Camilla felt a shiver go down her spine. Had she heard that correctly?
Beside her, Wellington stiffened. “You were the one who told her to end our relationship?”
“I’ve loved her a lot longer than you ever have,” Francis snapped. “And I’ve never been selfish with it.”
Camilla didn’t want to point out the selfishness of breaking up two people in love so he could have the woman to himself.
Wellington growled and took a step towards the other man. “I suggest you run along now before something else gets broken.”
“Will, don’t.” Camilla tugged at his arm. The use of his Christian name had Wellington backing down, and he shuffled back, keeping Camilla in his arms. Camilla turned to Francis. “Just go, Francis. My apologies for all this, but you have to go.”
Francis was snarling, almost foaming at the mouth. He jabbed a finger at Wellington. “I’ll make sure all of Society knows about this,” he hissed. “No one will let you in after they hear what you did.”
Then he stormed out, knocking into Wellington on the way. Camilla could hear him shouting and cursing across the courtyard.
Wellington snorted. “He makes it sound like I care.”
Camilla looked up at him. “Do you?”
“Not really.” Wellington turned to her, cupping her head in his hands before kissing her gently. “As long as I have you, I can handle it. But we might need to live out of the country for a while until things die down. I have a home in France we can use. It’s nowhere near the conflict right now, and it’s quiet.” He grinned, the first smile out of him since arriving. “What do you say?”
That sounded like a dream come true. Camilla had always wanted to live in France. But there was something missing from it. She grinned and played with the lapels of his worn jacket. “You had better marry me first.”
Wellington glanced at the blacksmith who was slowly beginning to realize that a wedding was happening, just not the one he was expecting. “And I intend to.” He smiled at her, kissing her forehead. “And I promise you, Camilla, I will never try to change you. I love you just as you are. Just don’t leave me again.”
Camilla laughed. “I’m not planning to.” She kissed him softly. “You’ve got me for good.”
*** The End ***
The Duke &
the Elusive
Miss Madden
Regency Romance
Grace Fletcher
Chapter 1
The Governess Arrives
V irginia Marsden looked out of the carriage window at the approaching house, surrounded by wide, sloping hills. Jeffers House was beautiful, no doubt about it. Even isolated in the cool, crisp winter morning, the place was stunning. Virginia knew she wouldn’t get bored with the scenery. If she got time to look at it.
Her time would either be spent looking after two girls who needed a mother figure or looking over her shoulder, hoping someone wouldn’t recognize her and have her dragged back home.
Virginia knew she would not go back even if she was forced to. She would simply run away again. At twenty years old, Virginia was not a child. Although her father and several of his family wouldn’t see her as anything but. They would simply roll their eyes, call her histrionic, and sweep away her father’s behaviour. Virginia wasn’t about to tolerate that.
Not this time. Not when Baron Marsden had effectively ruined any chance of her getting a good marriage. Everyone knew what had happened. Nobody would even look at her after this and Virginia knew it. She wasn’t a fool.
This was her only solution. Virginia knew she could do it. Nobody in this part of the country knew her and the Duke of Devonshire had never met her. He was always away on business, and the ballrooms Virginia had graced were not good enough for him. Virginia wasn’t sure about working for an arrogant, irritating man like Theodore Spencer, appointed as the Duke of Devonshire after his father’s death—too much like her father for her liking—but he had never laid eyes on her. It would be easy enough for him to believe she was a simple governess from a lower family than her birthright.
The carriage pulled up outside the house and two footmen approached. One opened the door, and the other helped her out, giving her a small bow. Then they started getting her luggage down from the carriage. At the door appeared a man who Virginia could only guess was the butler, beckoning her inside.
Virginia was only too glad to get out of the cold. Even with her new winter coat she was shivering. She hurried inside, giving the butler a smile as she entered the mansion. He took her coat and disappeared into a side room. Virginia took a look around the vast foyer. It was magnificent. And huge. Far too big for one man and two children.
“Ginny?”
Virginia spun around. A plump woman in her early fifties was standing at the foot of the stairs staring at her. She was wearing a simple black dress with an apron, a white cap on her head. It had been ten years since Virginia had seen her, but there was no mistaking her.
“Mrs Morley?”
Now her heart sank. Georgia Morley was here. She knew Virginia. What was to stop her from telling the duke who she was?
Georgia squealed and hurried across the hall, pulling Virginia into a warm embrace, kissing her cheek. “My goodness, child! It’s so lovely to see you.”
“Georgia,” Virginia stuttered, “I didn’t know you worked here.”
“I’ve been the Duke of Devonshire’s housekeeper for the past seven years.” Georgia shivered as she stepped back. “My, it’s cold out there today. What are you doing here? I didn’t know you knew the duke.”
“I don’t.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
Virginia knew she needed to tell Georgia the truth. Her former governess would be able to sniff out a rat if Virginia said anything. She glanced around the foyer, aware that no one was there. But they could be overheard. “Can I have a word?” she whispered. “In private?”
Georgia looked confused. But she nodded and took Virginia’s hand, leading her towards the back of the house. They entered the laundry room, which was empty, and a lot warmer. Georgia closed the door and turned to her, her forehead creasing in a frown. “What’s going on, Ginny?”
Virginia started wringing her hands. This was harder than she thought. “Please, Georgia. This must stay strictly between us.”
“What must?” Georgia looked confused. “Ginny, dear? What’s going on?”
“I’m here for the governess position the Duke of Devonshire advertised.”
Georgia’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why would you do that? You’re the daughter of a baron. You wouldn’t need to get a job, especially not as a governess.”
“That’s the problem. I’m the daughter of a baron.” Virginia gritted her teeth. “And a gambler.”
Georgia’s expression changed as realization dawned. She had been privy to Baron Morrison’s problems when she had been tutoring Virginia. Then after Baroness Morrison died when Virginia was twelve, most of the staff had been let go, Georgia included.
“I see. It never got better after I left, did it?” Georgia asked in a protective tone.
“No.” Virginia slumped against the washtub. “It got even worse. He’s practically gambled all the money away. We only have the butler and the cook now because they’re staunchly loyal to him. Nobody else wants to work for nothing.” She let out a strong hiss. “He also gambled away all the inheritance money Mother’s father left for me to receive when I turned twenty-one. I only found out two weeks ago. Now I haven’t got a penny to my name.”
Georgia gasped. She looked horrified. “Oh, no. I’m so…” She gulped. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I can’t forgive him for that. And it’s going to destroy any chance I have of making a good match.”
Virginia didn’t want to think about the relationship she had been in before word got out that Baron Morrison had no money. The Earl of Daventry had been on the cusp of proposing to her. But he very nearly ran from her when he found out.
Virginia had never been more heartbroken; she had thought she loved him. Clearly, he did not love her.
She was not a good match for anyone.
“So… your father’s made you become a governess instead?”
“He doesn’t know I’m here. I…” Virginia could feel her face going red. “I ran away.”
Georgia’s jaw could have hit the floor with the speed it dropped open. “What?”
“I ran. I couldn’t live under his roof and no one would take me in once they found out about it.” Virginia’s words came out in a rush. “The best thing I could do was get out of there, find somewhere that nobody would think to look for me.” She spread her hands. “I remember how you taught me when you were my governess. It wouldn’t be difficult to get into that position with someone who hadn’t met me.”
“And at the Duke of Devonshire’s home?” Georgia closed her mouth and shook her head. “They wouldn’t think to find you here. The duke claims to know everyone in Society but, to my knowledge, he’s never met you.”
“No, he hasn’t. I’m too far down the Society pole for him to pay attention.” That twisted a knot in Virginia’s stomach. She grabbed Georgia’s arm. “But you must promise me that you’re not going to give me away. I won’t go back.”
There was nothing for her to go back to. Virginia had believed she would win Society over two seasons previously, find a husband and marry well. That had been about to happen, even with the baron’s money troubles, until they were made public. Now she had nothing and Virginia wasn’t about to pander to her father. Not after he stole her money.
Georgia looked torn. Then she smiled and squeezed Virginia’s hands. “You were my favourite child to look after, Virginia. And I know what you went through when you were younger. I won’t give you away now.”
Virginia had never felt so relieved in her life. She flung her arms around Georgia’s neck. “Thank you.”
Georgia squeezed her for a brief moment and then stepped back. “Let’s get you into the study. The duke will be along shortly.”
“All right. And my name is Virginia Madden.”
Georgia nodded. “Of course.”
Chapter 2
Far Too Refined
T heodore Spencer, Duke of Devonshire, was relieved. He had thought taking in his two nieces after his sister passed away would be easy for him. But now he was beginning to regret his words.
It hadn’t been so bad during the mourning period when everyone was muted in their approach. Nobody could find any joy while they mourned a strong woman who had been taken so suddenly. Devonshire had been unable to see the outside world when his sister, Carla, passed months after their mother had died of a bad heart. Jacqueline and Joan had been very subdued, not willing to do anything beyond coming out of their room, eating their meals, and going back again. Sometimes they just ate in their room.
But now the mourning period was up. And while they were still clearly missing their parents—Devonshire’s brother-in-law committed the ultimate sin by shooting himself in the head shortly after Joan was born—they were slowly getting back to their former selves. And that meant chaos for Devonshire.
He loved his nieces in small doses when they had their energy. But not when they were under his roof permanently. His father had called them little wildfires, and he wasn’t wrong on that.
Devonshire missed his father. He had passed shortly before Joan turned three and the girls had loved their grandfather. Now they had lost both their parents and their grandmother as well. Devonshire was all they had left. He wasn’t about to discard them, but getting them to behave when he had important matters to deal with was driving him mad.
Now that the governess was here, those important matters on the estate and in London for Parliament could be his primary focus. Not that Devonshire wanted to do that, but it was preferable than trying to teach a seven-year-old and a ten-year-old manners and etiquette.
Mrs Morley had informed him the governess was now in the study. Devonshire couldn’t be sure, but his trusted housekeeper looked a little worried. He had tried to question her, but Mrs Morley had briskly swept away, the way she always did. Devonshire let it go, deciding to leave her for another time. Meeting the governess for his nieces had to be dealt with.
Devonshire had only corresponded with Virginia Madden by letter after she answered an advertisement for the position. She had written eloquently and had very good language. She had come across as the perfect person to look after young children. Devonshire was expecting a woman of middle age, nearer his mother’s age when she passed, plump with grey hair and looking like she had seen better days. The image in his mind was very clear.
What he wasn’t expecting, when his eyes fell on her as she stood by the windows looking out towards the gardens, was a beautiful young woman, barely of age, with light brown hair curled delicately about her head to show off her smooth neck and the long line of her back, with skin almost as white as milk.
Devonshire stopped short just inside the door. She hadn’t seen him yet. She looked like her mind was elsewhere. This was not what he had planned. The governess looked like she was far too young to be looking after anyone, let alone children. Was this really the woman from the letters? He coughed.
“Miss Madden?”
The woman turned. Her mouth fell open and her eyes, her very blue eyes, widened when she saw him. Then her cheeks blushed red, and she curtsied, bowing her head. “Your Grace. Forgive me, I did not know you had entered.”
“Evidently.” Devonshire gathered himself, his response coming out more bluntly than he anticipated. “I trust the journey wasn’t too painful.”
“Not at all.” Virginia raised her head, lifting her eyes to his. She was really lovely.
Devonshire swallowed hard, and he stalked towards his desk. “You understand why I’ve asked for a governess.”
“Your sister died due to complications from a riding accident last year. Since her husband… passed… seven years ago, you now have guardianship over your nieces, Jacqueline and Joan.”
At least she had remembered. Devonshire grunted and sat. He sat back and linked his fingers together, watching Virginia as she approached the desk, hands clasped in front of her. She still kept her poise. For someone so young who wasn’t part of the nobility, she had more grace than some women Devonshire knew.
“Well, there is going to be a lot of work regarding the girls as they are rather… lively. Your duties will be as follows: taking care of the children, making sure they get fed, cleaning the nursery and making their beds, making sure their clothes are washed and pressed…”
Virginia held up a hand, silencing Devonshire’s list. No woman had done that to him before with a simple hand gesture.
“With respect, Your Grace, I am a governess, not a maid.” Virginia’s voice didn’t change but the expression in her eyes hardened. “Some of those duties can be done by the other servants. I will not be treated like a slave and I will not pander to the girls’ every whim. That is not how it works.”
Devonshire was momentarily lost for words. The only women in his life who weren’t afraid to talk back to him were his mother, Dolores, the former dowager duchess, and Carla. Not even Mrs Morley spoke back to him, and she was very outspoken.
He managed to get his voice back, arching an eyebrow at her. “Oh, really, Miss Madden? And just how should it work?”
“I am here to look after the girls to the best of my ability, Your Grace. I am to teach them and to make sure they grow up to become ladies and not spoiled brats. I am not here to go down on my knees and scrub the floors in front of them.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Oh.” Virginia returned Devonshire’s arched eyebrow with one of her own. “You don’t understand what work a governess actually does, do you?”
This was not right. The staff should not be talking back to him. And Virginia Madden didn’t seem to be afraid of doing so. Devonshire wasn’t sure whether to be outraged or impressed. Outspoken women were few a
nd far between nowadays.
“I admit, I don’t.” Devonshire sat forward. “So you don’t keep the nursery tidy and all that?”
“I assist the children in keeping their own spaces tidy. And I don’t wipe their bottoms.” Virginia shrugged. “If they can’t do that now and learn how to take care of themselves, how are they going to cope in adulthood? Just let me worry about how they are being looked after, and you do whatever you do with your title.”
That made Devonshire almost burst out laughing. “Whatever I do with my title?”
“I don’t pretend to know what your title includes.” Virginia didn’t even blink. “Just as you don’t know what a governess does. You get on with your own work, I’ll get on with mine. And if I have any concerns, I’ll come to you.”
Why did it feel like he had been reprimanded? Devonshire had to fight to keep the smile off his face. “You’ll be dealing with Mrs Morley, the housekeeper. Only bother me if you absolutely have to.”
“Then I won’t bother you at all.” Virginia’s mouth twitched. “I shouldn’t need any help.”
Sharp, quick-witted, and beautiful. Devonshire was intrigued. If she had been the daughter of a Marquis, he would have made an offer for her hand just on meeting her. But that wasn’t why she was here.
“I think my nieces are going to like you. You’ve got the same spirit my sister had.”
“I’m glad I can do something right.” Virginia quipped. She looked pointedly towards the door. “Are the girls in the nursery?”
“As far as I know, yes. Julie, the upstairs maid, is with them.”
“Then I’ll take my leave and introduce myself.” Virginia curtsied, bowing her head. “Your Grace.”
Then she walked out without waiting for Devonshire to dismiss her. Stunned, Devonshire watched her go. What was going on? He had asked for a governess for his nieces and had gotten more than he bargained for. This woman was not what he had expected at all.
Regency Romances for the Ages Page 20