Can’t Buy Me a Duke by Bianca Blythe
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Traveling on a shipover the Atlantic was every bit as horrendous as Fletcher had indicated. Harrison lay tightly against the top berth. Even turning to the side was apparently a luxury. Now, it was all but impossible.
This was the life the duchess had warned him against. This was the life that was truly his.
Rain splattered over the ship with great frequency, and even when it did not, waves were bound to fling salty spray over the deck, as if astounded that any manmade construction would ever think of breaching its borders. There’d been only a single night, early on the journey, that he’d crept up to the deck to sleep underneath the stars with the other men in less than desirable accommodation.
Today was different from the other days. Today they were supposed to land in New York.
The other men in the cabin smiled with excitement, but nervousness thrummed through Harrison.
Finally, sailors shouted that New York was visible, and Harrison followed the others to the deck. Passengers filled the area, their heads turned to one direction: New York City. As they approached, Harrison stared as well.
“It’s incredible,” one person murmured.
The ship’s sailors shouted as they moved in a choreographed manner, taking down the sails and tossing ropes.
Finally, the ship anchored, and shore boats approached.
Most people lugged large pieces of luggage onto the shore boats. Clearly, most of them had no intention of ever returning to England. What might that be like? To be able to change one’s life so completely?
“How long do you plan to stay?” one of the men asked him.
“Hopefully, I can return on this ship.”
The person blinked. “You don’t intend to see anything when you’re here?”
“I plan to have a conversation with someone here, but I doubt that will take long.”
The man stared at him, obviously baffled. “My word.”
“Some conversations are simply more proper to have in person.”
“I suppose that’s correct,” another man said, but his eyes still narrowed, as if half suspecting Harrison was displaying signs of madness.
*
NOISES SOUNDED FROMdownstairs, and Lucy furrowed her brow, removing her gaze from her book reluctantly.
Still, the noises continued, even though Lucy was certain nobody had planned a gathering at this time.
It was six on a Tuesday evening, hardly the time for callers.
“Lucy? Lucy?” Footsteps pounded toward her, then Eliza dashed into the room. “Miss Banks. Oh, you must come.”
Lucy snapped her book shut. “Is there something wrong?”
Eliza shook her head. “You have a guest.”
Lucy blinked.
“So not very wrong at all,” Eliza added uncertainly.
Evidently, even the servants thought she was an unsocial being if having a guest caused such surprise. “Who is it? Is it Beatrice? Or perhaps Bessie? Patricia?”
“Oh no, miss. It’s a most handsome gentleman.”
“Indeed?” Lucy sighed. “Are you certain it’s for me? It might be for Isabella. Normally, handsome men call on Isabella. Of course, she’s not here, but he might not know that.”
“Oh no, miss. He specifically asked for you.”
“Well, he could have gotten my name wrong.” Lucy opened her book again. “That’s probably the case. Did my parents tell you to find me?”
Eliza’s apple cheeks suddenly pinkened. “No.” She tugged on her apron. “I’m—er—afraid I overheard when I was cleaning one of the rooms on the corridor. In fact, they—er—told him to leave.”
“Then this is somebody they don’t want me to see.”
“He did seem most insistent, miss.”
Something occurred to Lucy. Something that made her heart spin. But she put away the thought quickly and scolded her hands for fluttering. Obviously, it could not be him. No, he lived in London and sometimes in Cornwall. He certainly never ever came here.
Obviously, this visitor’s appearance simply reminded her of him. It would be absurd to think he was here. There was nothing to muse upon at all.
“I’m certain there must have been some misunderstanding,” she said.
“You’re not curious, miss? He has the most wonderful English accent. It was most amazing.” Eliza’s long eyelashes beat up and down, as if they were even now incredulous that they’d seen such a glorious compilation of masculinity.
Heavens.
“I suppose I am curious.” Lucy put down her book and crept from the room.
And there he was, standing in the corridor.
Harrison.
Lucy’s heart squeezed and soared. “You’re here.”
“Yes,” Harrison said, and he gazed at her with such fondness that her heart lurched even further, intent on finding a higher perch.
Unfortunately, Mama and Papa were also in the corridor.
“You mustn’t talk to him,” Mama said.
“Yes,” Papa agreed, a rare occasion for both of them.
Mama scowled and marched toward her. She pushed her back into her bedroom.
Lucy hurried back to the hallway.
“I’m going to throw you out, young man,” Papa told Harrison.
“Are you strong enough for that?” Mama asked.
“Well, we are on the second floor, my dear. Now, if I simply start charging at him while that window is open, there is a chance that through mere physics . . . “
Lucy swallowed hard, and her gaze followed Papa’s to an open window.
An image of Harrison flying to the ground assaulted her mind. “That’s enough, Papa.”
Harrison glanced uncertainly at the window as if he were also wondering whether it would be better to lock it now as a precautionary measure.
“I’ll speak with him,” Lucy said.
Mama narrowed her eyes. “Absolutely not.”
Papa crossed his arms and glared at Harrison. “Have you come to propose to my daughter?”
The air thickened, and Lucy’s heart quickened. Had he come to propose? Was that why he was here? Men didn’t generally travel on four-week journeys.
Harrison’s face pinkened, and he shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”
Lucy’s heart tumbled, but it didn’t matter. She’d known that anyway. She firmed her lips and made certain her chin didn’t wobble. Harrison was not going to see her unhappy. Nobody was.
“You mustn’t ask him these questions, Papa,” Lucy said.
“It is my duty, dear child,” her father replied, “to ensure you are not alone with this man. Perhaps one day you’ll have children of your own and will understand.”
“Oh, that’s very doubtful,” Mama said. “Very doubtful, indeed.”
Eliza’s mouth dropped, and Lucy’s heart sank even further.
This was the sort of thing people would gossip about. What didn’t her parents understand? They weren’t making anything better. They were just making everything worse. If they wanted to protect her, this was not the way to do it.
And if Harrison had traveled all the way across the Atlantic just to speak with her, well, she could listen to him, couldn’t she?
Lucy placed her arms on her waist. “You’re not being helpful. You’re never helpful.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“You took me all the way to Europe, but it didn’t help.”
Mama’s face paled.
“I was happy in New York. I didn’t need to be hauled to Europe. That didn’t improve my life. That wasn’t what I wanted.”
“I won’t tolerate any more of this ingratitude, Lucy.” Mama clutched her heart. “It’s simply too horrific to imagine. After everything we’ve done for you.”
“The point is, Mother, that perhaps you don’t know best.”
Mama’s face paled, and for once, she was silent. In the next moment, Mama’s eyelashes started to furiously blink, and nausea crept up Lucy’s throat.
She’d said too much.
“I am sorry, Mother. I-I was difficult. I am difficult. Isabella is betrothed, after all.”
Mama nodded, obviously happy by that thought.
Lucy’s throat dried. She’d never be able to give Mama that same happiness.
“I shouldn’t have come here. I’ll leave now.” Harrison bowed to Papa, Mama, and then finally to Lucy. His eyes were sorrowful, then he swung around and strolled from the room.
“Well.” Mama sighed and plopped onto Lucy’s bed. “That was shocking.”
“Most shocking.” Papa still stared at the open door.
“To think he came all the way here,” Mama said.
“Yes. Most odd. That’s man is up to no good. I’m certain,” Papa nodded gravely with the same somberness with which he chose stocks.
Lucy wanted to argue with them, but instead, she strode from the room and glanced at her parents. They were still remarking over their shock.
Lucy descended the staircase, brushed past the startled butler and dashed outside. She wasn’t certain how many minutes she had.
“Harrison, Harrison!” she called.
He swung around and smiled when he saw her. “You came.”
“I thought it might be important, given the whole traveling across the ocean thing.”
“Very astute.” His eyes took on a tender quality. “Would you care to join me for a stroll?”