A Christmas Bride for the Duke: Clean Regency Romance (The Nettlefold Chronicles Book 4)

by Arietta Richmond

  ~~~~~

  The day descended into chaos from the moment that Lady Delbarton was informed of her daughter’s decision. Eleanor allowed herself to be swept along by it all, and now, as the Christmas Eve Ball was about to begin, she studied herself in the mirror, amazed at what Mary had achieved. No trace remained of the bruise on her cheek, and she looked as if she’d been sleeping perfectly all week, rather than waking from bad dreams.

  Her gown was beautiful – a soft blue shade which brought out the colour of her eyes, trimmed with red and green ribbons for a festive effect and embroidered around the hem with a pattern of holly leaves and berries. Ruby and emerald tipped pins held her hair in place, and a single ruby encrusted gold heart on a chain hung around her neck.

  Happiness filled her – all of her doubts about herself, and about Braeness, were long fled, and she found that she did not care what others thought – it was their own happiness which mattered. How much had she changed, from the shallow socially focused girl of but eighteen months before, when she had first come to Upper Nettlefold?

  Mary set the last pin in place, and she went downstairs, eager to see him, to dance with him, to watch the faces of Lady Elizabeth and the like when their betrothal was announced. For, she admitted to herself, she was still just shallow enough to be able to enjoy their envy, after the way in which Lady Elizabeth, in particular, had behaved recently.

  As she entered the ballroom, her eyes sought him – he was easy to find, for his height and the stark blackness of his hair made him stand out anywhere. He was standing with Juliana, near the podium which was now, as it was intended, occupied by the orchestra. Behind her, her mother and father were greeting others they knew – for the Ball was attended by not only the house guests, but everyone of significance for miles around. Juliana saw her, and waved for her to go to them.

  She slipped through the crowd, and as she got closer, Braeness turned, and saw her. A smile transformed his face, and her heart beat harder – he was so very handsome!

  She reached them, and he bowed, taking her hand, and kissing it, lingeringly, in a manner which made her feel weak inside. When he rose from that bow, his eyes were alight with mischief. Juliana took her hand.

  “Almost everyone is here now. Another fifteen minutes or so, and Garrett will officially welcome them all, and make the announcement.”

  Eleanor nodded, and smiled, and wondered how on earth she would survive fifteen minutes of pretending that nothing had changed, until Garrett let everyone know. Braeness moved closer to her, and the heat of his body reached her as he did. She wanted to touch him. So very badly.

  “You, my Lady, look stunningly beautiful, and very suited to the festive season. I will be the envy of every man here, once the announcement is made.”

  “You flatter, perhaps, but I cannot complain, Your Grace. It is nice to be appreciated. And I do believe that Lady Elizabeth and others are taking note of your unseemly proximity to me – she is glaring at me as if she wished me to disappear in a puff of smoke.”

  He gave a soft laugh.

  “She may glare as much as she likes. She is not the sort of woman whom I would ever have taken an interest in! Tonight, and always now, I have eyes only for you. After the last week’s turmoil, I want tonight, and tomorrow, to be filled with only Christmas cheer and happiness.”

  Her parents reached them, and Braeness turned to speak with them quietly. Eleanor sighed, and Juliana smiled.

  “Only a few minutes more, dear sister.”

  “Sometimes, minutes seem like hours!”

  “That is true, but they pass nonetheless.”

  They stood quietly again, and watched as a few people came into the ballroom. Garrett followed them in, which meant that he believed them the last of the guests, as he had been in the foyer, greeting people.

  He crossed the room to them, bowed to her, and turned to Braeness.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let us get on with the evening.” He stepped up onto the podium, and the orchestra stopped playing the quiet music with which they had been entertaining the guests. The silence spread, as all present turned towards him. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us this evening, to celebrate the Christmas season. This is our second Christmas Eve Ball, and I intend to make it a tradition from now on. It seems, also, that another tradition has begun, for, at last year’s Christmas Ball, my sister Isabelle and Dangerfield announced their betrothal. This year, it is my pleasure to announce that His Grace of Braeness and Lady Eleanor Willoughby have, today, become betrothed.” Garrett waved to them, and Eleanor and Braeness stepped up beside him. “I ask you all to drink a toast in their honour, and to enjoy the evening.”

  Footmen rushed about with trays of drinks, and voices erupted around the room. Determinedly, people were making their way towards them.

  In that moment, Eleanor was extraordinarily glad of Braeness’ size, for she felt rather as if she might have been crushed by the crowd without his strength beside her.

  The rest of the evening was a whirl of people speaking to them, congratulating, and of envious eyes, male and female, following them. Before supper, the orchestra played a waltz, and Braeness took her hand peremptorily, then turned to the people speaking to them.

  “I am afraid, ladies and gentlemen, that I am going to interrupt our conversation, for I find it utterly necessary to dance with my bride-to be.”

  With that, he led her away, to the sound of friendly laughter from those left behind. She would have thought, if she had given it any previous consideration, that he being so large, and she so small by comparison, they might not have made an elegant couple on the dance floor. But he surprised her. He swept her into his arms as the music began, far closer than was normally approved of, and began to move. She felt as if she was floating. There was no difficulty of size or stride length – somehow, he magically adjusted to suit her, and everything else fell away from her awareness as they glided about the floor.

  She looked up into those forest green eyes and lost herself, so much so that all awareness of what her feet were doing left her. He carried her on, regardless, until the music slowed. As he spun her rapidly around, to end close to where Juliana stood, she stumbled slightly. His hands kept her steady, yet again. Eyes sparkling, he grinned at her.

  “I am beginning to think that you just like having me catch you…”

  “Perhaps I do,” she cast her eyes towards Juliana, who was watching, and quite close enough to hear, then went on, “but everyone stumbles sometimes, and deserves to have someone to catch them.”

  Juliana lifted her hand to her mouth, her eyes suddenly very glittering and bright. Eleanor knew that she understood. It was a reparation of sorts, for all of the times when Eleanor had not been very kind or helpful to her sister, when gossips had ruined her Season, because of a few stumbles.

  Epilogue

  The banns were read for the first time on Christmas Day, in St Cuthbert’s Church, much to the delight of the assembled congregation, and Eleanor felt completely happy. She knew that the next few weeks would be busy, for her mother was insisting on a big wedding, and as Adair's mother was currently in Scotland, messengers had been sent off in a great hurry, so that she might have time to travel the great distance to Upper Nettlefold.

  After the wedding, they intended to reside at Adair’s English estate, Braebrook Park, which was less than a day’s journey from Kilmerstan Castle, at least until summer. So much had been worked out in such a short time already, that Eleanor felt as if her life had been turned upside down overnight. But that was not a bad feeling, not at all.

  Whatever happened from here, she would remember this Christmas with joy, as the moment when she had discovered that love was worth far more than anything else in life, and was worth any difficulty to keep.

  Something she was chagrined to admit that her sister had known for some time now. As they left the church and drove back to Kilmerstan Castle the future seemed brigh
ter than she could ever have imagined.

  ~~~~~

  The Dowager Duchess of Braeness stepped down from the carriage, and looked at her son. Adair waited, knowing that his mother was likely to have something to say. What, he did not know, but she had been most thoughtful since arriving in Upper Nettlefold.

  “Ye’re like your father was, when we married, a braw sight, an’ full o’ nerves. Nae worry lad, ye’ve made the right choice.”

  He escorted her into the church, and she settled onto the front pew. Did he look like his father had? He’d never thought so, but then, there’d not been many portraits done of his father when he was younger. But his mother’s words had steadied him. The morning sun through the high stained-glass windows made the little church a magical place, filling it with a rainbow of colour. It was peaceful, and a deep sense of certainty filled him. He had, indeed, made the right choice.

  He turned, as the rustle of people moving alerted him, and watched as Eleanor came into the church. Her gown was as blue as her eyes, like the summer sky, and overlaid with a fine silver netting which carried scattered tiny gems, which sparked fire in the rainbow light. The sight took his breath away.

  She came to him, like an angel floating in the light, and stood beside him, her face wreathed in smiles, and he forgot everything else but her. He managed to remain just conscious enough to speak the words when required, and to listen to her words echo softly in the vault of the church, but all else was irrelevant in the moment.

  Once it was done, they stepped out into the pale winter sun to find the town square crowded by local residents, who set up a cheer as they appeared. He felt, he realised, welcomed, as he had not ever really felt anywhere in England, before.

  He interwove his fingers with Eleanor’s and led her to the carriage which would take them back to Kilmerstan Castle for the wedding breakfast. How much his life had changed, in such a short time! He had come to this town, still steeped in his grief for his father, carrying a lifetime’s worth of being the outcast, and the target of gossip, now here he was, happy, loved, and seeing the world as full of possibility!

  All because one small woman with eyes like the sky had looked at him, and seen him, not some monster invented by gossip, and had been brave enough to trust him with her love. It was a trust that he would never betray.

  They stepped up into the carriage, and as the door closed, she leant against him with a sigh. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and tilted her face up so that he could kiss her. A kiss which quickly became passionate enough to leave him breathless and aching for more.

  They drew apart and she laughed.

  “We had best stop now, for we have hours to go before the guests will depart!”

  “Yes – hours I’d wish away in an instant, lassie, but we’d best give the people who’ve come to celebrate with us a chance to do so. Kisses will wait – but not too long…”

  She laughed again, and reached up to caress his face, her eyes full of love, then set her head back against his shoulder, secure in the curve of his arm.

  The carriage drew up before the Castle, and he stepped out first, and turned to offer her a hand down. She took it, and put her foot onto the first step, then, without warning, she was falling. He caught her, his hands about her waist, then swung her up into his arms, and carried her towards the house, to the wide smiles of the staff.

  She looked up at him, her hands wrapped around his neck.

  “You caught me, again.”

  “As I always will, whenever you fall, my love, as I always will.”

  The End

  I hope that you enjoyed

  ‘A Christmas Bride for the Duke’

  You’ll find a preview of another book in the series

  ‘To Dance with the Dangerous Duke’

  (which is the story of the previous Christmas Ball at Kilmerstan Castle, and of Lady Isabelle and the Duke of Dangerfield,)

  just after the ‘About the Author’ section

  About the Author

  Arietta Richmond has been a compulsive reader and writer all her life. Whilst her reading has covered an enormous range of topics, history has always fascinated her, and historical novels have been amongst her favourite reading.

  She has written a wide range of work, from business articles and other non-fiction works (published under a pen name) but fiction has always been a major part of her life. Now, her Regency Historical Romance books are finally being released. The Derbyshire Set is comprised of 11 novels (9 released so far). The ‘His Majesty’s Hounds’ series is comprised of 17 novels, with the seventeenth having recently been released.

  She also has a standalone longer novel shortly to be released, and two other series of novels in development.

  She lives in Australia, and when not reading or writing, likes to travel, and to see in person the places where history happened.

  Be the first to know about it when Arietta’s next book is released!

  Sign up to Arietta’s newsletter at

  http://www.ariettarichmond.com

  When you do, you will receive two free subscriber exclusive books -

  ‘A Gift of Love’, which is a prequel to the Derbyshire Set series, and ends on the day that ‘The Earl’s Unexpected Bride’ begins, and ‘Madame’s Christmas Marquis’ which is an additional story in the His Majesty’s Hounds series

  These stories are not for sale anywhere – they are absolutely exclusive to newsletter subscribers!

  Here is your preview of

  To Dance with the Dangerous Duke

  Arietta Richmond

  Chapter One

  “Must you go on and on about it so? A moment of silence would be pleasant – if you are capable of that!”

  Lady Isabelle Rutherford knew that she was being unreasonable, that her sister, Eugenia, was simply excited about the house party and Christmas Ball which was to be held at their home, Kilmerstan Castle. But Isabelle did not share Eugenia’s enthusiasm.

  “Isabelle! I can’t help but be excited. After two long years, with father’s illness, and then his death, I cannot wait to be truly out in society. This Ball may not be London, but it is a beginning, and a chance to meet new and eligible gentlemen. Whilst Garrett tried to insist on keeping things small, Mother has had her way, and the guest list is rather enormous – I do suspect that she has done that just to allow us to meet potential husbands.”

  Isabelle took a deep breath, and resolved to be nicer to Eugenia. It wasn’t her sister’s fault that she looked forward to the house party and Christmas Ball with equal measures of dread and pleasure.

  Nor could she explain that to Eugenia – her sister did not know the full depth of what had happened in summer.

  “I suspect that you are right. But I struggle to be greatly enthused. I do want to meet a man I can love, and to marry, but… after my rather foolish infatuation, I am determined that I will accept nothing less than a man who truly loves me. I did not appreciate being manipulated. And most men seem to care for little but my dowry, and my appearance.” That was by no means the whole of it, although every word was the truth. But Eugenia seemed satisfied with her explanation.

  “I am sure that you will find someone, Isabelle. Hopefully someone rather more… suitable… than your last tendre…”

  “I hope so. But… oh, Eugenia, I wish sometimes that I was as well behaved as you have always been! It is so easy for me to be tempted by inappropriate things. The nice, well behaved men all seem so… dull… and the wicked, rakish and dangerous ones are so… interesting.”

  Eugenia laughed at Isabelle’s stricken expression. For what she had said was true. Eugenia, although two years younger than Isabelle, was in most ways the calmer and wiser – and therefore also usually the better behaved. But Isabelle was the beauty – Eugenia was striking, but would never be described as a beauty, whereas Isabelle was absolutely, magnificently, beautiful.

  “I am sure that someone will come along, and surprise you. Look what happened to Garrett, after all. Ther
e he was, not six months ago, declaring that he would avoid marriage for as long as possible, and then – he met Juliana, and two months later, they were wed. And they are so very happy.”

  Isabelle nodded. Their brother, Garrett Rutherford, Duke of Kilmerstan, had fully intended to not marry for years – but then he had met the right person. His current state of happiness made Isabelle envious, and also irritated – for it reminded her, rather pointedly every day, of what she did not yet have herself.

  Still, she would manage to cope with this houseparty and Christmas Ball, and allow herself to meet people, even if each one of them she would look closely at, fearing that she might recognise them from her ill-advised adventure to London in the summer. And worse, that they might recognise her, and reveal the truth – a truth that none of her family knew. A truth that could ruin her, in the space of a few careless words.

  ~~~~~

  Lyon Hartley, the Duke of Dangerfield, felt less certain of the wisdom of his decision, the further the coach took him from London. In London, he knew how to go on – even if he was not happy in his life. He had never been one for rusticating, yet here he was, travelling through the snow dusted countryside, to attend a house party and Christmas Ball. He had only seen his host, Kilmerstan, once or twice since their days at Eton. They had rubbed along well enough then, but he was a far different man now – and probably Kilmerstan was too.

  But the man had chosen to invite him, and, in a rash moment, he had accepted. If nothing else, it would remove him from places that continually reminded him of Josephine, and her faithless opportunism. A respite from those memories would be more than welcome. He could not, of course, also hope for a respite from his own reputation.