“Yes? Is anything amiss?”
“No. Of course not. It is only that I see our future in-laws, and now that there seems to be a break in activities, I reckon it would be a good time to make the introductions.”
Not waiting for a response, she began to walk away, pulling him with her. Howbeit, she did not go as much as two steps further for Williams stood rooted, pulling her back. She looked up at him, her confusion written all over her face. When he spoke, she almost laughed.
“Viscount Finsbury, Viscountess, forgive my wife, please. She is rather eager to meet an old family friend of ours. Please, excuse us.” Of course, she thought, Williams had to make it seem like she had done something terribly wrong by refusing to take her excuse.
“Future in-laws, you said, Victoria?” the Viscountess asked, ever ready to have access to the latest gossip in town. Victoria looked at her like she was only just recognising her presence. She knew Maria was fishing, and she was more than happy to provide her with bait. Mustering the regalest smile she could, she spoke, “Oh, but of course. The Duke and Duchess of Yorkshire have declared an interest for Agnes’s hands in marriage to their son, Nicholas, the future Duke of Yorkshire.” The look of unpleasant surprise on Maria’s face pleased Victoria greatly.
“Agnes is finally getting married? I thought she was quite resigned to a life of spinsterhood.”
“Ahh. You thought wrong. Agnes was simply biding her time, you see. What is that saying again, the patient dog eats the bone that is the fattest? Indeed, I believe that is how it goes. You must excuse us please. You would not know, but it is impolite to keep your in-laws waiting.”
With that, she tugged at Williams, who offered an apologetic look, but followed this time. They walked through the crowds, barely stopping to greet anyone else. A few nods and waves was all that Victoria allowed. Soon, they reached Henry and Elizabeth, both of whom were quite excited to see them.
“Look Henry! It’s Duke Birmingham and the Duchess!” Elizabeth Stamford exclaimed as Victoria and Williams reached them. Williams and Victoria shared a knowing smile before Williams spoke.
“Elizabeth, we are way past such formalities.” He went in for a small hug and air kisses which Elizabeth warmly received and returned. Victoria did the same with Henry, and as they broke apart, she went to greet Elizabeth, so that the men could shake hands.
“Williams is right. Seeing as he and Henry have been acquaintances for years and we are soon to become a family”, she chimed as she stepped back from greeting Elizabeth.
“You two look very well. I can see country life has been good on you,” Williams commented, and Victoria gave an eye roll. The Duchess looked good alright, but she had just been about to comment on the Duke’s unusual appearance. Trust Williams to always be polite to a fault.
“Henry though, you look rather pale and lean. I hope it would not be presumptuous of me if I asked if all is well with you.” From her peripheral view, she saw Williams gave her the eyes, but she ignored him. Twenty-five years in marriage was enough for him to not be surprised by her words or deeds. She was not one to mince words.
Thankfully, Henry and Elizabeth took it rather well, although, a hint of sadness flashed through their faces, but it was gone so soon that Victoria wondered if she had imagined it.
“Of course not, Victoria,” Elizabeth began to reply. “It was rather sweet of you to notice. You see Henry has been unwell for a while now. The physicians are not entirely hopeful, but we are, holding on to just that – hope, against all odds.”
Victoria gave a dramatic gasp, though she was truly surprised. “Oh my! I am terribly sorry to hear that. I had no idea.” She hadn’t thought it was that bad. While she felt disheartened for Henry, she could not help the thoughts that started to float through her head. If Henry died soon, Nicholas would take over his title, and she would become a Duchess dowager, for being the mother of a Duchess. Could life get any better?
Victoria! a voice exclaimed in her head, but she shushed it up. She was only being factual. If the physicians were not positive, then the best thing to do was to accept fate as it was and move on to a greater future. They were all going to die someday, after all. It mattered little how soon it came, when one could boast of having already lived a fulfilling life.
“It is a lot to take in, but we are doing the best we can. You will understand now, why we are so eager to see Nicholas married, to a family of honour, nonetheless. I would like to see my only child happily settled before I close my eyes for the last time.”
“Don’t speak that way, Henry! Look at you on your own feet when you could not even manage to stand a fortnight ago. I say a miracle can still happen. We simply must have faith.”
She heard the quiver in Elizabeth’s voice and instantly felt bad, especially when Henry turned to give his wife a sad smile. No matter her reputation, she still had the heart and decency to feel empathy for a dying man.
She and Williams remained in awkward silence, aware that this was a private moment. It was sad indeed. Henry was a good man and a good friend to her husband. It was never easy to lose any of those two. It was even harder when the person was both.
“I think you should listen to your wife, Henry. If you have made such great recovery in a short while, there might be hope yet. These physicians have been wrong several times. They are humans after all, and prone to errors.” She turned to smile at her husband as he said words she had not been able to think of.
“Thank you dear friend. Now, enough of this sad talk. Your daughters are here; I presume?” Henry asked as he looked round, as if he hoped to see them in such a packed crowd.
“Of course!” Victoria chimed again, glad to have the dreariness behind.
“I shall send for them right away. I believe Nicholas is here too? I know he is not one for balls.”
“We made sure he attended this one. He knows all that is at stake,” Elizabeth put in and Victoria nodded, pleased.
She gave her excuse and took her leave so that she could search for the girls. She left Williams behind with Henry, and she knew they would soon begin to discuss business, especially since Elizabeth had gone to get Nicholas too.
She managed to find Agnes and Isabelle in time, but Eleanor was nowhere to be found.
“Eleanor has wandered off again, I presume?”
Agnes nodded as she replied, “She declared interest in seeing the library. You know how she is with books.”
Victoria sighed as she rolled her eyes. Of course, the library. She would never be able to understand her last daughter’s fascination with books.
“I shall get her, Mother.”
She was already shaking her head before she replied. “No, that would not do. You are needed, not Eleanor. I am sure the Stamfords are already gathered at the balcony with your father. We mustn’t keep them waiting. Isabelle…” she called out to her second daughter who instantly gave her attention.
“Yes,Mother?”
“Get your sister, will you? Meet us at the balcony as soon as you can.”
“Alright, Mother. I shall do just that.”
She nodded Isabelle away as she dropped a curtsy and returned her attention to Agnes. “Shall we?” without waiting for a response, she turned and began to head for the balcony, aware that her daughter was right behind her.
Chapter 11
Isabelle Birmingham had a knowing smile on her face as she found her way to the library. She didn’t need directions since she had toured the whole of Fortham House the last time she was here for a ball. Finding her way was easy, but that wasn’t the cause for the slight smile on her face.
She knew what plagued Agnes. Had known for a long time now. Many thought her to be the flighty and flirty lady she actually was, but she was so much more than that. She was more sensible than she was given credit for, and she did not mind one bit. It was much better if there were no high expectations from her. She liked to be the air headed Birmingham girl, who was a total sweetheart. She had been voted the least to
surprise anyone with a scandal last season. Of course, her mother nearly had a heart attack, and she had laughed about it for days in the privacy of her chambers.
It was fun to live this way, and when the time came, she would settle down with a man who held her interest longer than any other man ever had. She was not one who believed in love at first sight. Oh, she knew love existed, saw it in her father’s eyes every time he looked at Mother. Sometimes, she saw it in her mother’s eyes when she looked at him, but more in the way she always seemed to reach for him whenever he was around her, completely oblivious of her unconscious action. She knew that if she chose a man who was good at heart like her father, they could grow in love, nurture and care for it like a garden, so that it bore beautiful fruits.
Regardless, her lack of experience in the matter of love did not mean that she did not understand what Agnes was going through. She knew her sister was hurting, badly. However, there was little she could do to help. If Agnes was not ready to take a stand for herself after all these years, against her mother and against society, then she was not one to get involved.
She recalled the directions she had taken on the tour and made the first turn as she got to the top of the stairs. As she did, she heard footsteps by her right and turned to see a man approaching from the hallway by her side. Immediately he stepped into full light, she recognised who it was.
Benjamin Witherspoon. The fine, elite bachelor, relative of the Prince Regent, and sixty-third in line to the throne. Wealthy by his hand, and by inheritance, made Duke at the early age of 19, though he rarely went by that title. Quite a lot, she would agree. Yet, it was only a part of the reason why the girls would not stop throwing themselves at him, regardless of the number of broken hearts he left on his trail. For beyond his title and wealth, the man himself was lethal. Dangerously handsome, tall, dark-haired, he moved with the fluid grace of a man who knew his worth and the power he wielded. Add that to his charm, it was little wonder why half of the female population in the whole of England, young and old women alike, married and unmarried, pined for him. Unfortunately, he wasaware of this, so while he could be extremely humble about his position, when it came to his relationship with women, he was an arrogant bastard who generally assumed he could get any woman he wanted. It was the sole reason Isabelle hated his guts. Never the fact that she found him attractive. God forbid she ever did!
“Well... Well... Well...” he began, as he reached her, stopping a foot away from her. Too close for comfort. However, Isabelle could not decide whether she wanted to step back or move closer, so she stood her ground.
“Lost are we?” His lips curved into the gorgeous smirk she despised so much. Her hands itched to wipe it off his face.
She scoffed, unable to help it, and since losing her sense of propriety came naturally where Benjamin was involved, she rolled her eyes.
“And if I were? Would you transform into a valiant knight and rescue a poor damsel in distress?”
Benjamin did not miss the taunt in her voice, or the fact that she had mocked him either. This was Isabelle Birmingham, and it came as no surprise. She was his archenemy. In less colourful words, a pain in his arse. She drove him crazy, for sometimes he wanted to strangle her, other times, he wanted to spread her legs open on his four poster bed and ravish her properly until the only words that escaped her mouth were pleas for him. Many called her a sweetheart. It made him want to bark with laughter. She was a sorceress, plain and simple, with that red hair and onyx eyes she had got from her great grandmother. Zeandra had been rumoured to be a witch; he had a feeling that blood ran in Isabelle.
“Maybe. Except...” He paused as he looked around for effect. “I see no damsel. Only a witch, in the form of a lady.”
She did not miss a beat. “Careful. I might just cast a spell. Who knows what you would find missing.” Her eyes fluttered down to his crotch and back to his eyes, and a wave of fear hit him. It did not matter if she was simply taunting him, he did not play with his manhood, ever.
Still, he could not let her know she’d won this round, so he willed his fear away, wearing his mask.
“Tsk tsk. Sheath your claws, cat. I do not do well with threats. Besides, I am certain the Duchess will not be too happy to find out you are lounging in the halls, instead of fetching your sister like you were asked to.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, instantly wishing she actually had said claws.
“Have you fallen so madly in love with me that you have planted spies to keep record of my movements?”
He laughed at this, and she hated the way his deep voice sounded so good, carrying through the hallway.
“In your wildest of dreams, and I know you do have them.” He stepped closer, causing her bosom to rub against his chest, and she gave an involuntary intake of breath.
She almost slapped herself when she saw the glint in his eyes. Of course, he would have noticed that. Now, he would feel as though he had an upper hand in this unending tussle for power. He confirmed this when he reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear and traced the curve of her jaw, down to her neck. Everywhere he touched burned and tingled at the same time. It was a miracle, how she managed to betray nothing.
She contemplated asking him to take his hands off her and step away, but she knew he would see that as weakness. Interpret it as his nearness and touch affected her – which was the truth. Nonetheless, he did not have to know that.
“When I appear in those dreams, it will be all those things I can see your eyes begging me to do, those things which you are too stubborn to ask for with your lips. Still, even in that land where anything could be possible, I, Benjamin Witherspoon, would never fall in love with you, Isabelle. It would do you well not to have such fool’s thoughts.”
Those words hit her like a slap, and she stepped away, immediately. “That remains our problem. You think too highly of yourself, Witherspoon. One day, you shall find a woman who will humble you. I know you think that is what I intend to do, but believe me when I say, I have no such intentions. I would only be too glad to watch it happen, when it does. And oh, it will.”
With that, she turned and resumed her business, aware that he was following behind her. She could hear his footsteps, his snickers which grinded on her insides; she could feel his dominating presence. Swallowing hard, she struggled to block everything off. She was no maybe schoolgirl; she could handle attraction. Especially when it was a fatal one.
After a while, she heard his footsteps again as she took the last turn. She felt so much better and wanted to laugh at herself for her reaction earlier, for letting him get to her. She should have known better.
“Are you following me? Have your hands become so idle that you have nothing better to do? Why? Do not tell me all the ladies have so quickly tire of you” She spared him no glance, trudging onwards.
“You would want that of course, so you could have me to yourself. Alas, no. I am simply on the way to the library myself, to let my dear friend know it is time to meet his future wife.”
She stopped abruptly, turning to look at him, retort for his earlier statement, forgotten.
“You are friends with Nicholas Stamford?”
“Yes. Since we were only kids. You could call us brothers.”
“I suppose I should inform my beloved sister of my findings. If the saying, birds of a feather, flock together, holds any truth, I reckon we have cause for alarm. I am afraid I cannot sit back and let her marry a man of such despicable character.”
Benjamin chuckled at this, not minding the bite at all.
“Such high praise from you milady.It warms my heart; I must confess. Sadly, as much as I love to see you all riled up, I must calm your fears. Nicholas is an honourable man. If I had a sister, I would hand her over to him, myself. There is no better man I would rather see her married to, with such profound peace in my heart. I have met the Lady Agnes a few times. While I do not think this match is sensible, I do know they would honour each other as a man and wife sho
uld in marriage. They may even find happiness in one another as the years go by.”
A Scandalous Love for the Enticing Duke: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 8