Regency Romances for the Ages

by Grace Fletcher

  Duchess Christine sighed. She looked very unhappy as she looked at her jewels draped through her fingers.

  “I didn’t think you were a liar, Victoria,” she said quietly. “And I didn’t think you’d be the thief, either.”

  Victoria looked like she was about to burst into tears. She hurried to Inverness and grabbed his arm.

  “Please, Your Grace!” she pleaded as Inverness tugged his arm away. “It wasn’t my idea. Really, it wasn’t! Please believe me!”

  Inverness looked torn. Rita could see he didn’t want to be there. He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face.

  “I can believe that, Victoria. You’ve been in my service for a long time and I can’t believe you did this of your own accord suddenly. But I don’t understand why. Who put you up to this?”

  Victoria started sobbing. Her whole body was trembling.

  “He’s going to be furious,” she whimpered.

  Chapter 10

  The New Duchess

  “He?”

  “The Marquis of Bedfordshire. He approached me the day after…” Victoria swallowed hard, “After Lady Thorpe’s party. We got talking and…”

  “You don’t need to explain,” Duchess Christine put in hastily.

  Victoria shook her head.

  “Oh, no! Nothing like that happened. Honest. He never touched me. He simply paid me, telling me that if I stole some of Madam’s jewels and put the blame on Rita, he would pay me handsomely. And I needed the money.” She started to cry again. “Desperately, I needed it.”

  Rita frowned.

  “But why the money? You get paid well here, I thought.”

  “Not enough,” Victoria said bitterly. “And Ma is very ill. I needed the money for a better doctor and Lord Bedford knew it. He paid me to steal for him.”

  “And you thought you had succeeded but when I brought Rita back, he told you to do it again,” Inverness said grimly.

  Victoria nodded miserably.

  “Yes. He was so angry about Rita making him look a fool. And he saw how you were with her, Your Grace, so he thought he could hurt both of you.”

  Rita felt like she had been hit over the head. Bedford had been behind all this? It felt too much for her. Inverness was scowling darkly, baring his teeth.

  “Well, he’s the one who’s going to get hurt.”

  ***

  Inverness had Victoria taken to his study and held there, declaring he would deal with her later. Then he had left with Carstairs to fetch a constable to go over to the marquis’s home to confront and arrest him. And the duke had made it very clear that Victoria would not be leaving with her reputation intact after being caught in the act.

  Rita had wanted to go with him, so she could look the marquis in the eye when he was confronted about putting the blame on her, but Inverness forbade her from going. They had briefly argued, but Inverness’s insistence that someone needed to stay with the dowager duchess won Rita over. Duchess Christine looked faint and kept swaying even when she was sitting down. It had given her a shock, never mind Rita.

  Once Inverness left, Rita had got Mrs. Lassiter, the housekeeper, to help her put Duchess Christine to bed. The older woman was in a state of shock. Victoria had been a kind, caring woman, and the dowager duchess had been very fond of her. Now she had betrayed her mistress and master. Rita was even more angry with Victoria for doing that.

  It was a while before Duchess Christine fell asleep and Rita sneaked out. She had heard Inverness come back some time before, just as the sun was going down, but he had given her strict instructions not to leave his mother’s side. Rita had done as she was told until her mistress started snoring gently.

  Letting herself out, Rita hurried downstairs and to Inverness’s study. Had he dealt with Victoria already? And what was the outcome with Bedford? Rita needed to know everything, to know if she was going to come out of this intact again.

  Inverness was there, sitting by the fire with a glass of brandy in his hand as he stared into the flames. He looked up as Rita came in without knocking. But he didn’t berate her. Instead, he put aside his brandy glass and stood. Rita hurried to him.

  “What happened?”

  Inverness didn’t say anything, simply stopping before her and staring at her. Then he cupped her head and kissed her. Rita didn’t push him away. She couldn’t. Her hands tightened in his shirt and she kissed him back, sighing as his arms went around her and the kiss deepened.

  She really was sullied now. But Rita didn’t care.

  Inverness lifted his head, his eyes darker and his breathing heavily. Rita managed to find her voice.

  “That wasn’t quite the answer I was expecting.”

  “Forgive me.” Inverness didn’t look or sound apologetic. “I needed something to make me feel better.”

  Rita couldn’t stop herself from smiling at that.

  “I’m glad I could do that for you.”

  “Always.”

  He kissed her again, this time very brief, and then tucked her into his side as he went over to the couch. Rita was too tired to push him away. Anyone could come in and find them like this. And she wouldn’t be able to do much except smile.

  “What happened?” she asked as Inverness sat her down, sitting beside her. “What’s happened to Victoria?”

  “She’s already been taken by the constable. She’ll be charged with theft along with Bedford.”

  Rita wished it wasn’t so. But Victoria had buried herself by willingly getting involved. She had to have a punishment.

  “You managed to catch Bedford, then?”

  “Just. He was about to leave for a boat when we got there.” Inverness scowled. “He had the rest of Mother’s jewels in his trunk. Victoria had been taking them to him, and he would hide them to pawn them off when he got to France.”

  “He really was planning on running away?”

  Inverness nodded.

  “He was. The coward was going to let Victoria take the blame for everything. He knew he had gone too far, but we were too quick for him.” Inverness took Rita’s hands. “He didn’t say much beyond some words that no woman should hear, but from what we could gather, he didn’t get Victoria to steal just to hurt you and I. It was to hurt Mother as well.”

  “The dowager duchess? But why?”

  “Because she spurned him when they were young. Bedford had wanted revenge on her for years but had never gotten the chance. Mother was a careful woman and getting revenge on her in the past would have backfired. Now he could.”

  “And he used me to do it.” Rita closed her eyes. “What a selfish, cruel man.”

  “You sound like you’re giving him sympathy.”

  “Was I?” Rita opened her eyes and sighed. “I suppose I was, in a way. He didn’t get the woman he wanted and ended up alone with an ugly mind. One that preferred drink and manipulation over anything else. He manipulated Victoria, and he tried to ruin me.” She bit her lip. “I just hope he hasn’t succeeded. I shudder to think what people are saying about me now.”

  “I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  Rita snorted.

  “And just how are you going to do that?”

  Then she saw the duke’s look. Inverness was smiling. There was a glint in his eye, one she had never seen before. There was so much affection in his gaze that it nearly made her swoon.

  Inverness cupped her jaw and leaned forward.

  “Have a guess,” he whispered.

  But before he could kiss her, Rita pushed him away, jumping to her feet.

  “What? You…you mean…marriage?” Inverness didn’t blink, sitting back as Rita stared at him in alarm. “How is marriage to you going to dispel the rumors?”

  Inverness shrugged.

  “Well, I wouldn’t marry the woman who stole from my mother, would I?”

  “I don’t know. You are a strange man.”

  Inverness blinked. His eyes narrowed as he stood.

  “Did you just call me strange?”

&n
bsp; “Well, you are. Don’t deny it.”

  “I suppose I am.” Inverness smiled and took Rita’s hand. She couldn’t bring herself to push him away. “But it’s not just that, Rita. I love you. And why would I let the woman I love walk away from me after all this?”

  For a moment, Rita lost the ability to speak. Her mouth opened and closed before she could get any sound out. She had thought she couldn’t get any more surprised than catching Victoria stealing. She had thought wrong.

  “I…” She swallowed. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “How about yes?”

  Inverness raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Rita’s heart was pounding hard against her chest. This had to be a dream she was about to be cruelly awakened from, surely? But he was in front of her, holding her hand. He was here, and he was very real.

  “I’m a servant, Your Grace,” she pointed out. “A maid. You’re a duke. That’s the worst possible match.”

  Inverness chuckled.

  “I think you may have noticed by now that I don’t really do things by Society’s rules. I do what I want. If I end up falling in love and marrying my mother’s maid, nobody’s going to say anything because I’m a strange man.”

  He didn’t appear to be concerned about their situation. Rita stared at him. He had thought of everything.

  “I won’t be leaving the room until I give you an answer, will I?”

  “Not really.”

  Rita grunted. She knew what her answer would be. But the next step was still tough to take. She stepped closer to Inverness, laying a hand on his chest. His heart was racing as much as hers.

  “You do know becoming a duchess is going to be a big shock for me.”

  “I’ll help you,” Inverness said eagerly. “Anything to get you to forgive me for what I’ve done.”

  Rita smiled.

  “I’ve already forgiven you. That’s what people who love each other do.” She licked her lips and giggled. “But I might rethink that if you’ve just made that promise.”

  Inverness blinked. Then he groaned.

  “You’re going to keep me on my toes, aren’t you?” He laughed.

  Rita reached up and tugged his head down.

  “Absolutely.”

  *** The End ***

  The Duke’s Family

  Restored

  Regency Romance

  Grace Fletcher

  Chapter 1

  Conspiracy of Comfort

  Miss Laura Williams had been working in the Duke of Rockford’s service for two years. His wife had died suddenly in childbirth and she had been hired to care for the babies. Her mother, a former governess to the Duke himself, had been contacted by the Dowager Duchess and had immediately accepted in an effort to help out with the twins.

  The house itself was kept in good order by the staff, and though Laura was kept busy with caring for two toddlers, she still tried to be there as much as she could for Rockford. He was a wonderful and kind man, but he had been preoccupied with his grief for so long that she worried he would never be comfortable going out into society.

  “I am very worried about him.” The Dowager Duchess, Claire Hartley, was a formidable woman and used to terrify Laura as a child. She had grown up on the estate, her mother occupying a small cottage on the house grounds, and she had known Rockford for so long that she often forgot they were not at the same social status. When she had been called to the estate, the duchess had welcomed her warmly, but there was still a distance between them that Laura understood.

  “I understand Your Grace,” Laura said, readjusting the breeches of the elder of the twins, Bruce. He was fair-haired and chubby-cheeked, a little fuller in the face than his brother. “Perhaps it would do him good to get back out into society.”

  Duchess Claire was taking tea in the drawing room, looking too small for the armchair she claimed for her own. She gave Laura a considering look over the top of her cup. “You bring up an interesting point.”

  Laura tried not to let her obvious pride in that show. She liked Duchess Claire very much and did everything she could not to upset the equilibrium they had managed to form while she had been working there. James was starting to tug at his brother’s hair, giggling under his breath. Bruce was the more stoic of the two, taking his brother’s needling with grace. They were, however, the sons of a duke. Laura knew their behavior would have to change eventually, but for now she wanted them to be children.

  “Perhaps we should have a dinner party.”

  “There are plenty of people who would attend,” Laura said, settling the two boys on the floor with their toys. The formality in the household was less strict given how few people came into the home, but the boys’ things would all have to be moved upstairs should the estate be opened to friends. “Though I cannot imagine His Grace would be willing to attend if he knew about it in advance.”

  A slow smile crossed Lady Claire’s face, but she hid it behind her teacup. Laura busied herself with cleaning up the things the boys weren’t playing with and moved them into the corner, trying to keep the floor clear. Duchess Claire found it difficult to move around and she didn’t want to give her reason to fall or injure herself.

  “I believe that is a fascinating idea.” Duchess Claire settled her teacup back on the side table. She let her eyes settle on the boys, looking thoughtful as she watched them play together.

  They were very well-behaved boys. Rockford and Duchess Claire both told Laura that it was because of her attentions, but Laura tried not to let it boost her confidence in her abilities too much. She tried her best to be a good role model for the twins, but she knew she was not perfect—and could not replace their mother.

  “I worry that somehow he would find out,” Laura said. James and Bruce were fidgeting, attempting to steal each other’s toys, and she had to intervene. They were very good with each other most of the time, but like most siblings, they were subject to irritation and arguments. Thankfully never too loud.

  “I believe I have that in hand,” Duchess Claire said with a wave of her hand. “There are enough people I trust to keep him in the dark.”

  Were it for anything else other than a social dinner, Laura might have been more reluctant to keep Andrew in the dark. She knew, however, that Duchess Claire meant well, and that she wanted only the best for her son.

  “I will do everything I can to help,” Laura assured her.

  With the plan set in motion, Duchess Claire made the plans to invite a couple of family friends and people that had known the family a long time. Laura did not know many of them, but she had been tasked with keeping the children out from under the feet of the party, and perhaps clean up a little in the downstairs nursery.

  Though Rockford kept busy working on estate business and making sure the people he was responsible for were taken care of, it was a difficult time for him, trying to keep ahead of his business and handle the fact that his home was much lighter than it had been. He loved his children, but Laura often found herself watching him, noting how difficult it was for him to interact with them.

  The afternoon before the dinner—and the evening that Duchess Claire had opted to tell Rockford about his upcoming social engagement—Laura returned to the nursery with the boys and found Rockford waiting for them.

  “Oh, your Grace,” Laura said, inclining her head.

  The boys waved their arms in happiness, and Rockford’s face softened as he took in his children.

  “Miss Williams,” he said, before reaching for James. James went willingly, waving a chubby fist at his father. He wasn’t yet stringing words together in a meaningful way, but he did his best to babble. “They look very healthy.”

  “They are,” Laura agreed. Bruce was disgruntled that James had been chosen first by his father but seemed content enough to remain in Laura’s arms. “They will grow into handsome young men.”

  When she raised her head, Rockford was watching her with surprise, and she was startled to see, fondness. Her heart cle
nched in her chest, trying to rid herself of the hope nestled in her stomach. She could not deny, given their history and the amount of time she had spent around Rockford, that she had been attracted to him for some time.

  Rockford and his wife Louise had been childhood sweethearts and Laura could not deny that they had been in love. That didn’t diminish Laura’s feelings for Rockford any, and she was determined that he was going to be happy. She was not foolish enough to consider that she could ever be anything to Rockford but his children’s nanny.

  Rockford handed James back to Laura and took Bruce, leaving James to whimper and kick his legs. He settled quickly though Laura suspected that had something to do with familiarity.

  “The boys will be at dinner?”

  “I was going to put them down to bed early,” Laura said regretfully. “I believe your mother had a conversation planned.”

  Rockford sighed, his face twisting into displeasure before he smoothed it out. There was definitely some grief lingering about his face and bearing. It hurt Laura to witness, but it was up to Rockford to deal with his own issues about Louise’s passing. “I suppose I should give her the time.”

  “She wants the best for you,” Laura told him, unable to keep the weight from her tone. She wished to let him know that she, too, wanted the best for him, but it was not her place. “I hope you had a productive day.”

  “Tiring,” Rockford told her. He dutifully passed Bruce back to her and clasped his hands behind his back. “I will take my leave and ready myself for dinner.”

  Laura watched him go, clutching the boys to her chest. She hoped that Duchess Claire could convince him to attend the dinner.

  Chapter 2

  Attack in the Library

  “Did Miss Williams know about this?” Rock stared at his mother, mouth twisted in displeasure. He was not upset that she had decided to hold a dinner party, but he was upset that she had kept it from him.

  Duchess Claire looked indifferent. “Would it have mattered if I had asked her?”