For the Heart of a Roguish Duke by Harriet Caves

Chapter Fifteen

“You still seem to be infatuated by Miss Snow,” Ingrid commented as she watered the plants in the drawing room. “It is not healthy for you, George.”

George shook the paper in his hands, “Mother, how many times do we have to go over this? You know I like Miss Snow. There is nothing wrong with that. And before you say, I don’t have a care that she doesn’t have a title or is lower in status.”

“But you could do so much better, George,” cried his mother. She looked up from the plant to her son. “What about Lady Daisy Spencer, she is a lovely lady, and kind too.”

“She is not for me. She seems to be too forward, and I believe she likes the Duke anyway,” George dismissed Daisy like she was not important.

“Lady Daisy is beautiful, she speaks well and dresses in fashion. She is also not too tall or short for you, and she is slender in figure. What else would you want in a suitable woman to marry?” Ingrid would not give up in changing her son’s mind on who to court.

Terence sat quietly listening to mother and son argue about the suitability of a wife for George. “I have to agree with your mother, George,” he said while puffing on a pipe. “I don’t particularly like Miss Snow. There is something about her that doesn’t agree with me.”

“Well, Papa, you are not looking for someone to court or even marry, you have Mother. I believe it is up to me to find someone who I find will be a good fit for me, don’t you agree?” George said in a heated tone.

“You are too young to make up your own mind,” said Terence. “You have a lot to see yet before you settle down. Why, you are only four-and-twenty. Why don’t you go and see the world, go on a Grand Tour, my boy? What a treat that would be. I would fund everything, of course.”

“I can still do that after I am married. I could take Miss Snow with me, she would love the experience as much as I would, Father.”

“Being married is very different to being carefree, George,” Ingrid said. “You cannot just decide to leave on a whim to go on a long holiday. You will have responsibilities to your wife.”

“Ha, you make marriage sound like an institution,” George scoffed. He flung the paper to the side. “I feel we have had our conversation for today, I do not wish to speak anymore. I am going to see an old friend of mine. I’ll see you at dinner.”

George left the room. “Oh, what to do, Terence?” Ingrid came over and sat down, wringing her hands.

“George is stubborn,” Terence said. “We are facing a losing battle, My Dear. What I want to know is why this is so important to you? Why are you so adamant for him to court Lady Daisy?”

“Well, there is no real reason, Terence. All I know is that George could find a more suitable woman than Miss Snow.” Ingrid looked down. “Well, anyway, I must get on.”

Terence watched his wife go into the music room. It was so unlike her to be so passionate about a woman, someone who was a stranger given to his late brother to look after. Miss Snow was a Ward. But he felt there was more to this. He felt it in his bones and he intended to find out.

Terence called his butler. “I intend to go to Bentley Manor.”

“I will have your carriage ready, Sir” said the butler and promptly went away to organize it.

Terence didn’t know what he wanted to say when he met Miss Snow. Perhaps if he could ask the Duke some questions, he might be able to tell him something about Miss Snow’s background.

* * *

“Uncle, this is an unexpected call,” said Alexander.

“Good afternoon, Nephew,” Terence said as he entered the drawing room. He looked around him. “I believe Miss Snow is absent?”

“Quite. She has gone out, Uncle. What is this all about?”

Terence sat down, seeming quite disturbed. His eyebrows were furrowed as he hunched over slightly. He finally looked up at Alexander. “It is about Miss Snow,” he said.

“Yes?” Alexander asked. “What about Miss Snow?”

“Do you know where Miss Snow came from?” Terence asked. “I must admit I find it bizarre your aunt is so adamant for George to stay away from her, but then she is quite fond of the woman.”

Even Alexander was not pleased with George coming over to see Miss Snow. “I couldn’t tell you, Uncle,” said Alexander. “As you know Father hardly conversed with me and I have been away most of my years. But why do you want to know?”

“Like I said, your aunt is behaving in an odd manner, and I should like to know why. She won’t tell me, just that she is not happy with an alliance between Miss Snow and George.”

“I can’t tell you anything I don’t know,” said Alexander truthfully. He also wondered why his aunt would object to such an alliance, for she was a kind woman and never said a harsh word to Scarlet.

“Perhaps my brother left some documents in his study regarding Miss Snow?” Terence asked.

“I wouldn’t know. I am not going to search through my father’s papers, Uncle. It will seem like I don’t trust him,” said Alexander.

Alexander knew his father was dead, but he felt he would be snooping for his uncle’s benefit, which he did not feel comfortable with.

Terence stared at his Nephew before he spoke. “Are you not in the least curious about Miss Snow?” he said. “About whom she really is? Why did your father take her in as a child?”

“I believe you are overstepping your boundaries, Uncle. You don’t need to know about Miss Snow and of her background anymore for me to be curious. It was my father’s decision to take her in for whatever reason, I don’t have a care about,” Alexander said passionately. “It seems like you are trying to find something damning about Miss Snow and therefore tainting my father’s reputation.”

He may not have liked his father, and he perhaps never would, but Alexander didn’t like anyone trying to find information that may not be reasonable. He knew in his heart that his father was an honest man.

“I do apologize, I did not mean any harm to you or your father, or Miss Snow,” Terence sighed. “All right, it seems I should leave, Nephew. There is no more to say.”

As Terence left, in came Scarlet. Alexander saw them exchange glances as they passed each other, one was a polite smile from Scarlet and the other was a look of deep dislike from his uncle.

Scarlet’s smile turned into alarm and stopped. “Did I do anything wrong?” Scarlet asked.

“No, Miss Snow. You did nothing wrong. My uncle came here to know more about you,” Alexander said.

“Oh, this sounds intriguing,” Scarlet said. “May I inquire what he wanted to know?”

Alexander sighed. “He wanted to know about your background, where you came from, and I suppose who your parents were. He wanted me to look through Father’s papers in the study.”

“I would like to know that too,” said Scarlet. “It is so hard for me to not know who my parents were… anyway, what did you say?”

“I told him I would not go through Father’s papers, and it is not his business where you came from. I believe Father kept this a secret for a very good reason, Miss Snow. He didn’t even tell me about you, or write to me about your real parents when I was old enough to understand,” said Alexander.

He was standing by the window and walked toward Scarlet. Taking her hand, he pulled her away from the door and placed her against the wall. A soft tendril escaped Scarlet’s hair, which he twirled between his fingers as he leaned into her. He kissed her mouth sensually, feeling the softness of her lips against his own.

“This may not be a good idea, Your Grace, someone will walk in,” she said as he slid his tongue down her neck. “Ohh.”

“I wish we didn’t have to keep us a secret, Miss Snow,” Alexander breathed on her neck. His hand traveled under her skirts and touched her thighs softly. Alexander buried his face in her breasts, kissing them.

“Your Grace,” Scarlet moaned. “I wish we weren’t a secret either.” She closed her eyes as his hand went a little deeper. He touched her secret spot. Scarlet let out a yelp. Alexander released her and kissed her ferociously on the lips. He finally stepped back. Scarlet stared into his intense eyes.

“I promise to make things better for you,” he said. “I understand we cannot be together, even after all this, My Love. For that I am in agony.”

Scarlet caressed his face with the back of her hand. “Shh, don’t say anything more,” she whispered.

Alexander smiled as if he wouldn’t see her again, and then kissed her once more and left the drawing room.

* * *

Scarlet placed the teacup on her lap. She was at Daisy’s Estate.

“It was good of you to invite me, Daisy,” Scarlet said. “I have missed your company. You seem to have become quite busy, I must say.”

“I agree. It has been a tediously long time since we have seen each other or at least it seems so,” Daisy said. “I have just remained so busy with parties and invites to private dinners. I could say I am quite fed up, although that is not true. I do find the private dinners to be interesting.”

Scarlet knew she was boasting. She let her have this moment. Daisy was alone on the Estate today, for her mother and father had gone to the north of the Country. She believed Daisy was quite lonely, for she never invited her so suddenly.

“I am certain you had a wonderful time at the parties,” Scarlet encouraged her. “Do tell, did you meet any suitors that may have interested you?” Scarlet wanted to add that the Duke was not interested in her, so it may be a good idea to find another man.

“I met a few of them, yes, but none took my fancy. They are quite boring,” Daisy picked up her tea and walked to the large window. “However, this will certainly interest you. Lord Thomkins, the Duke’s friend and companion, conversed with me on several of these occasions. We just seemed to meet.”

“Was it coincidence then?” Scarlet looked toward the window and noticed it had begun to rain. The room had become quite dark, and a maid lit some candles. Daisy returned back to her chair.

“Only time will tell,” Daisy responded. “How about you? Have you found a man to marry yet?” she asked. “The Season is nearly over.”

Scarlet thought of Alexander but dismissed it straight away. She must not hope he was the one for her. “Not yet, but I am certain I will meet someone soon,” she said.

I hope that person is His Grace. I know he likes me very much, and perhaps loves me too. His caresses and the love in his eyes tell me all that. Only I do not wish to be disappointed if this is no more than a tryst.

“How is your sister?” Scarlet changed the topic for she didn’t want to think of the possibility of not being the Duke’s Lady anymore. It would break her heart if he found another lady for himself.

“Elizabeth is certainly becoming bigger,” Daisy commented. “And I must say I am looking forward to being an aunt. And Mother, she can’t wait to be a grandmother. A small playmate at last.” Daisy clasped her hands.

Daisy did indeed look happy, Scarlet was glad for it.

“It is nice to see you like this,” she said.

“Am I not always?” Daisy asked, going to the looking glass. She touched her hair. She moved her head sideways and seemed to have a closer look. She came back, seeming satisfied with her appearance.

“I do wish you were,” Scarlet smiled, and Daisy smiled back.

“Lord Thomkins,” the butler announced.

Horace walked in, his hat and jacket wet. “Lord Thomkins,” Daisy and Scarlet curtsied.

“How do you do?” Horace said. “I do apologize if I am intruding on your conversation.”

“Not at all, Lord Thomkins,” said Scarlet. “Ah, I see it has finally stopped raining.”

“I wish it had stopped earlier,” Horace grimaced. “Unfortunately, I got caught in it.”

“Do take a seat, Lord Thomkins,” said Daisy.

“I think I feel like a promenade,” Scarlet said suddenly. “Please do carry on. I won’t be long.” She quickly exited the room. As Scarlet stepped outside, she lifted her face up to the drizzle that fell on her like fine mist. Of course, the skies hadn’t completely cleared. She wanted to give Daisy and Lord Thomkins a chance to talk alone.

She smiled, she knew what he was going to say to Daisy. It was quite obvious why he had come. Scarlet walked down the lane. It was empty of people, and she suspected it was because of the weather. But she saw a few carriages drive on the road.

As she walked, her thoughts led to the Duke. She remembered how he had touched her under the skirt. She flushed in embarrassment at the very thought. Scarlet couldn’t imagine being with someone else now, it was quite impossible for her to like anyone else.

But she was happy and didn’t feel sad at all. She walked around in a circle and came back to Daisy’s Estate. As she climbed the steps, she saw Horace coming down. “I am grateful for your discretion, Miss Snow,” he said.

“Did she agree then?” Scarlet asked. The smile on Horace’s face told her it did. Smiling and extremely happy for her friend, she went inside.

“I said yes!” Daisy took Scarlet’s hands and swirled her around.

“And so you should, absolutely,” laughed Scarlet. “Oh, I am so glad you accepted him. I really am. Did you expect it?”

“No, it came as a surprise. So, I thought, if I can’t have the Duke, and I certainly will not have George Hargreave, I will have Lord Thomkins. He is a decent man, and he is a Lord. I cannot be wrong to accept him,” said Daisy. “Mama will be happy, I am certain, as will Papa and Elizabeth.”

“Sometimes when you are not searching for that perfect man, he comes as if by chance, do you not believe?”

“Now I certainly do,” Daisy said her eyes twinkling. “And I am also certain you will find a suitor soon. Do you have anyone you want very badly?”

“I cannot say I have,” Scarlet said. “But he might come by chance too.