Regency Romance: A Duchess in Disguise (Historical 19th Century Victorian Romance) (Duke Fantasy Billionaire Romance) (4 page)

''Splendid,'' Francis said looking at Maria warmly.

''But.....''

''Ah, of course, there's a problem,'' Francis interjected. ''You know William where you're concerned, there
's always a problem
. Nothing in your life is simple.''

William was surprised at Francis' tone. He knew Francis was under enormous pressure, but he'd never spoken to him like that before. ''She's a
merchant’s
daughter,'' he said as quickly as possible to get it out of the way.

''She's what?'' Francis cried. ''I thought you told me she was the daughter of an Earl,'' he said, glaring at Maria.

''That's what they told me,'' Maria complained.

''There is a story
to
it,'' William said.

''Then tell us, we're very anxious to know what it
could possibly
be,'' Francis said sarcastically.

''Megan, that's the lady in question, has a father who aspires to the drawing rooms of the aristocracy, even though he is middle class. Apparently, he thinks his wealth places him adequately to do so.''

''It's not only about money,
it's
about breeding. When will these
blessed
people
learn?
If it was about money I wouldn't have married Maria, would I?'' Francis scoffed. Maria didn't know whether to feel pleased or upset.

''He was using his daughter to gain entry to the upper class. But she didn't know she would fall in love with me. It's not her fault.''

''No William, no a hundred times,'' Francis said

''What no?'' William replied.

''I know what you want me to say. You want me to agree. But I will never accept a woman from a lower class into this family.'' Maria now knew she could be pleased.

''Even though we need
money,
and she has that in abundance?''

''Find somebody else. There were plenty of eligible women at that ball. Why did you have to go and fall for one so unsuitable.''

Francis got up and marched out of the
room;
Maria scampered after him. William remained where he was, too devastated to move.
He
thought back to his mother and what she would think of the situation.
He
loved Megan, but he had to think of his family. He would be
fine
if he married her, she was rich, but
he
knew he would have to cut all ties with
Francis,
and the estate would
be lost
.

*****

When Ellen didn't hear from William for more than a
week,
she feared the worst. A week later she was sitting with her father at the breakfast
table
when he put down the newspaper and looked at his daughter. It was the look on his face that caught her attention.

''What father?'' she said.

He didn't speak. He sat
open-mouthed,
as if he'd been stung into unconsciousness. He didn't know what to do. How could he have been so
cruel?
So demanding.
Such a bad father. His selfishness had brought this upon his
daughter,
and he would never be able to forgive himself. He was ashamed to think what his wife would think of him.

''Father, what on earth has happened?''

''Here,'' he said, passing her the newspaper.

He'd been reading the announcements page. Megan began to read. As her eyes scanned the page, she found what her father had seen. Each word made her shake more uncontrollably than the last. At the
end,
she passed out and slipped onto the floor.

*****

It was five o'clock and the end of Fred and Philip's shift. They were looking forward to a pint of beer in the Steam Packet. When they got out of the ship and onto the quay, a woman was waiting for them.

''Which one of you is Fred?'' she asked. She was around twenty and
pretty
.

''I am,'' Fred admitted.

''I want to talk to you,'' she said. ''Tell him to sling his hook,'' she added, referring to Philip.

''See you later,'' Fred said to
Philip,
who idled off, more curious than he had ever been. ''What can I do for you?'' Fred asked the woman.

''Someone told me you haven't got a girl.''

Fred liked the look of her, very much, but he was slightly anxious. She seemed very
forthright,
and the last thing he wanted was to be an oppressed husband. ''Er....yes, that's right.''

She took a deep breath. ''I know it's not proper for a lady to ask a man, but there are a lot of girls after you, and I wanted to be the first to talk to you. I hope you don't mind me being so.........direct. I'm not usually like that.''

Fred was calmer now she'd explained herself. He liked the sound of being chased by a lot of women, but to be fair to her she'd taken the trouble to come and speak to him, he'd give her a chance, and if she turned out to be no good he would pick one of the others.  ''Thank you for coming to see me. I hope you're not disappointed,'' he said.

''No I'm not. You're very handsome.''

''If you like we can sit on the bench, over there,'' he pointed to the seat overlooking the harbor.

''Yes, that would be nice.''

He
was bowled
over when he began to talk to her. She was
really
very pretty
indeed. He learned her name was Mary, she gutted fish for a living and had her
own
house. They talked for an
hour
until it was almost dark. Fred liked her, and he decided he would see over the next few weeks whether she would be a good wife or not. He thought she would.

''It a beautiful view from here,'' Mary said. ''So many
wonderful
ships.''

''Yes. They sail from here to destinations all over the world.''

''And when they get back, you unload them.''

''Not all of them. Just
Mr.
Longhurst's ships.''

''Which are his?'' she asked.

''Well, most of them are at sea, but, there's that one. That's called Rambling Rose and that one. That's called, Jesus Christ.''

''Really?'' Mary said shocked at the name. Fred didn't
reply;
he was already running around the quay as fast as his short legs would carry him. ''Oh my God,'' Mary exclaimed when she saw what was happening. She followed Fred.

''No stop,
stop,
'' Fred shouted as loudly as he could. But it was too late, the woman jumped into the cold water and disappeared. Fred took off his cap,
waistcoat,
and boots and jumped from the quay. When he hit the water he gasped, it was colder than he'd expected.
He
felt around under the water for her, but nothing. When Mary
arrived,
he told her to go and get a life buoy.

''Where the hell are you?'' he said still thrashing around in the water. He took a deep breath and
went under
. Mary came back with a ring on the end of a long rope. She screamed when she couldn't see either of them.

*****

''William, William, where are you?'' Maria shouted frantically.

''Here, what is it?''

''Francis, he's passed out and
fallen down
the stairs,'' she sobbed. William raced to the hallway and saw his brother lying in a horrible position. He felt for a
pulse,
but there was nothing.

''I'm afraid he's broken his neck,'' the doctors said when he arrived. ''Death would have been instant. I will have to make a report of it, and hand it to the constabulary.''

William looked at the doctor and then at
Maria,
who was staring out ahead of her at nothing in particular. ''Francis has been under a lot of strain recently, could that have had something to do with it?'' he asked.

''It's
quite
possible. People react differently to the stresses of life. He is
very thin;
it's
quite
possible he was anemic and passed out. It's very
unfortunate;
you have my utmost sympathy,'' the doctor said. At that moment, the local clergyman arrived and took over.

That evening the doctor came again and administered something to make Maria sleep. William sat in the library, and for the first time in his life poured himself a drink from the decanters on the mahogany sideboard. He was now in charge of the estate and all
it's
problems.
He
thought about his wife to be, Kathrine, and then his thoughts turned to Megan. Why hadn't he just left and gone to her? Why had he been so weak and listened to his brother? Katherine was a loving woman, a woman of virtue with a fine sense of humor, a woman he ought to love, but didn't. What was he doing,
he,
though? Now Francis was
dead;
he could do as he wished. But Katherine would be heartbroken. He took a sip of whiskey and felt it burn its way down to his stomach. After a few more sips, things became a little clearer.

William drank two glasses of whiskey and fell asleep on the sofa in the library. He didn't wake up until he heard someone seemingly trying to break the front door down.

''My Lord, there is a gentleman at the front door who say's he wants to talk to you.''

''What kind of a gentleman?'' William asked the butler.

''Rather
uncouth
, a working man.''

''Wait, I'm coming.'' William stood up and straightened his clothing. His neck was aching and his
head
pounding.

When he reached the front
door,
he looked at the man who wanted to see him. ''How can I help you sir?'' he asked.

''Are you Lord William?''

He was, but William supposed he was now the Duke as well. ''Yes, who are you?''

''My name is Fred, I work for Megan Longhurst's father.''

''Megan,'' he exclaimed. ''Is she alright, you haven't brought bad news, have you?''

''No luckily, but I ought to box your ears for the way you've treated her.''

''I.......I don't know what
you....
''

''Oh, yes you do. Making her fall in love with you, and without telling her, getting engaged to somebody else. It's a disgrace.  I'm not here to teach you a lesson, although I ought to. I'm here to take you to her.''

''Where is she?''

''In hospital. She almost died.''

''How? Why?''

''Come on, I'll tell you on the way.''

They sat in Jeffrey's carriage and set off towards Bristol. ''Young man, I don't care whether you're a Lord, a Duke or the
bloody
King of England, what you have done to her is
disgraceful,
'' Fred said holding firmly onto William's arm. ''She loves
you,
and you will darn well marry her or something unpleasant will happen to you. Do you get my drift?''

William looked at the man threatening him. ''I understand,'' he said. It wasn't Fred's
well-meaning
threats that made him decide. He'd decided the previous evening that he would let Katherine down, gently and beg Megan to take him back.

They arrived at Bristol Infirmary two hours later. They both jumped out and walked
through
the large front door into a hallway with four corridors leading from it.
An official
looking woman asked them who they were looking for and told them the way.

Jeffrey was able to afford a private ward for his daughter. Most other people were in wards of twelve or more. When the two men arrived at the door, Fred opened it very gently and peered inside. Jeffrey came out and looked at William.

''Lord
Thurlington
?'' Jeffrey asked.

''Yes. How is she?''

''Not very well. She tried to kill herself by drowning. She jumped from one of my ships in the harbor. Fred here saved her, he jumped in and pulled her out.''

''Oh my God,'' William said, putting his hand over his mouth. He felt nauseous. ''Oh my God, what have I done?''

''We are both at fault,'' Jeffrey said. ''And we will have to make amends.'' ''Luckily the child she's carrying is still living inside her.''

''What?''

''She's expecting a baby.''

''No.
Oh,
what a fool I've been and so cruel. Do you think she will be able to forgive me?''