To Be His Lady: A Regency Romance (Finding Forever Love)

by Diana DeHaven

  A Regency Romance

  Finding Forever Love Series, Book 2

  To Be His Lady

  Diana DeHaven

  Copyright © 2019 Blue Bear Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to my children and my two irrepressible grandsons.

  You make my life complete

  Table of Contents

  To Be His Lady

  DEDICATION

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Fiction Books by Diana DeHaven

  Other Books by Blue Bear Publishing

  CHAPTER ONE

  October 1815

  Rivenhall Estate

  Suffolk, England

  Alice Palmer climbed down from the coach and smiled happily at the magnificence that was Rivenhall Estate. After the fiasco caused by Lady Josephine, Alice had never imagined she would set foot on the estate again, but clearly love conquers all. This had been especially true in this case. The Duke of Leyton and Alice’s childhood friend, Emma, seemed to have figured it all out. They had reconciled and proclaimed their love to one another, which Alice was lucky enough to witness. It warmed her heart that her childhood friend had finally found a man who loved her with everything he had, and he certainly had more than enough.

  Alice made her way up the steps to the front of the building and the door opened immediately. The butler, a middle-aged man with greying temples, smiled politely at her and stepped back to allow her access to the Great Hall.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Alice. His Grace and Miss Emma are expecting you.”

  “Thank you,” Alice answered with a smile as she followed the butler to the parlour. He opened the door for her, and she stepped inside.

  Much to her delight, Emma was seated across the room with the Duke standing at her side, along with the Duke’s childhood friend, Lord Harrison, the Marquess of Harrison. She paid very little notice to Lord Harrison, only giving him a brief nod of acknowledgement, and then embraced her friend with enthusiasm.

  “Emma, it is good to see you.”

  “It is always a pleasure to see you as well, my dear friend,” Emma said.

  Alice released her and nodded at the Duke. “Your Grace.”

  “Good afternoon, Miss Alice. I trust the coach ride went well.”

  “Indeed, but I was rather surprised to see the carriage stopping in front of my home earlier.”

  “I did suggest warning her, Your Grace,” Emma murmured to the Duke, who pursed his lips, suppressing a smile.

  Alice smiled and glanced at Emma. “No harm done, although a warning would have been appreciated. Imagine my surprise when I opened the front door in my robes, with tangled hair and tired eyes.”

  “Surely you were not still asleep, Alice?” Emma asked.

  “Doris had me working late last evening, since you are not working there any longer,” Alice pointed out. “The shop has been very busy.”

  “I am sincerely sorry that you are now doing my work.”

  “I understand. You have much better things that require your constant attention,” Alice noted and raised an eyebrow at the Duke.

  “Indeed,” the Duke answered with amusement as he winked at Emma.

  Emma shook her head wordlessly and glanced at Alice. “We have news.”

  “You are planning your wedding!” Alice noticed Lord Harrison rolling his eyes in the background and she frowned at him. He simply turned away, rather uninterested in their conversation. Perhaps she was only imagining it, but she said not a word to him. “What is your news, Emma?” she asked.

  “Yes, we have set a wedding date.”

  “How wonderful!” Alice exclaimed with excitement.

  “Indeed,” the Duke nodded.

  “When?”

  “December the third.”

  “This year?” Alice asked, surprised.

  “Indeed.”

  “But that is a mere two months away.”

  “Less actually,” Emma corrected.

  “Is that not too soon?” Alice asked.

  “We do not think so, and that is what matters,” Emma said, as the Duke placed an arm around her shoulders.”

  “I apologize,” Alice sighed. “It is your decision, of course. I was simply surprised. There will be so much to do.”

  “Indeed.”

  Alice gasped suddenly and her eyes widened with excitement. “Oh, is this why you wished to see me? You wish me to make your gown? We must take your measurements at once-”

  “Alice-” the Duke interrupted, and Alice quieted immediately.

  “Her Grace, my mother, has sent for her seamstress.”

  “Oh,” Alice said, her excitement vanishing, and she stared at Emma.

  Emma looked at the Duke and asked, “Could I speak with Alice in private, please?”

  “Of course,” the Duke said with a smile and he and Lord Harrison excused themselves.

  “My dearest friend, I do not wish for you to be upset about Her Grace’s seamstress.”

  “I am not,” Alice said softly.

  “I can see that you are. It was not my intention to upset you, or to hurt you.”

  Alice glanced at Emma and sighed. “I understand regarding the gown. I simply wanted a few moments alone with you.”

  A smile appeared on Emma’s face and she embraced Alice once again.

  “I am very excited for you, Emma. It is wonderful that you and the Duke have resolved the misunderstanding between you.”

  “Indeed, it is.”

  “Are you anxious?”

  “Not at all. He makes me feel alive and at ease, and I could not have asked for a more perfect man to spend my life with.”

  “That is romantic,” Alice sniffed.

  “Do not dare go and cry,” Emma warned.

  “I will try my best,” Alice answered and placed her hand against her heart.

  “You may have noticed Lord Harrison is here as well.”

  “Indeed. Does he live here now?” Alice asked.

  Emma chuckled and shook her head. “The Duke and I wish for you and Lord Harrison to be involved in the planning of the wedding.”

  “I understand that I should, but Lord Harrison?”

  “As you are my lifelong friend, he is His Grace’s.”

  Alice cocked her head and crossed her arms.

  “He is not as pompous and annoying as he appears to be.” Emma chuckled.

  “Perhaps to you. You will soon be the Duke’s wife. All I am to him is a mere seamstress.”

  “You are my best friend and he will treat you with respect.”

  Alice nodded wordlessly. Deep down in her heart, she was aware of this, and she hoped that Lord Harrison knew it as well.

  “Do not be worried, Alice. I have spoken to him myself, and he will be on his very best behaviour,” Emma assured her.

  “Did he agree to that?”

  “He did.”

  Alice’s brows shot up in surprise and she pursed her lips slightly. “That is certainly a surprise.”

  “It would not kill you to be more polite to him too.”

  Alice let out an exasperated moan and placed her hand dramatically on her chest. “I am hurt.”

  Emma chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Enough with the theatrics. Her Grace will be arriving shortly, and I would like all of us to have tea on the terrace.”

  “Tea with the Dowager Duchess? I never thought I would even have the privilege to speak to the Dowager Duchess,” Alice said with a frown.

&n
bsp; “She is a wonderful woman, kind and genuine. She will adore you.”

  “It is not the Dowager Duchess I am worried about.”

  “Everything will be fine,” Emma said with a knowing smile.

  *****

  Lord Harrison gazed out into the distance as he and the Duke stood together on the terrace. The women had been in the parlour for some time now, but the men were not concerned. They were aware that it had been nearly a fortnight since Emma and Alice had seen one another and knew they had much to catch up on.

  “Harrison,” the Duke began, and Lord Harrison turned to him. “Does it bother you that the wedding is in less than two months?”

  “Why on Earth would it bother me?”

  “Is it not too fast?”

  “Do you love Miss Emma?”

  “Of course I do.” The Duke answered almost before the question was asked.

  “Why do you sound so uncertain?” Lord Harrison teased.

  “I am not. Miss Alice’s expression, despite showing excitement and elation, also showed a fair amount of shock and surprise.”

  “I do not know her as well as you do-”

  “Which is also not very much.”

  “-but she does strike me as rather theatrical.”

  “Perhaps you should not inform her that you think this of her.”

  “Let me guess, she will pretend to be offended and insult me at every occasion she can?” Lord Harrison asked flatly.

  “You are still able to read people very well, Harrison,” the Duke said with an impressed smile.

  “It is a gift and a curse,” Lord Harrison shrugged, and he and the Duke chuckled.

  “If I can make a request-” the Duke began, and Lord Harrison turned to him.

  “Anything,” Lord Harrison said.

  “She is Miss Emma’s childhood friend, and I, as well as Miss Emma, would appreciate it if you and Miss Alice could be civil to one another. I understand that you and she are very different, but if you could do that for me and for Miss Emma, it would mean a great deal,” the Duke said.

  Lord Harrison glanced at him apologetically and nodded. “You have my word. We will bicker in private if it comes to that.”

  “Let us hope it does not.”

  “Indeed.”

  “She is a beautiful woman,” the Duke pointed out, helpfully.

  Lord Harrison glanced at him, his brow furrowed, and he asked, “What are you trying to say?”

  “Nothing. I simply pointed out the obvious. Perhaps you and Miss Alice could get better acquainted.”

  “My mother would strangle me alive.”

  The Duke chuckled and glanced out in front of him. “Indeed.”

  Unlike the Duke’s mother, who had been surprisingly understanding when the Duke had informed her of Emma’s true identity, Lord Harrison’s mother, the Dowager Marchioness of Harrison, would certainly not be as understanding.

  Their family came from a long line of lords and ladies, sons of Dukes and wives of Viscounts and Earls. They carefully guarded the integrity of their lineage and their family name would certainly not be allowed to be desecrated by Lord Harrison wanting to marry someone as beneath him as a seamstress.

  It was rather upsetting to the Duke, but there was nothing he could do to change that situation. It was the way Lord Harrison was raised, and he was unable to see the world any other way.

  Lord Harrison glanced at the Duke and asked, “What is the matter? You have that expression on your face.”

  “I was thinking about your mother,” the Duke answered trying to sound nonchalant.

  “My mother?” Lord Harrison chuckled. “Miss Emma would not approve of that.”

  The duke laughed. “What would your mother do if you fell in love with Miss Alice?”

  “You are being rather ridiculous.”

  “Humor me.”

  “She would probably die of heart failure, or shame. Perhaps both simultaneously. Who knows?” Lord Harrison answered and pouted slightly as he pondered that particular scenario. “That would certainly be a scandal.”

  The Duke chuckled and nodded. “Your mother’s ghost would torment you to death.”

  “Without a doubt,” Lord Harrison nodded in mock disgust.

  “Your Grace, my Lord,” the butler said, and the two men turned around. “The Dowager Duchess has arrived, and Miss Emma and Miss Alice have gone to meet her.”

  “Wonderful, thank you. Could you inform the servants to ready the table, please?”

  “Of course, Your Grace.”

  “You are enjoying this too much,” Lord Harrison pointed out.

  “You of all people should be aware of how much my mother enjoys it when I make a fuss over her. She lives for the attention.”

  “That seems to be a general thing among women these days,” Lord Harrison pointed out.

  The Duke glanced at the three women as they made their way to the terrace and he smiled. “Not all women,” he said.

  Lord Harrison glanced at the women and pursed his lips.

  “Harrison, how lovely to see you,” the Dowager Duchess beamed happily as she embraced him. “How is your mother?”

  “Very well, and very much alive. She is vacationing in Winterton-on-Sea. Her favourite destination it seems,” Lord Harrison answered. “So, she is doing well.”

  “I am so glad to hear that. We must have tea when she returns. It feels as if it has been such a long time since she visited.”

  “I will inform her when she returns. I am quite certain she would love to visit again.”

  “Wonderful,” the Dowager Duchess answered with a smile and turned to the Duke, who leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. “My son.”

  Lord Harrison turned and glanced at Alice, who stood quietly beside Emma, as the Dowager Duchess greeted the Duke.

  “Ladies,” Lord Harrison said to them and nodded, stepping aside and allowing them to find their seats at the table that was now ready.

  A short while later they were all seated at the table, discussing the wedding. Lord Harrison kept staring at Alice, who seemed unfazed by his attention. In fact, she downright ignored him. Even when she looked up at him, it was brief, and she did not speak to him once during the entire afternoon. He was rather amused by this, as odd as it was to him, and he wondered what she was thinking.

  Ever since the Duke had pointed out that she was a beautiful young woman, Lord Harrison had been mulling over the idea and now had to admit that she was. Her long blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her eyes were bright and happy, but with a hint of mystery to them. Her frame was petite, much like Emma’s, and Lord Harrison was quite certain that they must often be mistaken for either cousins, or sisters.

  “My Lord, it is impolite to stare,” Alice unexpectedly pointed out and Lord Harrison became sheepishly aware that the entire table was eyeing him suspiciously. Everyone except the Duke, of course, who could barely contain his amusement regarding the situation.

  “Pardon me. I was thinking of something else entirely and you seem to have fallen into my line of sight, Miss Alice. I apologize for that,” Lord Harrison said, intentionally speaking softly for the sake of keeping the peace.

  “No harm done, I suppose,” Alice answered and continued her conversation with Emma and the Dowager Duchess.

  After tea, as the table was being cleared and everyone started making their way to the parlour, Lord Harrison glanced at Alice and beckoned to her, “Miss Alice.”

  She turned to him with a frown and said, “My Lord.”

  “May I speak with you for a moment?”

  “Certainly,” she answered and turned back to Emma. “I will just be a moment.”

  “Take all the time you need,” Emma answered as she approached the Duke and the Dowager Duchess in the Great Hall.

  “Miss Alice-,” Lord Harrison started, but she raised her hand, which silenced him immediately.

  “My apologies for being rude and interrupting you, but before you say anything, I must apologize to yo
u for calling you out for being rude during tea. I sincerely thought you were staring at me, but I was mistaken,” she said to him.

  “I should have not been as distracted as I was. I am sorry.”