The Scoundrel Duke of her Heart by Violet Hamers

Chapter Two

“Allow me to introduce Lady Withershop, Your Grace.” Donald Hearson, the Earl of Blaxland bowed as he held Lady Withershop’s arm and guided her towards Harry. “Lady Withershop, this is the Duke of Pardey, my most exclusive guest for this wonderful afternoon.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” said Lady Withershop, holding out her hand. Harry took and kissed her hand, igniting a smile on the Lady’s face.

“I am sure that there are many people here who are more important than I,” said Harry. “It is a pleasure to meet so many fine people on this pleasant day. Lady Withershop, I must say that the women outside of London are much more beautiful than those within.”

“Oh, Your Grace, you certainly have a way with words. If I were not old enough to be your mother, I do not know what I would do with you.” She laughed, and Harry laughed with her if only to be polite. “Though come to think of it, my daughter is of marrying age and has not yet found the right match. It is so hard to find a man with manners and charm such as yours.”

The sun shone down with more warmth as it poked out from behind a cloud, and Harry pulled at his collar, feeling the warmth of the day.

“It would be my pleasure to meet her when I have the time,” said Harry.

“Of course,” said Lady Withershop. “I am sure that she would be most delighted to meet with you. Tell me, Your Grace. What brings you from London? I hear that you have moved in with an older lady on a large estate. I would not want rumors to start, and I can clear them up for you if they do.”

“There is nothing to worry about, madam,” said Harry, knowing full well that she was fishing for some gossip. He had half a mind to concoct some outlandish tale, but the truth would satisfy her. “I am afraid that the reason is rather tame. My godmother is the only family that I have left, and I have come to live with her.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” said Lady Withershop. “And such a caring man too. I am sure that all the ladies will be after you.”

“I do not know about that,” said Harry wistfully. He looked toward the other end of the garden and could not take his eyes off the young lady who sat with her book. It was not hard to deduce that she was the oldest daughter of Earl Blaxland; though, thus far, the host had not brought his daughter to be introduced to him. That may have been because, since Harry had arrived, every lady with eligible daughters had been paraded in front of him.

“Oh, do not be so modest, Duke Pardey.” Lady Withershop looked around as if she were plotting something. “Have you spoken with the Duchess of Havisham yet, may I ask?”

“I have not,” said Harry.

“I do not mean to gossip, but there is talk that her husband has not made astute financial choices. It has been said that the Duke and Duchess would like to pass off their daughters to someone with money if only to save their estate. Now, I am not one to talk, but I would not like you to be caught unaware, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, Lady Withershop. You have been most illuminating.”

“I shall take my leave and let you two gentlemen get back to whatever it was that you were doing.”

She bade her farewells, and Harry and Robert bowed in return.

“For a moment, I thought that I had turned invisible, but I assume that she did see me,” said Robert.

Harry chuckled and kept his gaze firmly on the beauty on the opposite end of the garden. “Are you jealous, Robert?”

“Most certainly, though not of you, dear Harry.”

Harry straightened his cravat, feeling the sweat accumulating below his shirt. He watched as the petite, red-headed beauty tried to concentrate on the book in her hand, only for her to give up and talk to the younger woman beside her.

“Do you think that the truth will come out about your stay?” asked Robert.

“I fear that the truth always comes out, but it is my duty to keep it hidden for as long as I am able. It is the least that I can do,” said Harry.

“I fear that the ladies out here are just as inquisitive as the ladies in the city, and they will pick you apart like crows with a mouse.”

“Your imagination really is boundless,” said Harry. “Tell me, am I mistaken in assuming that the young lady sitting across the way is Lady Cecilia, the oldest daughter of the Earl.”

“You are correct, Sir, and the young lady by her side is Lady Jasmine.”

Harry stopped looking at Cecilia for a moment to look at his friend. He could not help but smile when he saw the look on the man’s face. “If I did not know any better, I would say that you are smitten, my dear friend.”

“Let me tell you this now, for it is my destiny,” said Robert with a large grin on his face. “Lady Jasmine is the most beautiful woman that I have ever set my eyes on, and I will make her my wife before the year is done.”

“Your wife or your next conquest?” asked Harry with a raise of his eyebrow.

“All that was left in the past when I laid eyes on her,” said Robert. “Besides, I can see the way that you are looking at Lady Cecilia. If I did not know any better, I would say that I am not the only one who is smitten.”

“You know that I am not here to find a wife, Robert, though I do not know why the Earl has not yet brought his daughter to meet me. These ladies I have been forced to meet bore me, yet, that curvy young woman who only seems interested in her book is the most interesting person I have laid eyes on this week. There is more to her, something that I cannot yet put my finger on.”

“You could go and introduce yourself,” said Robert.

Harry watched as another man walked over to Cecilia and bowed. From the look on her face, she did not seem to welcome the man. “I do not know if it is my place to be so bold,” said Harry. He watched with fascination as Cecilia held firm with this man. “Do you see this? Do you see this man talking to her?”

“He does not strike me as a gentleman,” agreed Robert. “Perhaps you should go and save her from him.”

“Perhaps I should,” said Harry. “He is most uncouth in his mannerisms.” With that, he strode purposefully across the lawn to where Cecilia was, quickening his pace when she raised her voice.

* * *

“That looked like it went well,” said Robert on Harry’s return.

Harry tried not to look at the smile on his friend’s face, but he could not help the smirk that appeared on his own face. “She is feisty, that is for sure, and she knows how to assert herself. You should have seen the way that the gentleman ran from her when challenged. Blast, I almost ran when she turned to face me. She is wonderful.”

“Did you get a chance to talk with Lady Jasmine?” asked Robert. “Did she ask about me at all?”

“I think that you are a lost cause,” said Harry.

“I am the Viscount of Marrow,” stated Robert. “I have lost myself in the ladies of London, but one look at my future wife, and I have become a changed man. I already feel like a bird who has been…”

Harry did not hear what his friend was saying anymore. He could not concentrate with this alluring woman before him, a woman who he needed to make his own. When he had left London, he had vowed to stay away from women for a while, but fate had other plans for him. He wanted nothing more than to feel this woman’s touch.

Harry watched Cecilia as she sat on the dainty stool with her book, flicking through the pages and occasionally exchanging words with her sister. He was certain that her eyes lifted every so often to look across at him, and his heart beat faster whenever she did.

Her hair was aflame, out of control, and her eyes, when he had been stood in front of her, were as brown as the charred logs that were left after a fire had burnt out. Then there were her cheeks. When she had stood up to shout at him, thinking that he was the man who had accosted her, they were red embers, flickering through a dark night, but conversing with her, they mellowed to a bright pink, cooling in color as her temper calmed, and warming his heart; she stirred the passion within him.

Robert was still talking about Jasmine as he looked around the garden, and he could see both men and women glance his way ever so often. He supposed that he was an enigma to them, the Duke who had come from London to live in the countryside. He did hide a secret, but he would not share that with any of them. As the sun peaked in the sky, Harry was sure that more women would approach him to offer their daughters, but when the Earl of Blaxland approached him again, he felt a tinge of excitement at the prospect of being properly introduced to his daughter.

Harry was happy to notice that Cecilia’s father was unaccompanied.

“Sir,” said the Earl, “you must excuse me for this obtrusion, but I have not yet had a chance to introduce you to my daughters though I am not sure where my youngest has got to.”

“I believe that I have already met Lady Cecilia and Lady Jasmine,” said Harry.

“Oh.” There was a look of frustration on the Earl’s face.

“Do not worry, Sir,” said Harry. “There was no impoliteness on your part. I only feared that Lady Cecilia was approached by a gentleman whose company she did not like.”

The Earl looked around to check on his daughter. “Lord Albury,” he muttered.

“Excuse me?” asked Harry.

“No, sorry, nothing. I apologize again, and thank you for ensuring the welfare of my daughter. It pleases me that you were able to come today. I shall bid your leave for now.”

The Earl left, and Robert shook his head. “You can see me, can you not, Harry? For I fear that no one else can.”

Harry looked around and cast his eye as if he were looking for something that he could not find. “Funny, it is as if the wind is making noises that sound vaguely familiar.”

“I do not know why I put up with you,” said Robert.

Harry had to admit that his friend did put up with a lot, though Harry did not ask to be the center of attention; it was just something that came with the title and the mystery that surrounded him. He had come to two conclusions, however, based on the afternoon so far.

Without even talking to him, Harry already disliked the man who had accosted Cecilia, Lord Albury, and Harry did not rise to dislike easily.

The second thing which was clear was that Lady Cecilia had rooted herself firmly in his mind. He would get her into his bed one way or the other, and he would get to explore her delightful curves in much more detail. Harry licked his lips at the thought.