Chapter 5

Chapter Five

W hat a week!

As the Lord Duke Thorne, otherwise known as Frederick, gently led his horse down the driveway of Ramsbury House, he could not escape the feelings of stress and frustration that had dogged him the entire week, weighing heavily on his shoulders in a way that had him hunched over in his saddle, such that his back was hurting him.

It had been messy. It had been hectic. It had been one of those weeks that he was glad to see the end of. Yet, when the week was finally over, he was not so out of the woods yet that he could finally relax. Before him stood one final task, a task that promised to be as painful as it was drawn out as it was awkward as it was tedious.

Wedding preparations. A task that no man should have to suffer through, yet one that had befallen him, as the strange circumstances surrounding this wedding all but demanded it.

“One more day,” Frederick muttered to himself as he approached the house. “One more day, Frederick. Then it will all be over…”

He did not want to involve himself in this most arduous procedure. But he felt that it was owed. Considering the hazardous nature of this arrangement, how quickly it was all happening, and the state of his bride-to-be, it was best that he involve himself to ensure that nothing untoward happened, for he wanted a wedding without complications and without drama.

To be married. To have that little annoyance sorted. To be able to put this all behind him and continue on with the rest of his life in peace… if such a thing was possible.

But before any of that might happen…

He presented himself at the front door and knocked loudly. It swung open a moment later, and he was greeted by a butler who led him into the large house, through the foyer, and in the direction of the drawing room. There, he was not surprised to find Lord and Lady Ramsbury waiting for him, although the absence of their younger daughter was worrying.

“Your Grace!” Lord Ramsbury was up and striding toward him, extending his hand for him to shake. “So glad that you could make it.”

“Yes, well, I thought it best that we get this over with.” Frederick eyed the Earl’s pudgy hand but did not take it. “Lady Ramsbury,” he said pleasantly as the Countess walked over to him, but he did not move to kiss her on the cheek, as he was not the type to do so. “You look radiant.”

“Oh, please.” She blushed and waved him off.

“I am glad that we are finally getting this dealt with,” Frederick told them both. “My hope is that by this evening, we will have the bulk of these procedures finalized. I want a small wedding, nothing too extravagant.”

“We could not agree more. Friends and family only.” Lord Ramsbury nodded.

“And I have been thinking,” Frederick continued. “I am amenable to the ceremony taking place in your parish. Mine is quite far away, and if it means less hassle for both parties, then so be it. Anything to make this process more simple.”

“Oh.” Lord Ramsbury blinked. “That is very thoughtful.”

“As I said, I want this to be as smooth and effortless as possible. After the week I have just had…” Frederick shook his head to himself.

“All went well, I hope?” Lord Ramsbury asked. “You were able to call off your engagement to my dear niece and procure a new wedding license?”

“I would not be here if I had not.”

“Marvelous!”

“Now, before we begin…” Frederick looked around the drawing room once more, just in case he had missed Hannah. “Is your daughter joining us? Seeing as it is her wedding that we shall be discussing, I cannot help but feel that she should be here.”

Lord Ramsbury’s expression tightened, and Lady Ramsbury pressed her lips together. The weight sitting on Frederick’s shoulders grew heavier at the sight, as he came to realize that this week, as long and painful as it had been, was far from over.

“I have sent for her,” Lord Ramsbury explained. “I expect her to be down here shortly.”

“We can begin without her,” Lady Ramsbury suggested. “Really, there is no reason that we cannot. I know my daughter well, so you can assume that my words are spoken as if from her mouth.”

Frederick clicked his tongue. “I was really hoping she would be here. It would be proper.”

“And she will be.” Lord Ramsbury placed a hand on his arm. “How about a drink while we wait?”

“I think that is the best idea I have heard all week,” Frederick agreed with a sigh of relief. “Please, whatever you are having. But make mine a double.”

“Good show!” Lord Ramsbury chuckled as he rushed to the liquor cabinet, where he went about making drinks. He was shaking as he did so, nervous in a way that Frederick could not help but take note of.

No need to guess what was causing said nerves. That, Frederick was certain, had everything to do with Lady Hannah.

He had been thinking about Lady Hannah all week. Far more than he had expected, truth be told. Honestly, the more he thought about her, the more he wondered if this marriage was as good an idea as he had originally thought—a marriage of convenience that was quickly becoming very inconvenient.

It had been a gamble. Faced with the situation, Frederick had elected to propose marriage to Lady Hannah because he knew that if he did not, there was a good chance a scandal might arise, and then any chance he had of marrying again would all but vanish.

What he hadn’t considered, what he wished he’d stopped to consider, was the woman herself and what this marriage might mean for the both of them.

He had spent most of the week in a state of annoyance.

Frederick had allowed Lady Hannah to bait him. Dammit, he had leaned into it! A bold gamble, one that he decided to use to teach her a lesson. Ironic then that he was the one who came to learn something from it.

He had very nearly lost control. When he had leaned in close to her, when he had held her, his mind had flashed back to her half-naked form in all its beauty, his lips had salivated, his pulse had quickened, and the smell of her… it was all he had been able to do to pull away and scold her for trying to seduce him. And, in an effort to demonstrate how little he wanted her, he had said some not-so-very-nice things.

A marriage of convenience where he would all but treat his wife as a stranger? No kissing. No touching! It was what he needed, and his mind would not be changed on the matter. But the more he thought of it, the more he decided that he could have presented the circumstances to Lady Hannah with a touch more tact.

“M’Lord.” A maid suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking nervous and not at all like she wished to be there.

“Ah, Miss Write!” Lord Ramsbury said as he handed Frederick a glass of brandy. “My daughter, is she on the way? Where is she?”

“I am sorry to say, M’Lord, but…” She was shaking, she looked so nervous. “I am afraid that Lady Hannah had instructed me to tell you that she will not be coming down.”

“What?!”

“She has asked that I act as an intermediary between you and her. Anything you wish to ask can be said to me, and I will relay the message.”

“Did she now…” Lord Ramsbury’s eyes widened, and his face began to turn purple. “And she is aware that His Grace has come all this way?”

“She is, M’Lord.”

“And she is aware?—”

“Oh, this is ridiculous!” Lady Ramsbury cut him off. “Miss Write, please tell Hannah that she is expected here. And do not take no for an answer.”

Miss Write could not have looked more terrified, but she nodded her head, turned around, and hurried away.

“I am so sorry about this,” Lord Ramsbury groaned. “And I swear, she is not usually like this. In fact, all week, she had shown nothing but excitement for your impending wedding.”

“Is that so?” Frederick asked as he took a very large sip of his brandy, feeling now that he would need it.

“It is,” Lady Ramsbury affirmed. “All of us are. Perhaps she is simply feeling ill?”

“Let us hope…”

Frederick wasn’t in the least bit surprised, but that wasn’t to say that he wasn’t annoyed. Yes, he had been somewhat callous and cold toward Lady Hannah when they had spoken, but the way she had behaved wasn’t much better!

He had spent the entire week trying to find the words he would eventually say to her when the time came. How he would explain to her what he wanted from this marriage without upsetting her further—a marriage of convenience, without any preconceived notions of romance or physical affection. Even just thinking it made it sound less than desirable.

But Frederick also had no choice in the matter. The truth was, he didn’t want to marry. Until recently, he had known that he would never marry again! He was only doing so now because he felt that he must, a state of being that his status and circumstances demanded. And then there was Amelia…

“M’Lord.” Miss Write appeared in the doorway again. Alone. “Lady Hannah has instructed me to tell you that?—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Lord Ramsbury exclaimed. “Curse that girl!”

“Phineas!”

“What?” he snapped at his wife, only for her to cock an eyebrow at him. He winced. “I am sorry, dear. I did not mean it. It is just that girl! She is far too like her sisters. As stubborn as…” His eyes went wide, and he spun to look at Frederick. “I mean, she is a lovely girl, Your Grace. A true gem. And I know she is as excited about this marriage as we are.”

“Is that right?” Frederick asked plainly. “I am beginning to see that.”

“Miss Write,” Lord Ramsbury tried again. “You get your butt up there and tell my daughter?—”

“We shall tell her,” Lady Ramsbury cut him off. “Your Grace, if you do not mind waiting a moment?”

Frederick sighed, making sure to show his frustration. “Perhaps it would be best if I were to come back later.” A cold look then for the flustered parents. “Once you manage to get your daughter under control.”

“No, please!” Lord Ramsbury cried. “I promise, it will take but a moment. Less than that!”

“That is not how it sounds.”

“I can assure you, I know my daughter well enough,” Lord Ramsbury hurried to assure. “She is stubborn but knows when a protest has no merit. A quick word from myself and my dear wife and she will make herself available. Have no doubts.”

Frederick would have preferred to have not been forced to wait, and were the circumstances different, he might have simply gone home. But he wanted this done with, as after the week he’d just had the last thing he wished for was to prolong the tiresome experience this marriage was already turning out to be.

“I suppose so,” Frederick sighed, taking another large sip of his brandy.

“We will be one moment…”

Lady Ramsbury snatched her husband’s arm and dragged him across the room. Then they put their heads together, bickering under their breaths as they hurried out of the room. And Frederick watched them, wondering if perhaps this was not the worst idea he’d ever had. Maybe he should just cancel the wedding and resign himself to living the rest of his life as a single man. Not a bad idea, although… Amelia.

A shake of the head and he walked over to the door, leaning against the frame as he cast his gaze down the hallway. As he did, he attempted to listen for what he was sure was the sound of shouting from upstairs, another sign that this marriage was off to a less-than-perfect start.

But then he noticed movement down the hallway. What was more, he saw a body darting from doorway to doorway as if trying to hide. They glanced back over their shoulder, a wicked grin spread across their face, and then they ducked through another door which Frederick guessed led outside and into the back garden.

He could not help but laugh at the sight. It was Lady Hannah, doing all that she could to avoid her parents and him by extension.

For a moment, Frederick wondered if he should wait for Lord and Lady Ramsbury to return so he could explain what he just saw, only for a new idea to occur to him. A better idea.

He wanted to speak with Lady Hannah and clear up a few misunderstandings, hopefully convincing her to go through with the marriage while assuring her it would not be as tragic as he had made it out to sound. And he couldn’t very well do that with her parents looking over his shoulder.

But she was alone now. Likely hiding in the garden. So, what was to stop him from speaking to her now, directly, free from prying eyes and ears?

Frederick took a final sip of his brandy and put the glass down. He chanced a glance back toward the foyer, making sure that Lord and Lady Ramsbury were not there. And then, moving quickly, he swept through the house and made for the back door.

It was time, finally, to get this marriage back on track. And then, hopefully, put this awful week behind him once and for all.