The Reluctant Duke (Love's Pride Book 1) (15 page)

Gwen used the fan Aunt Celeste had given her to try and cool off. The room had become progressively warmer throughout the night. Even so, it had been a huge success. Elizabeth couldn’t stop smiling. Even Thomas seemed satisfied with how things had gone. He had watched his sister like an Eagle on a mountaintop. Ever ready to swoop in if need be. Somehow he had restrained himself enough to let her enjoy the attention and admiration that surrounded her every move.

Taking a deep breath, Gwen slowly exhaled. Happy with how things had gone. She’d danced several times. Always with respectable, older gentlemen and always with Aunt Celeste’s approval. The music, conversation, and food had all been excellent. Yes, most definitely a successful night.

Smiling to herself, she turned to the Duke to congratulate him on an excellent event. She watched as his brow narrowed into a frown as he looked towards the front entrance.

She shifted to see what he was looking at and gasped. Her hand went to her mouth to try and hide her shock. It was him. Her tormenter, her nightmare. Here. How could this be possible? She felt the blood drain from her face and knew she must be as white as a ghost.

Every prayer, every wishful thought had been shattered. The Earl of Grainbell had entered the Duke’s ballroom and was walking directly towards them.

What should she do? Hide? Run? Faint. A million thoughts flashed through her mind. Memories of that night threatened to overwhelm her. What would Thomas think if he found out? Or Aunt Celeste. They’d need a gallon of smelling salts to revive her.

She glanced behind her; maybe there was a way out. She searched for an idea. Some excuse to leave. Preferably via the garden. Leave and never come back.

“Good evening sir,” that silky voice said, sent chills down her spine that made her shudder and her stomach clench into a knot. No, not here, not now.

Slowly turning she faced forward, steeling herself to accept what must come. He hadn’t changed. Tall and lanky with wispy blond hair and gray eyes. His smile didn’t reach his eyes which darted from side to side, unable to rest on one object. A weasel Gwen thought, that’s what he looks like. Smart, cunning, and completely evil.

“Grainbell,” Thomas said with a slight nod. “Allow me to introduce my Aunt Celeste, My Sister Elizabeth, her friend Isabel, and Lady Marshall’s companion Miss Guinevere Harding. Ladies, the Earl of Grainbell.”

The Earl didn’t show any signs of recognizing her; Gwen thought, as she held her breath. No leer, not even a knowing glance. Maybe he didn’t remember. Maybe someone like him could never imagine the girl he’d attacked only a year earlier could ever appear in his world. Could ever be anywhere near his level.

As the Earl bent over Elizabeth’s hand, he seemed to hesitate. To take a little longer than necessary. Gwen stiffened and had to fight the urge to slap him away. How dare he touch innocent Elizabeth? How dare he even breathe the same air? She caught Thomas shooting her a frown, obviously having picked up on something.

“Lady Marshall, how nice to see you again. Thank you for inviting me tonight. I must say it is a bit of a crush. You must be very pleased.” The Earl said as he rose from kissing Aunt Celeste’s hand.

Aunt Celeste’s frown matched her nephews.

“Grainbell, of course, you are welcome. Although I must admit I am surprised, you chose to attend. These things are not normally your style.”

Gwen loved Aunt Celeste. The woman knew exactly what kind of man she was dealing with. Maybe she could get through this without anyone knowing.

“Very true Lady Marshall,” The Earl said with a smirk. “But even at the places I prefer to spend my time they are talking about the beautiful Lady Elizabeth and Miss Harding and their sweep through the Ton.”

Gwen held her breath. Thomas’s frown had grown even deeper. Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled with interest and Aunt Celeste’s lips had hardened into a firm line that looked carved in stone.

She felt her insides tighten up into a ball and found it hard to get enough air. Her head grew dizzy, and she wondered if she was going to faint right here in front of Thomas and all of the ton.

“Imagine my surprise,” The earl continued as he turned to look directly at Gwen with a slimy smile. “… Upon hearing all of these tales I wondered if this might be the same Miss Harding I knew.”

“So you have already met?” Aunt Celeste asked. Her eyes narrowed in concern.

“Oh yes,” The Earl said. “We were betrothed only a year ago. Isn’t that correct Guinevere?”

The gasps of the people around her and the open-eyed shock on Thomas’s face were the last things Gwen remembered before the edges of her world collapsed into blackness.

.o0o.

Thomas’s arms automatically slipped behind her knees and across her back before she could fall to the floor. Ignoring the open-mouthed gasps and the smirk on Grainbell’s face the Duke marched across the room. To hell with them all.

“Go with him Isabel,” Celeste hissed.

Young Isabel fell in line and followed him. The crowd parted to let him through. One look at the scowl on his face was enough to know he would not be stopped.

“This way Your Grace,” Isabel said indicating his study. He had instructed Woods that the Study was off limits to his guests. Woods had ensured his privacy by stationing a footman outside the study door. Johnson’s face was creased in worry lines as he opened the door for them.

Thomas gently laid her upon the settee then stepped back to allow Isabel access. What did Grainbell mean betrothed? Was she promised to another, how was that possible?

Her innocent face was whiter that cold marble, her eyelids fluttered, opened then closed again. Was she all right? Please, make sure she is all right. A thousand faces from the battlefield jumped into his mind. Boys and men who had meant the world to him, but nothing had ever hit him like this.

Isabel kneeled next to her, placing her hand on her forehead. I should be doing something, I need to fix this were the only thoughts he could process.

“I will send for the doctor,” Thomas said.

“She only fainted Your Grace, she will be fine,” Isabel said. “Leave us for a moment. Send in her maid, we should loosen her clothes.”

Thomas stared down at the woman; his heart hurt from the fear running through his veins. Yes, her maid. At least he would be doing something.

“Johnson,” Thomas said as he stepped outside. “Get Lady Marshall’s maid, please.”

“Of course sir,” Johnson said before hurrying down to the servant’s quarters.

Thomas stood guard at the door. The last thing he wanted was anyone bothering them. He paced back and forth in front of the study door like a caged lion, his cane clicking on the hard floor with each step.

It couldn’t be true. If so, was she still betrothed? The thought made his anger boil and threatened to bubble over. He felt as if he were going into battle, the hate, anger and desire to destroy surfacing and taking control. Gritting his teeth, he turned and continued to pace.

Finally, Johnson returned with Celeste’s maid in tow.

“Help Miss Isabel,” Thomas said to the maid as he opened the door.

“No one comes inside except family, understood?” Thomas said to Johnson.

“Yes Your Grace,” The young man answered.

Turning away from the door, and the woman he cared so much about, Thomas returned to the ballroom. Everyone’s head turned to stare at him as he stepped into the room. Composing a neutral face, he made his way across the crowded floor to Celeste and Elizabeth.

So much hung in the balance. The next few minutes could be crucial to Gwen’s reputation, Elizabeth’s chances for a good match, and his future happiness. He wanted to strangle Grainbell he thought as he searched the crowd for him.

“How is she?” His aunt asked with a concerned expression.

“Isabel says she will be fine,” Thomas replied, fighting to hide his hurt and anger. “Where is Grainbell?”

“He left immediately. I do believe he has achieved his goal for the night. The man is absolutely ghastly.”

“Do you think …” Elizabeth started before she was interrupted by her Aunt.”

“Here comes Sarah and Lady Milbey, watch and learn,” she whispered to the young girl.

Turning Celeste smiled the confident, friendly smile, that only a lady of the ton could muster at such a moment.

“Celeste, how is the girl. All right I hope,” Lady Milbey said with a twinkle in her eye that belied every word she uttered.

“She will be fine,” Celeste assured them. “Young girls these days. Forgoing meals. Once again I have been proven right. We should have had a formal dinner before the ball.”

“Oh,” Lady Sarah said. “Yes, I agree, young girls are not made of the same stuff as our day. Isn’t that correct Dorothy?”

Lady Milbey looked skeptically at her peers. “Is it true that the Earl of Grainbell claimed they were betrothed?” Lady Milbey asked. It was obvious she was not going to believe the lack of food excuse.

“No, No, Dear, you must have misunderstood. The Earl of Grainbell claimed they were – Almost – Betrothed. A small word but so important in situations like this. Don’t you think Your Grace?”

Thomas didn’t miss a beat. “Yes, of course. Almost betrothed. There is quite a difference.”

Celeste picked up the story. “Miss Guinevere told us about the incident when she came to work for me. It seems the Earl was taken by her and offered for her almost immediately. But her family, once they learned what kind of man he was. You’ve heard the stories.” Here she shuddered as if a rat had crossed her parlor floor. “Anyway, they refused the offer.”

Silence greeted her story as Lady Milbey pondered for a moment.

“Really, I would have thought a merchant’s daughter would have been ecstatic to catch an Earl.” Lady Milbey said.

“Yes, well, from what I hear,” Celeste answered. “He wasn’t the only man of the ton interested. Maybe they thought she could do better.” Celeste said.

“Better than an Earl, that is awful ambitious don’t you think.”

“I don’t know, with her family’s connections to the crown …”

“Connections to the crown? I didn’t realize the Prince Regent knew her family. No one I know seems to have known them.”

Celeste laughed lightly as if to suggest that obviously Dorothy Milbey didn’t know the right people.

“Really Dorothy, you don’t think the Prince Regent would dance with just anyone do you. Why else do you think he went out of his way to find her at the Cuthbert’s ball?”

Lady Milbey’s mouth had dropped open in a most unbecoming way.

“Of course,” Celeste continued. “We can’t really talk about her family’s connections to the crown. It was all a war matter. Very hush hush. Isn’t that correct Thomas?”

The two older women looked at him as if he was the authority on all war matters.

“Yes, in fact, we have said too much already.”

“Oh Thomas, you don’t need to worry. Lady Milbey and Lady Sarah won’t say anything.”

Thomas looked at the two old biddies and marveled at his aunt. The two women looked like horses at the starting line, chomping at the bit to be let loose and share the news far and wide. He could see they were already trying to figure out whom to tell first and how they could embellish the story.

Before the night was out the Earl would look like a cast aside pursuer who had been put in his place by the lowly merchant’s daughter. A young and innocent girl who had become overwhelmed by his constant and unwanted attention. It was only when His Grace the Duke of Bathurst stepped in and confronted the scoundrel had she fainted into the Duke’s arms. Oh, it was so romantic.

Laughing internally with a sense of relief, Thomas bowed to the two woman and made his excuses about having to attend to the other guests as he led his aunt and his sister away.

“Elizabeth, I need to talk to your brother. Please go check on Gwen and let us know how she is doing,” Celeste said.

The young girl looked crestfallen; she didn’t want to miss a thing. At the same time, it was obvious she wanted to see about the wellbeing of her friend. Sighing gently, she nodded and left the two leaders of the family.

“Really Celeste, You are remarkable,” Thomas said.

Celeste smiled with pleasure as she accepted his compliment. “Yes, well it only works if she is not betrothed. If he has a marriage contract, then your goals may be seriously altered.”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed, and his forehead creased. “There are more than a few ways a contract can be broken. A meeting at dawn with pistols has been known to settle quite a few.”

“Thomas,” she gasped. “You can’t be serious.”

He stared into her eyes letting her know exactly how serious he was. There was no possibility his Gwen would ever be under that man’s control. He knew about Grainbell. The stories that circulated among the high-born were only those fit enough to talk about. From what he had heard, worse, much worse could be discussed when it came to the Earl. He had a penchant for hurting young women it was said.

“Yes, well, we will see. It wouldn’t be the first time a young girl ran from a mistake,” Celeste said.

“Gwen is not like that. There is no one braver. I am sure of it.”