Trapped with the Duke by Annabelle Anders

The Duke is Waiting for Miss Jones

Although Collette was dressed and ready for dinner, she hovered in her chamber, delaying more reprimands Chase no doubt had ready to heap on her.

Not that he would be in the wrong, but his expressions of disappointment alone, would provide more than enough punishment for her carelessness.

He wouldn’t yell but he would stare at her with those eyes, so very like their father’s, and give her that look. The look he’d had when he’d found her hiding behind a potted plant at her first ball and when she’d refused to meet with a prospective suitor.

Considering his earlier mood, tonight could very well prove to be far worse than either of those.

She jumped when a knock sounded but wasn’t surprised to see Bethany’s head peek around the door when it opened. “I thought you might be dallying in here.”

Her sister-in-law drifted in, looking unusually pretty in a kelly-green gown with blue embroidery around the bodice.

Collette exhaled. “You’re coming to know me all too well.”

Bethany dropped onto a tall-backed chair and smiled weakly. “You rather remind me of myself sometimes.”

“I do?” Bethany was the eldest daughter of an earl—an acknowledged and legitimate daughter of an earl.

“I still don’t quite understand it myself, but I could never really imagine the man I loved choosing me for his wife. For different reasons than yours, I suppose.”

“Chase couldn’t have found a better person to spend his life with.” Collette meant it. “He’s happier than I’ve ever known him to be.”

“Ah, but, neither of us planned any of this. It just sort of… happened.”

Collette nodded. Bethany nor her brother had ever told her the precise details of their rushed marriage. They hadn’t needed to. Collette had read of it in the papers.

It was a miracle Chase hadn’t been banned from England forever.

“Do you like the duke?” Bethany asked.

“I do. But he’s a duke.” She was shaking her head.

“He’s going to offer for you in the morning. He was about to kiss you when Chase found the two of you outside. Even if he hadn’t been, he’d kept you away for nearly four hours—without a chaperone.”

“I can’t marry him, Bethany. He’s a duke—as in, superseded by only princes and kings,” Collette explained, as though Bethany had not quite digested this particular fact.

“And you are a lady.”

“But not really,” Collette argued.

“You are. And the sooner you come to accept this, the sooner you can go about living your life. From the day I met you, I felt an affinity with you for this. Because as long as you are convinced you are undeserving, others will see you that way too.”

“But my father—”

“Fathers are funny things, Collette, in how they shape the way we see ourselves. Trust me when I tell you that I allowed my father—my family—to dictate the way I saw myself for years. I felt trapped because of their expectations. It was only after I looked within myself that I met the person I was meant to be.”

Collette blinked as she tried to absorb Bethany’s words. It felt impossible to imagine seeing herself as anyone other than who she was. As hard as she tried to move her perspective, it refused to budge.

Because nothing in the world could ever make her legitimate, and if the people of the Ton couldn’t forget this, how could she?

Bethany’s smile was sad. “What are you going to do?”

Collette pictured Addison standing before her in the bookstore, looking proud and yet tentative at the same time. And later, asking her questions, and listening to her opinions and sharing his. Talking with him had felt both natural and invigorating.

And then of course, there had been the kiss in the stairwell, on the curricle, and the almost kiss on Chase’s front step.

Warmth blossomed and spread from her heart to her toes and fingertips.

“I do like him,” she admitted.

Bethany’s brows rose.

“I only wish he wasn’t a duke.”

“But…?” Bethany tilted her head, patiently watching Collette struggle to find some sort of answer.

“I can’t be a duchess. My mother was my father’s mistress! People will speculate the very worst and I would be the laughingstock of Mayfair. And what would people say about him? Besides, I know nothing about duchessing, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“All legitimate concerns,” Bethany agreed, when Collette had secretly been hoping her sister-in-law would try to convince her otherwise. Aside from that, the word legitimate never failed to make Collette squirm. “And although there isn’t anything you could do about the opinions of others, I’m sure you could learn the actual duchessing part—that is if his mother is willing to help you.”

“She will hate me.” Collette sighed. Marrying him would be a nightmare. An exciting, romantic nightmare.

“She might.” Bethany truly wasn’t mincing her words tonight. “I’ve never met her and it’s possible she’d object to you for all the same reasons you are reluctant.”

That part actually did sound like a nightmare.

“But, Collette, the choice won’t be hers to make—not if he keeps his promise to Chase, which I’ve no doubt he will. And the decision will be between you and Bedwell. If you can somehow see a way to happiness with him, what have you got to lose?”

Which was, for certain, a valid question.

She’d lost her position at the school and her sisters had all gone their separate ways. The choices she was left with were hardly the ones she’d dreamed of.

Collette grimaced. “If I fail at duchessing, will you allow me to live with you as your children’s favorite aunt?” It was a silly question, really. Because she doubted duchesses who couldn’t uphold the dignity of their position could do anything other than hide away in the country.

“If I didn’t send you packing for hiding in the loo for most of the Ravensdale’s ball last spring, I doubt there’s anything I’d turn you away for. But speaking of children…” Her entire demeaner transformed to one of… pure joy. “Chase knows. He said he suspected.” Bethany grinned. “But he couldn’t stop smiling. I never thought I could be so happy—and terrified—at the same time.”

“This is wonderful!” Collette was not surprised that Chase had suspected. There was just something different about Bethany lately—a dewy, dreamy look. It was subtle, but if she’d recognized it, her brother certainly had as well. “I thought you were going to wait though. When did you tell him?”

“Just this afternoon. I thought it as good of time as any and it did manage to take his mind off of throttling a certain sister.” She smirked. “Or challenging a duke.”

The possibility of her brother and Addison meeting on a field of honor was a horrific one. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

Bethany waved a hand. “It’s not as bad as it seems. And Chase knows he’s not allowed to duel again without my permission—not after what happened last spring.”

“I should just leave London tonight—travel to Easter Park and stay with Sarah and my mother.” Because she did not want to go to Scotland. She loved her family too much to martyr herself that way. She needed her family. And not just Chase and Bethany, but Sarah and Diana and her mother.

She never felt uncomfortable about who she was when she was with them.

Also, she’d promised Addison she wouldn’t go to Scotland.

“We all cause trouble at some time or another. Apparently, it’s your season.” Bethany grinned and then grew serious again. “You don’t have to give him your answer right away. If you think waiting will help, ask for a week, or longer. Because marrying him will change everything. And those changes are for life. If you hate it, you’ll be trapped with the duke forever, but there is always the possibility…”

“Of what?” Collette insisted.

“That marrying him, that being with a man who loves you, and one you love in return, frees you to be the person you’ve always been meant to be.”

But Collette didn’t love the duke, and of course, he didn’t love her.

They barely knew one another.

Even if she did rather enjoy kissing him and he’d said he enjoyed kissing her as well.

Was it possible it was the beginning of more than just that? Was it possible it was the beginning of love?

* * *

“You’re up early.”Chase glanced up from the plate filled with eggs and kidneys and more than one of Cook’s buttery yeast buns. “I expect Bedwell any minute. You’ll want to make yourself scarce until I give him permission to present his offer to you.”

Collette nearly rolled her eyes at the absurdity of it all. The duke had already presented his offer on more than one occasion, and she’d declined him. Despite her discussion with Bethany, she hadn’t changed her mind.

She could not accept.

She wasn’t fit to be a duchess, so she would tell him no.

Her heart squeezed and then her stomach lurched when one of the attending manservants leaned over her shoulder to refill her cup. Tea was all she was going to be able to manage until this was over.

And then what?

“Did you sleep at all?” Bethany asked, averting her face away from her husband’s plate to nibble on the single piece of toast on her own.

“Some,” Collette lied.

“Collette, I’ve made a decision.” Chase leaned back, glanced at Bethany, and when she nodded in encouragement, turned his attention back to her. “I should have arranged for formal training on etiquette and manners long before setting you and Diana loose on the ton. I was negligent not to have, and I consider myself lucky that Greystone did the honorable thing.”

“He had no choice, he fell madly in love with Diana,” Bethany reminded him.

“He had a choice for certain, and if he hadn’t made the right one…” His gaze landed on Bethany. “Nonetheless, I’ve made arrangements with the Barnaby agency to send over a suitable instructor today. Collette, your lessons begin at one this afternoon.”

“Regardless of what I decide?”

“Especially if you accept Bedwell’s offer. You’ll thank me later, trust me.” Chase tore into one of the buns.

“You didn’t think to ask me first?” Collette scowled. She wouldn’t require etiquette lessons in the country with her mother and Sarah, nor did she think she’d need them if she had decided to take the position in Scotland. Chase might very well be one of her favorite people in the world but there were times, like this, when his arrogance unfortunately, resembled their father’s all too clearly.

If he’d asked her rather than make such a decision on his own, she might have found the gesture to be sweet and considerate. Before she could argue further, however, the conversation was interrupted.

“Excuse me, My Lord,” Mr. Ingles was standing in the doorway, hands behind his back. “The Duke of Bedwell has arrived. Would you like me to have him wait in the front drawing room, or--?”

“No. I’ll meet with him in my study now.” Chase took one last bite and was already pushing his chair back. He shot a glance at Collette. “I’ll send for you shortly.”

The earnest concern on her brother’s face had her forgetting her irritation with him and brought stinging to her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “For making so much trouble.”

“No more trouble than you’re allotted.” And with a wink, he disappeared, leaving Bethany and Collette sitting quietly, in a sort of resolved silence.

“Have you decided?” Bethany asked at last.

Collette recalled the duchesses who had been pointed out to her at the few balls she’d attended last spring. The Duchess of Cortland had been a dainty woman who appeared almost ethereal with eyes that were almost gold and blond hair so light it was practically white.

The other duchess, the Duchess of Montford, wasn’t nearly as beautiful but the look in her eyes was one of dignity and grace. She’d had a faraway look in her eyes, making Collette believe she existed in a realm above them all.

Both ladies had obviously been comfortable in the knowledge that nothing they did would ever be judged or dismissed or looked down upon.

Impossible.

“Collette?” Bethany pressed. “Have you?”

“I’m going to decline,” she said. “I’m not… I’ll never be…”

“Oh.” Her sister-in-law frowned. “So you don’t like him then? You don’t believe you could ever love him?”

“It’s not that.”

Bethany’s frown deepened. “Then you are afraid.”

Collette didn’t bother denying the truth of that. “Terrified.”

“And it doesn’t bother you?”

“What doesn’t bother me?”

“The fact that you might be making a mistake because you are willing to allow fear to dictate your decision?”

At such an accusation, Collette placed her cup back on the saucer, stunned into silence. Where was the supportive woman who’d encouraged her the night before?

For several minutes after that, the only sound in the room was that of Bethany nibbling at her toast.

Impossible. Marrying him was impossible.

“Miss Jones.” Mr. Ingles returned, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “The duke is waiting for you.

Collette’s stare caught and held Bethany’s as panic flew through her.

Panic and excitement.

He had come. Tingles danced down her spine and released a flock of butterflies to tear around inside of her.

“Choose wisely.” Bethany’s eyes danced. She was being no help at all.

Collette rose as the footman who’d been attending the hot plates on the sideboard slid her chair backward.

“Collette.” Chase was at the door now, his eyes focused and serious. “Don’t do something you don’t want to do. We’re here for you regardless.”

He stepped forward, grasped her arms, and dropped a soft kiss on her cheek.

“I know,” she muttered, near tears. “I know.”

And then, rolling her shoulders, she strolled out the door to where a duke waited to offer for her.

A duke, waiting for her, Collette Jones. It was almost laughable.

But when she opened the door, she wasn’t laughing at all. Because she didn’t see a duke pacing back and forth across the decorative rug, all she saw was Addison.