Chapter 1

Chapter One

THE GAUNTLET IS THROWN

" I s it me, or do these family events get more and more extravagant and chaotic each time?" Dominic Dorson, Duke of Verimore, shook his head, a smile on his face as he readjusted his cravat. "I will never understand how we allow ourselves to be roped into these shenanigans year after year."

"Do not pretend you do not live for the chaos, Dorson. Besides, you know that we would never hear the end of it if we played truant from even the most trivial of family events. Why, I did not hear the end of it after I evaded the last amateur musical!" Lord Thomas Heathcliff, heir to the Marquess of Elington, said, gesturing around him. "Let alone the wrath grandmother would bring down upon our heads if we even dared think about missing one of her events."

Dominic laughed at his cousin. "I may enjoy the chaos, but that does not mean I do not find it tiring. After all, our ranks seem to grow by the day. Every other event, I seem to discover some distant cousin or an aunt twice removed."

"That is what happens when the matriarch is thrice married." Thomas shrugged.

"It is a mark of her somewhat fearsome reputation that she is still held in such high esteem in the ton. I dread to think what would normally be said of a woman thrice married in other circumstances. Though I have to admit, it would be rather amusing to see someone brave enough to say such things to her." Dominic glanced across the room at his grandmother.

Agatha Felton, the Dowager Duchess Caverton, was sitting in a heavily gilded chair, wearing a dress of deep indigo, and laughing uproariously with several of Dominic's aunts and uncles.

"It does not bear thinking about." Thomas shuddered. "Still, it is rather surprising that so many of us have journeyed here today."

"It is probably a sign of how well we all love her… or perhaps how much we fear her." Dominic shook his head.

"Or perhaps a little of both." Thomas took a sip of his drink. "Although, I imagine this madness will be nothing compared to grandmother's games. Her invitations have caused quite the commotion. No one knows quite what to make of them."

"Must be because of grandmother's games, we are all quite baffled."

"What do you mean, ‘grandmother's games'?" Dominic frowned at his cousin. "I have heard nothing of this."

Dominic was unaccustomed to not being in the know, especially when it came to matters relating to his family. Of course, he had rather a large family, but he made a point of keeping up with all their news. Besides, grandmother and I have always been on good terms.

Besides being the matriarch of the family, Lady Felton was so wealthy that her fortune rivalled the King's. It was the benefit of having married two dukes with a marquess between them.

Thomas shook his head, playfully batting at Dominic's arm. "Come now, cousin, do not jape. Our grandmother may be intent on playing games, but we do not have to play them with each other!"

"I assure you, I am telling you the truth. I do not know what you are talking about." Dominic kept his voice cool, trying not to show his irritation.

"What? Surely not. Practically everyone has received an invitation," exclaimed Thomas as he gestured around them.

"An invitation to what exactly?" Dominic asked, the edges of his patience wearing thin.

"To her ‘Death' games." Thomas sighed.

"Her what?" Dominic exclaimed, glancing from his cousin to his grandmother.

"Apparently her health is declining, and she has been told she does not have long left to live. Though I confess, she does not look terribly unwell." Thomas looked at his grandmother, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he took in her gaiety.

Privately, Dominic agreed, but he knew too well that looks could be deceiving. "You cannot always tell with such things, and I cannot imagine someone lying about such a thing."

"No, it does seem a strange thing to lie about." Thomas sounded pensive, and Dominic heard the unspoken part of his sentence: if anyone were to lie about such a thing, it would be their eccentric grandmother.

"It is odd to imagine a world without her in it." Dominic felt his heart twist. She is so much larger than life. What a hole she would leave.

"Very much so," Thomas agreed sadly.

Dominic shook his head and decided to return to the matter at hand. "But what were you saying about games?"

"Oh, yes! Apparently, grandmother is dying, and rather than do the traditional thing of writing a will and sharing out her vast fortune, she has decided that we must compete for it." Thomas shook his head, bewilderment and exasperation clear on his face.

"Are you saying that she is planning on giving her entire fortune to the victor?" Dominic exclaimed. That is enough money that I could restore my duchy thrice over.

It would solve all of his problems with plenty to spare to help those he cared about. And it looks like you have been excluded from it. No, his cousin could not be correct. Could he?

"That's what the invitation seems to imply." Thomas gave him a frank look, as though he were growing tired of a particularly irritating practical joke. "Come now, cousin, surely you must have received an invitation. Practically everyone has."

"Everyone? We are rather a sizeable cohort." Dominic gestured around them.

"Cousin Louisa and her husband, every single one of the Rotworths, the two Edwards (I can never tell them apart), Cousin Emily and her fiancé, Cousin Cecily, Cousin Cecil." Thomas continued to list off various family members and even a few members of the ton that the Dowager Duchess Canton was rather fond of. "Why, even Batty Beatrice has received an invitation!"

"Surely not Batty?" He knew he should not sound as aghast as he did, but he couldn't help it. Beatrice is mad as a hatter! "The woman lives with sixteen terriers, and five of them are stuffed!"

"Actually, it's eighteen now; she picked up two more last month." Thomas shrugged.

"It is a good thing she has such a sizeable estate. And that her son is generous." Dominic shook his head. " She received an invitation?"

"She was showing Alexandra the invitation the other day when we had her round for tea." Thomas explained. Dominic remembered that Alexandra, Thomas's sister had been very close to Batty's sister before she had passed. "If I had not seen the paper addressed to her, I would not have believed it, but I saw it, clear as day and in grandmother's own hand."

"I am surprised she did not eat it." Dominic tried to sound as though he were joking but couldn't help the tinge of irritation that coloured his words.

"She may be stark raving mad, but even Batty knows not to offend grandmother. I suspect Grandmother has invited her for entertainment rather than anything else." Thomas stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Quite possibly." Dominic agreed. It is just the sort of thing grandmother would do.

"Have you really not received an invitation?" Thomas gave him a sidelong look, as though still not entirely convinced that the conversation had not been part of some elaborate ploy.

"No." Dominic answered flatly. But I do not intend to let it remain that way.

Thomas shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Perhaps you simply haven't received yours yet. Or perhaps Grandmama sent it to the Duchy rather than your London house?"

"Yes, I am sure that is it. Though, if you will excuse me, I think I might speak to grandmother and sort this business out." Dominic clapped his cousin on the shoulder as he glanced towards his grandmother.

She was still sitting in her gilded chair, now eating a sizeable bowl of pineapple. Mercifully she seemed to have grown tired of her crowd of relatives and was now sitting alone. A perfect time to speak with her.

"Of course." Thomas inclined his head, following Dominic's gaze and grimacing. "Good luck."

Dominic did not reply. Instead, he squared his shoulders and walked towards his grandmother. The familiar tightness in his chest started as he moved through the crowd, but he forced it away. He could almost taste the bile in his mouth. He focused on his frustration and indignation, but took care not to show it on his face. It would not serve him well. Instead, he smiled his most charming smile as he approached Dowager Duchess Caverton and bowed low.

"Grandmama." He smiled at her.

"Ah, Dominic, how wonderful to see you." The Dowager Duchess pinched one of Dominic's cheeks and grinned. "Have you come to pay your last respects to a dying woman? You certainly took your time."

"I must say you look remarkably well for a woman on death's door. I can only apologise for the delay in paying my respects. I would have been here sooner if I had known earlier." Dominic looked at his grandmother meaningfully before adding, "If you had told me, I would have come at once."

"And why would I have done that when you regularly boast of how versed you are in all things family?" Dowager Duchess Caverton replied in silky tones.

"To ensure I was able to say a last goodbye to my dearest grandmother?" Dominic ventured, still smiling at his grandmother. "It would be a shame for you to have missed even one person paying respects to a life well lived."

"Perhaps, though I do have rather a lot of grandchildren, so I do not think I would miss one goodbye." She gestured around them vaguely though Dominic saw the teasing sharpness in her smile.

So that is how she wants to do this. Well, two can play at that game. He leaned forward as though he and his grandmother were co-conspirators in a dastardly plot. "Even from your favourite grandson?"

"A rather bold claim to make, from someone I have not even invited to participate in my ‘Will Games'," Dowager Duchess Caverton replied, her eyes glittering mischievously. "I can think of few people with the audacity to claim to be a favourite of a person if they were not even included in the will."

"My understanding is that currently no one is in the will, and that is the point of your ‘Will Games'. Although, Cousin Thomas called them your ‘Death Games'." Dominic canted his head towards his grandmother.

"I have not made up my mind. ‘Death Games' sound like I am inviting you all to fight to the death. And while that would possibly be entertaining, it would be somewhat self-defeating." Dominic's grandmother sighed. "Though I confess, I do not like the sound of ‘Will Games' either."

"Perhaps the Dowager Dabbles?" he ventured.

"Oh, very good! I like that." Her face split into a broad grin as she called her hands in delight. "My Dowager Dabbles. Wonderful, I would give you points if you were invited."

"Well, why not invite me and give me the points?" Dominic suggested, affecting a tone of overacted innocence.

"Ahhh, cheeky boy. The name is good, but I see no reason to invite you." The Dowager Duchess wagged a finger at him in gentle reproach.

"Why ever not?" he asked, unable to keep the genuine confusion from his voice.

"Because you, dearest Dominic, are a rake. And I do not want my vast fortune to go to someone with no wife or family. That would just mean it went to the crown after his death, and I have not had three husbands just to see my wealth leave my family's hands," his grandmother said simply.

"You make it sound like hard work."

"It was hard work. Not that you would know. You do not even have a fiancée to your name." She gave him a pointed look.

He answered without thinking, the lie leaving his mouth so quickly he was barely aware of saying it. "Actually grandmother, I do." What am I doing?

"I do not believe you. You are only saying that you have a fiancée, so I will invite you to the Dowager Dabbles." Dowager Duchess Caverton raised an eyebrow at him, a challenge in her eyes.

It was not generally advisable to lie to his grandmother. The woman had an uncanny knack for seeing through deception, but with a fortune as great as hers on the line, perhaps it was worth a little risk.

"I am not," Dominic said firmly, keeping a small smile on his face.

"Rather convenient, do you not think, that I say you need to have a hope of a family and heir to be invited, and you procure a fiancée." His grandmother pointed out, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Dominic shrugged nonchalantly. "Convenience does not make it untrue. It has only forced me to tell you sooner than I had planned. My fiancée, she… well, we were not quite ready to be out."

"A likely story. I know your reputation, Dominic, and I would have known if you were courting someone." Dowager Duchess Caverton frowned at him.

"Then perhaps you are less well informed than you think. For I am engaged and therefore should be invited to your Dowager Dabbles," Dominic said triumphantly. "Perhaps you need new sources of information, grandmama."

"Prove it." Her eyes glittered with a challenge.

"Pardon?" Dominic asked, his heart hammering as he tried to keep his face neutral.

"Prove to me that you are truly engaged, and I will give you and your dear fiancée an invitation," Dowager Duchess Caverton said with the air of a hunter laying a trap.

"Me and my fiancée?" Dominic frowned.

"Of course, I assume you would want to split your money with your betrothed, would you not?"

Fool. You walked right into that one. Dominic laughed, trying to pass off his confusion as an honest mistake. "Oh, of course. I had not realised she would be expected to compete."

"Of course, she would. After all, I would want to ensure that she was worthy of such a fortune as well."

"Of course." Dominic tried not to let his panic show on his face. At least that will give me some time to find a fiancée. "I shall bring her with me when we come to the games. When are they?"

"They are in a fortnight. I assume that will be more than enough time for you to make necessary arrangements to journey to Caverton Castle with your… fiancée." His Grandmother's smile was equal parts amused and challenge; it was clear she still did not believe him.

I should never have done this. It was too late to back out now. Instead, Dominic simply said, "Of course, grandmama."

His grandmother waved a hand in dismissal. "I look forward to meeting her."

"And I look forward to introducing you." Dominic bowed low and gave his grandmother his most charming smile before vanishing into the crowd.

He was one step closer to an inheritance that could restore his duchy and change his life. All he had to do was find a fiancée. How hard could it be?