Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington (Ladies of Deception) (5 page)

Chapter 5

Noelle stifled a
yawn as she moved to the sideboard in the dining room to fill her breakfast
plate up with gooseberry tarts and clotted cream. She was ravenous after a late
night at the Weatherston ball. Though she normally loved socializing and having
various gentlemen dance attention on her, the previous night had been nothing
but a bore to her, the ball lasting till the wee hours of the morning. She was
restless and found her thoughts wandering to Soren all too frequently wishing
she could be with him instead of in the stuffy ballroom dancing with men who in
her mind couldn’t even compare.

She had no
sooner sat down when her father walked into the room. But instead of filling up
a plate of food for himself, he marched right in and sat at the head of the
long table in his customary seat. “Darling, we must talk.”

Noelle looked up
from her plate and noticed for the first time that her father’s face appeared
unusually pale, “What is it father?”

He cleared his
throat before starting, “You know very well that I have been prodigiously patient
with both you and your brother about finding proper matches, especially with
you Noelle.” He gave her a pointed look that made her nervous, not sure she
liked where this was going.

“You promised to
give me until the end of the season, did you not?” She asked him tersely.

He looked uncomfortable
as he cleared his throat once more, a sign he was more nervous than he was
letting on. “Yes well…I uh…that is to say things change. I have arranged an
advantageous match for you with the Duke of Kerrington.”

“What?” she
pushed back from the table furiously, knocking her teacup over in the process
but not even paying it an ounce of attention as the warm liquid seeped off the
table and onto the floor. Her fists were balled tightly at her sides; she
couldn’t believe that what she had just heard could be true. “You don’t even
know the Duke of Kerrington.”

“Of course I
know him.”

“Know of him
maybe,” she pointed out, “but certainly you haven’t made his acquaintance. How
could you arrange a match with someone you don’t even know?” Her voice had
increasingly gotten louder and louder with each word she shrieked until before
she knew it she was yelling loud enough for half of London to hear which only
proved to make her father angry.

“Enough! Sit
down this instance and show me some respect.” Noelle grudgingly did as she was
told.

“You’re not
getting any younger Noelle and I’ve let you play your silly games long enough.
I gave you plenty of time to pick a gentleman of your choosing but you
seemingly couldn’t have been bothered so this is what it has come down to. The
duke is a wealthy man with a large estate. You couldn’t have found yourself a
better match of that I am sure.”

Noelle closed
her eyes and took multiple long breaths, holding them in her lungs before
exhaling slowly, trying to force herself to calm down. A thought rose unbidden
into her mind of shocking green eyes and a handsome face and she instantly knew
the words her father spoke were false, she most definitely could find herself a
better match than the Duke of Kerrington—maybe she already had. There had to be
a way out of this arrangement. She forced herself to sound calmer than she felt
when she finally addressed her father again.

“I thought we
had an agreement father, that I could have until the end of the season. Since
nothing has been announced as far as an engagement to the duke, maybe you could
make good on your word to me and let me have the remainder of my promised time
to make up my own mind. If by then I haven’t made a match of mine own choosing,
I will agree to go ahead with this—arrangement.” She couldn’t bring herself to
utter the word marriage.

“Noelle,” her
father was exasperated, “I cannot agree to that.”

“Why not?” she
sputtered, “What could be more important than your word?”

She watched as
her father reached a fleshy hand up to loosen his expertly tied cravat,
“Exactly my point, there is nothing more important than my word—” she looked
hopeful for a split second before he continued, “—to the duke that is, and
that’s why I will not be going back on it. Do you want me to be taken for the
fool?”

Of course she
didn’t but neither did she want to spend the rest of her life in a loveless
marriage to a man she had never met. She had heard of the infamous Duke of
Kerrington, everyone had, but hearing of his reputation as a heartless rake
didn’t exactly endear her to the idea of being married to him. Noelle felt like
she was losing the battle and she didn’t take to losing well, especially when
something so important was at stake.

            Turning tear filled eyes on
him she asked in a quiet voice, “Why did you do it?”

            “Some things aren’t meant
for a lady to understand.”

            “Try me,” she quipped
coolly, trying to gain some sort of understanding.

            “Fine, if you think that
knowing what motivated the arrangement will make it easier for you to comply then
so be it. I wagered your hand in marriage to him in a card game and he won. I
knew he needed a wife to provide him an heir and how fortunate for me, I had
just the thing that he needed. I figured if he won it would benefit him and you
both, seeing as you need a husband whether you’re willing to believe it or not.
I didn’t go into the game intending for him to win but he did and I couldn’t
very well go back on my word now could I? There, does that make you feel better
knowing all the sordid details?” he growled.

            “Does it make me feel better
to know that you honor your word with a practical stranger more than the
agreement you had with your own daughter? Hardly. Nothing you do short of
calling off this absurd arrangement will make me feel better.”

“Don’t be so dramatic
Noelle. You aren’t the first lady of society to enter in to an arranged
marriage and you certainly won’t be the last. And pouting about marrying a duke
does not become you my dear, you appear spoiled to complain of it as such a
trial. There are many girls out there who would willingly and happily take your
place.”

“Then let them,”
she quipped before standing once more, “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite, please
excuse me.” Before her father could oppose she was walking briskly out of the
room. The moment the thick door shut behind her she found her resolve had
disappeared. Warm tears trickled down her face obscuring her vision but she
forced herself to keep walking lest someone see her and question her actions.
The minute she entered her bedchamber she flung herself across her large bed,
weeping into her pillow.

She felt
betrayed by her father, how could he have done something so selfish? She had
always taken pride in the fact that her father allowed her the freedom to
dictate her own future, within reason of course. He had strongly encouraged her
to find a suitable gentleman to settle down with, one with a title and a good
reputation and preferably plenty of wealth, but he had never been one prone to
force her into things. This most recent development both shocked and bothered
her.

When the tears
had finally been spent she rolled onto her back and wiped the remnants of the
crying from her face and began pondering on the Duke of Kerrington and
everything she had heard of the man. She had to admit that she had never paid
attention to much of the gossip of the ton but there was only so much you could
avoid and the duke had been the center of many rumors and speculation over the
years. The gossip suggested he was a heartless rake bent on seeking his own
pleasure and caring little to nothing for the hearts he left shattered in his
wake. He was reputed to be cold and held little regard for society and its
expectations. No wonder such a man would acquire a wife through gambling. Most
men, any gentleman at least, wouldn’t stoop to such a low. At least Noelle
hoped that were the truth. Before today she also would’ve thought that no true
gentleman would likewise wager his daughters hand, but she had been proven
wrong.

Maybe all
supposed gentleman were merely putting on a façade, and now she was expected to
be wed to the one of the greatest cads of them all. For a moment she let
herself entertain the idea of living in a world with no titles, a world where
she truly was free to make her own decisions and forge her own destiny, a world
where she could marry whomever she chose whenever she chose, someone like Soren
Johannsen.

The thought of
Soren made her sit upright, an idea forming in her mind. She knew that she
couldn’t just go ahead and marry the duke without first talking to Soren. She
felt an instantaneous need compelling her to go to him, to tell him of her
dilemma. She knew where he was staying at and briefly entertained the idea of
sending him a note before squelching it, knowing that she’d regret not having a
last opportunity to see him. He was set to sail home to America by the end of
the week and quickly decided she would do whatever it took to see him again.
She reached for the small brass bell sitting on her bedside table and gave it a
ring, alerting Hope of her need for assistance.

Hope came
scurrying into the room and took one look at Noelle and knew that she had been
crying. “Oh milady, whatever is the matter? Are you not feeling well?”

“No I am not.”
Noelle replied sadly, her bottom lip quivering. Hope’s concern had made her
feel emotional all over again.

“Shall I ring
for some tea? Do you need to lie down? I could pull your covers back and help
you into bed if you’d like.”

“No, none of
that will be necessary, it’s not my body that aches; it’s my heart. Father has
done the most awful thing.” Hope clutched a hand to her heart and waited
curiously for Noelle to continue. “He has arranged for me to marry the Duke of
Kerrington.”

Though she said
it with such disdain, Hope failed to see why that would make Noelle so
miserable. Of course she didn’t know the duke but one would presume he was a
fine gentleman if her father had seen fit to arrange for his only daughter to
marry him. “Pardon milady, but I fail to see the horror in your predicament.
Surely you should be honored to marry a duke.”

Noelle snorted,
“Ha! You sound like my father. The Duke of Kerrington is reputed to be a cold
and uncaring man with frivolous pursuits and I refuse to be wed to someone not
of my own choosing.” That part Hope could understand—she couldn’t say she
blamed her mistress for not wanting to marry a stranger.

“Well I’m sure
this has come as a shock to you but I best say you make the most of the
situation seeing as how there’s nothing to be done for it now. Look on the bright
side, at least you’ll be a duchess and will have your own large estate to
manage and care for.”

Noelle shook her
head vehemently, “That’s where you’re wrong, there is something I plan to do
about it but I will need your help.”

“Are you sure
milady, what could I possibly do?” The minute the words escaped her mouth she
was filled with a sick foreboding and she prayed that Noelle wouldn’t ask her
to pose as her again.

“I need you to
go to the Hampshire’s ball for me tonight so I will be free to go speak to
Soren.”

“Can’t you just
send him a note?” Hope pled, knowing it would never be that simple of a
solution with Noelle.

“I already
thought about that but I know a note wouldn’t be enough, I need to see him
again. He leaves for America in a matter of days, this could be my last chance
to see him before I’m forced to marry.”

“I fail to see
the importance of meeting with him again. What do you expect to accomplish?”

“Oh Hope, have
you not a romantic bone in your body? He may very well be the only man I will
ever love, surely you wouldn’t deny me the opportunity to see him one last
time.”

Hope knew she
was in trouble, if she didn’t agree to her plan, Noelle would surely force her
into it once more. There was only one problem, “I cannot go to the ball in your
place, I do not know how to dance.” She hoped and prayed it would be sufficient
enough to keep her from being forced to attend the ball.

“Drat, I hadn’t
thought of that. I suppose you’ll just have to inform my father that I have
taken ill and won’t be able to attend.”

“Taken ill…again?
It was only last week that you stayed home with a megrim. You’re father might
grow suspicious and insist on calling the doctor.” Hope pointed out.

“Then tell him
it’s my monthlies, surely he won’t question that.” Hope felt her cheeks heat at
the thought of discussing such personal things with the master of the house.
Noelle didn’t seem to notice her discomfort and forged ahead, “I will need to
borrow one of your dresses once more and have you pull my hair back into that
horribly tight bun. I have no idea how you stand it, it is highly
uncomfortable.  While I’m gone you’ll just have to stay here in my room so that
if anyone comes to question how I am feeling you can answer for me.”

“Do you think
it’s wise for you to go?” Hope didn’t think it was but she already knew what
Noelle’s answer would be.

“Of course, I
have no other choice. Now that you won’t have to attend the ball you can
relax.” But Hope knew she wouldn’t be able to relax, not until that troublesome
American had left the country for good.