An Unlikely Duchess (14 page)

If Hartridge decided, for whatever reason, to ask her to be his wife, Caroline would not hesitate in accepting.

Rebecca felt as if her heart had stopped beating.

So that was it? He was to be her brother-in-law? The fates had a sick sense of humour.

CHAPTER TEN

A ride seemed all the more appealing now and Rebecca had a desperate urge to get away.

She rang for Maura and with record speed had donned her riding habit and set out for the stables, thankful not to have bumped into anybody on the way.

If the stable hands noticed that Rebecca was not herself that day they tactfully refrained from commenting and readied her horse, Athena.

She set out at a leisurely pace, meaning to pick up speed once she’d cleared the grounds.

She thought guiltily of her promise not to be alone but quickly dismissed it from her thoughts. There was no real danger. Mr. Simons was a tenant of her father’s. He would not be stupid enough to risk his entire livelihood by acting untoward. She could only presume that he’d gotten a little carried away and would stay out of her way from now on, for fear of retribution.

Besides, she could not, would not allow herself to think of Hartridge. She was barely holding it together as it was.

She rounded the stables, picked up her pace to a trot and made her way toward the meadows; once there she would gallop until Athena tired and hopefully by the time she got back she would be able to hear the engagement announcement without embarrassing herself.

But luck, it seemed, was not on her side, for as she approached the boundary of the formal gardens she came upon Caro and Hartridge. He was bending over her hand and Caroline was smiling. Rebecca felt her heart drop all the way to her toes.

As he straightened, their eyes locked and it seemed as if the world melted away. How could he still have this effect on her? He was in the process of proposing for God’s sake. To her sister!

Caroline noticed Edward’s gaze was focused elsewhere and turned to see Rebecca’s stricken expression. Her own expression turned to one of confusion but before she could speak Rebecca had turned Athena and galloped at full force toward the boundary hedge and the meadow beyond.

Caroline gasped in horror, Rebecca was going full pelt toward the hedge. Athena was a wonderful horse and Rebecca had one of the best seats Caroline had ever seen but she would never clear that hedge, would she?

Caroline made to start forward but was brought up short by the expletive shouted from beside her! She turned toward the duke to see he was staring in much the same horror, toward where Rebecca was still galloping.

“What the hell is she doing?” he growled.

Caroline was confused by his reaction. He seemed equally terrified. And she knew why
she
was reacting that way— because she loved Rebecca. So why was he?

However, Caroline did not have time to wonder about the duke when her little sister was likely about to break her neck.

She started to run toward Rebecca though there was no chance to catch up with her. She called out to her but the stiff breeze took her cry and carried it away.

She was soon overtaken by the duke who was sprinting as if the very hounds of hell were at his feet. He called out too and his voice was so much more commanding, more desperate sounding too, that Caroline was sure that Rebecca would hear and stop.

But Rebecca did not stop, even if she heard his pleading cry. She reached the hedge and Caroline froze in horror. She would surely fall.

Edward screeched to a halt as Rebecca’s horse leapt. He had never felt such fear in his life. He would wring her neck if she survived that jump. How could she be so bloody thoughtless?

The horse’s hind legs skimmed the top of the hedge and cleared it! Edward let out the breath he’d been painfully holding. If he expected Rebecca to stop or turn back, he was disappointed. She kept running, not even breaking her stride.

“Ahem.” At Lady Caroline’s subtle cough Edward dragged his eyes away from the retreating form of Rebecca. He seemed to do a lot of staring after the lady.

“Your sister is quite the adventuress,” Edward stated calmly, doing his best to bring his emotions back under control.

Lady Caroline eyed him sceptically. He did not like that look. It reminded him of her sister and he really did not need any more reminders since Rebecca occupied pretty much all of his thoughts already.

When the lady did not speak, he tried again.

“Well, I hope she will be more careful when riding in the future. I am sure you would all prefer her to be safe and not trying to kill herself on her horse.”

Lady Caroline continued to look curiously at him without speaking.
For God’s sake! Has
she suddenly turned mute?

“Well, I will um — shall I escort you back, my lady?”

Lady Caroline’s ice blue gaze had turned from curious to calculating.

“No, thank you, your grace. I believe I shall take the air for a while. And make sure Rebecca gets back in one piece. We none of us want to see any harm come to her. Do we?”

He felt suddenly nervous under her intense scrutiny. Resisting the urge to pull at his suddenly too tight cravat, he bowed and turned back toward the house. He just wanted to take his leave. He had made an appointment to speak with the earl and, since he’d just broken the arrangement with Lady Caroline, he did not want to add insult to what was sure to be injury by not turning up at his allotted time.

Lady Caroline had taken the news surprisingly well. Insultingly well, if he were honest. She did not seem to care. And he was a duke!

He had asked her to walk out with him, not wanting to do it in the house in case she swooned or, heaven forbid, cried.

He had hemmed and hawed about how best to break the news, gently and with compassion, he decided. After all, it would be a difficult blow to come back from and she did not deserve to be hurt. He already felt like an absolute cad.

And so it was that they had taken a stroll around the gardens and he had finally worked up the courage to approach the subject.

“My lady” —they were just beyond the stables, secluded enough to protect the poor dear’s dignity.

“I cannot pretend to be unaware of the arrangement made between our fathers, though I only learned of it when my mother and I arrived here.”

All right. Here it went.

“I would have you know that I hold you in great esteem. You are charming and beautiful and would make a perfect duchess.”

Caroline smiled serenely, giving no indication that she knew what was coming. Edward took a big breath and blurted. “I am so very sorry, but I cannot pay my addresses to you. I really do feel that—”

“I know.” She cut him off.

Oh.

“You… know?”

“Yes, your grace. I know.”

She knew what?

“You know what?”

“That you and I are wholly unsuited. That we would not make each other happy. That our fathers were either insane or more foxed than I imagined when that contract was made.”

Right. No swooning then.

“I had thought that you — I mean, that you were aware, had wanted—”

“Your grace, from the schoolroom I have been trained in the fine art of being a duchess. My entire life, I suppose, has been geared towards it. I had no problem with it. I was not romantic. I know the value of a good marriage, based on family alliance and place in Society. Rebecca is our romantic.”

Why was he not surprised?

“I hadn’t given much thought to how I would actually feel when we met.”

She blushed and he was struck again by how attractive the girl actually was once he saw past the standoffishness of her demeanour.

“The truth is, whilst I have the greatest of respect for you, I cannot help but feel that perhaps there should be a little more feeling on both sides when entering a marriage. Respect — well, it is not very exciting is it?”

Edward felt a surge of affection for the lady. She had a sensible head on her shoulders and he was glad that she wanted more from marriage. She deserved somebody who would make her smile, laugh and evoke feelings more than respect.

He smiled fondly.

“I am very pleased that we agree on this, Lady Caroline. I only hope your father does not break out the shotgun!”

Caroline laughed. “I believe he will take the news better than you think. He will, perhaps, be disappointed. He is terribly fond of you and your family, you know. I think the thoughts of an alliance were more important to him than it being you and I specifically.”

Edward coughed nervously and looked away. Lady Caroline did not suspect that he had developed a — what? What had he developed for Rebecca? Apart from raging lust and the ability to age about 10 years from sheer frustration.

When he glanced back, Lady Caroline seemed uncomfortable. Did she suspect? Or was she thinking of something else? Hmm. How mysterious. Who could she mean?

There was an awkward little silence, as if they were both thinking things the other should not be privy to. Edward smiled to break the tension.

“I am very pleased to have had things work out so well, my lady. I truly wish you every happiness.”

“And you, your grace.” Caroline smiled.

Edward bowed over her hand and was about to take his leave when he had sensed, more than heard, Lady Rebecca’s presence. His body had reacted to her before he was even aware that she was in the vicinity.

As Edward entered the house and made his way to the earl’s study, he thought back to the look on Lady Rebecca’s face. Her expression had been so stricken that he had felt his heart clench painfully. What was the matter with her? Surely, she did not think that he and her sister –

Before he could even finish the thought, she had taken off full pelt toward the boundary of the garden. And then he’d been left to do damage control with her sister who had appeared far too bright and far too curious for his peace of mind.

He would make sure Lady Rebecca, the scourge of his blood pressure, got a proper talking to later. And if the earl would not curb his youngest’s penchant for dangerous misadventure, then he damn well would.

However, all thoughts of punishment, especially the more exciting ones, needed to be firmly pushed aside. It was time for his meeting with the earl.

****

Rebecca felt infinitely better after her ride. Since the evenings were brighter as they approached summer, she had stayed out for longer than she had intended but it had done her good. Her mind felt clearer, and she felt better equipped to deal with the announcement that was surely to come at dinner.

There was just enough time to slip to her room and change, but first she needed to speak to her father.

Rebecca found him in his study, gazing out at the glorious grounds that could be viewed from this room. Decorated in a typically male fashion, all dark woods and blood red brocades, it was nevertheless one of Rebecca’s favourites in the house.

In the past she had sat for hours reading in here while her father went about his business. The smell, the worn comfortable furniture had always put her at ease. Rebecca did not feel at ease right now, however. Though she was sure her father would have no objection to her having a Season, she did not want him inquiring as to her sudden interest in the marriage mart when she had shown a distinct
lack
of interest up until now.

Still, it had to be done. And she would just avoid difficult questions as much as possible. She hadn’t left very much time for discussion anyway and hoped that would aid her in skipping over any difficult bits.

“Papa?”

The earl turned toward her with a smile.

“Ah Rebecca. I take it you have heard the news?”

Oh God. So much for avoiding difficult topics. Well, perhaps it was best to get it over with now. If she cried in front of Papa he would send her off to her Mother and at least this way she would not have to try and save face in front of the entire party later.

“About the engagement, Papa?”

“Well, yes. Or rather lack of engagement, eh?” he asked jovially.

“Pardon me?”

“Even your mother does not seem that put out. I am disappointed, I must say. But then, I suppose it was the wish of two foolish young men who really took very little into consideration.”

Rebecca was growing more confused by the second. Was he saying that there
wasn’t
an engagement between Hartridge and her sister? Then, what had she witnessed in the garden?

“Father, are you saying—”

“Of course,” he continued, “it would have been quite a feather in your sister’s cap. And then, there is the desire to have our families finally aligned. Old Thorpe always did feel more like a brother than a friend. Still. No matter. I would not have either of them unhappy. And your sister has suddenly gotten romantic notions in her head, or so it would appear.”

“Father!” Rebecca rather shrieked.

The sound brought the earl up short.

“Forgive me. But, has there not been an engagement between his grace and Caro?”

“No, dear. That is what I’ve been saying. Edward came to me a short while ago to cry off. Though, I suppose he hasn’t cried off as such, since there was never really an engagement in place.”

Rebecca listened in shock as her father rambled on. Her heart soared and she felt quite lightheaded with relief. Though she had no right to.
They
were not
engaged!

He was still an absolute swine for the things he’d said. But he remained an unattached one.

“Anyway, I am not a complete tyrant so I broke the contract willingly. I was worried about your sister but, as I said, she seems to have developed notions of love.” He said the last with an air of amazement.

Rebecca could not blame him. Caroline was not exactly known for her softer side, though she had a heart of gold.

“Well, good for her I say! As long as she takes care to attach herself to one who is worthy of her, I shall be well pleased.”

Rebecca smiled weakly in response, too overwhelmed by shock and a torrent of nameless emotions to form any coherent answer.