Love Lessons with the Duke

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  With a satisfied nod, she left her bedchamber and went down the stairs, her steps slow since she was in no hurry. When she reached the bottom, the butler came up to her.

  “Is there anything you wish for, my lady?” he asked.

  She peeked out a small window by the front door. The Duke of Ashbourne hadn’t arrived yet. Not that she thought he would since it was only half past noon, but one never knew if a guest was likely to come early because they often grew impatient with waiting.

  Turning to the butler, she said, “Bring some black tea and crumpets. I’ll be in the drawing room.”

  He indicated he would get to it right away, and she went to the room to read a book. Soon, he came in with the tea and crumpets and left. She kept her focus on the page in front of her, but it was no use. She couldn’t get into it. No matter how many times she read over the same paragraph, the words didn’t make any sense.

  Finally, she set the book on the table and looked out the window. The duke hadn’t arrived yet. She sighed and poured herself a cup of tea. Why did she keep wondering when he’d show up? She never felt so restless when she was waiting for any other client. What was it about him, specifically, that made it hard for her to concentrate on anything?

  It was because he was a gentleman. That had to be it. Nothing good ever came from helping a gentleman. Too many people assumed there was more going on. It was why ladies were, by far, much safer.

  Why did she have to be so weak? Was it really her problem if no one else was willing to help him? Or that Mr. Robinson and Lord Edon’s advice to create a scandal was utterly pathetic? No one with any common sense would resort to ruining a lady’s reputation in order to marry her. The duke had been right to reject such foolishness.

  And that was why she decided to assist him. He had what so many gentlemen lacked: a sense of decency. And she was impressed by it. She just hoped her rash decision wouldn’t yield any unpleasant results.

  A gentleman coming down the sidewalk caught her attention, and her heart stopped for a moment. It was him. She’d recognize those strong shoulders anywhere. With a shake of her head, she hurried away from the window and picked up her book, flipping to the page she’d unsuccessfully tried to read earlier.

  There was no doubt about it. She had made a mistake in taking him under her wing. If she’d been wise, she would have sought out someone respectable to teach him what to do. She tried to think of who that respectable someone might be, but her mind drew a blank. She sighed. Well, that was it then. She had no choice. There was no one—absolutely no one—who could help the poor gentleman, except for her.

  From the entryway, she heard the footman greet the duke. Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she forced her eyes on the page in front of her. This was ridiculous. Why was she so nervous? She’d never felt this way with any other gentleman, not even her husband.

  “My lady,” the butler said, “the Duke of Ashbourne is here.”

  She looked up from the book, congratulating herself on her ability to truly appear surprised that the duke had come already. The last thing anyone needed to know was how many times she’d been peering out the window. It was embarrassing enough she knew it.

  Placing the book on the table, she thanked the butler and waited for him to leave before she rose to her feet and curtsied. “Your Grace.”

  He bowed. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important.”

  “No. I don’t have to see Miss Jasper until tomorrow.” Noting his grimace, she asked, “Is something wrong?”

  “Oh no. Not really.” He brushed back the blond hair from his eyes. “I didn’t realize you were helping her secure a husband.”

  “She’s one of my better clients.”

  She passed him so she could shut the doors of the room to ensure their privacy. Not once did she allow the servants to be privy to the lessons when she taught ladies, and she wasn’t about to start with the duke. She would treat him as if he were one of the ladies. He was a client and nothing more. She turned to face him and gestured to a chair.

  “Care for some tea or crumpets?” she asked then settled on the settee.

  “No. I better not,” he replied in a voice so low she barely heard him. When she was ready to suggest he speak louder, he cleared his throat and hurried over to his chair. “Forgive me, Lady Seyton, but I danced with Miss Jasper at Lord Edon’s ball. And to be frank, I don’t think she’s following your instructions.”

  “Oh?” She picked up her cup.

  “I don’t mean to say anything bad about your instructions, of course. I’m sure you’ve already discussed the matter with her.”

  She tried to deduct what he could possibly be referring to, but her mind drew a blank. “I’m not sure what you mean. From what I’ve seen, she’s done everything as I’ve instructed. In fact, I was very pleased with how she handled herself at the ball.”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “Really?”

  She nodded and took a sip of tea. “Yes. She’s probably the best pupil I’ve ever had. I expect her to be betrothed in no time.”

  “Well, this is awkward.” He shifted in the chair and let out a long sigh.

  “What did you find wrong with her behavior?”

  He hesitated, and she could see he was struggling to find the right words. Intrigued, she focused on him. Never had she seen anyone so worried he might say something to upset her.

  Hoping to put his mind at ease, she said, “I don’t offend easily. I’d rather have you tell me the truth than to spare my feelings. What did Miss Jasper do that bothered you?”

  He swallowed. “She was polite. She’s probably very nice.”

  When he didn’t continue, she set the cup down and leaned forward so she could make eye contact with him. “My name is Helena. What’s yours?”

  “P-pardon?”

  “You’re having so much trouble telling me what’s bothering you, and I think part of it is because you’re not comfortable around me.” She wasn’t comfortable around him either, but she sensed it was for different reasons. “We’ll address each other formally in public, but when we’re here, there’s no need. So, what should I call you?”

  “Um…Camden. My name is Camden.”

  Camden. It was a nice name. And it fit him very well. Honest, gentle, careful. He was not impulsive about anything, nor did he pretend to be something he wasn’t. Yes, he was very different from the other gentlemen she’d encountered. No wonder he confounded her.

  “All right, Camden,” she softly began, “what would you like to tell me about Miss Jasper?”

  Finally, he released his breath. “She didn’t seem interested in finding a husband.”

  “What makes you think she’s not interested in finding a husband?”

  “When I was dancing with her, she was smiling at other gentlemen. At first, I thought it was just me, because I’m not good when it comes to this kind of thing. But she was doing the same thing to the next gentleman she danced with.”

  “Usually, gentlemen prefer a pursuit. A lady who makes herself too available isn’t a challenge.”

  “Well, I don’t care for challenges of that nature.”

  “So, if a lady made it clear to you she wanted to marry you, and you didn’t get a chance to know her first, this would be fine with you?”

  “I’d prefer it. It’d save me a lot of uncertainty.”

  “But wouldn’t you worry there was something wrong with her?” she asked.

  “Like what?”

  “Maybe she’s with child and wants you to marry her right away to conceal her scandalous activities.”

  “As long as she kept the matter quiet to others, I suppose we could work around it.”

  Her eyes widened. “Even though you have the responsibility of passing on your title to your heir?”

  “If she has the money to save my estate, I wouldn’t mind saving her from disgrace. And besides, the child wouldn’t know any better, nor would I feel the need to tell him. Of course, she could have a girl, and in
that case, the argument is pointless.”

  “All right. I’ll concede to those points. But what if it didn’t matter who she married? What if she was in her third Season and proposed marriage to every man at the ball? Wouldn’t you prefer it if she selected you out of a couple gentlemen she could have had?”

  “If it doesn’t matter to me who I marry, then why should I require the same of her?”

  As much as she hated to admit it, he made an even better point this time. “Don’t you care anything at all about what kind of lady you’ll be marrying? What if she’s ugly? What if she lacks good sense? What if she’s got some annoying trait? What if she’s spiteful?”

  “I need money. I’m not going to be particular about the wife I get.”

  She stared at him, not sure what to make of him. She couldn’t think of any other gentleman who had such low standards. “Most gentlemen would at least say they wanted a wife who was pleasing to the eye. Making an heir is easier that way.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see what the point of having an heir is if I lose the estate.”

  “Perhaps, but you’re still a gentleman. Surely, you’ll want to share a bed with her once in a while.”

  “I have more important things to think about than that. And who knows if she’d even want me in her bed? If she was beautiful but didn’t want me with her, then I couldn’t get the heir anyway.”

  “Even if it’s her duty to give you one?”

  “Like I said, if I lose the estate, what good does having an heir do? The title could go to a cousin who is better off than I am.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he had any desire to be intimate with a lady, but fortunately, she was able to restrain herself. Perhaps he planned to take a mistress. Whatever the case, it wasn’t her business. She was only here to get him a wealthy lady. Nothing more.

  “So it is safe to say you will be content to marry anyone as long as she has enough money to secure your estate,” Helena said.

  He nodded. “And it has to be in four weeks. Ideally, it’d be sooner, but I can’t delay the matter any longer than four weeks.”

  She wondered what was so important that he had to get this done by four weeks but decided it wasn’t her business unless he chose to tell her. “All right then. We will focus on finding you a wealthy lady. We will disregard her looks. Do you care if she’s been married before?”

  “No.”

  “What about her age?”

  “I don’t care about that either.”

  “You’re twenty-six, correct?”

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  “Then let’s not make her any older than thirty.” Before he could argue that age wasn’t a concern for him, she added, “You don’t need to be with a lady who will treat you like a child. If she’s too old, that’s how she’ll see you.”

  He shut his mouth and nodded. Good. At least he’d be sensible on this count. If he didn’t mind how ugly or boring she was, that made her job easy enough. He didn’t need to further degrade himself by choosing someone significantly older than him.

  “Before we begin,” she said as she picked up a crumpet, “understand that you always have the option to be more selective in choosing the lady you are to marry. You’re thoughtful and considerate, and you’re certainly attractive enough. There’s no sense in settling for second best if you don’t have to.”

  “I’m not settling. I’m asking a lot from her by taking her money and using it to save my estate. I’m using her.”

  “No more than she’d be using you. She gets to enjoy the estate once she saves it, and she gets to be a duchess.”

  But it seemed her attempts to assure him he had something worth offering to the marriage fell on deaf ears. It was a shame, really. He could have his pick of ladies if he wanted.

  To save him the trouble of reminding her his sole concern was his estate, she gestured to the tea and crumpets. “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat or drink?”

  “I’m sure.”

  She quickly ate her crumpet then sipped her tea. After wiping her fingers on the cloth napkin, she turned her attention to their first lesson. “All right, Camden. Let’s get started.”

  Chapter Five

  “First things, first,” Helena said. “Sit up straight.”

  Camden complied and waited for her next instruction. She didn’t continue right away, as he expected. If he was right, she was figuring out what was wrong with him and trying to decide how to compensate for it. He knew he was asking a lot of her. There was lots of room for improvement. But he didn’t know how much he could improve in four very short weeks.

  Smiling at him, she finally said, “You needn’t seem so worried. It’s just me who’s in the room.”

  Did he look worried? He did his best to hide his doubts. He hoped others weren’t as perceptive as Helena. It’d be embarrassing if everyone knew how inadequate he truly was. He shouldn’t be the duke. It was his brother’s rightful title after all, but his brother was no longer alive. That being the case, Camden had to assume it. Pushing aside the reminder, he focused on her.

  “Put your shoulders a little further back,” she told him. “And lift your head a bit higher.”

  He did as she instructed, thinking the new posture made him feel stiff. “How long do I have to do this?”

  “You should do it all the time.”

  “You can’t be serious. It’s unnatural.”

  “No, it’s not. Slouching all the time is what’s unnatural, and you slouch. You need to have confidence in yourself. If you don’t, people will take advantage of you.”

  He wasn’t sure if that was true, but he didn’t want to argue with her. She knew what she was doing, and if sitting up straight, pushing his shoulders back, and lifting his chin attracted ladies, he’d do it.

  “Now, another thing that’s important is that you make eye contact,” she continued. “Lower your gaze and look directly at me.”

  He did as she wished and was struck by how assured she was in what she was doing. Her reputation was well deserved. He wished he could be more like her. She didn’t have the urge to avoid eye contact like he did, nor did her voice ever waver. She spoke in a calm tone and smiled in a way that set him at ease, to a point. He didn’t know if he could feel completely at ease with her or any other lady, but at least he didn’t have trouble telling her what was on his mind.

  “I notice you have a tendency to shift your gaze as you talk to me. Is it because you’re nervous, or do you do that with everyone?”

  He brought his gaze back to hers, unaware he’d been looking at her hair. “To be honest, I don’t know if I do it with others or only you.”

  “Either way, it’s good to maintain eye contact when you’re talking to someone. What ladies want is to feel special. When you look at their eyes, you’re telling them what they have to say is important.”

  “They won’t feel special any other way?”

  “There are other ways you can make them feel special. This is just one of them.”

  “What are the other ways?”

  As if amused by his question, she smiled. “We’ll get to that. I’m just starting with the basics.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “Camden, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions. You don’t need to apologize for it.”

  Maybe, but it wasn’t something people liked.

  “Now,” she said, “I want you to smile.”

  For a moment, he had to debate what kind of smile to give her. This was supposed to be the kind of smile he’d give a lady, so he supposed a smile he’d give to greet someone would be appropriate. He forced his lips into what seemed like a strained grin.

  A slight wince crossed her face, but she quickly regained her controlled expression. “You look like you’re in pain,” she told him.

  “Do I?” He touched his face but realized that was silly. He would be better off looking in a mirror to see what he smiled like.

  “Think of something that
makes you happy.”

  As much as he tried to obey, he couldn’t think of anything. The only thing that kept going through his mind was the fear he was going to do something stupid. He didn’t sit right, he didn’t look people in the eye, and now he wasn’t smiling correctly.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Realizing his gaze had drifted to the window, he brought it back to her. “Sorry.”

  With a sigh, she reached forward and touched his hand, the contact causing a pleasant sensation to go through him. “If it makes you feel better, go ahead and apologize. But I assure you, it’s not necessary. I’m here to teach you how to attract a wealthy lady, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

  She removed her hand from his, and he missed her touch, though he tried not to think about it. He was here to learn. He couldn’t do that if he didn’t focus on her.

  “You’re terribly shy, aren’t you?” she softly asked.

  “I didn’t talk to many people while growing up,” he admitted. Maybe if she understood how difficult coming to London was for him, these lessons would go smoother. “I was born early, and I was often sick. It’s nothing that affects me today, but I didn’t go to school like others did. My lessons were at home in the country. I don’t come to London often, and I don’t feel comfortable here.”

  “You’re only here to find a wife?”

  He nodded.

  She tapped the edge of her settee. “We should focus on finding a lady who enjoys spending time in the country. It wouldn’t do you any good to marry someone who wants to be in London as soon as the weather permits you to leave the country.”

  He hadn’t thought of that, but she was right. But did such a lady exist? His mother wasn’t happy in the country, but she stayed there for his sake. Now, she stayed there because his aunt had taken ill.