Chapter Eleven

August could not believe that he was going to dance with Lady Georgina. That she had asked him—and not the other way around. He had escorted her back to the ballroom, and then felt too many eyes upon him, retreating to the card room instead. He did not join any table, though, knowing gentlemen sitting there would be reluctant to have him sitting next to them.

As he stood against the wall, observing play, the Duke of Seaton joined him.

"Well, Edgethorne, you made quite the entry into Polite Society this evening, didn't you?"

"I had no idea the eyes of the entire ton would be upon me," he admitted. "I thought I was going to arrive and slip inside the ballroom, standing unobtrusively on the sidelines."

"This was my entrance into Polite Society tonight," the duke informed him. "After many, many years at sea."

"What is your story, Your Grace? I have heard hints of it, and yet I am unclear as to what really occurred."

Seaton shrugged. "I was the heir apparent to my father, his firstborn son. My mother died trying to give him his spare. He then wed Dinah, the dowager duchess. She was not even ten years older than I. She gave him Georgie and Pippa, and he was mightily disappointed, thinking a young wife should have borne him a son."

The duke paused, his gaze looking out at the card room before he continued.

"When I was taken, I did not know that my stepmother was with child again. That would have been Mirella. I accompanied my father to the wharf. To Strong Shipping. Frankly, I cannot tell you much of anything about that day because it was so long ago. I do remember it was my first time at the shipping offices. How vast I found them. Somehow, I wound up outside. I think I was on an errand for someone in the warehouse. That perhaps I was supposed to go to one of our ships and deliver something. It doesn't matter. What happened was, I was abducted against my will."

August heard the emotion in the duke's voice. He did not press the man further, wanting Seaton to be comfortable with what he might share.

Finally, the duke spoke again. "I know now, from experience, that boys are often taken from the docks. Made into cabin boys. That is what happened to me. I do remember trying to tell someone—anyone—that I wasn't supposed to be there. I was merely laughed at and beaten to within an inch of my life. Slowly, but surely, my memories of life at Shadowcrest faded. The memories of my mother and father. Of my stepmother and stepsisters. I traveled the world, being called Boy on those voyages, until I insisted upon being called James. I truly did not recall what my last name was. All I knew was life at sea."

August couldn't imagine what this man had experienced. To think Seaton had been robbed of his very memories of his own family. At least he had experienced a stable childhood and though he and Peter had enjoyed different pursuits, he had always loved his brother.

"How did you come back and become the Duke of Seaton?" he asked, curious as to how the duke finally recalled who he was.

"I will not bore you with the details, Edgethorne. Suffice it to say that I can home from a voyage and while drinking in a tavern, I met a man from my past. My former tutor. He recognized me. Said enough things to jog my memory. I began recalling things I hadn't thought about in years and years. And so I sought the truth. My truth."

Seaton fell silent again, and he and James stood together without conversing. Having experienced trauma of his own, August was respectful and did not push this man for more information.

After some minutes, the duke spoke again. "I put enough of the pieces together to recall my last name. To know the house to go to. I learned my father had been struck with apoplexy and had lain in his bed for close to three years. My uncle Adolphus, his twin and only younger by a few minutes, had taken over the entire family. My father died shortly afterward, and I was able to assume his title. Because of certain things my uncle and cousin did, I banished them from England to keep my family safe. There is nothing I wouldn't do to protect my family."

"So, you have not been in Lady Georgina's life that long," August noted.

"No, but it was almost as if no time had passed. I knew Georgie and her twin. I quickly came to understand them. Pippa. Effie. Mirella. Even my uncle's twins, who were foisted upon my stepmother.

"Tonight is my own coming out in a very new world to me. Polite Society is seeing for the first time the new Duke of Seaton and wondering about me, having vanished for all those years. We have not explained to anyone where I was, and I doubt we ever will. It is a private, family matter. That alone causes me to be a topic of conversation for the gossips tonight."

Seaton's story made August aware that he wasn't the only one with the eyes of the ton upon him tonight. The gossips would be eager to glean all they could about this man and would most likely invent outlandish tales about His Grace which were far from the truth.

The duke sighed. "Then there is Sophie herself. Wed to a man not of the ton, a wealthy merchant who built a shipping empire. He took her under his wing and taught her all he knew about business. My duchess has the brightest mind of anyone whom I have ever met. She knows everything about business, and her instincts are always correct. She, too, is being gossiped about this evening. Studied. Raked over the coals. I have worried that the gossip involving both my duchess and I might pose a problem for Georgie during her come-out."

He smiled ruefully. "And then I came into your lives. For some unknown reason, your sister feels very protective of me."

The duke nodded. "She certainly stood up for you. More than once this evening. Her going to greet you was, in and of itself, a statement to the ton. But the dressing down which she gave Lady Mills?" he smiled, his eyes gleaming. "That, my friend, was priceless."

"Am I truly your friend, Your Grace?" August asked. "You already come with quite a bit of baggage yourself. I do not wish to be a further burden to you or the Strong family. I know what I look like. It is dreadful to gaze upon me. I can barely look at my own image in the mirror."

The duke studied him carefully. "And yet my sister has seen something within you, Edgethorne. I have told Georgie it is up to her to make the match she feels most comfortable with. She is a strong-willed, stubborn woman, despite all her sweetness. Georgie has told us that she will settle for nothing else but love. I wonder if you are the man who could give that to her in abundance."

Immediately, August shook his head in denial. "No, I am not the man for Lady Georgina. True, she has shown me a great deal of kindness, even standing up for me when she did not have to. But she deserves a man who will walk amongst Polite Society. A man who has a sterling reputation. I am definitely not that man."

"Then why have you bothered to come to the Season?" the duke pressed.

"I was extremely close to my brother. When I arrived home from war, Peter was on his deathbed. He insisted that I promise I would find a bride. That I would provide an heir to the title. A new Marquess of Edgethorne. That is the only reason I am present tonight. The only thing that will convince me to attend further events of the Season."

"So, you were telling me that my sister is not someone you are interested in as your marchioness? Is that correct?"

More than anything, August yearned to be the special someone in Lady Georgina's life, but his physical appearance prevented him from seriously pursuing her.

"No. I am not interested in your sister," he said flatly. "I know because of my altered looks, I will be limited in my choice of a bride. I hope to seek a wife from those whom Polite Society has pushed aside. Hopefully, I will find someone who might look past my appearance and be willing to wed me and provide me with an heir."

"If that is the case," the duke said, "then you should be in the ballroom. Out on the dance floor. I suggest you dance with my duchess. I would also say my stepmother, but from what I have gathered, her programme is filled for this evening."

"Is the dowager duchess seeking a new husband?" August asked.

"Georgie and Pippa have encouraged their mother in this endeavor. She wed my father when she was but seven and ten. He was considerably older than she was. Her Grace gave birth to four lovely daughters and raised my uncle's two girls, as well. She was a faithful, devoted wife, caring for my father during the years he was an invalid. The twins believe she is still young enough to find a husband and make a good marriage. To find happiness."

"I hope she can do so," he said, liking the dowager duchess quite a bit.

"I owe Sophie another dance, Edgethorne. We shall return to the ballroom. Once I have danced with my wife, you can take the next number."

"I am supposed to dance with Lady Georgina. The final dance of the evening," he revealed.

Seaton cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so?"

The men returned to the ballroom, and the duke claimed his duchess from the matrons who were seated together, watching the dancing. August stood against the wall, watching the dancers in motion, finding Lady Georgina. He couldn't help but follow her. She had such an expression of joy on her face. She was truly enjoying this night of her come-out.

After the Duke of Seaton danced with his duchess, he brought her to August.

Smiling, Her Grace said, "I believe we are to dance the next number, my lord."

Still unsure of himself, he said, "Only if you are up to it, Your Grace."

She thought a moment. "I suppose I could use a bit of rest."

"Then let me escort you to your seat."

"Oh, no," she told him. "I still want a dance with you, Lord Edgethorne. I would like to catch my breath, however. Perhaps we could have a glass of ratafia and sit out this dance, then join in the next."

"I can agree to that."

"Let me accompany you," she said, and August knew she did not want him to be by himself.

They claimed a glass each and took a seat so they might watch the dancing as they spoke.

"Thank you for being seen with me," he told her.

"Why would I not want to be seen with you?"

He looked at her steadily. "You know why. You have heard the comments. Seen the stares."

"His Grace and I have also endured a few gaping at us. Nothing what you have experienced, but we can sympathize somewhat with what you are going through."

"His Grace told me a bit about his past. And yours."

She sighed. "At the time, I thought my life had ended. Wedding a man outside the ton. Being excluded from every social event. Though Josiah was quite wealthy, not a single invitation crossed his desk. And then I saw there was life outside Polite Society. My husband was quite brilliant, my lord. He was a self-made man, building his company slowly until it became a shipping empire. He shared all his knowledge with me. For that, I am grateful."

The duchess watched the dancers. "This life is artificial. Oh, I do see a point to some of it, and His Grace and I will attend some events simply for Georgie's sake. These social affairs will never consume us as they do others, however. What is important is the family we have. The family we will create. And the legacy we bestow. We both own shipping companies that bring goods which benefit many citizens in Great Britain, as well as transport goods to others around the world. I believe that is much more important than a ball." She smiled. "Even if I do enjoy dancing. I will simply have to curtail it as I continue to increase."

"I told His Grace that I promised my brother I would attend this Season. Peter was in poor health his entire life and never wed. He wanted me to do so, in order for the title to be passed down to my own son. After my reception this evening, however, I doubt even the homeliest of women would care to be stuck with me."

She frowned and sternly said, "You are more than the scars on your face, my lord. You have much to offer a woman. I will venture to say that you will find one who looks past them and sees the good in your soul."

"I hope you are right," he said, still doubting that would occur.

A cotillion was the next dance, and he led the duchess onto the ballroom floor. They needed to join three other couples. For a moment, he thought they would be refused. Then again, his partner was a duchess, and a group formed around them.

The dance began, the moves coming back to August after years of no dancing, and for the first time in too long to count, he felt a buoyancy within his soul. He had always enjoyed dancing and allowed himself to feel the music. As partners were switched, he saw the reluctance melting away, as the women who danced with him seemed to accept him for his dancing skills and not his beastly appearance.

The cotillion ended, with August returning to the duchess. Her cheeks were flushed as the music ended, and he escorted her off the dance floor. Seaton waited for them.

"You dance remarkably well, Edgethorne," the duke said. "My duchess has had me taking lessons with a dance master. Perhaps I should switch out and have you teach me to dance instead."

"I am done for the evening," the duchess said, fanning herself. "I am retreating to sit with friends." She looked to August. "Thank you, my lord, for partnering with me."

"It was my pleasure, Your Grace."

"Perhaps you might come to tea tomorrow," she added. "It has been a while since we saw you."

He smiled. "Lady Georgina has already asked me to do so."

"Splendid," said the duke. "We will see you then."

The couple retreated, and August found himself alone again. He kept to himself but was surprised when two different people passed him, complimenting him on his dancing. Perhaps he wouldn't merely be judged and then discounted because of his appearance. It gave him hope that he might have a chance to wed. It would still be an uphill battle, but tonight had given him a sliver of hope, despite the harsh words and ugly glances tossed his way by some of the ton.

The last dance arrived, and he sought out Lady Georgina. He had continued to watch her on the dance floor. She had not lacked for partners and was easily the most beautiful woman making her come-out this year. August planned to enjoy the dance he would have with her.

And then he would need to let go of any fantasies he secretly held of making her his.

Stepping to her, he said, "I believe this is our dance, my lady."

She placed her hand on his sleeve, and he led her onto the dance floor.