by Dalia Wright
“Bella, there’s someone here to see you.”
She turned a listless face towards Mavis who hovered near the doorway, concern written all over her face.
“Bella?” she repeated softly, “Bel I can tell him to leave if you wish.”
At the word him, hope sprang alive within Bella and she shot to her feet,
“Is it Luke?”
Mavis’ eyes clouded over in sadness at her friend’s obvious pain and she shook her head.
“No I’m sorry dear, it’s not Luke…I’m afraid it’s nothing good…its….it’s the Duke.” The words came out in a fearful whisper.
“But I’m not letting you meet him alone; I’m coming with you.”
But Bella shook her head,
“No, it’s okay Mavis, I need to do this on my own. He can’t hurt me any worse than Luke did. After everything I’ve done to him, I owe him a truthful explanation.”
Horror filled Mavis’ face,
“You can’t mean to tell me you’re going to tell him about what happened?”
“Of course I am Mavis, what choice do I have? He deserves better. Please tell him I’ll be down in a few minutes. I just want to freshen up a little.”
Mavis nodded and left the room, closing the door gently behind her while Bella went to washstand to splash some cold water on face. She changed into a fresh dress, a lovely morning gown of periwinkle blue. She gathered her hair into a knot of curls over one shoulder; a few loose tendrils framed her pale, ashen face. She practiced a polite smile in the mirror but found it hard to form her stiff lips into anything more than a rigid line.
She finished her speech and waited for him to say something or at least turn around. But the man did neither. He stood as still and unmovable as a rock, nothing in his stance betrayed the hint of an emotion. It was as if she hadn’t spoken at all. Bella began to wonder herself if the words she had practiced in her head on the way to the parlor had been spoken out loud to him. She debated whether she should repeat what she had said to him or try to make polite conversations.
“Shall I call for some tea?” she asked at length when he still hadn’t moved or said anything.
His stiff shoulders moved a little then at her question, and he started to turn around but at the last moment he changed his mind and marched out of the parlor through the open French windows to his left. He didn’t spare even a glance her way.
Bella watched his retreating back with a mixture of relief and confusion. It was clear was angry, any man in his situation would be livid so she felt relieved at having escaped an angry tirade but she felt confused by it at the same time. He had gone to considerable lengths to track her down and yet he had left wordlessly.
Later that evening Bella discovered the Duke hadn’t left so wordlessly after all. A note was delivered to her bedroom shortly before supper.
It was short and terse and left no room for arguments.
“My carriage will pick you up tomorrow at noon sharp. The wedding will go ahead as planned.”
It was a completely impersonal note, he hadn’t bothered to address her by name or sign it, but she recognized it by his seal stamped in wax on the bottom of the page.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
Bella packed her own bags that evening, she felt drained and empty. She felt no animosity towards the Duke and resigned herself to accept whatever fate had in store for her as just punishment for her sins. She knew her chances of a good, honorable marriage were over. And she should feel thankful the Duke still wanted to marry her in spite of her actions, especially if she was carrying another man’s child. But she felt was like a blank slate, with no emotions. If anything she hated the idea of being indebted to this man for life, for saving her reputation. And that was the hardest pill to swallow.
Beautiful, spirited, proud Arabella Barrington who had sworn she would never allow a man to dictate her life would now be indebted to one for life. She who had gone to such great lengths to settle for nothing less than love had been cheated by that very emotion. And now she had no more fight left within her so when the carriage arrived the next day exactly at noon, she thanked Edith and Charles for their hospitality, kissed Mavis goodbye before dutifully heading back to London and to home, an obedient daughter at last. Her parents were overjoyed at her return to say the least. And very tactfully avoided any reference to where she was or what she had been up to. The story of her leaving to visit relatives seemed to hold. The wedding was planned for the following week and Bella didn’t care. She continued to live in a haze and the only time she cracked a smile was when Mavis arrived at the house on the morning of the wedding. Everything else felt like a dream. She was unaware of the ride to the church, of the guests or of anything else. She couldn’t even focus on the man standing at the altar, the man who would soon become her husband.
She parroted back the vows, feeling numb. She was thankful for the thick, lace veil, which hid her face and obstructed her view. She didn’t think she could stand to look the Duke in the face, not when he had hardly spoken a word to her. The ceremony ended at the church because the Duke had urgent business at the palace and wouldn’t be back till the evening. The formal reception had been organized for the following night. Bella secretly hoped the Duke wouldn’t be back till she was asleep, if there was one thing she wasn’t looking forward to was the wedding night. But unfortunately God wasn’t on her side, she was still wide-awake when the Duke crept into their dark bedroom late at night. With no words he slipped into the bed and began to kiss her. Startled she tried to move away but he tightened his grip on her and continued to mold her lips with his.
The kiss felt familiar, the body felt familiar. Was Bella losing her mind, was she so consumed by her thoughts of Luke she was beginning to hallucinate? Everything about the embrace felt familiar and right. When Thomas’ lips travelled down from her lips to the hollow of her neck, she moaned out loud hungry for his touch. She arched her back involuntarily and pressed herself closer to the hard body wanting more. The next instant she moved away from him, everything felt wrong. This felt wrong, she couldn’t consummate her marriage to her husband, not like this!
“I can’t do this.” She said in a strangled whisper.
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t stop thinking about him. Everything feels like him.” She whispered miserably in the darkness. She didn’t care if Thomas sent her off to a convent or banished her to a home in the countryside, she couldn’t go through with his sacred and intimate act.
She waited with bated breath for his temper to flare. But it didn’t come. Instead after a few minutes of silence he growled in his low voice,
“Put on a robe, we’re going for a walk.”
“Now?” she asked nervously. “It’s the middle of the night.”
“Right now.” He said firmly.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
Feeling scared by what was about to transpire she slid out of bed and slipped a velvet cloak around her shoulders. The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere with her husband but she knew she had no choice. Thomas grabbed her by the hand, none too gently and led her out of the bedroom, down three flights of stairs and several long hallways until they found themselves outside in a garden towards the back of the mansion.
“What are we doing here?”
He didn’t respond and lead her deeper into the shadows, she was reminded of the night months ago when she had first met Luke. Like that night, a sliver of the moon hung perched in the sky, bathing everything in a warm glow.
They walked for a few minutes silently and then Thomas stopped abruptly, he pushed her up against a tree and without any warning he kissed her fiercely, passionately, almost angrily. Bella wanted to cry out in anger but something wasn’t right. She couldn’t be imagining this, she wasn’t crazy, nor was she dreaming. The kiss was too real. She pushed the man she had married away from her, tearing her lips away from him. She grabbed his hand and this time she was the one pulling him, she hurried to a spot in the garden illumina
ted by moonlight. Then taking in a deep breath she turned around and looked at her husband’s face for the first time. During the ceremony she had been shrouded in a veil and saw nothing but a hazy figure, then he had only reappeared at night when all the lamps had been blown out.
“It’s you.” It was a statement not a question. She felt foolish, she should have known from the moment he first touched her in the bedroom it couldn’t have been anyone else but Luke.
“It’s me.”
“Who are you really? The gardener? The groom? A Duke? A betrayer?”
“My name is Thomas Luke Chambray, and I’m a man who has loved you for a very long time. A man who wanted you to love me for me, once I realized how important that was to you.”
“I don’t understand.” Bella felt no relief or joy at this turn of events. She felt only confusion and a deep sense of being wronged somehow. Her emotions toyed with.
“I guess I owe you an explanation.”
Bella didn’t answer, she looked away instead. She was too hurt at the moment to really care.
“That night when we first kissed, I had just arrived in the city, I came earlier than was expected and I came over to your house because I wanted to see you. I stumbled across you in the garden and you were mumbling to yourself about how unhappy you were. I couldn’t tell you then who I was, you hated me enough as it was. So I kissed you instead. And then one thing led to another and I found myself following you down to the country pretending to be a groom so we could get to know each other with no pretenses.”
“But you left.”
“I did because I was too scared to admit what I had done, I was scared I might lose you again, so I left and…”
“Forced me to marry the Duke whom I loathed.” Bella finished the sentence for him.
He didn’t respond because he suddenly saw it through her eyes and felt badly for what he had done. He took in the hunched shoulders and the stormy eyes gazing into the darkness and moved towards her and gathered her closely in his arms. He waited for her to pull away and was relieved when she didn’t.
“You’ve really loved me all this time?”
“Yes, really truly I have. And do you love me?” he asked in turn.
“I do.” She said the words softly.
Bella wanted to hold on to the hurt feelings but she couldn’t. A peaceful, thrilling joy was overcoming the anger and pain. All she could think of was she had found her fairy tale love after all.
THE END
The Duke’s Engagement
By: Elaine Young
Chapter 1
Abby knew she didn’t have many other choices, but this is not what she’d been expecting. She had thought it would be harder, that someone else would buy her. That it would be a mill owner, or maybe if she were lucky a knight.
Not this. Not a Duke.
Why would a Duke need to buy a bride?
“Hold still.” Her mother scolded her.
Abby took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. She didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to leave her family. Her ma, her da.
But what choice did she have? She’d already been bought, by a man she did not know. All she knew was that ‘the duke would be by to pick her up personally’ and that she must be ready for him- and looking her best.
Even using every cent they could afford they had not been able to buy anything that wasn’t at least four seasons old. And second hand.
Abby looked at herself in the shabby, old, mirror. Will this work? She wondered. She reached up to her chest, touching the strand of beads around her neck. A necklace her mother had given her as a farewell token, despite the fact she would soon be able to wear diamands and rubies. And I will send some back. She promised herself.
She was to be a Duke’s wife, but she would not allow her family to suffer in poverty while she lived in silks and ate meat every night.
“It is almost time.” Abby’s sister came into the room, looking at the two women. “He will be here soon.”
Abby’s heart did a back flip. She knew it would only be a matter of time until he showed up. She rehearsed what she would say again and again. But the fact that it was going to happen now made her think she may be sick.
“Take this.” Abby’s mother held out three small, green leaves. “They will make you feel better.”
“Thank you, mama.” Abby took the peppermint from her mother, guilt tugging at her stomach. She did not want to take more money from her family than she had to. After all, she would be gone soon.
“He’s here!” John, Abby’s youngest brother, called.
Mama gave Abby a once over, pinked her cheeks tightly and gave her a soft smile. “You will do our family proud.” She said softly before turning, and leaving the room.
Alone for the first time today Abby stared at herself. If she had not known who she was, or that she was staring into a mirror she might have thought another woman was standing there. I will be alright. Abby told herself.
Of course, telling herself that for the 100th time did not make her believe it.
Abby turned away from the mirror and looked around the room her and her three sisters shared. She would never spend another night here. She would never see her sisters again. Abby padded to the bed they shared and reached under it. None of them had realized, she’d written each family member a letter once everyone had gone to bed. Each one was tear stained, but still readable. Leaving the letters on the bed Abby stepped out of the house and took a deep breath, facing the family members that weren’t working.
Knock. Knock.
Abby’s heart raced. She crossed over to the door. When she got the letter announcing she’d be leaving today she thought someone was gulling her. But here they were, her family had already received half the payment.
Abby’s hands curled around the door handle and she pulled it open.
There he stood. Well dressed and his hair slicked back.
His eyes roamed over Abby, a smile spreading over his lips. He lowered himself into a bow. “Ma’am.”
Abby’s eyes widened. The Duke was bowing to her? That’s not how it was supposed to be.
“Sir.” Abby lowered herself lower than him.
She had not believed that he would personally come to the door, and had it not been for his fine clothes she would have thought it was a servient who had come, but Abby knew that no servant would be able to afford such silks. And a servant most likely had a family to take care of, they would not be able to spend such money on trivial things. My family will be able to, soon.
“I regret to say this, however we are in quite a rush. I fear we will not be able to stay long.”
“I understand.” Abby gave her best smile, and turned to her family.
Her father stood there, her single bag in his hands. Compared to most bags, it was small and Abby knew that, but she had very few of her own things- and even less that she’d said she would take. She intended to leave everything she could to her family. Mama insisted that Abby buy some makeup, and there were a few personal items that Abby had not been able to part with. She stepped forward and took the bag from her father before he pulled her into a hug.
“I love you.”
It was all he said before pulling away.
Abby opened her mouth to say something, to everyone. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t think of a single word to say to any of them.
Tears pricked the corner of her eye. She took a deep breath and nodded, turning to the man who stood in the doorway. He held his hand out of the bag. Slowly, she gave them to him, she wasn’t used to having someone to take care of her things. She didn’t even own women’s shoes until a few weeks ago. She’s always worn her brothers when they grew out of them. She’d even packed them, of course without her mother knowing. She never would have allowed it.
As she followed the Duke out of the house she’d grown up in she didn’t dare look back. A man hoped down from the front and pulled the carriage door open for her.
“Thank you.” Abby spoke so
ftly as she hoisted herself up inside it.
“Sir, would you like me to keep the bags with me?”
“No. We can keep them, it is just one.”
He stepped into the carriage behind Abby, his hand brushing her thigh as he moved past her and sat down.
Abby’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected him to touch her so soon. Would he expect me to…? She couldn’t even finish the thought. She knew that being this mans wife meant she must lay with him, but that did not mean she was totally willing. Abby felt like one of the rabbits she used to hunt, before they moved. The skirts of town had become something only the rich could afford. Of course that didn’t mean they offered a fair price for the land.
As the carriage began to move Abby was trapped inside with the man she was due to marry. He stared at her, his eyes soft.
“Your family will receive payment this week.” He said.
“Thank you.” That’s what this was all about after all, her family being able to live without starving- without someone having to turn down a meal at supper every night, just to give everyone else a little more.
“I know it will be hard for you. To be away from them, but I assure you it will get easier, and perhaps we can see them sometime. You do, of course, understand that you will… have to go through some training, correct?”
“Yes.”
Abby must learn to become a woman that a Duke could marry. She knew it would not be easy. She was not well-schooled, although she loved to read, she had not had time. She been days away from taking to the streets before they’d gotten the letter. This had saved her and her family, and she knew it.
“It will be hard, I know that. I’m sure you know that… but you must understand,” He stared out the window. “I had no other choice.”