A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) (6 page)

* * *

T
he dinner
at the Duke of Kent’s home went better than expected. My brother and his wife were actually cordial throughout the evening. I couldn't help but smile when I looked at Ettie with her beau. They seemed so genuinely in love and happy.

I also met Kent’s uncle, the man who had basically raised him. He shared Ettie’s same red hair, but with dark brown eyes. He was also the same shape as Ettie, with plump cheeks and a full body. He wasn’t the jolly uncle I had expected. Instead, he was very somber and distant. I wondered what it would have been like for Kent and Ettie to be raised by a man like that.

After dinner was over, Kent invited me to take a tour of the small garden behind his house. It was becoming late in the summer, with a small chill starting to sweep through that evening. I hugged my light cotton shawl close around me as we walked. The rest of the party was just inside the drawing room. Some of the ladies were playing a game of cards while the gentlemen talked and smoked cigars.

“Scarlett, there is something I have wanted to say to you for some time now,” he said, looking down at me.

“Yes,” I encouraged.

“It has been a long time since I could say that I had hope for a happy future. I want you to know that in the time we have spent together, I have felt more hope than I have felt in my whole life. What I am trying to say is that I would like the opportunity to court you officially?”

I gave a little giggle. “I thought we were already doing that.”

He eased the tension out of his massive shoulders at my response. It was funny to see him nervous. “Good,” he said, taking my arm in his again.

“I must know something about you first,” I said, now being the one filled with nerves. “I have heard some rumors. Now, don’t think I put stock in any of them or that I am a gossiper. I need to know the truth though, Kent.”

He nodded solemnly. “You have the right to know.”

We walked a bit farther while he composed the right words to say.

“As a lad, when my uncle took us on, he also prepared for me to wed the daughter of a wealthy earl. As you may well know, my father had abused his estate almost to insolvency before his death.”

“She was a sweet girl,” he continued. “I knew her pretty well growing up. When it came time for our wedding, she informed me that she had fallen in love with another. In honesty, I didn’t feel much beyond friendship for her. I thought it was only fair to release her from the contract. She was only marring me because her parents wished the title, and I was only marrying her because my uncle wished to replenish the estate. It didn’t seem a good enough reason for either of us.”

“So what happened,” I encouraged.

“I am not entirely sure. I assumed that she went to this certain gentleman that she loved. I later found out that she had been exposed as with child unmarried. Everyone assumed it was mine, since we had been engaged. She told me who she had fallen in love with though.”

“Did you confront the gentleman in question?”

“No. What proof did I have, other than her word that she cared for him? That was not reason enough to suspect that anything had happened. Mind you, I can’t say that after such a situation I can ever fully trust the gentleman again.”

“That sounds just awful.”

He shrugged and held my hand tighter against his arm. He guided me back into the house. We had been gone long enough. Any more time and our integrity would come into question. I believed his story. Any man as aware of propriety so as not to let us linger out in the garden for too long would never take advantage of a maiden and then leave her destitute.

“Your Grace,” Lord Byron said as we re-entered the drawing room. “While the ladies are at cards, I thought I might have a word with you and your uncle privately?”

“Of course,” Kent said, ushering him out of the room and down the hall.

Ettie came up next to me.

“He is going to ask now,” she whispered to me. “I do wish I could know what they were saying.”

“Well, come on then,” I said, grabbing her arm. “No one will even notice we are gone.”

We casually walked out of the drawing room and made our way down the hall. Adjoining Kent’s study was a library with large mahogany doors. It would be the perfect place to spy. We crept in as quietly as our petticoats would allow and leaned our ears against the door.

“Absolutely not!” We heard Kent’s voice yell. “I will never allow you to take my sister’s hand in marriage.”

“Why on earth not?” Byron retorted.

“Like hell you don’t know! I know exactly what you want from her too, otherwise why involve my uncle?” Ettie and I exchanged confused worried looks. “As long as I am alive, you will stay clear of my sister.”

We heard as Lord Byron exited into the hall with a huff. Ettie ran off to met him. I was about to leave too, to head back to the drawing room before we were missed. I couldn’t help myself when I heard Kent and his uncle, Lord Rainier, start talking again.

“I don’t know what that was all about, but this could be her only chance, Edward. Why rob her of that?”

“He obviously found out that you are supplying the dowry, so why else would he start to show any interest in her?” Kent fired back. “You’ll just have to believe me when I say he is not to be trusted.”

“Trusted with what? Her money? Who cares. She won’t be a burden on this estate any longer. It is a better option than we can hope for.”

“You just don’t understand.”

“You’re right, I don’t. Like I don’t understand why you haven’t married that rich girl out there. You’ve practically sealed the deal with her. This is what I have been working you toward from the beginning. When you finally have it in your grasp, you are hesitating.”

“I’m not hesitating.”

“You will never find a better chance. She has more than the estate even had in the first place. Plus, she has a pretty face to look at. You have had your fun, now it’s time to settle down. Do it for the estate if nothing else.”

I turned away. I couldn’t listen anymore. I couldn’t understand why Kent would deny his sister her happiness. Even more so, I could not believe what I was hearing spoken of me.

I should have known. Why on earth had I expected less from him than what I knew would be the case with any other impoverished peerage member? It was exactly what my mom had been playing on, I realized. Maybe I was better off with someone like Lord Milford. At least then I wouldn’t have to worry that he only wanted my money.

* * *

I
looked for Ettie
, but couldn’t find her. No doubt she was too upset to come back to the party. I didn’t want to be there either. I feared if I looked upon Kent again I would spew the venomous words in my heart right there in front of everyone.

I couldn’t decide what was more infuriating, that I had fallen right into his charm or that he had lied right to my face and I didn’t know it. I decided my ego was the most wounded of all. I had always thought I was a good judge of character.

I found my way to the duchess and informed her of a headache so we could leave right away. She was all too happy to oblige and we were gone before Kent made it out of his office.

The next morning, I woke early to my maid shaking me. “I’m so sorry miss. Lady Henrietta is here. She says it’s very important.”

I immediately hopped out of bed. I donned my light robe over my nightdress and ran downstairs barefoot.

I burst into the drawing room not only to find Ettie, but Lord Byron. I did my best to cover up my disheveled look.

He cleared his throat, embarrassed for me. “I’ll wait for you in the carriage,” he said to Henrietta. Turning to me, he added, “I know we haven’t spent much time together, but I hope someday we can be good friends.”

With that, he made his way out of the room just as my maid came in with tea in her hand.

We sat on the couch next to each other.

“We are running away,” Ettie said.

“You are
what
?”

“After we overheard what happened last night with Kent, I ran after Byron. I found him just as he was about to leave. He assured me he wasn’t going to give up. He told me he would be willing to elope if that was only way to be together.”

“And you think that is a wise idea? Your family could disown you!”

“They won’t. I don’t know what has come over Kent. Maybe just hyper overprotective or something. He will come around in time. Even Byron agrees to that fact. We don’t want to wait though.”

“I really think you should stop and gauge your choice before you just rush off. This is something you can’t turn back from, my friend.”

“I know. I am prepared to make that choice, no matter the consequences.”

We hugged each other closely.

“I wanted to tell you last night, but you were gone before I could,” she looked at me with those questioning green eyes. They were so much like her brother’s. I shook away the thought before the heartache could settle in.

“I had a headache,” I said, waving her off.

“Oh. Well, I wanted you to know. I figure someone should know where we are going. Byron thought it was a bad idea, said you would try to stop us.”

“I won’t, not if this is what you truly want.”

“I know,” she said with a smile. She squeezed my hand in hers. “We are leaving for Scotland right now. It will be so romantic,” she said with a squeal.

“Do you want me to come with you?” I asked. I worried about her traveling so far on her own. “How long will it take you to get there?”

“Byron says it will take three to four days, depending on the roads, of course. We plan to make a hasty trip, obviously, and only stop at nights.”

I gave her another hug. “Be safe. Write me as soon as you can so that I know you are safe.”

“Of course,” she said, rising. “I just wanted to tell someone, you know. Someone that would be happy for us.”

“I am happy for you,” I said before watching her leave.

I sat there in the drawing room. I wasn’t sure how long I had been there. I didn’t realize the house had started to bustle with the servants getting ready for the day. I was thinking about Ettie and her happiness. I hoped I was doing the right thing helping her. I still didn’t quite understand why Kent was so against the union.

Was it because they were rivals growing up, as Ettie had said?
I couldn’t image that he would jeopardize his sister’s happiness all for his pride. However, I had learned last night that I didn’t know him as well as I had first thought.
Who knew what kind of a man he was, or what his true motives were
?

I was shaken from my thoughts by the drawing room doors bursting open. It was still early, before either the duke or duchess would be down for breakfast. I looked up to see Kent standing there at the door.

His hair wasn’t pulled back as it usually was, but a wild halo of dark red curls. His clothes were disheveled, like he had just thrown them on. He was looking at me wildly.

“Where is she?” he demanded. “Is she here?”

“No, Your Grace,” I said, doing my best to calm my startled nerves. “She did stop by, but left a few hours ago.”

He cursed under his breath. He paced the room back and forth.

“How, may I ask, did Your Grace know that she would come here first?” I asked as coolly as I could possibly muster.

I had to keep reminding myself that I didn’t want to be in the same room as him. I was disgusted by what I had heard last night. They were his words, after all, so they should have trumped the feelings in my heart.

He stopped and looked me in the eyes. “Why are you calling me that?”

“Calling you what, Your Grace?” I said, sitting back down.

I realized I was still in my nightgown. I stood up to leave. “I should go make myself more appropriate for receiving company,” I said.

I walked past him without making eye contact. He wrapped one hand around my waist, stopping me in my tracks.

“What’s wrong? Why did you leave last night without a word?”

“I don’t know what your mean, Your Grace, but…” I started trying my best to side step his grip.

“That! That right there.”

He pulled his arm so that I was closer to him. He was looking down at me with worried eyes. “What happened last night?” He brushed his thumb along my cheek. I couldn’t help but lean into his touch.

“What happened is that Ettie and I went to eavesdrop in on your meeting with Byron and your uncle. We heard everything you said.”

“You don’t understand,” he said, glaring at me coldly.

“Don’t understand what? Why you are denying your sister’s happiness, or the fact that you have been leading me along for my money?” I tried to pull away from him, but he only wrapped his other arm around me.

“You obviously didn’t listen long enough,” he said.

“What?”

“You are right about one thing. I did tell Byron that he couldn’t marry my sister. I have a very good reason. He knows just as much as I do. I can explain it all to you on the way; just tell me where they are going.”

“Why should I trust you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. I was doing my best to hold onto my anger. It was hard to do with his arms wrapped around my thin cotton nightgown, his head dipping low to meet mine.

“Because I love you, Scarlett. If you had stayed last night, you would have heard me tell my uncle the same. I don’t want to marry you for your money. If loving you from afar for the rest of my life was the only way to prove that to you, I would do it. I never thought I would feel this emotion for someone else. But with you, I would do whatever you wanted in order to earn your love.”

He hesitated a minute before bringing his lips down on mine. He kissed me softly, just the brushing of our lips against each other. I rose up on my toes and wrapped my arms around him, taking the kiss deeper. I had desired the taste of his lips for so long that everything else just melted away.

He pulled back from me. Rubbing his hand against my cheek, he looked deep into my eyes. I knew in that moment that I did love him. I did trust him too.

“Go and get dressed,” he finally said. “We must go and stop my sister before she makes this horrible mistake.”

“But…” I started.

“We don’t have time for that now. I will explain all on the way. Do you trust me?” he asked sincerely.

His question had a double meaning. Did I trust him enough to ruin his sister’s elopement, and did I trust him enough to know that he was sincere.

“I do,” I said before turning to leave.