“We are going to help everyone end up with their heart’s loves. Unfortunately, I need your help. I have got a plan. Sadly, it isn’t something a Lady can execute all on her own. That is why I have come to seek your help.”
He grinned. In a time like this, he grinned! “Ahh. I see, the damsel has finally admitted to being in distress. Never worry, knight Benjamin to the rescue. As it happens, I have a white horse to go.” Beside herself, she found her cheeks curving in a smile as he winked at her. Trust him to find amusement in such a dicey situation.
She finally agreed to take her seat. He got down opposite her, and she began to tell him of her carefully laid out plans. As the night rolled by, she was glad she had come to him after all. There were loopholes in her carefully crafted plan which he had easily pointed out and amended. By the time they returned to the ball, they had come up with a foolproof plan, and Isabelle was feeling so different about Benjamin Witherspoon. It scared her, but she could no longer deny it – she was attracted to the impossible, arrogant Duke.
Chapter 25
Benjamin Witherspoon was many things, but what he was not was a valiant warrior for love. He did not do love, did not believe in it, period! Yet, here he was, assigning himself as a cohort in this mission Isabelle Birmingham had carefully planned out and roped him into. Indeed, he had reasons why he was doing this. For one, he wanted to see his friend happy. There was also the fact that he had been terribly bored lately, and this would serve as good entertainment. Deep inside, though, he knew that the foremost reason why he was doing this was because of who had asked him.
There was something about Isabelle Birmingham that drew him in like moth to a flame, that had him coming back, no matter how many times he got burned. In the beginning, he had accepted that it was merely lust. Now, he wasn’t so certain anymore. Sure, she still – in Nicholas’s words – made his blood boil. And his balls? Yes, she made them itch. Last night was proof. His trousers had felt too uncomfortable from the bulge he had grown the moment his eyes fell upon her bare skin. It had affected him more than he liked to admit, and when he held her as they danced, it had taken sheer willpower to keep his manhood from stirring towards her. All the time they had been in his old room at the Stamfords’ home, he had thought of a million things he could do to her in such a private enclosed place. Pacing around had done nothing to relieve him of his discomfort. He was only glad she was so innocent, and she had not suspected a thing.
Indeed, he had felt all of those things, conversely, he could not deny that it was beginning to become something more. The tug in his heart when she smiled, and her eyes lit up. Her quick wit, the way she bantered with him and always had a witty retort for everything. She excited him, and more than that, she warmed him. Even now, sitting beside her in this carriage as they headed for Hyde Park where they would be meeting a certain Alan Sheldon, he could feel her in every breath he took. He had called upon her earlier in the day, and her mother had been more than happy to let her go with him, with only one maid as a chaperone. Of course, it had been a maid of Isabelle’s choosing. She had said she could trust this one.
“We are almost there,” he said, sensing her impatience.
She looked up and gave him a small smile. There was that pull again. He managed to give her a wink and quickly looked away. He could not afford to betray anything. Until he was entirely certain this attraction was mutual, there was no way he would make such a fool of himself.
Soon, they arrived Hyde Park, and immediately he helped her and the maid down, he led the way to where they had requested Alan to wait for them in the letter he had written to the man.
“Are you certain you can recognise this man?”
“Without doubt. The Sheldons have been doing business with my family for centuries. I have known Alan since he was a boy of about twelve summers. Now, he is twenty and six. I would recognise him in my dreams, I declare.”
He smiled at the indignation in her voice. “Good. Keep your eyes open.”
She did not miss a beat. “I intend to. In fact, I see him. Over there.”
He followed her outheld hand to a man who was sitting on bench, facing their direction. Benjamin had not really had any expectations, but he was impressed by what he saw. This man was good looking and well dressed. He also sat like a man who knew his worth. If the lady Agnes had chosen this man, Benjamin knew title or not, he must be worth it. The man looked up as they approached, and recognition dawned in his eyes when he sighted Isabelle. His eyes stayed on her for only a brief moment before returning to Benjamin, still it left Benjamin feeling some way that the man had looked at her in the first place. He pushed the feeling away, focussing on the task at hand. As they got closer to the merchant, he got up on his feet. When they reached him, Isabelle floated over and held his shoulders as she kissed the air on the side of his cheeks. Such familiarity! It gnawed at Benjamin even when he knew he had no right to be put off by it. She had known the man for fourteen years, after all.
“Alan, the overseas agree with you, as always. I wouldn’t have known you were back if I had not seen you sneak out of my father’s house in the dead of the night.” Benjamin watched the man’s face for his reaction. He gave himself away when he flushed. Hmm … interesting.
Isabelle stepped back, and he stepped forward to shake the man’s hands. She did the introductions.
“Alan, I would like you to meet Benjamin Witherspoon, Duke of Sussex and close friend to Nicholas Stamford, the one who Agnes is to be married to.”
The man’s eyes widened in alarm, but Benjamin was quick to calm his fears. “There is absolutely nothing to worry about, Mr Sheldon. I assure you, we are here in your best interest.” Alan visibly relaxed as he accepted Benjamin’s handshake. It was firm, and Benjamin’s respect for him climbed up a notch.
Alan finally spoke. “Pleased to meet you.” Then regarding Isabelle, “You look as lovely as always, Isabelle. I received your letter. I take it you already know of my liaison with your sister. Howbeit, I am yet to fathom the reason for this meeting.”
Benjamin turned to look at Isabelle who had a smile on her face as she responded. “In due time, Alan. Shall we walk?”
Upon his agreement, they began to walk. Both men flanked Isabelle by her sides, and her maid remained about seven feet behind. Far enough not to hear a thing unless she strained her ears, close enough for anyone watching to know that they were together.
As they walked, Isabelle explained the entire situation and the plan they had come up with carefully, to the merchant, and Benjamin remained quiet, watching the man’s reaction from the sides of his eyes.
“That is all, Alan. What do you think of it?” she asked as she finished.
He took a deep breath before responding. “I must confess. This is a lot to absorb. Nicholas is in love with your youngest sister, but he cannot say so for he must obey his father’s dying wish. You both, are willing to help me elope with Agnes, to get married?”
“Exactly! I have watched you two for so long, and I reckon, I have never seen two people better made for each other. You make her an entirely different person, Alan. She has been nothing but miserable since the engagement, so has Eleanor. I only want to see my sisters happy and full of light again.”
Alan said nothing for a long time. He appeared to be in deep thought, but they continued to walk. Moments later, he stopped and they did. Then, he moved to stand in front of Benjamin and Isabelle.
“I must declare that you have my profound gratitude for this selfless deed. I have spoken with Agnes regarding this, and our affair has come to an end. She made the same request you have just made, and I shall give you the answer I gave to her.” He paused to heave a sigh, and they waited for his answer. Benjamin had a feeling it would not be what they had been expecting when they made their plans. This was confirmed as Alan spoke.
“I cannot elope with Agnes. I will not dishonour her that way. More than that, I will not break her father’s trust in me. Agnes loves her family. If we were to e
lope, we would have to go far away. More than that, we would have our marriage in secret, without the people who mean the most to her, there to witness it happen. She would not have her parents’ blessings, and she may never be welcomed into your home again. As much as I love Agnes, I cannot do that to her. I would give anything to spend a lifetime with Agnes, but never this.”
Benjamin was taken aback, so was Isabelle. They shared a look, and he knew what she was thinking. They had not factored this into the equation. Their plans depended on Alan’s agreement, to work. Although, Benjamin understood this man, it was a thing of honour, he could see this. Yet, if he truly loved Agnes, he must be able to forsake all else.
“Alan. I understand you completely. Nevertheless, I could not help noticing that all you have just mentioned is what you feel about the matter. You said Agnes asked you to run away with her, herself. Do you think that the woman whom you have known all these years is not sensible enough to have not factored all of these into her decision? No wonder she looked distraught the other night. Your rejection must have broken her. Agnes is in love with you. If she is willing to risk all of that you have just mentioned, for you, why can you not do the same? Would keeping your honour be worth spending a lifetime without each other?”
“What if we damn it all, and she suddenly realises I am not enough? What happens then? Regrets? More misery than what we both feel now?” His voice broke, and it shook Benjamin. Alan looked like he may shed a tear. What kind of pain did a man have to go through to want to cry? Was love really this powerful?
Isabelle struggled for words to say, and he could not blame her. He too was quite at a loss for them. A long moment passed, then he heard himself say, “What if that doesn’t happen? What if you two realise that you are more than enough? All that you ever wanted? What if you make each other happier than you both have ever been in your entire life?”
He was aware of Isabelle’s eyes on him, but he avoided her look of awe. He did not know where that had come from either. He chose to keep his eyes on Alan who had once again gone into deep thought.
“Agnes has broken rules to be with you, all these years, Alan. She has always risked more than you have. Do you not reckon that it’s high time something gave?”
Finally, the merchant looked at Isabelle, hope renewing. “You really think we can do this?”
“I wouldn’t be here, otherwise. You are a great man, Alan. Noble by heart. It is only a pity that Mother would never see past the lack of a title and Father would never want to upset her by not standing by her. If it were not so, I believe he would have given his blessings freely too.You are the son he never had, you know.”
Benjamin looked from Isabelle to Alan. If he did not agree after this, there was nothing more to be done. All four of them concerned, would have to deal with the pain that was sure to come.
“I’ll do it. I will elope, if she will still have me, that is.”
“Really?” Isabelle cried out in joy, as a strange sense of relief filled Benjamin. As Alan nodded, she cried again. “Oh, she will have you! I am not certain of anything more than I am of that. Oh, Alan! This is great.” She grabbed his shoulders and stood on her toes to place a kiss on his cheeks. Benjamin could not find it himself to feel slighted at that, not when he saw the other man flush again. As Isabelle released him and stepped back, he said, “Tell me what we must do again.”
And so they did. An hour later, when he dropped Isabelle off at her home, he gave her a kiss of his own, on her cheeks. They were as soft as he had imagined them to be. He told himself it was only for show, if they were to make people believe they were courting through the course of their plans. He knew that he had never told a more terrible lie. It had been done strictly for pleasure, and he got his reward when he heard her breath catch, as his cool lips touched her warm skin.
Chapter 26
Alan could only recall a few times when he had been afraid in his entire life. He had been afraid when he ran off into the woods as a little boy. He had been only eight and had attempted to climb up a tree only to lose his grip and fall, halfway up. Of course, he had broken his ankle and had been unable to get up. Alone, hurting, in the woods, he had been truly scared that no one would find him. So, he had broken down and cried. When his parents finally found him, he had been too happy to have been rescued that he had not minded their scolding or the punishment that followed.
The second time he had been scared was when he and his father had had that dreadful accident at sea. He had not been afraid for his life but for his father’s. Nathaniel Sheldon had been badly injured and had remained on his sick bed for two weeks. They were the most gruelling weeks of Alan’s life. Sadly, his fear had come to pass, and his father had not made it. Yes, only those two instances came to mind. Now, he had to add this moment to it as he stood in front of the Birmingham town house, dreading knocking on the large wooden doors. He had received a summons from the Duke to come as soon as he could. The moment he read those words of urgency, dread filled him. He could not help thinking that the worst was about to happen.
Just when he had begun to think that things would work out, and he and Agnes would finally be happy, this had to happen. He knew, deep within his bones that their affair had been discovered by the wrong people. It was only about time, he supposed. They had been lucky for so long. He drew in a lungful of air – the earlier, the better, then lifted his hands and dropped three sharp knocks on the door. A moment later, it clicked open to reveal Edward, the butler.
“Master Sheldon. You have arrived. The Lord and Lady have been anticipating your arrival.” Edward sounded as though nothing was amiss. Alan had a feeling the butler knew nothing – yet. If Williams and Victoria already knew, it was only a matter of time before the whole household did, as he would no longer be welcomed here.
“Thank you, Edward. I came as soon as I could. Please, take me to them.”
“Of course. Right this way, master Sheldon. They are in My Lord’s study as you can guess.”
Alan managed a small nod, his nerves in a mess. He remained quiet as he followed Edward to the study he could navigate with his eyes closed. They arrived, and he remained outside as Edward stepped in to announce his presence. He heard it all but waited until Edward returned to deliver the news.
“The Lord and Lady will see you now.” He nodded at Edward and prepared himself for what was to come. Not wanting to stall, he moved. He found the Duke by his desk and the Duchess drinking coffee on a sofa. He walked further into the room and halted at a reasonable distance. He bowed to the Duchess first, then to the Duke. Then as he rose, he spoke.
“Good day My Lord and Lady. I received your summons and cleared my schedule to come right away. I hope naught is amiss?”
His dread heightened when Williams said nothing, simply walked over and handed him a parchment of documents.
“Would you care to explain the meaning of these?” Confused with heart beating wildly, Alan collected the parchment from him and began to read. He became more confused as he read, as he flipped through more pages. He could not understand what he was seeing, though it was as clear as day, he just could not.
“My Lord, what is this?” Incredulous was too small a word for what he felt at that moment.
“You tell me, Alan. What is that?” The Duke’s voice was calm, but that was not good news.
He started to flip through the pages once again, hoping that his eyes had been playing tricks on him. Still, he saw the same thing. These were records of business dealings he had made with the Duke. Only that according to this account, he had been defrauding the Duke all these years, stealing his money by inflation and deflation of prices, for his own gain. It was absurd for he had never in his life stolen one coin from any man, talk more of this man who had been like a father to him since his had passed away.
“My Lord, where have you got this from? This is ridiculous and nothing but a perfect forgery. I have never conned any man in my entire life. I am as honest as they come!”
; His heart fell when Williams looked at him, the disappointment in his eyes glaring, and he knew he could never hope to win this war.
“I was told you would make such claims. I too did not believe my eyes when I saw these. However, I cannot continue to doubt that which my eyes have seen. I had too much trust in you for you to have pulled this shameful deed. Our families have had a beneficial business agreement for decades. I enjoyed that with your father and after his demise I had hoped that I would continue to do the same with the boy we had both trained and watched grow into a man. I see that I was wrong. What need had you to do this wicked thing? Riches? Do you not have enough of that already?”
A Scandalous Love for the Enticing Duke: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 19