Chapter One

J uly 1830

Felix Hamilton, Marquess of Roland, paced in front of the Duke of Ivandore's townhouse. He had an obligation to do the right thing. He had to marry the duke's sister. Felix stopped at the bottom of the townhouse steps and looked up at the door.

He could do this. All he had to do was go up those steps, knock on the door, go into the drawing room, and ask Lady Elizabeth's guardian for her hand in marriage. It was a simple thing to do. Her guardian would say yes. As he'd feared, the rumors going about London about her had sealed her fate as a spinster. Only a marriage to him would resolve that. He winced. It was a shame she didn't have the slightest interest in him.

He started to head on down the street. He made it past three townhouses when the words his brother spoke to him that morning returned to him. "You are the reason her reputation is tarnished. You have an obligation to marry her."

With a groan, Felix spun on his heel and headed back in the direction of her townhouse. His mind went back to the evening at Lord Waxman's ball when he approached Lady Elizabeth. He remembered thinking she was beautiful. Long, wavy blonde hair, curves in all the right places, and a face that could rival any lady in London. He had actually believed she might agree to dance with him. Granted, he wasn't the most attractive gentleman in London, but he'd seen her dancing with others who were just as plain as he was. But she'd said no. What had made him any different? Was it his red hair? Was it the fact that he wasn't as broad in the shoulders as other gentlemen? Was it his lack of financial security? He spun back on his heel and headed back down the street.

No. He couldn't get out of this. Like it or not, he had a duty to do the right thing, and if there was one thing people could say about Felix, it was that he did the right thing. Come heaven or hell, he was going to go through with this marriage.

He released his breath and marched back to the townhouse. Before he could talk himself out of it, he ran up the steps. He was about to knock on the door when the footman opened it. He jerked back in surprise.

"I've been waiting for fifteen minutes to greet you," the footman said.

Felix couldn't tell if the footman was amused or annoyed. But then, Felix was too nervous to care. Even though the new Duke of Ivandore was expecting him, this was going to be an uncomfortable visit. Felix stepped into the entryway and wiped his sweaty hands on his breeches.

"His Grace sent me a missive telling me to stop by," Felix said.

"Yes, I'm aware of that." The footman gestured for Felix to follow him.

Felix thought they would go to the drawing room, but the footman led him to the library instead.

"Lord Roland is here, Your Grace," the footman introduced.

Felix paused for a moment then stepped into the room. A bunch of papers were scattered across the desk, and a ledger lay open nearby. From the gentleman's disheveled appearance, it appeared as if His Grace hadn't slept in a day or two.

His Grace set down the glass of brandy he'd been drinking. Felix's gaze went to the decanter. It was almost empty. Yet another indication that His Grace had been struggling to make sense of the estate's finances.

"You're early," His Grace said. "I like punctuality. Please, have a seat."

Felix released his breath before he sat in the chair across from him. The footman shut the door, making Felix jerk. He hoped he hadn't been brought here so that His Grace could kill him. If Lady Elizabeth's brother wanted to kill him, her other relative might, too.

His Grace stood up and poured the remaining brandy into a new glass. He held the drink out to him. So as not to be rude, Felix took it. However, he did not drink it. There was no way he was going to take the chance that it had been poisoned before his arrival.

His Grace sat back down and rubbed his eyes. "George was my cousin. He left the estate in a terrible mess. Forgive me if I'm not coherent."

Felix was tempted to relax since it seemed as if His Grace held no ill will toward him, but since Felix had killed the previous duke, he would be wise to keep his guard up. He cleared his throat. "I want you to know that I didn't want to..." How did one delicately put this? "That is to say, I never wanted to see His Grace depart from this world before his time."

"You don't have to explain anything to me. George was unreasonable. Yes, you did a lot of damage to Elizabeth's reputation, but I realize George wasn't the easiest person to get along with. As soon as I found out he left London without his sister, I knew he was fulfilling his promise to have a duel with you."

Well, that was a small comfort. Though word of Felix's acquittal had spread through London, he hadn't been sure if the new Duke of Ivandore believed the truth.

"For what it's worth," Felix began, "I feel terrible for what I did to Lady Elizabeth and her brother. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time."

His Grace's grim expression brightened a bit. "I'm not much better off. I might not have spread rumors about her or killed him, but getting this estate in order is proving to be a nightmare. George was a reckless spender. Did you know that?"

Surprised, Felix shook his head.

"Well, it's true," His Grace said. "His recordkeeping leaves a lot to be desired, too. I can't tell if the estate is bankrupt or not." He paused. "Your sister recently married a wealthy gentleman, didn't she?"

"Yes, she married Lord Quinton. Are you familiar with him?"

"No. I've been living in America."

Felix's eyebrows rose in interest. "You live in America?"

"I've been there for a few years now. I'm in the shipping industry. I'm not sure how inheriting my cousin's title will change things. I'm not exactly rich. I'm not even sure if I have the kind of money to see to Elizabeth's needs. From what I gathered, no gentleman of good repute will go near her anymore. You'd be shocked to know that a couple of missives from immoral gentlemen have come to me. One even offered to pay me for the chance to let him spend an evening with her."

Felix shifted in his chair. Maybe he should drink the brandy. Death might be preferable to the reminder that he had destroyed her life.

His Grace took a deep breath. "Because of your sister's marriage to Lord Quinton, your financial standing is secure."

Sensing that His Grace was asking a question, rather than making a statement, Felix nodded. "Lord Quinton has been very good to me." Felix didn't know if he could ever pay Guy back for saving his estate...or for defending him before the judge. But this wasn't the time nor the place to get into all of that. Felix cleared his throat. "I still have more to do to build a legacy for the future, but I assure you that Lady Elizabeth's financial needs will be met."

"I would like it if you'd do more than that. I'd like for you to give me your word that you'll be kind to her."

"I have no intention of being mean to her. I don't want a bad marriage." Which was why this whole thing was going to be difficult. If Lady Elizabeth hadn't wanted to dance with him, she certainly wouldn't welcome this marriage.

"I won't lie to you. She's not happy with you."

"Yes, I know."

"When I say she's not happy with you, what I really mean is that she's angry with you."

"One can't blame her for being angry."

His Grace studied him for a moment, as if he wanted to make sure Felix understood what he was getting himself into by marrying her, then nodded. "This isn't going to be an easy situation. The beginning of your marriage will be difficult."

What could Felix say to that? He'd been the one who ruined her life. It was his duty to pay his penance by living with an angry bride. He took a deep breath and released it. Not all marriages in London were love matches. And not all titled gentlemen had children. At least he had Oscar, his brother, to pass his title to when he died.

"We'll forgo the banns," His Grace continued. "There's no need to make this wedding public. We'll arrange for a special license and do this quietly. I'll notify you when we'll have the ceremony." His Grace rose to his feet. "I'll see you out."

Surprised, Felix jumped up. "I'm not going to see her?"

"If it was up to me, you would, but she's in no mood to come down here. Right now, all I can do is get her approval for the union."

"So you're not forcing her to do this?"

"Elizabeth is an intelligent lady. She knows she either marries you or lives the rest of her life as a spinster. She chose the former."

His Grace gestured to the door, so Felix set the unused glass on the desk and headed out of the room with him. The two walked to the front door in silence. Felix had been through some awkward moments in his life, but he had to admit this was the worst one. Every nerve in his body cried out for a drink to help soothe the knots in his stomach. What he wouldn't give to be like other gentlemen who could drink brandy without letting it ruin them.

The footman opened the door, and His Grace stopped Felix before he stepped across the threshold. "For what it's worth, I appreciate the fact that you are trying to make things better. Not every gentleman would do that."

Not knowing what else to say, Felix offered the gentleman a nod then left the townhouse.

***

A KNOCK CAME AT ELIZABETH Clearly's bedchamber door. She gripped the arm of her chair and closed her eyes. This was the day Lord Roland was supposed to come by. She wondered if the person who had just been here was him. Had he come to make things right?

She rolled her eyes. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't making anything right. All he was doing was securing a miserable future for her. If he hadn't seen fit to damage her reputation, his sudden display of chivalry might not have made her want to vomit. She had no doubt that all of London would consider him a hero for stepping up to marry a tarnished lady.

Another knock came at her door. With a resolute sigh, she rose to her feet. This was it. The moment of truth. Her last hope was that Duncan would not allow the marriage, but she had a suspicion he had told Lord Roland yes.

"Lady Elizabeth," the maid spoke from the other side of the door, "His Grace wishes to speak with you in the library."

"I'm coming," she called out.

Straightening her spine, she proceeded forward. She marched out of the room and down the steps as if she were a soldier going to war. If there was one thing people would never say about her, it was that she took the coward's way out. Regardless of how bad things got, she would put up a brave front. When she reached the library, the door was open.

Her cousin waved her into the room. "I have good news for you." He gestured for her to sit. "Would you like some tea?"

She approached his desk but did not sit. Arms crossed, she shook her head. "Just tell me what happened."

He paused for a moment. "Lord Roland is trying to make amends for what he did. That should offer you some relief."

"The only relief I will get is the day I become a widow."

"You shouldn't think of it that way. I explained to you that George left this estate in a wretched condition. You will live like a miser if you continue on as you are now. This marriage will benefit you. Even if you aren't fond of him, Lord Roland can see to your physical comfort. You will not want for the basics."

"What good will the basics do me if I'm with a loathsome creature?"

By the way Duncan's eyes grew wide, she realized he had not properly understood just how much she hated Lord Roland. "Granted, the talk I had with him just now was brief," he began, "but he really seems like an amiable person. You need to give him a chance."

She grimaced. "He told everybody that I will lift my skirts for anyone. And now people think I'm not only a lady of ill repute, but some are even making up rumors that I'm some sort of witch. He is the reason I can't show my face in polite society in peace. I am under no obligation to give him a chance."

"From what I heard, his only crime was asking you to dance. Yes, he then went to a gentleman's club and said you entertained gentlemen in bed. I am not condoning that, but you could have handled things better. You did not have to reject him right in front of everybody. You humiliated him."

"You can't compare his suffering to mine."

"You're right. I can't. Ladies are always hurt more than gentlemen are, no matter what the scandal is. But you know the rules of polite society. Even if you didn't like him, you should have danced with him."

Her countenance darkened. "I don't see why I have to accept a dance from every single gentleman who asks it of me. A lady ought to have the right to say no if a gentleman repulses her."

He shrugged. "Whether or not you agree with the rules, they exist. If you obey them, life is much easier. If you decide not to obey them, there will be difficulty."

She bit on her tongue so she wouldn't say what the Ton could do with all of its absurd rules. It wouldn't change anything. She was still stuck with Lord Roland. He might not have gotten to dance with her, but he had managed to get a lifetime from her. The burden of this marriage was hers to bear. She was a doomed lady. And there was nothing she could do about it.

"May I go back to my room now?" she asked, forcing her tone to remain polite.

Duncan looked as if he wanted to keep arguing with her, but in the end, he understood that nothing he said would change her mind. He offered her a nod, and she was allowed to retreat to the safety of her bedchamber.