The Irish Duke (26 page)

“Thank you, darling. I don’t know what we’d do without you.” The duchess kissed Jack’s cheek. “We shall see you sometime in September.”

The family went out to the courtyard. The drivers were mounted on the traveling coaches and grooms stood at the head of each team, gentling the horses until the passengers were seated. The Duke of Bedford was already in the saddle, and he held the reins of Abercorn’s Arabian mount.

James helped Lady Bedford into the carriage, then picked up Rachel and set her inside. Then he helped the nursemaid.

“I’m not sitting with Rachel and her nursemaid,” Alex declared. “I’m going in the coach with Cosmo and Henry.”

“No you’re not, you little pissant.” Henry pushed him away.

“You are fighting already,” Lu scolded. “If we let the three of you travel together, the coach will be demolished by the time we get to Northampton.”

Mr. Burke, Woburn’s steward, came out with a large food hamper and handed it to the second female servant who was traveling with the Russells. Georgy immediately climbed in beside her, drawn by the thought of food.

“Alex, I’ll give up my seat and let you ride with Georgy,” Louisa coaxed.

“I’m not riding with her—she called me repulsive!”

“Georgy is right. You’ve turned into a horrid lout just like your brothers.”

Alex grinned from ear to ear.

His father soon wiped the grin from his face. “Bloody hell! Alex, get in the coach with your brothers. They have my permission to clout you round the ear if you misbehave.”

Just as Louisa was about to climb in beside her sister, Georgy declared she had changed her mind. “The smell of the food is making me feel queasy. Lu, put it in the next carriage.”

Louisa took the food hamper and handed it to Cosmo. Then she took her seat beside Georgy, the grooms took their places beside the coach drivers, the duke and Abercorn cantered from the courtyard, and the three carriages lurched forward on the first leg of their journey.

After two hours, Bedford drew rein in a lovely shaded spot beneath some copper beeches, and motioned for the carriages to do likewise. While the grooms watered the horses, the duchess retrieved the food hamper. She opened the lid and stared at her sons in disbelief. “It’s empty! What happened to all the food that Mr. Burke provided?”

“We thought it was for us.” Cosmo wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “Don’t you have your own hamper, Mother?”

Lu came up behind her mother and gave her brothers a withering glance. “I shall add
gluttony
to the litany of your sins.”

“Well, at least we can have a drink. There are cases of wine and ale in the baggage cart.” The duchess directed one of the grooms to locate the libations. “Lu, would you inform your father there’s no food? He’s less likely to smite you, darling.”

Louisa approached her father. “We are only stopping for a drink. We’re not making good time, I’m afraid.” She threw Abercorn an apologetic smile.

“Nonsense, James and I want something to eat.”

Reluctantly, she explained. “The boys devoured everything in the hamper.”

“Goddamn it. Oh well, we’ll just have to wait until we arrive at the Northampton manor. It should only take us another hour. I shall sit in the coach with the reprobates. You can ride my horse, Louisa.” He handed her the reins.

She glanced at Abercorn, who was doing his best to hide his amusement. “Shall we water the horses?” he asked with a straight face.

Lu felt embarrassed. “I warrant you wish you hadn’t agreed to travel with us.”

“Not so. What more could I ask, than having you beside me in the saddle?”

He was so dangerously attractive that she wanted to erect a barrier between them. She bit back a terse remark, knowing it would be less provocative if they remained friends. At this slow pace, it would be days before they even reached the Greys’ Howick Hall.

It was considerably longer than an hour before the Russell entourage reached their estate near Corby in Northamptonshire. Since it was late afternoon, the Duke and Duchess of Bedford decided they would have dinner and stay overnight.

“James, I’m sorry we’ve only covered about thirty-five miles today.”

“Don’t be sorry, Louisa. I enjoyed every one of them.”

She tried her best not to blush. “Let’s make a pact. If you don’t importune me to marry you on this journey, I promise not to get angry and bite your head off.”

“To me, you are desirable whether you are angry or not,” he teased.

She thumped him in outrage, and he threw up his hands. “All right, I surrender. I shall pretend we are just friends.” He winked. “After dinner, will you take me on a moonlight tour of the property?”

“You are an Irish devil!”

“Mea culpa
, Lady Lu.”

 

After dinner the Duke of Bedford stood up from his chair. “I give you fair warning. We leave at the crack of dawn.” Implicit in his words was the threat that those not ready would be left behind.

As Louisa led Abercorn from the dining room, her brothers followed. “I’m giving James a tour and you’re not coming. I suggest you have an early night.”

At their loud protests, James said simply, “I want to be alone with Lu.”

They hooted and made kissing noises.

John Russell stopped them with one word. “Bed!”

Outside, Louisa explained, “The only time I ever come to this estate is when we are on our way to Scotland, so I can’t really tell you much about it.”

“Then allow me. This landholding provides much of your father’s wealth. The rolling hills are perfect for grazing sheep. The farmers who occupy the cottages on your father’s land are shepherds who tend large flocks. The only farming they do is sowing and harvesting hay crops for winter fodder. Each family has its own cow, pig, hens, and a treasured, indispensable shepherding dog.”

When they came to a stone wall, they both climbed on top and sat down to gaze across the hills and vales that the moonlight showed were dotted with sheep.

“You knew all that without me telling you. Let’s see—what else?” James mused.

Louisa’s mouth curved into a smile. “The children laugh and have rosy cheeks.”

“That’s because they are happy and well fed. Your father is a good landlord.”

She watched his face change as if a shadow fell across it, and knew he had a troubling thought. “What is it?”

He shook his head.

“Tell me! Friends share their thoughts,” she said adamantly.

“Aberdeen owns Haddo House and a vast tract of land in Scotland about thirty miles south of Gordon Castle. My stepfather turned off all the tenants and cleared the land of their humble cottages, so he could run thousands of sheep.”

“But who looks after the sheep?”

“No one. They look after themselves. They remain on the craggy mountain slopes year round, foraging for heather and huddling together in winter storms. But even the flocks fare better than the people Aberdeen turned out to starve.”

“No wonder you hate him.”

“No more talk of Aberdeen. I want you to be happy.”

Louisa wanted to make him laugh. “I am happy. I survived my first season without being sold on the marriage market.”

When James slipped his arm around her and hugged her close, she held her breath and waited for him to kiss her. In fact, she had anticipated his kiss from the moment they stepped outside into the moonlight. When he withdrew his arm, she felt the loss acutely.

Masking his amusement, he lifted her from the wall and set her on her feet. “We have to be up early.”

 

Three days later the weary travelers arrived at Howick Hall. It was fortunate that the stately home was spacious. Apart from their large family, the Greys always entertained guests during Parliament’s summer recess.

Earl Grey’s sister Hannah and her husband Edward Ellice greeted them. “We’re on our way to Scotland. We are interested in buying an estate, not too far from the Doune.”

“Oh, I do hope you decide to buy. It would be lovely to have you as neighbors,” the Duchess of Bedford declared. “I love to entertain.”

“Isn’t George here?” Georgy asked as they took their seats for the evening meal.

“No, my dear,” Mary Grey replied. “He received his lieutenant’s commission from the naval office and is waiting for his assignment.”

Georgy was visibly crestfallen.

Countess Grey made the introductions. “You know our eldest son, Henry, and his wife, Maria.” Their son was the Member of Parliament for Northumberland. “I’m not sure if you know Henry’s friend, Charles Bennet. Lord Ossulston is the Member of Parliament for North Northumberland.”

Georgy immediately perked up. “Lord Ossulston, I am delighted to make your acquaintance. I believe your father is the Earl of Tankerville.”

“That is correct, my lady.” His admiring glance returned to Louisa.

Georgy poked her sister. “Invite him into the garden,” she whispered.

After dessert, Louisa smiled at Charles Bennet. “Please excuse us. My sister and I need to stretch our legs after sitting in the coach for so many days.”

He jumped up immediately. “Allow me to show you the gardens, Lady Louisa.”

James Hamilton stood. “Why don’t the four of us have a stroll along the terrace?” He offered his arm to Louisa.

She took it so that her sister would be paired with Ossulston. She glanced up at James.
Abercorn, you know exactly what I am up to and are taking advantage.

As they strolled along the herbaceous borders of the terrace, James spoke to Charles. “I too am a Tory. It’s refreshing that Prime Minister Grey is so nonpartisan.”

Charles Bennet laughed. “Earl Grey’s son Henry and I have been friends since we were boys. There was never any question that we would follow our father’s footsteps into politics, so he became a Whig and I became a Tory.”

“Politics fascinate me.” Georgy improvised. “Do you ever visit Scotland, Charles?”

“Not as often as I’d like, my lady. Hunting and fishing in Scotland is unsurpassed.”

“Charles, allow me to extend an invitation to visit us at the Doune. It’s near Kinrara on the River Spey. My parents love to entertain guests. My uncle, the Earl of Gordon, always visits us there in August,” Georgy gushed.

Ossulston gave Louisa a speculative glance.

To annoy Abercorn she said, “Oh, we would love to have you, Charles. The salmon fishing in the River Spey is incomparable.”

Georgy gifted her sister with a brilliant smile. “Before it gets too dark, I’d love to visit the church and look at the gargoyles that Maria has carved.” She stepped from the terrace and pulled Lord Ossulston after her.

Abercorn said smoothly, “Enjoy yourselves. We’re going the opposite way. Lady Louisa wants to walk out to the headland to view the North Sea.”

Lu was torn. She knew Georgy was doing her best to be alone with Ossulston, but that meant she’d be alone with Abercorn. She weighed her choices; Georgy won out.

Louisa walked slowly beside James. “Howick is such a beautiful coastal property.”

They stopped a few feet from the edge of the cliff and looked down at the waves washing ashore. The light from the rising moon made the sea glitter like silver.

“It is at this time of year, but in winter the wind and sea must lash Howick relentlessly. The harsh northern climate is unforgiving in its cruelty. Wisely, the Greys spend most of the year in London.”

“Maria is left here year round, while her husband sits in Parliament,” Lu declared. “No wonder she sculpts gargoyles, poor lady.”

James threw back his head and laughed.

“Men can be as relentless and cruel as the weather, especially to their wives.”

“That never seems to deter your sister.”

“Georgy will go to any length to please a man.” Louisa’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, that was cruel of me. I only meant that she knows full well the land is boggy down by the church, yet she will brave it to please Charles Bennet.”

“Lucky man. If only my lady would brave bogs and gargoyles to please me.”

“I am
not
your lady!”

“You know you are, deny it how you will.”

Louisa raised her chin in defiance and moved away from him to the edge of the cliff.

James had to clench his fists and muster every ounce of his iron will to keep himself from pulling her to safety. With his heart in his throat, he watched her spread her arms and pirouette, taunting him with her devil’s dance.

Louisa flung back her head and laughed.

“I won’t take the bait, Lady Lu. You want me to grab you, and shake you, and kiss you, so you can take perverse pleasure in denying and rejecting me.”

She stopped still.
Is that what I want? Is that what I’m doing?

“If you want to be kissed, all you have to do is ask.”

She flew at him and kicked him. “You arrogant Irish sod!”

When the pair returned to the hall, John Russell noticed his daughter’s flushed cheeks. “James, come and have a drink with us. The prime minister wants you to reassure him that you will support the reform bill once it gets to the Lords.”

Two hours later, when the duke emerged from the library, he was approached by Charles Bennet. “At the risk of sounding presumptuous, Your Grace, may I inquire if your daughter, Lady Louisa, is spoken for?”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Ossulston, but I have reason to believe my daughter’s affections are engaged.”

When Georgy retired, Louisa was abed and almost asleep. Georgy turned up the lamp, and her sister knew she wanted to talk.

“I ruined my slippers, but it will be worth it if Ossulston offers for me.”

How can you jump from Teddy Fox to Charles Bennet in the blink of an eye?
“Are you sure, Georgy? I thought you were in love with Teddy.”

“Love? What the devil does love have to do with marriage?”