Regency Engagements Box Set

by Charlotte Fitzwilliam

  A grin formed on the duke’s lips, and he said with much amusement, “Modesty is certainly a noble trait.”

  Mirabell’s brow furrowed and the corners of her mouth curled upwards in a brief smile, but it did not reach her eyes.

  “You are a very beautiful young woman, my lady, and I very much enjoyed our stroll, as well as our conversation. So much so that I barely noticed your detachment,” the duke said to her.

  “Thank you, sir. You are most gracious,” Lady Mirabell said gratefully as they continued along the sidewalk.

  Suddenly, they passed a shop window with hats of different colors on display, which immediately caught Lady Mirabell’s attention. They were gorgeous, the kind high ranking ladies would spend a fortune on, but one, in particular, caught her eye. It caused her to stop abruptly and change the direction in which she walked. Mirabell gasped and approached the window, forcing the duke to turn and follow her to the window of the store. There, she perused the hat that had her thinking of her childhood, a most happy memory.

  The hat was a vibrant teal and had an elegant design. From its back left corner came one lone peacock feather. Mirabell found herself smiling for the first time in weeks as she recalled how her sister and their childhood friend, Lord Fredrick Dunkirk, came across a peacock one time while playing in the countryside. They tried to chase it down for hours because Lady Mirabell so badly wanted to catch it and keep it.

  Mirabell saw the memory vividly, remembering how the sun had shown brightly on that day. She could almost feel the cool breeze on her cheek and the smell of green grass in her recollection. She heard the laughter in her ear that the three shared. Her sister had called out, “Fredrick, Fredrick,” as she chased behind Lord Dunkirk giggling, both had their arms out to corner the bird. At the last moment possible, the peacock would escape, and they finished the day with soiled clothing, empty-handed and warm-hearted.

  Mirabell’s eyes widened as she knew, at that moment, what she needed to do. She needed to get that feeling back.

  Lady Mirabell needed to find Lord Dunkirk, wherever he may be. She just had to.

  "That is a lovely hat, my lady." The duke's voice startled her. While in her thoughts, she had almost forgotten that she was with him.

  "Yes, it is very beautiful," she replied.

  "Then, it is settled. I shall buy it for you.” He smiled sweetly showing his perfect teeth.

  "That is not-"

  “Oh, I insist,” the duke uttered in a warm and low tone. Before she could finish her protest, the duke had entered the shop, leaving her to wait for him to come out with the hat.

  Mirabell watched through the window as the duke approached a young woman who worked in the store, and they exchanged a few words. The young woman quickly made her way to the lovely hat and removed it from the display in the window.

  Mirabell bit her bottom lip and turned away from the window allowing herself time to compose herself, as not to think of Lord Dunkirk at that very moment, but she could not stop herself from doing so.

  “It is very beautiful, my lady,” Ms. Nora said quietly while the duke was still in the shop. Lady Mirabell smiled, recalling the memory inside her mind. “It does not surprise me that His Grace wished to purchase the hat for you.”

  Lady Mirabell’s brow furrowed, and she glanced at Ms. Nora. “Whatever do you mean, Ms. Nora?”

  “His Grace is clearly taken with you, even more than before,” Ms. Nora answered.

  “Even more than before what, Ms. Nora?” Mirabell asked.

  Ms. Nora shifted her weight in discomfort and pouted her lips. “Perhaps it is not my place to say anymore, my lady.”

  “Or perhaps I insist,” Lady Mirabell said, her voice filled with annoyance.

  “May I request we speak of this on the journey back, my lady?” Ms. Nora asked.

  “Very well, but not a moment after,” Lady Mirabell answered.

  “Yes, my lady,” Ms. Nora muttered.

  A short while later, the duke emerged from the store with the beautiful hat and Lady Mirabell smiled happily. “Your Grace, this was not necessary, but I am truly flattered that you would give me such a lovely gift.”

  “The pleasure is most certainly all mine, my lady. Seeing a smile on your face is a most wonderful thing to rest my eyes on,” the duke answered gallantly.

  Mirabell had to admit that the gesture was more than kind, and she loved it. Although in the back of her mind she wondered if gifts were a usual part of courtship or whether he was using this gift to his advantage in securing her affection. Either way, she was so thankful for this glimpse of happiness. She quickly removed her bonnet and replaced it with the peacock-feather hat.

  "It looks exquisite," the duke complimented. She could not help but blush.

  "Thank you.” Mirabell said softly looking into the duke’s bright eyes.

  A smile formed on her lips for a moment before she averted her eyes downward in a shy manner.

  After the afternoon spent with the duke, Lady Mirabell felt it imperative to locate Lord Dunkirk in utmost haste. She hoped that by speaking with her parents at length that they might offer some assistance.

  As she and Ms. Nora sat quietly in the coach on their way back home, Lady Mirabell recalled Ms. Nora’s words to her earlier. She glanced at Ms. Nora and asked quietly, “Ms. Nora, you wished to tell me something regarding the duke?” Lady Mirabell raised her brows expectantly.

  Ms. Nora sighed slightly and turned towards her. “I do not think this is a suitable conversation for us to have, my lady.”

  “And what do you mean by that?” Mirabell asked.

  “This is a matter between you and my lord and my lady,” Ms. Nora answered. “Perhaps they might be able to shed light on it rather than I.”

  “Or perhaps not, Ms. Nora.”

  “Please, my lady. It is not my place to speak of this. Lord Burkett specifically asked me not to speak of this.”

  “I do not care what my father told you. Tell me, Ms. Nora, and tell me now,” Lady Mirabell insisted.

  Ms. Nora sighed terribly, feeling guilty and remorseful that she had mentioned it at all, as there was no possible way she could avoid telling Mirabell what Lord Burkett had sworn her not to say. “I overheard Lord Burkett and His Grace speak of an arrangement, which involved you, my lady.”

  “What kind of arrangement,” Mirabell inquired.

  “An arrangement of marriage, my lady.”

  Mirabell’s eyes widened, but an amused giggle formed in her throat and escaped her lips. “Marriage? That is preposterous. I am far too young to be married, and His Grace is much too old for me.”

  “Lord Burkett does not seem to think so, my lady.”

  Mirabell’s eyes narrowed, and she studied Ms. Nora’s expression for a short while. “Did my father truly ask you not to speak of this to me?” Lady Mirabell asked.

  “Indeed, he did. My lord approached me as he noticed I had been listening to their conversation, purely by accident, of course, and he asked me not to mention anything of it to you. I would very much be in trouble if my lord were to know I had failed in holding my tongue.”

  Mirabell bit her bottom lip and felt sorry for Ms. Nora, as it was evident on her face that she felt guilty for telling Mirabell the truth and breaking her promise to Lord Burkett. Lady Mirabell also did not wish for Ms. Nora to get into trouble with her father. Mirabell leaned forward and placed her hand on Ms. Nora’s hands to comfort her as both women were jostled about by the bumpy ride in the coach.

  “Do not fret, Ms. Nora. I will not disclose to my father that I am now aware of the arrangement,” Lady Mirabell assured her.

  “Thank you, my lady,” Ms. Nora answered as the relief was imminent in her eyes. “I am truly sorry if I upset you, my lady, and for not telling you this sooner.”

  “It is quite all right. You were merely doing as you were told. I would hate to get you into trouble, Ms. Nora. I have known you my entire life, and you are one of the very few people I truly trust,” Lady Mi
rabell said quietly and kindly.

  “Your words mean a great deal to me, my lady.”

  Mirabell nodded and glanced out the window of the coach. She was not certain how she felt knowing her father and the duke had made an arrangement for them to be married. Perhaps Ms. Nora had only heard a portion of the conversation as well. Perhaps Lord Burkett and the duke had only spoken of it, and not already made the arrangement.

  Or perhaps her fate was now set in stone by the arrangement her father had made.

  Lady Mirabell became very suspicious and wondered if that was the reason why her mother insisted that she spend time with the duke as soon as Lady Mirabell felt she was ready to do so. After hearing what Ms. Nora had told her, this would most certainly not surprise her.

  Mirabell was well aware that she could not confront her father and mother directly, as it would reflect badly on Ms. Nora, and Lady Mirabell most certainly did not want that. Ms. Nora had been with their family since before Mirabell was born and even before Lady Marjorie’s birth. Lady Mirabell did not wish to cause her dismissal due to her insistence on the issue.

  Bearing that in mind, Mirabell approached her mother straightaway upon her return home. Lady Mirabell gently entered the house and began to take down her new hat with delicate precision. A smile was toying at her lips as she admired the beauty of the peacock feather that reminded her of Lord Dunkirk so greatly. The fading sunlight tugged at her light brown hair casting a heavenly sort of glow all about Lady Mirabell’s face. So lovely did she appear, that upon seeing her Lady Burkett gasped slightly at the shock of it.

  “How was your visit about Bath, my dearest Mirabell?” her mother asked her, the beginnings of a pleasant smile appearing on her face.

  Lady Burkett was dressed in a deep navy, as opposed to the dark colors of mourning she had first begun wearing after Lady Marjorie’s death. Lady Mirabell smiled back brightly, and though it felt somewhat forced, she felt content to share her experience with her mother, if nothing more than to appease her and to remove the grief that her mother no longer deserved to bear.

  “It was quite lovely, Mother. His Grace was ever so kind. He even took it upon himself to purchase me the loveliest hat,” Lady Mirabell explained.

  “Did he, indeed? How lovely of the man. Might I see it?” Her mother asked curiously.

  “Of course, though I had hoped to converse with you a bit more,” Mirabell replied. She had no desire to upset her mother by asking for her help in locating Fredrick, and she certainly did not wish to offend the duke after his kindness, but her heart was tugging her in an entirely different direction. For the first time since Lady Marjorie’s illness took her away, Mirabell felt compelled to live as opposed to mourning endlessly.

  “Oh, shall we go for tea on the settee?” Lady Burkett asked her, hopeful that Lady Mirabell would find the socializing to her liking and entertain her mother after so long.

  “That would be delightful, Mother, I would love to,” Mirabell replied.

  Lady Burkett gave a happy wave and began walking toward the parlor, clearly excited to have her daughter’s involvement once again. Lady Mirabell sighed softly and began to follow her mother in haste toward the parlor settee.

  "I am most anxious to learn about how your afternoon with the duke went, my dearest. Tell me about it, will you not?” Lady Burkett asked, as she seated herself and smoothed her ivory palms across the skirt of her navy dress. Lady Mirabell lowered herself to sit beside her mother upon the settee and gave her a smile.

  “Well, the duke was most kind and showed me a great deal of Bath this afternoon, even taking the time to tell me the history of certain buildings and areas throughout the city. I was quite pleased and very impressed by the breathtaking beauty of this place,” Mirabell admitted fondly. To this Lady Burkett began to smile even more and gave a proud nod as she listened.

  “How lovely. I do hope he shall call upon you again,” Lady Burkett stated curtly. Lady Mirabell gave a polite nod and reached for her teacup and saucer, pretending to ignore the fact that her mother pretended to know nothing of an arrangement. Perhaps ignorance was bliss after all, or perhaps Lady Burkett was not aware of the arrangement, but the latter seemed highly improbable, before foraging into the real reason for the conversation.

  “Well, I suppose we shall see,” Mirabell stated. “Is father expected to take tea with us this afternoon?” she asked her mother curiously.

  “Yes, I expect he should be in any moment. Shall we wait for him?” Lady Burkett asked her as she gently lifted her own teacup and saucer.

  “Yes, I would love to speak with him as well,” Lady Mirabell said.

  Her father was typically a punctual man, and if her mother expected him at any moment, Lady Mirabell knew that meant he would be there when expected and just as expected, Lord Burkett strode in, his graying locks combed back neatly, and dressed in a suit that matched the color of Lady Burkett’s nearly to perfection.

  “Good afternoon, Father,” Mirabell said, as he leaned in to press a kiss first to her mother’s cheeks and then to Lady Mirabell’s.

  “Good afternoon, my darlings, how pleasant to see you both taking tea together this day,” Lord Burkett stated with a proud and happy grin. Lady Mirabell waited patiently for her father to seat himself before beginning the conversation that had drawn her to the social event.

  “Mother, Father, I have come to ask you a favor,” Mirabell began, her crystalline eyes bouncing between each of them as she regarded them respectively.

  “Today something occurred that made me recall a fond memory of my childhood.”

  “That sounds delightful,” Lord Burkett said and glanced briefly at Lady Burkett before his gaze rested back on his daughter.

  “That memory regarded Lord Dunkirk.”

  Lord and Lady Burkett both exchanged worried and puzzled glances and gave nods as they took in her words.

  “What should you like our assistance with, my dear daughter?” Lord Burkett asked her curiously. Lady Mirabell smiled and looked to her mother who gave a nod as she spoke in agreement, “Yes, darling, how can we assist you?” she asked her with a concerned expression.

  Mirabell grinned and spoke with reassurance in her voice. “Rest your heart, Mother. All is well, I merely wish for yours and Father’s help in locating Lord Dunkirk. It would do my heart well to see him again,” Lady Mirabell confessed.

  Lady Burkett was slightly discouraged by the request as was evident from the perplexed expression that overtook her features, but she did not protest as Lady Mirabell feared she might.

  “Oh, was your time with the duke not to your liking?” Lady Burkett asked, concerned that her matchmaking might have resulted in a failure. Lady Mirabell took a sip of her tea and replaced the cup upon the saucer before looking toward her mother.

  “No, it was quite a lovely walk, and I did indeed enjoy the time with him, but I feel compelled to find Lord Dunkirk, Mother. I feel it may greatly assist me with my grief over…” Lady Mirabell trailed her words, unable to say her sister’s name.

  “Oh, of course, we will do all we can to help you, dear daughter,” Lord Burkett said, reaching forward to gently squeeze Lady Burkett’s hand as he gave his consent. Lady Burkett looked back at her husband before turning her attention toward Lady Mirabell.

  “Your father is right. We will do anything to help you, beloved girl,” Lady Burkett said with a smile, it was better to agree than argue and getting Lady Mirabell back to herself was Lady Burkett’s first priority, above all else.

  “The duke would just have to be a patient suitor,” her mother mused to herself.

  Lady Mirabell nodded politely and smiled at both of her parents. “Thank you so much, I should like to begin straightaway,” Mirabell explained.

  Lord Burkett gave a nod. “Indeed, first thing in the morn, you shall begin your venture into finding Lord Dunkirk, my girl,” Lord Burkett stated fondly.

  “Perhaps those letters he kept sending you may give you better clarity into where
he finds himself these days,” Lady Burkett said and placed her napkin on the table. “I think I did see some from envelopes from him in the unopened box of letters you have been pushing aside, did I not?”

  “The letters! I had completely forgotten,” Mirabell exclaimed wide-eyed and jumping up from her seat. “May I be excused?”

  “Of course, my dear,” Lord Burkett answered.

  Lady Mirabell gave each of them hurried kisses and disappeared down the hallway to the stairs.

  Lord and Lady Burkett glanced at one another, and Lord Burkett sighed.

  “Perhaps you should have destroyed those letters when you were given the chance,” Lord Burkett muttered under his breath.

  “Or perhaps not,” Lady Burkett answered confidently in a high tone.

  “Your confidence is overreaching.”

  “Not at all, my darling. I have heard from numerous sources that Lord Dunkirk is betrothed and will soon be married,” Lady Burkett answered nonchalantly.

  “That is good news.”

  “For us, at least,” Lady Burkett said.

  “Indeed,” Lord Burkett nodded in agreement as he reached for his cup of tea.

  4

  Lord Dunkirk watched as the sun rose from the horizon as he sat comfortably on the terrace. The air was fresh, and a light breeze gently brushed against his skin. He drank his tea as he thought.

  The gardens of his estate flourished in the morning air, and the scent of the flowers was evident even from where he sat. The sweet smell of the wildflowers reminded him very much of the summers he and Lady Mirabell had spent together. The earl recalled her laughter as if it were yesterday, and he could still see her smiling face in his mind, forever etched in his memory. Lord Dunkirk recalled the manner in which the sunlight danced from her hair as she ran through the hedges, Lord Dunkirk following closely behind her. Although she had run through the gardens, urging him to catch her, Lord Dunkirk did not run as fast as he could. He enjoyed the sound of her laughter as he chased her too much to catch her, and he ensured that she had always been just out of his reach.