‘That’s harsh, Phyllis.’
‘Aye perhaps, but fair for all that.’
Sophia slipped between the sheets and bade her maid good night.
She lay in the silence for a long time, the sounds of carriages returning home outside her window dulled by the thick drapes. A dog barked in the distance and competing clocks struck the hour. Sophia was tired, but she knew that sleep would elude her. Her mind was too busy to rest. Instead, images of the duke’s handsome features filled her senses as she watched the patterns dancing across the ceiling, courtesy of the flickering light sent out by the fire that Phyllis had banked up prior to leaving the room.
Sophia had attended the ball that evening with one intention fixed in her mind, and that was to accost the duke and show the world—or at least the ton—that he bore her no ill-will. She hadn’t given a passing thought to proving that Maria, albeit silly and easily led, was innocent of all involvement in the old duke’s death. Now nothing would prevent her from taking that path. The small voice of her conscience suggested that she was using it as an excuse to spend time with the admittedly attractive and seemingly conscientious new duke, but she brushed that possibility aside. She was not quite that shallow. Sophia turned on her side and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them with her arms as a tingling warmth fuelled her bloodstream.
Tomorrow, she sensed, would be a defining day.
Phyllis woke her as the same competing clocks that had eventually lulled her to sleep struck nine in the morning.
‘Shall I bring you up some breakfast?’ Phyllis asked.
‘Heavens no, I couldn’t eat a thing. I am far too nervous. Just bring hot water and then help me to dress please. My aunt and uncle will sleep until noon, so hopefully we shall be back before they stir and they need know nothing about this excursion.’
Her new walking gown, Sophia decided, was a confidence-giving sensation. Perhaps that was because there was so seldom spare money for new gowns, obliging Phyllis to systematically alter her existing ones, adding new trimmings in order to make them seem fashionable. The duke probably didn’t know much about fashion, which is why he wouldn’t have noticed that the gown she had worn the previous night was several seasons out of date; a fact that had not escaped the notice of the more eagle-eyed amongst the ladies present, earning her their expressions of contempt.
Whatever the reason, the gown that she now wore imbued Sophia with the necessary confidence to face the duke’s fierce intellect. She anticipated that he would raise objections when she insisted upon helping him to solve the riddle of his brother’s murder but wasn’t about to be deterred from her purpose. Sophia took a final look in the long glass, took a deep, calming breath, adjusted the ribbons that held her bonnet in place and decided that she was as ready as she would ever be.
She and Phyllis had the streets more or less to themselves as they made their way on foot to the park at a brisk pace. An icy north wind whipped up fallen leaves and there was rain in the air. Sophia was glad of her thick pelisse and fur muff.
‘Is that him?’ Phyllis asked, pointing to the tall, imposing figure in a caped greatcoat, hat pulled low over his eyes, waiting at the gates to the park. There was another man with him whom Sophia didn’t know, but the duke was easily recognisable.
‘It is indeed,’ she replied, swallowing and feeling inexplicably nervous.
Before the nerves in question could get the better of her, the duke raised a hand in recognition and she felt more or less equal to the task of facing him.
‘Your grace.’ Sophia bobbed a curtsey.
The duke raised his hat. ‘Miss Kennard. This is Tanner,’ he said, offering no further explanation for the man’s presence. Presumably he was a valet, and the duke had decided not to take any risks by meeting with Sophia alone. Sophia was disappointed that he had evidently concluded she was as unprincipled as Maria. She wanted to tell the duke that she hadn’t come with the intention of trapping him into…well, anything. Then she reminded herself that he still possessed the ability to destroy her uncle and aunt’s reputation on a whim, and held her tongue.
‘My maid, Phyllis,’ Sophia said curtly. ‘There is a shelter just this side of the Serpentine where we can talk without freezing to death,’ she told him, striding out ahead of him and pretending not to notice his proffered arm.
Tanner and Phyllis fell into step behind them and it wasn’t long before Sophia heard her maid chuckling at something Tanner had said to her. Sophia wasn’t surprised. Tanner posed an impressive figure and Phyllis, still fairly young, wasn’t averse to the attentions of a good looking man.
‘Are you in a hurry, Miss Kennard?’ the duke asked, amusement in his tone as he extended his long legs and kept pace with her easily.
‘I imagine that a man with your responsibilities doesn’t have time to tarry.’ She cast him a sideways glance. ‘I am attempting to be considerate.’
‘On the contrary, I have set the entire morning aside in anticipation of enjoying your company.’
‘Gallantly put, sir, but we both know why we are here.’
They reached the three-sided shelter with seating looking across the rippling water of the Serpentine. Sophia seated herself and the duke took the place beside her, making the roomy bench seem crowded by his imposing physique. She could hear Phyllis giggling at another remark from Tanner as they took their places at right angles to Sophia and the duke, close enough to make the situation respectable yet shielded from view by a wooden divider.
‘What is it that you would like to know?’
Sophia spoke crisply into the silence that ensued. She shivered, despite the fact that she was no longer cold. Quite the contrary. Being alone at such close quarters with the formidable duke made her feel a little overheated. It was infuriating. She suspected that he had a similar effect upon most females, even those who were unaware of his status, and she hated being so predictable. She reminded herself of just how determined Maria had been to attract his brother’s attention. How she had talked at length about his handsome features, his liberal attitude and so much more besides, most of which seemed highly inappropriate, especially given that he was a married man. Sophia’s warning in that respect had fallen upon deaf ears, and instead Maria accused her of being a prude.
The catastrophic consequences of that obsession were now being borne by the entire family.
‘Tell me about your sister. How did she meet Andrew and why was the whole of London gossiping about their friendship?’
Sophia took a deep breath, wondering where to begin. She had anticipated such a question—of course she had—and had planned her response a dozen times inside her head until she was word perfect. But with the duke sitting so close beside her, albeit with a respectable amount of daylight separating their bodies, disturbingly poised yet exuding virile power and a strength born of determination, she felt a little breathless, very unsure of herself and totally incapable of rational thought.
His rugged profile, the angled slash of his cheekbones and strong line of his jaw offered much to admire, and she desperately hoped not to disappoint him when she explained the full extent of Maria’s wild behaviour, as she knew she must. He would hear of it, if he hadn’t already, so it would be better coming from her. Even so, the expression in his dark eyes, sharp with intelligence as they focused on her profile, made it difficult for Sophia to marshal her thoughts. She cleared her throat, tried to ignore the maelstrom of alien emotions his presence had stirred deep within her and concentrated upon giving him an answer that wouldn’t make her sound like a half-wit.
‘You are aware that my family’s home is in Hampshire, not far from Ravenscroft but a thousand times removed,’ she said in a rush when he sent her a curious look, presumably because she had remained silent for so long. ‘Ours is a small manor house that would probably fit into your drawing room.’
‘It sounds delightful.’
She snorted, wondering if he was being sincere or patronising. ‘My mother died fifteen years
ago, in childbirth. I barely remember her. Papa never remarried and died three years ago himself. My aunt and uncle—that would be my mother’s sister—became our guardians and we lived in London with them until Maria came of age a little over a year ago. Maria had a yen to return to Hampshire and open up the house. My aunt and uncle declined her invitation to join us there, since they prefer life in the city.’ Sophia stared off into the distance. ‘Would that they had done so. Perhaps then…’ She flapped a hand. ‘Anyway, we knew there was very little money left in our family coffers and that economies would have to be made. I suggested selling the house but Maria wouldn’t hear of it. She said that she fully intended to make a spectacular marriage, despite the absence of a dowry, and that we would be able to keep our property.’
Sophia paused, a little overcome by the recollections, despite the fact that speaking about her sister’s errors of judgement felt like a burden being lifted. She hadn’t told anyone the complete truth, not even her aunt and uncle.
Especially not them.
‘Go on,’ the duke said softly.
‘We met Lord Purvis in local society. His estate is in Yorkshire, but he has interests in Hampshire that often take him to that county. He was immediately inspired by Maria’s lively personality, her beauty and her wit. He is a viscount, in case you were not aware, and moderately wealthy. He was very much taken with my sister, and Maria accepted his proposal. His elderly mother didn’t approve of the match, but Purvis was determined to go ahead. Funnily enough, I advised her against him as well. If I thought Maria’s affections were engaged it would have been another matter, but I knew it was his status and wealth that attracted her. I’d also heard vague rumours about him being wild and unpredictable, as well as dull-witted. Maria could be impulsive too and required a steady hand, rather than someone to encourage her reckless streak. Needless to say, my advice was ignored and the engagement went ahead.’
‘I have never met Purvis,’ the duke said, ‘but I gather from my brother’s widow that he and Andrew were thick as thieves and that, if you will pardon me, Purvis is not the brightest spark.’
Sophia screwed up her nose. ‘That is one way of putting it.’
‘What is it that you have not told me?’ he asked when she hesitated. ‘Be assured that I don’t have a high opinion of my own family, what’s left of it, so nothing you say will shock or offend.’
Sophia remained silent until a man riding a handsome grey horse had trotted past them. He spared them only a brief glance.
‘The duchess was not best pleased when Maria joined Hampshire society,’ Sophia said with a defiant tilt of her head. ‘Maria learned from Purvis that the duchess was dissatisfied in being restricted to Hampshire, but that there was no money in the ducal coffers to enable her to spend the season in London, which is where she felt entitled to be.’ She sent the duke a wary sideways glance. ‘Are you sure you want to hear this? I have no definite proof.’
‘Please.’ The duke’s expression remained distracted and she was unsurprised when he didn’t smile. Smiling, she already knew, was not something he did spontaneously, and this particular excruciatingly embarrassing subject offered precious little reason for levity.
‘Well, from things that Purvis let slip when he wasn’t entirely sober, Maria was left with the impression that the duchess had amused herself with that gentleman. Indeed, I know for a fact that they openly spent time together when the duke was in London, which was frequently.’ She gave an indignant sniff. ‘It seems that he was always able to find a friend willing to offer him a bed but it would have inconvenienced him to have the duchess there as well.’
‘I am sure it would have done,’ the duke said in an even tone. His bland expression gave nothing of the nature of his thoughts away and Sophia was unable to decide whether her words had given offence. He would soon learn that she had no intention of tempering her revelations regarding either of their siblings’ activities, even though she probably didn’t know the half of it.
‘Well, anyway, the duchess took against Maria and by association against me, even though I avoided her company. I’m afraid I don’t like her,’ she added defiantly.
The duke astonished her by actually chuckling. ‘Then you and I are in agreement on that score.’
‘You should smile more often,’ she told him, the words slipping past her lips before she could hold them back. ‘It changes the entire tenor of your face and you don’t look nearly so terrifying.’
‘Do I frighten you, Miss Kennard?’ He appeared surprised by the possibility.
‘You scare me witness,’ she replied without hesitation. It was partly true.
Encouraged by the duke’s opinion of his brother’s wife, Sophia warmed to her theme and decided upon complete transparency. ‘Her grace does not like female competition,’ she said. ‘She particularly did not enjoy losing her playmate when Purvis courted Maria and the duchess no longer enjoyed his exclusive attention.’
‘Are you implying that my sister-in-law and your sister’s intended were intimate?’
‘Yes.’ Sophia met his gaze and held it. ‘She wasn’t even particularly discreet about it, from what little I saw of her. In fact, she called at our house one day. Maria was not at home but in retrospect, I believe she was aware of that and came with the intention of seeing me alone.’
Sophia sensed the duke’s body tense. ‘What did she want?’
‘To persuade me to have Maria call the engagement off. She told me that Purvis was not as well situated as he had led Maria to believe, that his mother didn’t approve of the match and that they would have nothing to live on.’
‘Heavens, Emily sounds desperate. Why am I not surprised?’ The duke’s expression darkened. ‘Was that the truth, about Purvis’s circumstances, I mean?’
Sophia lifted a shoulder. ‘I’m not sure but it wouldn’t surprise me. His mama kept a tight hold on the purse strings. She had money of her own that she kept control of after her marriage and threatened to leave it to her married daughter if Purvis didn’t choose a wife of whom she approved.’
‘What were her objections to Maria?’
‘Oh, I don’t suppose we were nearly grand enough.’ Sophia waved a dismissive hand. ‘Lady Purvis is very pretentious and aware of her position, but we are neither titled nor high born.’
‘Did you tell your sister about Emily’s call upon you?’
‘Emily?’ She paused, frowning. ‘Oh, the duchess, you mean. Yes. I hesitated but in the end I felt I owed it to Maria to try and bring her to her senses. She would have been miserable, her spirit crushed, if she had been obliged to live beneath the same roof as her future mother-in-law. But…well, Maria can be uncommonly stubborn and told me that everything would work out for the best. She could handle the old lady and would eventually charm her into acceptance. I knew she would not, of course, but I had done all I could.’
‘And what part did Andrew play in all of this?’
‘Ah, of course, that’s where your interests lie.’ She sent the duke a condemning look.
‘On the contrary, you have my complete attention.’
A nursemaid walked past with a young lad bowling a hoop that kept wandering off course. The duke pushed it back to him before it could collide with his legs and the nurse smiled an apology as she rounded up her charge.
‘The duke and Purvis were known locally for their wild escapades. Bareback races across country, marauding around the local taverns, that sort of thing.’ Sophia moistened her lips. ‘And Maria joined them.’
‘Good heavens!’
‘I don’t think heaven had much to do with it.’ Sophia sighed. ‘Maria dressed in boys’ clothing, rode astride, matched the gentlemen brandy for brandy in various taprooms and gambled for high stakes with money she didn’t have.’ Sophia spoke briskly as she counted the points off on her fingers. ‘Frankly, she was out of control, encouraged by both men. Andrew in particular. He thought she had spunk. It all ended in tears, of course. Lady Purvis got wind of Maria’s
activities and insisted that her son end the engagement or be cut off without a penny.’
‘He could not. Maria would have been within her rights to sue for breach of promise.’
‘She could, but if she had then you can be sure that his mother would have made society aware of all the tawdry particulars, ruining us all.’ Sophia glanced away from the duke. ‘I cannot altogether blame her for that.’
‘How did your sister react to that threat?’
‘She was incandescent since she didn’t think she had done anything to be ashamed of. Purvis had no choice but to follow his mother’s instructions but he was and probably still is passionately in love with Maria.’
‘Has the engagement been called off?’
‘No, but Purvis had given his mother his word that it will be. He pleaded with Maria to see his point of view. I heard him tell her several times that his mama was old, and couldn’t be expected to live for much longer. He begged her to wait for him, promising not to marry anyone else in the meantime. Maria was conflicted. We talked long into the night about it and I tried to persuade her to give Purvis up, but she was having none of it. Instead, she turned to Andrew for advice.’
‘Ah, I see.’
‘Yes, I rather suspect that you do. Andrew was more than willing to offer her a shoulder to cry on. He was due to come up to town and encouraged Maria to follow him. And so we went back and stayed with my aunt and uncle while Maria struggled to do what she knew she had to and break off the engagement. In the meantime, Andrew took Maria with him all over town and of course it caused speculation.’
‘Where was Purvis?’
‘He came up to town as well, but his mother was here and so he had to dance attendance upon her. I rather think she must have suspected his intention was to remain close to Maria and I happen to know that she didn’t waste an opportunity to tell him about her being seen constantly with the duke, or to repeat what society had to say about it, and about her. Anyway, shortly after that, Andrew was attacked and killed and that’s all I know.’
A Duke in Turmoil: Dangerous Dukes Vol 9 Page 4