Regency Romance: Duchess In Distress (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance)

by Sarah Thorn

  ''We're just discussing the crisis,'' Francis told his wife.

  ''Yes, it's very difficult. You shouldn't have married me, Francis. You should have married a much richer woman.'' Maria said it in jest, but Francis totally besotted by his wife, thought it a very grave statement indeed.

  ''What is money compared to you?'' Francis said. His wife smiled and took his hand.

  ''Then it is down to me,'' William concluded. The others looked at him, wondering quite what he meant. ''I will have to marry a very rich woman. When a woman marries, her fortune becomes her husband's. That is the answer to our woes.''

  Maria cast her eye over William. He was fresh-faced with slightly red cheeks and more handsome than her husband. William had inherited his mother's fine facial features and dark hair. He was tall and athletic and loved horse riding and hunting.

  ''It would be a solution, that's true. But there are an awful lot of nouveau riche these days. People have made vast fortunes in trade, but most of them don't have any kind of breeding'' Maria nodded in agreement while William waited for Francis to finish. ''In fact, a lot of them are quite uncouth. If you are to find a rich wife, make sure she is one of us, a well-bred aristocrat.''

  ''I will try my best,'' William promised.

  Maria was suddenly very excited at the prospect of a new sister-in-law. ''I know, I will organize a ball. We'll invite a lot of eligible ladies and William can take his pick.'' She beamed at the two brothers, who smiled back approvingly.

  *****

  Fred threw the last sack from the boat onto the quay and looked across at his colleague. ''I would give my right hand for a glimpse of her naked,'' he said. Fred was a laborer, as rough and ready as any Englishman, but ferociously faithful to his employer, Jeffrey Longhurst. Fred's sole task in life was to unload ships. Jeffrey was fast becoming one of England's richest men by importing merchandise, spices, tobacco, tea and coffee, from all corners of the globe to a domestic market hungry to consume.

  Philip, Fred's unloading partner, slapped Fred on the back. ''You'll just have to keep dreaming, the chances of you ever seeing her without clothes are less than nil.''

  ''But just imagine it. Imagine her standing naked in front of you, begging you to take her.''

  Philip burst out laughing. After a few seconds, there were tears streaming down his cheeks. Fred scowled at him. ''Sorry,'' Philip said when he'd recovered his composure. ''It's just the thought of you and her together.'' He burst out laughing again.

  Fred and Philip had spent the last two days unloading a ship called Morning Cloud. It had arrived from India with hundreds of sacks of spices, and each one had to be thrown up to the quay. To relieve the boredom, Fred had started to fantasize about Jeffrey's daughter, Megan. He was in love with her, but he knew he didn't stand a chance. She was the most beautiful woman in the country, and she would certainly never look at a stocky, muscle-bound, dock worker. The problem was, Megan spent most of her time at the harbor. She loved the sea air, and the hustle and bustle, as ships came and went. To Fred, she was walking perfection, but he often wished she would stay away so he could concentrate on his work. She would stand on the quay and count the sacks as they were unloaded. Fred, below in the ship, longed for the day when a gust of wind would lift her dress and give him a glimpse of what he so badly wanted.

  ''Good job, men,'' Jeffrey said as Fred and Philip climbed from the ship onto the quay. ''Here's a bit extra, go and have a drink on me,'' he said, giving each a few coins. They both thanked him and disappeared to the Steam Packet Inn, a rough place, where dockers drank and fought.

  Jeffrey walked back to his office, a red brick building on the sea front. Inside, Megan was sitting at her desk reading a book.

  ''I would like to talk to you,'' he said.

  Megan closed her book and looked up. ''What about?''

  He sat down on the edge of her desk. ''About marriage.''

  ''I don't want to marry. I'm perfectly happy. My life is this: the quay, the ships, the business, and, of course, my horses. I don't want to marry.''

  ''But you are twenty-two, I don't want to see you on the shelf.''

  ''I know all too well what you want,'' she said. ''You're a social climber. You won't be happy until I marry the King of England.''

  ''What is wrong with wanting the best for my daughter?''

  ''Nothing. But all you want is to gain access to the aristocracy. Can't you be satisfied with your life as it is? You are rich beyond belief, and you have a loving daughter. Why isn't that enough?''

  ''As I said, I only want the best for you. The best people in this country have pedigree, impeccable breeding, and those people belong to the aristocracy. With my money and connections, I can surely find you a good......''

  ''Husband,'' she interrupted. ''You're a snob, father. You've got a chip on your shoulder just because you come from a middle-class family. Why on earth do you want to mix with the upper echelons of society?''

  ''Because I do.''

  ''That's not an answer. Anyway, I'm very happy working here, with you, I don't need a husband.''

  *****

  ''Do I look nice?'' Megan asked.

  ''You look lovely,'' Emily answered.

  Jeffrey and Megan lived in a large house in Bristol, one of England's main ports. Jeffrey had enough money to employ an army of servants, but as a keen businessman, he was careful with money and kept the number of staff to a minimum. Megan had a lady's maid, and he employed a cook and a butler. Emily was just two years older than Megan. She was a local woman with a lovely Bristol accent and a fine sense of humor. Megan found she could confide in Emily, and poor Emily often found herself hearing things she didn't want to.

  ''My father is simply terrible,'' Megan said, as Emily put the finishing touches to her hair.

  ''What makes you say that?'' Emily asked.

  ''For sending me to this awful ball.''

  ''I'm sure you'll enjoy it once you're there.''

  ''But I'll be there under false pretenses.''

  ''Why?'' Emily had no idea why Megan would go anywhere under a false pretense.

  ''Because my father is desperate to have me married off to an upper-class gentleman. It is he who wants access to the aristocracy, not me. He's using me as a pawn in his game.''

  ''I'm sure he means well, though. Your father loves you; I think he only wants the best for you.''

  ''That's what he says, but I don't believe him. Take this evening for example. My father has a friend, who happens to know someone called the Duke of Thurlington, and he happens to be having a ball.'' Megan clasped her hands together in frustration. ''At my father's request, his friend got me an invitation but only after telling them I'm the goddaughter of some Earl or other. The whole thing is a charade.''

  ''Yes, it does seem odd,'' Emily said before becoming more optimistic. ''But perhaps you will fall in love with a handsome man.''

  ''Emily, how many times have I told you, I don't want to marry?''

  ''Many, Miss, but I don't believe you.'' Megan looked in the mirror at Emily, who had a slight grin on her face.

  ''I'm a fool. I seem incapable of refusing anything my father asks me to do.''

  ''There, finished,'' Emily said. ''Stand up and let me have a look at you.'' Megan got up from the dressing table and stood in front of Emily. ''Oh miss, you are simply the most beautiful woman alive.''

  ''Emily,'' Megan's tone was one of embarrassment, ''don't say things that aren't true.''

  ''I think it is true,'' Emily replied defiantly. Emily was in awe of her mistress. She knew Megan could attract any man she wanted to, with ease. As a local woman, she'd heard many men talking about the vulgar things they would like to do to Megan. It was idle talk, fueled solely by the fact Megan was stunningly beautiful. Megan had high cheek bones and emerald green eyes. She had perfect skin, long slender legs, and a tiny waist which showed off her ample bosom to perfection. Emily always enjoyed arranging Megan's golden hair, and that evening she'd turned out a masterpiece.


  ''Mother's dress does fit me well, doesn't it?'' Megan observed.

  ''Yes, it is a perfect fit.''

  ''I never knew her, and wearing this dress makes me feel close to her in some way.''

  ''That makes perfect sense.'' Emily knew the story; Jeffrey had told her on the day she began working for him. Megan's mother died shortly after giving birth to her. Jeffrey told Emily that at least Megan's' mother had had some time with her daughter before she'd slipped away. Emily felt tearful every time she thought about it.

  *****

  ''Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dredge, and Miss Megan Longhurst'' the announcer shouted. Nobody looked up. The announcer had been shouting out people's names for half an hour, and all the most important people had already arrived.

  ''Megan, don't forget, the only reason you're here is because I lied about who you are,'' Michael said.

  ''And how did you get an invitation to such a prestigious ball?'' Megan asked.

  ''I knew the Duke's father. I did a lot of construction work for him a few years ago. Your father asked me to get you into the ball when he heard about it. He knew I had some kind of connection to the Duke. All I had to do was mention that I was bringing a beautiful, eligible, young lady with me.'' He looked down his long nose at her, ''But don't forget, if anyone asks, you're the goddaughter of the Earl of Wells.''

  ''A ridiculous charade, if I may say so.''

  ''I'm only doing what your father requested,'' he complained.

  Mr. and Mrs. Dredge were Jeffrey's best friends. People of the same class, with the same enthusiasm for business.

  ''May I ask you to introduce us?'' a man asked Michael.

  ''Er....yes....of course. May I present Miss Megan Longhurst, Megan this is Lord William Thurlington.

  William had seen Megan from the other side of the room and instantly decided he wanted to meet her. Megan curtsied, and he bowed.

  ''It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Longhurst,'' William said. ''If I may say so I have never seen anyone as charming.''

  Megan thought exactly the same. The second she saw him she took an enormous liking to him. ''Thank you.''

  ''I'm the Duke's younger brother.''

  ''It's a magnificent ball, people have made a lot of effort to make the ballroom look so nice. So many fresh flowers.''

  ''It's thanks to my sister-in-law, Maria. The ball was her idea.''

  Megan was dazzled by the color of his eyes, somewhere between blue and turquoise. ''What is the reason for the ball.''

  ''It's really for me. I'm looking for a wife.''

  Megan looked around. ''That's why there are so many beautiful young women here and so few eligible young men,'' she observed.

  He laughed. ''There are, as you say, many eligible young women here. But none as.....'' He stopped himself. He'd intended to say, 'wonderful,' but thought he may frighten her by his enthusiasm. Megan waited for him to finish the sentence.

  ''None as, what?'' she asked when he wasn't forthcoming.

  ''Lovely,'' he said in a gush of emotion.

  ''You are most kind,'' she said, feeling her face turn pink. Stop blushing she told herself, but it was impossible. She'd only known him for two minutes, and already her whole body was on fire.

  ''Tell me about yourself,'' he said casting his eyes over her breasts, and down to the curve of her hips.

  ''Oh, I'm not really that interesting.'' She didn't want to lie to him. She hadn't thought she would end up talking to Lord Thurlington, let alone find him stunningly attractive, and telling him she was the daughter of some fictitious Earl suddenly seemed like an act of betrayal.

  ''I'm sure that's not true. Who are you?''

  ''I live in Bristol, I like horse riding.''

  ''Do you? I like it too. Very much. Is it the first time you've been here, to Hamilton Hall?''

  ''Yes.''

  ''Oh, then you must come and look at something, if that's agreeable?'' Megan had no idea what he intended to show her, but she smiled and nodded.

  ''Just a moment, I'll arrange a chaperone.'' After a minute or so, William returned with a young woman. ''This is my cousin Alice, she will walk with us.''

  Alice was small and quite insignificant looking, but she had a kind face and Megan found her a suitable type to act as chaperone. They walked through the large double door and out into the evening air. It was a soft evening and there was a smell of newly cut grass in the air. They walked to the left down a path that led away from the house towards some outbuildings. When Megan smelled hay, she instantly knew he wanted to show her horses.

  ''What do you think?'' William asked as Megan stood open-mouthed in front of a stable block.

  ''I can't find the words,'' she said. ''They are beautiful.'' She walked up to a stable and stroked the face of a white horse. The horse seemed to enjoy it, and its ears turned forwards.

  ''I think we have twenty-six in all. And next spring we are looking forward to some new arrivals. The brood mares are in this block.'' He pointed to another set of stables. Megan walked over and peered inside one of them. She saw a brown mare with a swollen belly.

  ''Oh, Lord Thurlington, they are all so lovely. Thank you for showing me.''

  ''It's my pleasure. As you can see, we love horse here at Hamilton Hall.'' Megan wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her. In fact, she wanted more from him than just a kiss. The way he looked and his interest in horses was making her think very sexual thoughts. Her imagination was taking her to places she'd never been with a man before. ''We'd better get back to the ball,'' he said. As they walked back to the house, he stopped and nodded to Alice, who stepped ahead and didn't look back. ''Miss Longhurst...''

  ''Please call me Megan.''

  ''Megan, I.....I think you are very beautiful and more than that, we seem to share an interest. I would like to ask you before we return to the ballroom if you would........''

  ''Yes,'' she said before she knew what he was going to ask.

  ''But you don't know what I wanted to ask you,'' he said, a smile on his face.

  ''It doesn't matter. I will do whatever you want.''

  ''I want to see you more often.''

  ''Then my first answer was already correct,'' she said.

  Megan wondered what had happened to her. Only a day ago she was adamant that she didn't want to get married, now here she was, prepared to do anything this man wanted. If he'd asked her to marry him, she would have said yes. As they approached the ballroom, a dreadful, sobering thought crossed her mind. Either she would have to lie to him and tell him she was the Earl's goddaughter, or tell him the truth and risk being cast aside as a woman of a lower class. She hoped he would fall in love with her before she had to reveal either.

  ''Will you dance with me?'' William asked upon their return to the ballroom.

  They danced, and William felt proud to be with such a beautiful looking woman.

  Many of the young women who had attended the ball began to feel cheated. They'd understood the theme of the ball was to find a wife for Lord Thurlington, but he'd not spoken to one woman except Megan. At the end of the evening, as people began to leave, many women scowled their disapproval at Megan. It was as if she'd stolen something intensely personal from them.

  ''When can I see you again?'' William asked.

  ''Whenever you would like. Perhaps you would be kind enough to show me the horses once again. Perhaps, even, we could ride together?''

  ''Yes, I'd like that very much.''

  *****

  Megan returned to Hamilton Hall just three days later. When she stepped out of the coach her father had provided for her, she was greeted by William, who she thought, looked even more handsome than at the ball. He was dressed in riding clothes, a splendid red jacket and white britches with boots.

  ''Thank you for returning so quickly,'' he said.

  ''Thank you for inviting me.''

  Alice was on hand again as chaperone, but she'd been thoroughly briefed by William to keep her distance, and when he gave the signal, to disa
ppear altogether. Alice took Megan to a room where she was able to change into her riding clothes. William waited impatiently outside, pacing up and down, like a caged lion.

  ''She's a steady ride,'' he said as Megan climbed the mounting steps to a horse called Blossom. When Megan was in the saddle, William handed her the reigns and mounted his horse. Alice was to follow on a pony, which seemed too large for her.

  ''Are you sure she is alright, so far behind,'' Megan asked, referring to Alice.

  ''I asked her to stay back because I want to talk privately to you.''

  ''I'm glad you did.''

  They rode over a meadow and through a gate, to a path along the river. ''We can follow this path for a long way, but I thought we could stop in a little while, tie the horses up and talk.''

  ''It's a really idyllic place,'' Megan said. ''Is it all your land?''

  ''For now, yes.'' He scolded himself for saying that. It implied they wouldn't always have the land and that wasn't necessarily true.

  ''For now?'' she inevitably asked.

  ''No, I mean it's ours, or more correctly said, it's my brother's. I'm only number two.''

  ''You are more than that to me,'' Megan said. She didn't care whether he thought it was forward or not. She wanted him to know how she felt about him. If she was honest with herself, she was already deeply in love with him. As they rode along the path, the chemistry was palpable. William had made up his mind too. As soon as they reached the place where the river became shallower, he would send Alice away.

  When William gave the signal they had rehearsed, Alice turned her pony around and galloped off into the distance. William dismounted and tied his horse to a tree. It lowered its head and began to munch on some grass. He put out his arms to assist Megan dismount, and she dropped down into them. He tied her horse to the same tree. As soon as he finished, he reached for her and kissed her. A passionate kiss which demanded a response and Megan did respond. She clung to him, crushing her lips against his. It wasn't long before she felt William's erection pushing against her leg. Feeling desperately aroused she put her hand on him. He moaned and thrust his hips against her.