A Cinderella for the Duke

by Abby Ayles

  * * *

  Lady Louisa sat back in her own chair and blinked a few times in wonderment. She was surprised to hear such words come from his mouth.

  * * *

  “I am sure I had a very little part in any growth you may have found in your own life, Your Grace,” Lady Louisa finally said in modesty. “You seem to surround yourself with very fine friends and family members who seem great supports in life.”

  * * *

  “This is true,” the Duke said looking over at his uncle, “Though I wouldn’t have agreed a month ago. My uncle had actually put me in quite a precarious position, and I was not very happy with it. You see,” he continued when Lady Louisa was clearly interested in what he meant, “the only cause for me to come here and hunt for a wife, as it were, was because my uncle had quite literally threatened to remove all my funding. Though I am the Duke in title, he is still the holder of my parent's estates until he deems me fit or I reach the age of thirty.”

  * * *

  “Mr. Vaughan is so kind, I can’t imagine him doing such a thing,” Lady Louisa said a little surprised.

  * * *

  “Oh,” the Duke waved off, “I don’t think he would have ever actually gone through with it. Well, now I can safely say that, I wasn't so sure at the start of the year when he first told me. I believe he was just looking for a little incentive to get me to grow from my youthful years as a pup to the man I should become. He also felt that included not just a change of my priorities but also the necessity of a companion.”

  * * *

  “And you believe his methods have worked now?” Lady Louisa asked actually enjoying the time they spent together in conversation.

  * * *

  “Ironically, it was only after he assured me that he would cause me no ill will if I was unable to complete his requirements that I found the inspiration to change.” “You see,” he continued. “I wanted to accomplish his tasks and then go back to the way I once was. But I know see that an impossibility. One can never go back to the person you were before. You, yourself must agree with this statement. Did you not say that after your time here in the country you feel more bravery and a willingness to try new things.”

  * * *

  “Yes, I believe before my time here, I would not have understood what you are trying to tell me, but now having also experienced it myself, I do,” Lady Louisa agreed.

  * * *

  “It really hit home for me the other day,” the Duke continued. “I was reading through a book of poetry by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Do you know him?”

  * * *

  Lady Louisa smiled inwardly knowing where he had received such inspiration to read from this poet.

  * * *

  “I believe I have heard of him,” she said trying to show indifference to a writer she deeply admired and respected.

  * * *

  “In one of his poems, he says ‘Man’s yesterday may ne’er be like his morrow; Naught may endure but Mutability.’”

  * * *

  “It is a beautiful line,” Lady Louisa agreed knowing the verses of that particular poem well.

  * * *

  Not only was it in Shelley’s book of poems but it was also quoted by his wife in her rather controversial book The Modern Prometheus.

  * * *

  “It just spoke so greatly to me. I refuse to try and keep my way still. I feel as if I was trying to stand stagnant when in reality I was in a rushing river,” Rowland continued passionately about his new awakening.

  * * *

  “I don’t mean to chatter on about things that most likely seem quite dramatic to the hearer,” the Duke said a little embarrassed that he opened up so suddenly and freely.

  * * *

  “I feel there is a very distinct difference from one being dramatic and one having great passion and excitement. I see you as the later, Your Grace,” Lady Louisa reassured him.

  * * *

  He gave her a soft lopsided smile.

  * * *

  “But you did say there were two things you wished to speak to me about. I pray you do tell me the second for surely we will be interrupted any moment by your aunt's desire to hear my opinion on the screen,” he said with a teasing tone.

  * * *

  Lady Louisa let her eyes drift over to where Lady Hendrickson was speaking with Lady Hartford. She too was certain any moment she would find an excuse to come over. Lady Hendrickson was giving Lady Louisa a particular look that meant she was walking on thin ice.

  * * *

  “I was made aware of a secret agreement between two parties and was also told that you had foreknowledge of it,” Lady Louisa said quickly and as vaguely as possible. The Duke smiled at her.

  * * *

  “You don’t have to worry, I also know about Jasper’s and Miss Mary’s secret engagement,” he said in a whisper.

  * * *

  Lady Louisa gave a sigh of relief. For one she wasn’t sure if she would have been able to keep speaking in such abstracts. She was happy to see the Duke not doing so.

  * * *

  “Well, I am sure you are aware why they must keep it a secret for now.”

  * * *

  “Actually I am not,” the Duke replied in honesty.

  * * *

  “Oh,” Lady Louisa said not getting the response she expected. “I certainly don’t agree with my aunt in this matter, but I believe she has two major concerns. One Mary has assured me she in the Colonel are working on reminding and the other…” Lady Louisa wasn’t sure how to explain the second.

  * * *

  “What is the first?” Rowland asked skeptically.

  * * *

  “Well, Lady Hendrickson isn’t very happy that Colonel Jasper is a member of the militia. Though I know it to be an honorable career to have, I believe she thinks it is less than ideal for her own daughter’s living.”

  * * *

  “And Jasper is already in the process of selling his commission and acquiring a different employment.”

  * * *

  “Yes, and I fear until this matter is settled Lady Hendrickson will not feel comfortable with the marriage.”

  * * *

  “Well, then I will just have to see to it that I help Jasper find something that her ladyship would consider suitable. Though I would think his good character, his affection for Miss Mary, as well as his exquisite military career should be enough.”

  * * *

  “I do agree with you on this matter, and of course Mary does too. My aunt is just very forceful in her opinion, and I fear that she will not allow Mary to make a match unless she is satisfied with the conditions she has set.”

  * * *

  “And what is this second condition you speak of? The one that you don’t see a solution for?”

  * * *

  “Well, I believe it stems from my aunt's own choices in life. You see, my aunt was meant to marry an Earl, my father in fact. But she chose Mr. Hendrickson instead because she had great affection for him and barely knew my father at all. Of course, my parents would not allow such a thing, so the two eloped. In the end, my mother found companionship in the Earl intended for her older sister. My Aunt has never been settled with this situation.”

  * * *

  “What does any of that have to do with Miss Mary and Jasper,” Rowland ask not seeing the line of logic.

  * * *

  “I believe it is my aunt’s opinion that any gentleman not of the peerage is not a viable candidate for her daughters. She fears that they will feel the same unhappiness that she felt in her life choice.”

  * * *

  “That is preposterous! Jasper is just as worth if not more so than any gent of the ton.”

  * * *

  “I know,” Lady Louisa cooed trying to sooth his raising voice. “I agree wholeheartedly with you, as does Mary. Unfortunately, it is her mother that must be convinced.”

  * * *

  Rowland took a moment to calm himself down. Jasper was like a brothe
r to him and to have someone consider him less than worthy merely because he was born without a title was infuriating.

  * * *

  His uncle's words entered his head again. If he were to make connections to Miss Elisabeth, then things would certainly be a lot easier for Jasper. The lady in green flooded his mind again, and as much as he cared for his friend, he couldn’t subject himself to a life of Miss Elisabeth.

  * * *

  Certainly, there was another way that he could use his influence as a Duke to change the opinion of Lady Hendrickson.

  * * *

  “I have just the thing,” Rowland said suddenly. “Mrs. Vance’s late father used to oversee the whole of Bassen Property while in my absence. When he passed, Mrs. Vance did what she could to keep up with things. Of course, since my return and her need to help has increased, I have been looking to completely dedicate one person to the overseeing of the property again. Jasper would have a cottage on the property and a gentleman’s salary. Lady Hendrickson would have to accept him with such prospects,” Rowland was sure of.

  * * *

  Rowland didn’t wait for Lady Louisa’s answer but instead, in his excitement, looked the room over for Colonel Jasper and called him over.

  * * *

  Again Rowland told his friend of the plan he had concocted. Jasper hesitated for a moment as he thought the prospect over. It was a generous offer that Rowland gave him, in fact, he hesitated because it was too generous. He didn’t like the idea of taking charity. “Come on, chap. What do you think?” Rowland asked when his friend didn’t answer.

  * * *

  Miss Mary had joined their group also at Lady Louisa’s urging, and she now stood silently looking at the Colonel. She rather thought it was a wonderful prospect for them. She was sure that her mother could have no objections to her living in Bassen park and continuing the lifestyle she now had if not a better one between the Colonels sold commission and the generous salary suggested by the due.

  * * *

  It was not her decision to make, however. None the less the Colonel looked to his secret future bride for her opinion on the matter. They shared a long glance where no words were spoken, but language was exchanged.

  * * *

  Lady Louisa looked over at the Duke at that moment and couldn’t help but feel a fluttering in her own stomach when their eyes met. She quickly looked away.

  * * *

  “I believe I would be a fool to pass up such a wonderful offer,” Jasper said with a smile after silently confirming as much with Miss Mary.

  * * *

  The two shook hands on the agreement. Lady Louisa wasn’t sure who in their small party was more excited about the prospect such an agreement was going to make.

  * * *

  “We will hammer out all the details upon our return to Bassen Park,” the Duke announced beaming.

  * * *

  “Return,” Lady Hendrickson asked as she walked over to the group. “Do you have plans to leave, Your Grace,” she asked rather calmly, though it was apparent she didn’t find the prospect a soothing thing at all.

  * * *

  “Yes, I will be visiting with friends for a short time. First, we will go to Lord and Lady Filtons and then spend some time with the Baron of Chesterland and his family.”

  * * *

  Again Miss Mary’s eyes met the Colonel as it seemed it was also news to her that he would be leaving the area for a time. He would have rather explained himself at that moment but was unable to find a reason to do so in Lady Hendrickson’s presence without causing more suspicion.

  * * *

  Lady Louisa had heard these two family names enough over the last several weeks to guess why the Duke was making calls on these families. He was still in the hunt for the lady in green. Though she was glad that he hadn’t found her out as of yet, she also felt a little guilt that he was going to such great lengths to search when the lady he sought was in fact right in front of him. Her only hope was that perhaps he would find a companion in one of these ladies that he was considering as his mystery woman. Though a stab of jealous waved over her with the thought of it, it would be better for him to find love and give up the chase, and it would be better for her relations to the Hendrickson’s if he never discovered her identity as the lady.

  Chapter 28

  The days after the dinner party was not very enjoyable ones for all members of the Mentheith household. Both Lady Hendrickson and Miss Elisabeth were incredibly irritable with the knowledge that the Duke had left Bassen Park to search out his mystery woman.

  * * *

  To make matters worse, the following morning after the dinner party, Miss Elisabeth announced her knowledge of Colonel Jasper and Miss Mary to their mother. When pressed on the matter by her mother, Miss Mary had no choice but to confirm such affection and inform her mother that they had plans to wed. As expected, Lady Hendrickson was appalled by the prospect and forbade her daughter from spending any more time in his presence.

  * * *

  Though heartbreaking for Miss Mary to hear, she had no choice in the matter as Colonel Jasper was inclined to follow the Duke on his tour of possible mystery ladies. She did, however, receive a letter from the Colonel that she was forbidden to open or respond to.

  * * *

  “I will write to the Colonel,” Lady Louisa said a week after the dinner, while they both worked in the garden behind the house. “Your aunt has no right to object to me doing so. If there is information that you wish to pass to the Colonel, I would be happy to do so. I can also inform him why you have not written a response to him so that he doesn’t question your loyalty to your engagement.

  * * *

  Miss Mary was so happy that she burst out into tears instantly.

  * * *

  “Oh, Louisa, you would do that for me?” Miss Mary said between sniffles. “It has been eating me up not to see his letter or be able to even tell him why I cannot write back. I couldn’t bear it if he thought I was turning my attention away from him.”

  * * *

  Lady Louisa enveloped her cousin in her arms and did her best to soothe her. Miss Mary was usually so steady and reserved of emotion. The sudden outburst of tears only showed how much turmoil Miss Mary had been forced to hold back since her mother’s scolding.

  * * *

  “You don’t have to fear, Mary. It will all work out in the end. After all, you have the Duke on your side. Your mother will surely not deny your marriage if only because it would displease the Duke and thereby ruin Elisabeth’s chances with him.”

  * * *

  “Mother will not care for that now. For surely the Duke will find his lady while he is away and the prospect will be gone. With that, all hope of the Duke’s influence with be lost to me.”

  * * *

  “I cannot say that such thing isn’t a possibility, but I can promise you that he will not find his lady in green while away.”

  * * *

  “Why ever not?” Miss Mary asked looking up at her cousin in confusion.

  * * *

  Lady Louisa shouldn’t have said as much. She was willing to do anything to comfort her beloved cousin in a time of need, however.

  * * *

  With a heavy sigh, Lady Louisa responded, “because I know who the lady in green is. It is not any of those ladies that the Duke is seeking. That, of course, doesn’t mean he might not find a connection with one of them, and I truly hope he does and finds a lifetime of happiness,” she added quickly.

  * * *

  “Louisa, you know! Why did you not tell me when you found out? Was it someone in the village as Mother suspected coming uninvited?”

  * * *

  “No,” Lady Louisa hesitated. She still wasn’t sure if she should say at all.

  * * *

  “Please, you must tell me who it was. I will promise to keep your secret as you have kept so many of mine.”

  * * *

  “It was me,” Lady Louisa finally said barely above a
whisper. “Bess had me borrow one of your sister’s dresses after the incident with the sherry. I knew your mother hoped I wouldn’t come at all, and would have in fact been very cross to see me. When I saw them approach, I quickly hid, and that is when I encountered the Duke.”