The Danger of Dukes

by Phynix de Leon

  We walked along the market street gazing around, but soon we returned to the house, there was nothing to do however so I sat down with one of the books I brought with me.

  Lord Draco tried to be as hard as a rock, but sometimes when not paying attention his emotions slip to the surface.

  Shall I not dance

  “What do you mean you cannot dance?” asked a stunned Lord Draco after teaching me the lessons one must use at a ball.

  So far I had learned not to give more than three dances to a single man in one night, to never wear bright colors and to be charming and polite. Then had come the question of which dances I knew and of course the answer was none at all. Cook had never approved and it hadn’t made it on my list to do between chores.

  “I never had the time,” I said simply and he looked at me as if I were the daft one. “I had too many chores to do to think of such silly things.”

  He shook his head and scowled at me. “We have two weeks until the ball. If you are going you must learn. We shall start right away, I have an old friend who can help. Do not leave this room until I return.” He turned on heel and strode from the room slamming the door behind him. As the door bounced against the wall then closed I winced. I had made him mad. Again.

  A good hour later Lord Draco came back in the room and a taller slender man followed him in. The man was dressed in simple pants and a loose white work shirt, perfect for long hours of dance practice. I groaned inwardly. He had white blonde hair, a beautiful face saved from being too beautiful by a hawkish nose, and he was indeed a fine tall man to look upon.

  Lord Draco beckoned me forward with his hand, I bit my lip against the urge to tell him to go to hell. The man was so arrogant!

  “Meet my friend, Drake, he is a dance teacher among other things. I shall leave you in his care for the next two weeks.” He glared at me. “Don’t disappoint me.” Then he looked over at his friend who was smiling slightly, “This is Isadore, Lady Isadore, and you will do well to only do what you have been asked to.”

  Drake nodded. “But of course, what else shall I do? She is in good hands as you know, now you may proceed to leave so I can begin my teachings, your dukeness.”

  Lord Draco’s jaw tightened until I thought it would snap and with a low growl he left the room.

  “Goodbye,” I called cheerfully after him.

  Drake looked at me with a puzzled glance. “You do not like him?”

  “No, I do not,” I said shortly turning away from the door to face him.

  “May I ask why?”

  “He left me to rot here for ten years while he went to gamble and whore around the world. What care have I for a man that leaves me in the hands of a cook who used to beat me every day,” I asked tartly.

  “Beat,” he echoed.

  “I am so glad you can hear. Yes, beat, as in within an inch of my life. Can we proceed please? The only reason I am doing this is to teach him a lesson, the arrogant beast. He thinks he can just walk in after ten years and everything is going to go his way? I should think not!”

  Drake’s lips turned up in a small smile, it seemed he didn’t have a sense of humor.

  “I wish you the best in your mission, however dancing is not an easy thing to learn so fast. You have a great deal of work to do.”

  I grinned at him. “Then show me how.”

  …

  Four days have passed since his last check in on her and he waited outside the door peering in the crack between the doors as Isadore was taken up in Drake’s arms and spun around the room. They were waltzing and Drake had her pulled too close, making his ire rise. But then he focused on just Isadore and she was floating around with a fluttering smile on her face, laughing at the pure joy of the world. She said something to Drake and they both laughed.

  He drew back into the shadows, she hadn’t even laughed once while near him and the sound echoed in his mind.

  …

  “Excellent, my dear you are a natural. You shall do fine tomorrow night.”

  I blushed under the praise of Drake and let my hand lingering in his. “Thank you, this means a lot to me. It is only a shame it came at the cost of His Grace. You are a wonderful man.”

  Something twinkled in his eye as he glanced to the door and back to me. “I have a plan, my dear, and it involves making him look like a daft molly. Are you game?”

  Catching on I nodded and playfully swayed so Drake could catch me. Playing his part to a tee he gasped. “Are you alright? Isadore?”

  I faked a faint and let my head roll to the side, eyes closed, lashes barely parted so I could see the door. The door burst open as Drake leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I think we have him.”

  “Get away from her, you rogue, I should have known better then to trust her with you!” Lord Draco pushed Drake out of the way and caught me up in his arms, rising he glared at Drake. “Don’t you dare come near her again.”

  Suddenly I was jostled as Lord Draco took the stairs two at a time muttering, “Hold on, girl, just a little longer.”

  I smiled slightly, this was going to be fun. He laid me out gently on his bed and looked worried as I laid there. Slowly I opened my eyes and reached out a hand to touch his.

  “Lord Draco,” I whispered in question.

  His eyes jumped to mine and he let out a longwinded sigh. “I am glad you are alright. If you are feeling faint you may stop, I would not force it upon you.”

  “Why you haven’t forced me to do a single thing yet. I want to go to Town for the Season and to do so I must know how to dance.”

  “But not at the cost of your health,” he snapped then apologized right away.

  I scowled at him. “So Millie told you, huh?”

  He hesitated but nodded in the end. “Yes, she explained to me how you have not the strongest health. She said you take fever easily, and get dizzy quickly.” He took my hand and squeezed it tightly. “Why did you not tell me?”

  I sighed and looked away from him. “It is not important. I was born with a weak body, my mother almost lost me twice as a child before I came here. But Millie has over stepped her bounds again. Tell her she is released from being my maid and she may work in the kitchens.”

  “I will do no such thing.”

  My head whipped sideways to gaze at him. “What did you say?”

  “I said no. The woman raised you, loved you, and is still caring for you. I asked her to let me know if anything that could happened to you and she did her job. I pay her wages, not you, and she stays where she is.” His eyes flashed, “Understood?”

  I pushed myself up into a sitting position with a huff, doing so with a corset was hard. “I wish you hadn’t come back for another three years, then I would have my inheritance and could be free of you!”

  “You shall not be free of me until you marry or turn twenty and one! And if you wish to marry you will need my permission to do so!”

  “My father was a cousin to the king! If I go to him surly he will find a place for me in his court away from you! You monstrous brute!” I slid off his bed and ran for the open door. Thanks to my slippers and skirts he caught me about the waist and tossed me back onto the bed, where he followed pinning my hands above my head.

  “You think to call me that after all I have done for you?” he rasped.

  “You left me alone! I was a child who had lost everything and you left me here with nothing more than servants. I was lucky Millie tried to raise me.” A sob rose in my throat. “Why did you have to come back? I was fine after you left.” Tears streaked my cheeks. “Just go away, why try acting like a family now after it is too late?”

  I turned my head to the side to look away from his gaze, tears siding sideways down my cheek. It was a long moment that I felt his eyes searching my face and slowly he released me and sat on the side of the bed, he head in his hands.

  “Leave me,” he said quietly. It took no more to send me flying from the room, skirts clutched in each hand.

  Belle of the ball

>   The lights lit at night set the large hall hosting the party alit, crowds already forming in a line to get in, out of their carriages and greet the hosts at the giant double doors of the mansion.

  I swallowed nervously and smoothed my hands down the front of the sapphire silk gown that had come only the day before from the dressmakers. She had outdone herself to combine my taste with the Duke’s to create a dress beyond compare. I had run my hand over the silk lovingly and admitted to myself that perhaps my older gowns were a little out dated. Millie had dressed me, pulling the strings of my corset so tight I could barely breathe, then dressed my hair in a wonderful updo creation. After everything was done and applied it was time to go down stairs and there had been waiting Lord Draco. His eyes had narrowed upon seeing me and something sparked.

  I had grinned just for him, striking a pose and waving at him regally. He had bowed and then escorted me to the carriage with no word a’tall. Our carriage came to a halt in front of the gated mansion and there was a polite knock then the door opened. Lord Draco exited first then held up a hand to help me out as well. My slippered feet touched cool stone ground and I was guided inside into a long lit hallway and was greeted by the Duke of Bedford, but his wife was not with him.

  “Nicely met, old friend,” Lord Draco greeted his surprised friend, who turned his eyes to me.

  “It is nice to meet you, Your Grace,” I replied shyly holding tightly to Draco’s arm, my smile strained.

  “Well meet indeed.” The Duke eyed me closely, “If I may say so you are not back in Town a month and have such a beautiful woman on your arm, old fellow.” He grinned then, “Too bad I married just a few months ago, but then again better I have for your chances are greater.”

  Lord Draco glared at him and led me into the grand ball room beyond. Soon he was swarmed by ladies and I was knocked out of the way by the redhead we had met a few weeks before. I righted myself and looked around for people less annoying. I found a group of wonderful girls sitting down by a nearby wall and asked kindly if they would let me join.

  Their stared dumbfounded at first, but all nodded and a few smiled.

  “I could swear we were in a nest of snakes,” I said by way of greeting as I sat.

  “You have no true idea, my lady. Most of them are worse, they like to hunt,” giggled a pretty little brunette who looked slightly older than the others.

  I nodded and laughed quietly. “I am Isadore, and my guardian is His Grace, Lord Draco of Ravenbrood. It is nice to meet you all.”

  “How is it, to be related to such a man?” asked a tall blonde with almond green eyes, then she blushed. “Forgive me that was rude, I am Lady Ali of Berwick.”

  I laughed feeling the tightness in my chest go away slightly. “I am not related to him, I am just his ward. When my father died I was left in the care of his household. But he is not an easy man to get along with.”

  “I could agree,” giggle the brunette that called herself Emily.

  “Why are you all sitting along the wall?” I asked looking around every once was in groups forming couples already for the dances.

  “We hardly ever get asked,” Emily replied.

  “We are either too old or not pretty enough,” Ali agreed.

  “Tosh, don’t be silly. You are all lovey and a bit of age on a woman is a good thing. No more silly dream eyes,” I quipped with a smile. They smiled back gratefully. “Now since the men won’t come to you, let us go fine some, hm?”

  I rose from my chair about to set off when Emily grabbed my hand.

  “That is most improper,” she said quietly.

  “Do you wish to dance or sit away the Season? You are all dressed beautifully, if not dance then why did you come?”

  She thought about it then nodded with a smile. Alana followed close behind, I was going to make a pass by Lord Draco’s group of growing women when he grabbed my wrist and tugged me to him where I tumbled into his side.

  “I am most sorry ladies, but I have already promised, Lady Isadore my first dance, I am sorry but I am sure I shall see you all soon,” he said with a light smile, but I could tell he was not happy.

  When the crowd had drifted off to better places he was about to lead us out when I pulled on my wrist.

  “Let go,” I hissed.

  “Not a chance,” he hissed back, “I refuse to be pranced around with those harpies and their mothers! We shall dance together.”

  I pulled back. “No,” I said firmly. “I made a promise to my new friends that we shall find partners all.”

  He growled something then stormed off into the crowd of people.

  “Well my word,” murmured Emily and Alana together. “What a tempter.”

  “You have no idea,” I muttered darkly and as I was about to turn and lead off again, Lord Draco caught my wrist yet again, but this time he had dragged over a few of his friends. One was rather tall with a nice crop of blondish red hair and sparkling blue eyes, another with dark brown hair, a handsome face and winning grey eyes.

  “Will these do for your friends?” he asked shortly.

  “You are such a brute!” I gasped. “Will they do, I don’t know, why don’t you ask Emily and Alana?” I stepped aside breaking his hold so his friends and my new ones could look each other over.

  The darker of the two whistled softly. “To be led around by such a beauty Draco, I never thought I would see the day.” He stepped forward and addressed us kindly. “I am Bentley, Earl of Korfield, and the man to my right is Jackson, Baron of Berkley. May we ask for this dance?” he eyes danced as he gazed upon Alana and she nodded with a blush.

  “Of course, my lord,” she said as she took his arm and they were off.

  Lord Jackson smiled sweetly at Emily and bowed. “May I request this dance?”

  She nodded and smiled shyly. As Lord Jackson led her off she turned and whispered her thanks.

  “Can we please go dance now? The song shall start any moment,” glowered an angry Duke Draco.

  “You may ask and I shall answer and not a moment before,” I stated crossing my arms.

  He looked on at me in disbelief. “You’re not serious are you? Any number of women would die to have this dance.”

  I smiled sweetly. “Then call back one of your harpies, my lord.” I turned and took a step before he grabbed my wrist.

  “May I have this dance?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes,” I nodded regally and was swept onto the floor. It would be the devils very own luck the first dance was a waltz, the one I hated most.

  “Follow my lead, and forget everything, but the music,” he whispered in my ear as we spun around, me close in his long arms.

  My heart fluttered and I closed my eyes trying to listen to the music. As soon as I heard the beat I flowed with it, it was a good moment later when I opened my eyes and realized that we were the only ones still dancing and the crowd and other couples had stopped to watch. I blushed deeply and he chuckled. With the final stoke of the bow against string, he gave me a final dip.

  His green eyes glittered and cut into mine with a sharp emotion, then I was lifted back to my feet and he left me without a word.

  “He can be rather cruel at times, maybe this is pay back for the faint?” remarked a familiar voice.

  I turned around to find a grinning Drake.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Same reason you are, love, to dance and find the partner of a lifetime. After all it is the job of an Earl to find his future wife right?”

  One Earl too many

  The night turned into a blazing success. With all my dances filled, and many great men to be met I enjoyed myself more than I ever had. It just irritated me that he hadn’t come back yet and there was only one set left. Perhaps something had happened?

  …

  Lord Drake and Lord Whitt came by almost every day over the next two weeks and I was asked to choose one to consider seriously as a suitor. With my mind twisted in knots and Millie of no help, I turned to Lord Draco who h
ad been doing his damnedest to avoid me. I found him holed up in his little study and dropped myself into a chair.

  “I have a question to ask you,” I said with a small smile, petting his hound’s head.

  “What?” he asked grumpily.

  “I have been ask to choose one of them as a serious suitor, who do you think I should bestow my favor upon? Lord Whitt or Lord Drake?”

  “Drake?” he nearly yelled.

  I nodded calmly.

  He got up from his winged chair and glared down at me. “You will do better to stay away from that man! And serious suitor? The Season is not even half over!”

  “I tire of all the fun, it has been great, but I miss being home,” I said softly.

  “If you marry one of them you shall not return to the place you have called home,” he said grimly. “You shall leave everything behind.”

  I was getting frustrated. The plan Lord Drake and I had made was not working. Could the man be so thick headed?

  “What shall I do then?”

  Lord Draco cleared his throat, “You are young yet, why not wait another year before you make your choice.” He sat down next to me a placed a gentle hand on mine. “There is no need to rush.”

  Finally my tempter got the better of me and I snapped, “Why do you not take the hint!” I slapped a hand over my mouth too late.

  His eye narrowed. “What hint?”

  I stood on shaking legs. “You are arrogant, thick headed and a brute on top! Why should I feel this way?” I told myself, but walked over to his chair and stared down at him.

  “You are the one I want, you mule. We haven’t you been able to see it? Drake said you weren’t this daft, but now I see he was wrong,” I huffed.

  “You want me,” he pointed to himself dumbly.