“So you want me to get married and have children so that you can also brag about your grandchildren’s talents in front of your friends?” Henry asked, unable to hide his slight amusement at his mother’s words.
“Of course not, my dear! I want you to experience how beautiful a marital bond can be. I want you to produce an heir for this huge estate that your father nourished with his sweat and blood. Although I have to admit that the bragging about my grandchildren’s talent part would be icing on the cake,” the Duchess said and winked at Henry.
Henry cannot believe his eyes! Had his oh-so-proper mother actually winked at him? He better get prepared to execute his promise soon. Apparently she had set her heart on getting him married, and once the Dowager Duchess decides to do something with all her heart, there was no stopping her!
Henry has no idea where to look for his future bride. London’s Season wouldn’t begin for three months and he better make sure that he got invited to most of the balls and parties there. As much as he hated attending the seasons, he has no other option. The mere thought of giving away his estate to that Phillip sent a chill down his spine. No, he could never let that happen. It was time to renew his London acquaintances again.
But before that, Henry had to go to Leicester. After all, he had an entire estate to claim there. Henry smiled inwardly at the thought of his latest victory. It had been so easy to defeat that foolish Peter Thompson. While he felt sorry for the poor fellow--Henry recalled his stricken face when he learnt that he’d lost the wager--he could not give up what now rightfully belonged to him.
“Mother, I’ll have to leave for Leicester tomorrow morning for some urgent business. I’ll be back in the next week or so,” Henry informed his mother.
“Leicester? What business do you have there?”
“Uhhh…Let’s just say that I have to go there to claim something that’s mine. And who knows, I may meet your future daughter-in-law on the way!” he joked.
“Well, if that happens, believe me, I would be the happiest woman in the world!”
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The next day, Henry left for Leicester at the crack of dawn. It would take him at least three days to reach Leicester. Meanwhile, he asked his confidantes to ensure that he got invited to some of the biggest balls of the coming season. After a restless night, Henry finally concluded that choosing a suitable bride would not be as difficult as he initially thought. He’d just have to hone his flirting skills a little and the poor unsuspecting ladies would be ready to fall at his feet. He’d then choose the one with the most luscious curves…He shook his head to clear it. Good Lord! Think beyond your primal desires Henry! He’d then choose the one who would be most suitable to fill the role of a Duchess and get engaged to her. Simple.
But if it were that simple, why did the thought of attending another season make him so uncomfortable?
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After about three days of gruesome travel, Henry finally reached Leicester. He was impressed by the flourishing estate and quietly considered that Lord Peter was perhaps not as naïve as he seems. He at least knew how to manage the affairs of his estate. Henry had genuine respect for anyone who toiled hard to make his people’s lives better. He had heard about Lord Peter’s reckless behavior more often than once and wondered how the man managed his business along with his other not-so-flattering escapades. Perhaps he was gifted with a hardworking staff. Whatever the case, Henry felt proud to own this estate. He mentally made a note to retain the current Earl’s staff; they seemed to be very competent.
Chapter Three
Peter and Rebecca were having breakfast when Alex interrupted them to inform them of Lord Northwall’s arrival. The entire room filled with unspoken tension at the news. Rebecca found it extremely hard to swallow the rest of her breakfast while Peter wiped his mouth, the food on his plate left unfinished. They shared a silent look across the table as if giving each other strength to face whatever fate had in store for them.
“Peter, just do as I told you. If everything goes according to our plan, we’ll at least be able to retain half the estate,” Rebecca said. She did her best to sound composed and relaxed despite being reduced to a bundle of nerves inside.
Peter nodded in agreement and left the room. Unable to swallow another morsel, Rebecca got up and followed. She stood just outside the study and strained her ears to hear what was going on inside. When Alex found her standing there, she put a finger to her lips, gesturing for him to remain silent.
“So good to see you again, Lord Peter. I hope you are having a good day,” a deep, rich masculine voice wafted through the door. Rebecca felt her heart begin to race. What a creep! He must know how Peter felt and yet he had the audacity to sound cheerful.
“Well, I was having a good day, indeed. Until I was informed of your arrival,” Peter replies sarcastically.
Rebecca heard Henry laugh out loud. “I would feel exactly the same if I were in your place, Peter. Uh…I hope you don’t mind my addressing you thus, Lord Peter.” Rebecca wished she could slap that moron! How dare he talk to her brother like that! He was still the Earl of Leicester, for Heavens’ sake! “Since you are fully aware of the purpose of my visit, let us get straight to the point….”
“I have something to confess, Lord Northwall. I know you think that I am the owner of this entire estate. In fact, you have no reason to think anything else since I proclaimed that myself. But the truth is that I own only half of it,” Peter tried to keep his voice as calm as possible.
“Please don’t even think of trying to fool me, Lord Thompson. I am much smarter than you think.” Rebecca could almost hear the smirk in his tone.
“I am not trying to fool anyone, Lord Northwall. Here, take a look at my father’s will. It expressly mentions that Lady Rebecca Thompson, my sister, is entitled to half of the estate. As you may be aware, I cannot lose anything in a wager that I do not rightfully own.”
Henry took the papers from Peter’s outstretched hand and studied them thoroughly. Sure enough, they proclaimed Lady Rebecca Thompson to be the owner of half the estate. Henry looked a little taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his composure.
“What about these papers then, Lord Peter?” he said, calmly producing the papers that Peter had handed over to him when he lost the wager. “If what you are saying is true, it means that you’ve cheated me and these papers are fraudulent. Do you have any idea how you may have to pay for your little lie? I can challenge you to a duel or report your cheating to appropriate authorities. Your family’s name would be ruined and…..”
“You will do no such thing, my lord!” Rebecca stormed into the study to see her brother’s face turned ashen with dread. She looked at Lord Henry Northwall with contempt shining clearly in her eyes. Rebecca knew that it had been too much to hope that her plan would work flawlessly but she’d still hoped that Lord Northwall would buy their lie and agree to forego half of the estate. But she should’ve known better. Going by the man’s reputation, he would probably leave no stone unturned to make their lives a living hell!
“I am guessing that you are Lady Rebecca Thompson,” said Henry, studying the interesting woman in front of him from head to toe. Rebecca cringed at his scrutiny and Henry gave her an amused grin.
“Yes, I am Lord Peter’s sister,” she said with an air of authority. “I did own half of the estate but, I relinquished my right to the estate to my brother a few months back. So that makes him the rightful owner now.”
Henry could sense that something was not right. First the brother showed him the late Earl’s will stating that his sister owned half of the estate, and now the sister informed him that she’d relinquished her right to him. What exactly was going on here?
“Can you please decide amongst yourselves who is lying and who is telling the truth?”
“I am telling the truth, my lord. This estate belongs to Peter. I think he lied to you because he probabl
y wanted to retain at least half of it. After all, we’ve spent months trying to resurrect it. We’ve worked hard day and night to make it prosper,” Rebecca replied.
The fiery little thing in front of Henry impressed him. If they’d met under other circumstances, he’d probably think of a way to seduce her! She was most definitely something to look at with curves at all the right places.
“I can understand the hard work that goes into managing an estate of this size. I must say that I was impressed when I entered Leicester and noticed how well maintained everything was.”
Rebecca’s heart filled with pride at Henry’s words. She had actually worked very hard to achieve all of it. After their father’s death, Peter was often absent for days at a time, leaving her the task of taking care of the estate and its people.
“I must tell you, Lord Northwall, that my sister has toiled very hard for this estate. Don’t you think it is unfair that she should have to pay the price for my actions?” Peter looked at Henry as he spoke, a silent plea in his eyes.
“Peter, there is no need to…..”
“Let me say this out loud, Rebecca. I have been nothing but a burden to you ever since father died. You have managed this place so efficiently all on your own and what did I do in return? I lost all your hard work on one stupid bet!” Turning back toward Henry, Peter added, “Please, Lord Northwall, I am not asking anything for myself. I deserve to be publicly shamed after what I’ve done. But why should Rebecca have to suffer with me? I beg you to return her part of the estate…..”
“Peter! Why are you pleading for something that is basically ours? This gentleman may snatch our fortune from us, but he cannot take away the fact that we are the rightful owners of this place. Our family has been serving Leicester for generations and our people hold us in high esteem. What more can we ask for? He may take over our estate, but he will not take away the love and respect that our people have for us!”
“My Lady, you make me sound like some villain who has stolen your property behind your back. Let me make it very clear: I won your estate in a wager. If your brother had enough foresight, he wouldn’t have wagered the estate in the first place. But now that he’s lost it, I don’t see any point in creating all this fuss.”
Rebecca knew that he is right. There is no point trying to humiliate him any further. This mess isn’t his fault, was it? He won a bet and had come here to claim his prize.
The problem was that his prize was basically all she had!
Chapter Four
Rebecca sighed, finally accepting her fate. “You are right, My Lord. Please give us a few days to make arrangements to relinquish the estate to you. You are welcome to stay with us until then.”
Henry knew he should feel ecstatic about the fact that the brother sister duo were finally talking sense, but somewhere deep in his heart, he felt sorry for Lady Rebecca. She seemed like an intelligent woman who had been wronged by fate. If what Peter said was true, she’d managed the entire estate single-handedly after the previous Earl’s death. He had heard about the erstwhile Earl of Leicester. He didn’t have a sterling reputation but was very shrewd when it came to matters of business. He had amassed a vast fortune in gambling and he put most of it to good use in his estate. No wonder the people of Leicester loved him and his family!
Henry surveyed the interior of the chamber allotted to him. It has been tastefully done in maroon and beige. In fact, the entire mansion spoke of elegance and sophistication. He had caught a glimpse of what he supposed was the Banqueting Room and was highly impressed by the huge domed ceiling intricately decorated with designs of exotic foliage. Everything from the chandeliers to the upholstery was exquisite…someone had taken great efforts to decorate the place.
Even the large bed in his room was made of the finest wood. Now in private, he could not keep his thoughts from turning to the unrestrained pleasures one might enjoy there! Suddenly, he is reminded of Lady Rebecca and her luscious frame. The woman had impressed him in more ways than one. She was spirited, intelligent, hardworking and, from what he had seen, she cared deeply for her brother. To top it all, she was one of the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. Henry wondered why she’d not already been snared by the any of England’s eligible bachelors. Perhaps it had something to do with her father’s questionable reputation. Yes, that could be the case!
Once again, he felt sorry for her. Her father’s reputation deprived her of a chance at a good husband and now she was being pushed into poverty because of her brother’s foolishness. Henry loved the spark that he saw in her eyes when she’d defended her brother. That woman stirred something deep within his heart. This thought made him a little uncomfortable and he moved towards the balcony off of his chamber to get some fresh air.
As soon as he stepped out, he noticed someone standing on the balcony of the adjacent room. In the darkness, he could only make out a woman’s silhouette. He stood there, mesmerized by the sight, until the dark clouds finally shifted to make way for moonlight. In the faint light, Henry realized that the woman standing mere feet away from him was none other than Lady Rebecca. She was dressed in a flimsy nightgown that did nothing to hide her sinful body from his hungry gaze. He stepped back a little, lest she spot him staring shamelessly at her. He felt himself go hard with need just looking at her. He wondered what would happen if he actually held her in his arms!
Jesus! He had to do something about his growing attraction towards the woman. He’d lost count of the number of women he’d been with in the past, but none of them attracted him in the strange, primal way as she did. The moment she stormed into the study earlier that day, he’d known that she was different from the rest.
Let’s just say I have to go to claim something that’s mine. And who knows, I may meet your future daughter-in-law on the way!…Suddenly his own words rang in his ears and he formed a plan- a plan to make an offer that Lady Rebecca would find very hard to refuse!
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Rebecca could not sleep that night. After almost an hour of tossing and turning, she finally got up and decided to go to the balcony for some respite. She still found it hard to face reality. In a matter of two days, everything would be lost. Dear God! Why did this happen to her? What had she done to deserve such a fate? All she had wanted was a good husband and a respectable family. Was that too much to ask for? She sighed and thought that perhaps she would never get answers to her questions.
She felt sorry for Peter, too. Even though he was responsible for the entire fiasco, she still didn’t want to see him suffer. She knew that he felt extremely guilty for what he’d done. .She would never forget the look of distress in her brother’s eyes as he pleaded with Lord Northwall. She would also never forgive the man who was the reason for that distress!
Lord Henry Northwall…he was just as he’d been described by those ladies at the ball. Tall, dark and dangerously handsome, her heart had stopped when she’d looked at him for the first time. But that moment quickly passed and her anger resurfaced when she realized that the man standing in front of her had just threatened her brother with dire consequences. And she practically fumed when she caught him unashamedly scrutinizing her from head to toe. That man had some guts!
Rebecca thought hard to come up with something that may save their estate, but her mind had gone completely numb. Her years of selfless labor were about to go into a stranger’s hands and she could do nothing to stop it.
She had never felt this helpless—not even when her father died. At that time, she had faith that she could help Peter manage their estate. Of course, Peter’s contribution towards running the estate had been negligible and the entire burden had fallen squarely on her shoulders, but she had not crumbled under the pressure. In fact, she had done everything in her power to take the estate to new heights. Whether it was helping the farmers understand new methods of cultivation or giving tips to them to increase their produce, she did it all. She even did some chores that the polite society would c
onsider ‘unladylike!’ All Rebecca ever wanted was to help her estate flourish. And flourish it did!
Mind still reeling, she walked back into her chamber and fell into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Five
Henry got up with the first rays of the sun and decided to explore the estate a little before breakfast. He was pleasantly surprised to see the people of Leicester up and about at this early hour. Everyone seemed to be busy with their daily chores. He saw a group of elderly women walking to the Church for morning prayers. One of them suddenly lost her footing and fell. Henry immediately got off his horse to help.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes…yes, I am alright. Thank you, son,” she says. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I am Henry Northwall, the Duke of Southampton.”
“Oh…pardon me, My Lord…. I didn’t realize….”
“Please, call me Henry,” he says with a smile. “I am visiting Leicester on some personal business.”
“Oh, so you must be staying at the mansion with Lord Peter and Lady Rebecca, God bless them.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Please give my regards to Lady Rebecca. Tell her Mistress Jones was saying that Sunshine has just birthed the most beautiful foal.”
“Sunshine?”
“That’s my mare’s name. You know, Lady Rebecca rescued the poor soul when she was just a baby. She had somehow fallen into a deep pit and I still remember how she toiled with some of the local men to help her climb out. She is a kind hearted lady, I tell you. It’s a pity that she’s not found a husband worthy of her. Each one of us in Leicester wishes the best for her. I am sure she’ll find the man of her dreams very soon,” the old lady said with a smile.
Henry was amazed at the amount of love and respect the woman seemed to have for Rebecca. After bidding her adieu, he continued on. Wherever he went, people were full of praises for Lady Rebecca. His heart filled with genuine respect for Rebecca. She would make a perfect Duchess. It made him even more determined to execute his plan. If only he could predict Rebecca’s reaction to his offer!
BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE: The Unforgettable Billionaires: The Complete Collection Boxed Set 1-12 (Young Adult Rich Alpha Male Billionaire Romance) (Alpha Bad Boy Billionaire Romance) Page 110