she waved her hand around, “group.”

  She smiled. “Enjoy. I have fond memories of learning to dance.”

  Louisa’s mother left, and Mr Downs lined them up, boys on one side and the girls facing them about three feet away from one another.

  No sooner had the stepping in and out begun than Percy started laughing and couldn’t stop.

  “Lord Pemberton. Is there a problem?”

  Percy tried to sober, “No, sir, Mr Downs.” He laughed again.

  “I apologize. May I take a moment to collect myself?”

  “Please do.”

  Percy turned his back on the group and breathed deeply. He closed his eyes, managing to finally breathe steadily, and turned.

  “Shall we continue?”

  The group took a break halfway through the lesson for lemonade a kitchen server had left on the table against the wall. The boys stood together out of hearing distance of the girls while Mr Downs left the townhouse for fresh air.

  “Why were you laughing, Percy?” Kent said.

  “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I was finally able to stop when I looked at the girls. Their faces showed they were horrified. I felt like an eight-year-old.”

  The remainder of the lesson went along without any outbursts. They curtsied and bowed, and the boys left to go home.

  The girls stayed for tea. “What do you know of Percy?” Emma said. “He seems either fun-loving or immature.”

  Louisa waved her hand as if swatting a fly. “He’s both. His family lives within walking distance of here, and we all dine together every so often. He and I joke around, roll our eyes, make fun of our parents, but he usually doesn’t laugh until he can’t stop. He’s usually not the way he was today.”

  At the next lesson, the boys shuffled in and stood in a line facing the girls. Percy breathed deeply, trying to stay serious. He looked at Louisa. She rolled her eyes at him, something she had frequently done at the last dinner party.

  He burst into laughter but got it under control, mostly because of the angry look Mr Downs sent his way.

  “Lord Pemberton. Please take a seat,” he said, sweeping his hand to the wall where a row of chairs waited.

  As he turned to leave, Louisa turned her back on Mr Downs and stuck out her tongue. Percy sobered instantly. As he walked by her, he whispered in her ear, “You have just declared war.”

  Her small smile told him she intended to rise to the challenge.

  When Percy was sprung from his ballroom seat jail, his plan was fully developed.

  Mr Downs paired them off for the new country dance he planned to teach them.

  He started with the boys, standing in front of them demonstrating the steps a few times until they got it. Then he hummed so the boys could dance to the rhythm and speed of the music.

  When he turned to face the front, his back to the boys, Percy flapped his arms like a bird. Louisa squeaked and covered her mouth with her gloved hand, trying to cover her outburst with a cough.

  Once the girls knew their part, they paired up. Louisa and Percy were a pair. When their hands met over their heads, Percy held hers with a crushing grip. She grimaced but said nothing. When she gave him a look designed to melt his face with fire, he stepped on her foot. Hard. So hard, it brought tears to her eyes.

  She had to get serious about her revenge.

  At the next lesson when Louisa and Percy were paired together, she stepped closer to him and breathed out.

  “Lord Pemberton,” Mr Downs admonished when Percy took an abrupt step back.

  “What did you eat?” he whispered to Louisa through clenched teeth.

  She stepped as close as she dared, “Pardon?” She breathed on him again, and he stepped back again.

  “Lord Pemberton,” Mr Downs snapped.

  “Onions and sardines,” she said with a smug grin. “You like?”

  Percy’s face turned red. “You’re disgusting.”

  “Lord Pemberton,” Mr Downs said in a stern voice. “Please take a seat.”

  Louisa turned her back on Mr Downs and pouted at Percy. She mouthed, “Ha, ha,” then turned back to Mr Downs with a smile.

  After months of lessons, the six students eventually learned to dance despite Louisa and Percy’s antics. The two of them enjoyed their pranks with each other so much that they became good friends. They actually thought of each other like the brother and sister neither had. They vowed not to marry someone if their betrothed didn’t like Louisa or Percy.

  They considered themselves a package deal. Percy and Louisa knew they would never be linked in marriage. They didn’t think of each other in that way. Besides, who could live day in and day out with someone plotting his or her next prank on you?

  Chapter 1

  The music started up and Louisa, Emma, and Rose began to laugh.

  “Finally, after all these years, we can dance for real,” Emma said.

  “Where are the other boys?” Rose said, trying to see through the crowd.

  “Ladies, we are trying to meet real gentlemen. It won’t happen in the hallway. We need to get inside. Besides, it might keep the gentlemen from us if we are with the boys. We need to be by ourselves, or they won’t approach.”

  The
three turned towards the ballroom and began to walk when they heard a voice.

  “Not yet, ladies. Don’t be in such a rush,” Percy said. “You haven’t had the pleasure of our company.”

  The ladies curtsied, and Percy, Cecil, and Kent bowed.

  “We are headed inside to try to find gentlemen,” Emma said.