The Grace of a Duke (33 page)

“Ah, my favorite faro dealer,” Grandby replied as he took Jane’s hand in his and lifted it to his lips. “You look even more beautiful by the light of day, Miss Wethersby,” he stated with a lifted eyebrow. “Had I known you were still unattached ...”

Garrett cleared his throat and stepped in to retrieve his bride from the earl. “You would still have preferred a widow,” he finished for the earl, his eyebrows cocked to suggest the earl was being naughty.

Having completed his discussion with the vicar, Joshua turned to find Grandby regarding him with a proud smile. Surprised at the sight of his godfather, Joshua found himself in a bear hug with the older statesman before he realized what was happening. “Grandby!” Joshua shouted as he returned the hug. “How the hell are you?” He caught his mistake immediately; before the vicar could frown or admonish him, Joshua apologized profusely. “Nerves, you see. I’m about to get leg-shackled,” he said by way of an excuse.

Grandby nodded. “I’m in the same boat as you. About to be leg-shackled and loving every minute of it,” he said with mischief. He handed Joshua a bank note. “Ellsworth asked me to give this to you,” he murmured as he glanced around, wanting to be sure the two of them weren’t overheard.

Joshua’s eyes went to the bank draft and he looked up, startled. “Where did he get this?” he asked, pointing to the cheque. The dowry amount of ten thousand pounds was written out to his name, and the signature was that of Edward Bingham, Earl of Ellsworth.

The earl’s brows furrowed as he indicated his surprise at Joshua’s query. “I should think it’s been in an escrow account,” he answered with a shrug, as if he was unaware of any problems with the dowry.

Joshua glanced at the name of the bank on the note. It was not Barings Bank but rather the Bank of England.
So, apparently Nicholas Bingham had been draining an entirely different bank account, and yet was under the impression he had been accessing Charlotte’s dowry account the entire time.
“Charlotte’s cousin didn’t get to this account then?” he asked,
sotto voce
.

Grandby allowed a grin. “Ellsworth is a far smarter man than most give him credit for,” he replied evenly. “And he is a very good judge of character. I think he knew Nicholas would prove a poor choice as an heir. So he gave the cur enough rope to hang himself, and the boy did just that. But he hung himself on the monies from a household account. Ellsworth never gave him access to his real accounts, to the fortune he has stashed away at the Bank of England.”

Lowering his head, Joshua considered Grandby’s words. “And Ellsworth Park?”

The Earl of Torrington shrugged again. “One of many such unentailed properties. Not his favorite, of course. And now it is in the good hands of a steward who will do it some good,” he added, referring to the Earl of Gisborn. “Your children will benefit, of course. I was made aware by my solicitor that Gisborn has already entailed the estate as part of his will. And Ellsworth will no doubt do the same for most of his lands.”

Sighing, Joshua thought of the unnecessary grief Charlotte had experienced believing her family’s fortune was lost due to her cousin and, because of her willfulness, to Gisborn. And yet, in the end, it seemed the only loss was an old oak tree.

“I shall do the same with this,” Joshua promised as he regarded his godfather, holding up the bank draft. “Thank you.”

The earl smiled. “Good choice, Your Grace. Take care of my favorite goddaughter, will you?” he said then, his voice a bit louder as he nodded toward the entrance to the chapel.

“I will,” Joshua replied, a smile lighting his face as he turned to look where Grandby indicated. There stood his bride gazing at him. She was beautiful. She was blushing. And she was smiling like he’d never seen her smile before.

His own smile was brilliant in the morning light that filtered into the chapel. And, as he absently felt the new black leather mask he’d had made for the occasion, he realized for the first time in a long time, his face didn’t hurt.

Epilogue

Ever After

August 1816

The weddings had been a blur. The celebratory feast had gone on and on until nearly dark. The villagers and tenants and those who came from London for the festivities bid the couples their happy and departed. The staff picked up, cleaned up and put away all the evidence of the day. Life at Wisborough Oaks returned to a routine that now included more women, more workmen in the West Wing and dinners for four in the dining room – at least until the Wainwrights left for their wedding trip to Oxfordshire.

Garrett McElliott slowly opened his eyes, quite sure he’d been bumped or nudged from his rather satisfying slumber, to find two rather beautiful nipples in front of him. Naked, Jane lay on her side facing him, her swollen belly pressed against his torso. About to kiss one of the nipples, he felt a distinct kick in his ribs and let out a cry of surprise. Jane opened her eyes, a mischievous grin appearing on her face as she caught his look of astonishment. “He’s been at it for a while,” she whispered, lifting her arms above her head to stretch. She writhed gently for a moment, inhaling and exhaling slowly as she did so. “He’s getting back at me for last night.”

Garrett’s eyebrow arched as he considered her words. “He?” he repeated, a look of awe crossing his face as he watched the outline of her body moving seductively under the bed linens.

“Well, I do hope it’s a boy. I cannot imagine having a girl who kicks the way this baby does,” she murmured. “She’d be a hoyden!” A yawn overtook her and she rolled onto her other side before scooting her body back against Garrett’s, her warm bottom nesting against his groin.

Garrett snaked an arm around her belly, his hand resting on the curve in a protective manner. “I don’t want to get up,” he whispered as he pressed his chest against Jane’s back. He kissed her shoulder and nuzzled her neck, leaving moist spots in the wake of his kisses.

“Then do not,” Jane replied with a grin. “It’s not as if His Grace will object.” The Duke and Duchess of Chichester were on holiday, having taken the ducal coach up to Oxfordshire to visit the Earl of Gisborn and his new countess, Lady Hannah Slater, at their estate. Charlotte thought a trip with Joshua now would be their last chance to travel before she would go into confinement. She hadn’t yet told the duke she was expecting a baby, but Jane thought the man would probably figure it out during the trip if Charlotte didn’t tell him. “And besides, I am in need of some ... loving,” Jane added as she reached down to wrap her hand around his and move it to her breast.

Garrett’s fingers brushed over the erect bud of her nipple, gently pinching it as Jane inhaled sharply. With his cock already hard and trapped behind her thighs, Garrett didn’t need further encouragement. Moving into position, he pushed his throbbing manhood between the warm, wet folds at the top of her thighs and then allowed Jane to adjust her body so that he could impale her from behind.

It didn’t seem to matter what time of the day or night, or what they had been doing or were even about to do, but in her pregnant state, Jane was always ripe and ready for him. Last night, mere minutes before dinner was to be announced, she’d lifted her eyes to his as he offered her a cup of coffee in the library. He felt his groin tighten instantly when she first accepted and then put down the cup, and then, with just that suggestive look, she insisted he take her right then. She’d hitched her skirts up around her thighs, sat on the edge of the library table and then leaned back on her elbows, arching her back so that her swollen belly was lifted up. “Hurry, Garrett!” she’d begged, her ragged breaths coming in pants. And he’d barely undone the placket of his breeches before his cock sprang free and was plunged into her in an attempt to sate her sudden arousal. The frantic sex they shared had been fast and powerful and such a surprise to Garrett that he’d climaxed even before he was sure Jane had succumbed to the quick succession of contractions he felt in her body. Her long legs, wrapped around his hips, went limp as her body seemed to melt into the table top and her head slowly settled back. “Oh, thank you,” she’d murmured, gasping for air as a giggle burbled up from her throat.

Thank you?
Was she joking? She spent the entire day wearing no corset and no drawers and was quite willing to engage in sexual congress at a moment’s notice.
No wonder some men wanted their wives pregnant all the time!
Garrett thought in amazement. He’d managed to say, “You’re quite welcome,” before he’d heard Gates’ footsteps in the hallway. He’d quickly rebuttoned his breeches and helped Jane up from the table, smoothing her skirts as he did so before the butler entered and announced dinner.

“Do I look like I’ve just been tumbled?” Jane had asked once the butler left, her expression showing a combination of embarrassment, shock and happiness.

“God, yes,” Garrett replied as he tried to suppress a smile. He was still trying to catch his breath when he’d kissed her, and continued to do so until hunger finally got the better of them both and they headed to the dining room.

Now, in their new apartments on the second floor of Wisborough Oaks, he took his time as he pleasured his wife, his movements slow and careful and almost torturous when he felt her inner muscles clenching and releasing him, pulling him into her wet, slick core as deep as he could go. He growled as he felt his oncoming release near, and he took great satisfaction in hearing Jane’s quiet mewling, in watching her long, elegant back arch in response to his movements. But he felt the most satisfaction when he heard his name in the sudden cry of her own release, and his world swirled into a spasm of pleasure so intense, he nearly blacked out.

“That ought to teach him not to kick me,” Garrett got out in a whisper as he tried to regain his breath, his body suddenly going limp against the back of Jane’s. He wrapped his arm over her again and softly stroked her belly.

Jane took a deep breath and let it out, quite happy that Garrett was still trapped inside her. “Maybe for a few hours,” Jane murmured in amusement, “But I rather think he will need reminding quite often.” In mere moments, sleep and sweet dreams overcame them both.

“Tell me your good news,” Joshua urged before he took another fork full of beef to his lips. He closed his eyes and savored the rich gravy, briefly wondering if the innkeeper’s wife would share her recipe. The generous meal had been brought to their private parlor on the second floor of an inn outside of Southall, the aroma from the covered platter so enticing the duke hurried his wife into a chair at the small dining table before she’d had a chance to turn from where she stood staring at the fire. He barely had her properly seated before he was pulling his own chair under him so that he could begin eating as soon as the food was placed on the table.

“Good news?” Charlotte repeated, her own forkful of potatoes held in midair as she regarded her husband. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” she stated with a shake of her head.

Joshua swallowed before cocking his head to one side. Despite the long day of travel, he thought Charlotte looked as fresh and lovely as she had when they’d left Mayfair that morning. Having spent the past few days as guests of Charlotte’s mother and father at Ellsworth House and knowing the next week would be spent in the company of the Earl of Gisborn and his new wife in Oxfordshire, Joshua was relieved to be alone with his duchess for this part of the trip. He gave Charlotte a look of disbelief and set his utensils on his plate. “You’ve been ... smiling. All day. I watched you in the coach ...”

“You were sleeping!” Charlotte accused with a grin, her own fork landing with a clatter onto her plate.

“Was not,” Joshua replied with a shake of his head. “Well, except for when you slept on my shoulder, and then I allowed myself a bit of a cat nap, but only for a moment,” he amended, the part of his face not covered by his leather mask showing an expression of mock seriousness.

Charlotte took a deep breath and allowed the air to leave her slowly. Perhaps now would be an appropriate time to share her news with Joshua, she considered. She only wished she knew how he would react. “I do have news,” she finally admitted. “But I must implore you to answer a few questions before I can share it.”

Joshua frowned. “Alright,” he reluctantly agreed, his one eyebrow cocked in uncertainty.

“Hypothetically, let’s say ...”

“Hypothetically?” Joshua repeated, his eyebrow still arched up.

“Yes,” Charlotte said with a nod. “Say you’re a nobleman ...”

“I am a nobleman.”

“Yes, well then, this shouldn’t be too difficult for you to imagine,” she countered, her tone teasing. “You’ve recently taken a wife ...”

“I have indeed.”

Charlotte bit her lower lip and gave her husband a lowering glance. “And she’s discovered, or realized, rather, that she’s ...” Charlotte allowed the sentence to trail off as she stared at Joshua, a mix of fear and uncertainty crossing her features. Her shoulders slumped as she shook her head.

“She’s ..?” Joshua repeated, leaning forward in anticipation. At the sight of her sudden sadness, hurt filled his eyes. “She’s ... She’s made an awful mistake. She ... she cannot abide the sight of her husband. And wonders now if her new husband will grant her permission to seek a divorce ...”

“No!” Charlotte retorted, wondering briefly if his comments were meant in jest or if he was serious. “That’s not it at all!” she countered, wondering how he could have come to that conclusion.

Joshua stood up from the table, one hand gripping the edge in an effort to steady himself. “Christ, Lottie.
Now?
You had me convinced you
loved
me. In spite of ...” He used his other hand to wave over the side of his face covered by the leather mask. “In spite of everything,” he managed to get out.

He wasn’t jesting.
“I
do
love you,” Charlotte insisted, rising from the table a bit too quickly, alarmed by his curse and stunned by his accusation.
How could he think otherwise? How could he ..?
Suddenly light-headed, she swayed and tried to catch herself on the edge of the table. “Oh!” she managed to get out before a blanket of gray covered her vision.

“Lottie!” Joshua moved around the table and caught his wife before she fell to the floor. “Charlotte, darling, wake up!” he shouted, lifting her into his arms. He thought about shouting for a doctor but realized Charlotte had merely fainted.
What I have done?
he wondered before chastising himself for thinking the worst upon hearing her words.

Joshua moved Charlotte towards the parlor’s settee, keeping his attention on her fluttering eyelashes as he lowered her to the cushions. Following her down, he pressed one hand against the side of her cheek. “Charlotte, my sweet,” he whispered. “Please be alright.”

“Oh, Joshua,” she whispered in response, a tear escaping the corner of her eye. It left a moist trail as it slid down her temple. Placing her hand over his, she held onto it as she guided it down the front of her gown until it rested on her belly. “She hasn’t made a mistake,” she continued in a whisper. “Well, that is, unless her nobleman thinks having a child is a mistake, in which case, I really have made a cake of this. Hypothetically, of course,” she added, her eyes suddenly opening wide with alarm.

“Hypothetically?” Joshua repeated, his attention on the place where her hand held his.

“Well, unless you agree that it is
good
news she’s having a baby. If so, then it’s not hypothetical.”

“It’s not?”

Charlotte shook her head, her eyes searching Joshua’s for some hint of his reaction. “We haven’t exactly talked about your heirs since before the wedding, but I take my duties as your duchess very seriously and ...”

“You’re expecting a child,” Joshua stated, his hand absently caressing her belly as he regarded her. Dumbfounded, his gaze drifted to his hand.

Charlotte nodded. “In December.”

Joshua’s eyes widened in awe. “You’re going to give me a child? For Christmas?”

Relaxing into the pillow behind her head, Charlotte finally allowed herself to smile. “Hypothetically,” she teased, rather pleased that Joshua seemed impressed by the news.

The Duke of Chichester regarded his wife with a mischievous grin. “You wicked woman.”

Her own smile widening, Charlotte nodded. “You wouldn’t have me any other way, Your Grace.”

Joshua shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t,” he agreed. “Not a bit.”