Chapter Eleven

“Lord Allington has not called today.”

Florentina glanced to her mother, then to Christina who had spoken. “No, he has not.”

“He did not call yesterday either.”

“Yes, I am well aware of that,” Florentina murmured, turning her attention to her embroidery again. “But that is not so troublesome, is it? Unless you were eager for his arrival?”

At this, Christina let out a laugh though there was a slight blush to her cheeks. “No, indeed not. I was thinking… well, truth be told, I was thinking about you. I have Lord Barlow and Lord Crawley to consider!”

Florentina frowned. “You know that I cannot consider anyone, Christina. I am already betrothed.” The truth was, her thoughts were not at all on Lord Allington and his absence. Instead, her thoughts had been fully centred on the Duke of Dartmoor, wondering why it was that she had been so upset and hurt by his willingness to throw aside his dance with her. It had not been his absence from her side that had been lingering in her mind but why her heart had ached… and why it still did so even now.

“Yes, but Lord Allington was so very wonderful.” Christina, interrupting Florentina’s thoughts, sighed and shook her head. “So much more amiable than the Duke, was he not?”

At this, Florentina could not help but smile. “Yes, I will admit that he is but that is not particularly difficult, given just how most disagreeable the Duke is!” This made her sister and her mother laugh and Florentina smiled along with them both though, much to her confusion, there came a slight twist of dislike over what she had said, as though, deep down, she did not truly mean that.

“You do not have to marry him, Florentina. You know that, yes?”

Florentina smiled at her mother, albeit a little wearily. “Yes, Mama. But you know that, regardless of your thoughts on the matter, I still shall wed him. The house will be returned to you and you shall not have a single flickering shadow on your reputation. And though I will admit that I might, thereafter, dislike my new situation as a Duchess, I shall have the greatest contentment imaginable, for I shall know that my family are all quite secure.”

Lady Haddington held her gaze. “If there was another way, then—”

The door opened without warning and, much to Florentina’s surprise, none other than the Duke himself walked into the room. The butler hurried after him, stammering somewhat in clear dismay that he had not managed to introduce the Duke as he ought to but Lady Haddington waved him away, quickly rising to her feet.

Florentina did the same, somewhat astonished to see the Duke arrive in such haste, noting how he bowed quickly but then began to pace up and down the room, looking at none of them and saying not even a single word.

She frowned. “Your Grace.” Turning towards him, she watched as, yet again, he walked up and down the room past her. “Is there something troubling you?”

“Yes.” He looked at her for a moment, then flung one hand through his hair, only to shake his head. “No. That is to say… I am not sure. I think… well, this is a little unorthodox but might we speak privately, Florentina?”

It was the first time he had ever spoken to her in such a way and Florentina’s skin prickled lightly, turning to look to her mother who, after a moment, rose to her feet.

“We will take a short turn through the house and then come to join you both again,” Lady Haddington said, as Florentina’s heart began to beat wildly, now concerned as to what it was the Duke wished to say to her. “Pray do not be too long in your discussions, Your Grace. Even though you are engaged, recall that the ton are not aware of it at present and I do not want even the smallest whisper to touch Florentina’s reputation.”

“Of course, of course.” The Duke bowed again but then continued to pace, leaving Florentina to sit alone now, watching and waiting for him to say something. Her fingers twisted together in her lap, a strange tension now coursing through her as the Duke mumbled something to himself. She could not understand what he was doing here, nor what sort of state he was in, for he appeared confused, upset and perhaps even angry, all at once.

Her stomach twisted painfully.

“I am here, Lady Florentina, because… well, because it has become clear to me that Lord Allington wishes to pursue you.”

Florentina blinked rapidly, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead as the Duke came to a stop, turning his head to look at her directly. “I—I beg your pardon?”

“It is just as I have said.” The Duke threw up his hands. “It seems as though he has decided that you are a lady without compare and, given that we are friends, he thought it best to inform me about his intentions.”

Shuddering lightly with the shock of the Duke’s words, Florentina swallowed thickly, trying to make sense of what the Duke had told her. “Lord Allington has been attentive but I did not ever imagine…”

“My only question is now what you are going to do about it,” the Duke interrupted, lifting his chin a notch as he held her gaze. “You are betrothed to me but I shall release you from it, if you so wish.”

It took a few moments for those words to hit Florentina but when they did, she was flooded with such a hot anger that instantly, she rose to her feet, her hands curling into tight fists as she narrowed her eyes. “How dare you?”

The Duke’s eyes flared. “I—I do not—”

“How dare you come here to offer me such a thing?” Florentina interrupted, her whole frame tight with fury. “Are you trying to torment me? Are you trying to offer me a happy future with a gentleman who truly cares for me in the hope that I will accept him and turn from you? You do so not because you care for me but only because you desire the house for yourself, do you not? This is your way of recovering back your foolish offer but I tell you now, I shall not stand for it!”

The Duke’s throat bobbed. “Then you will not accept him and turn from me?”

Florentina shook her head. “No, I will not.”

“I see.” The Duke licked his lips, then, grasping the back of the chair with both hands, let his head drop just a little as his shoulders rounded. Florentina, breathing hard now, simply watched him without saying another word, the anger beginning to lessen though her upset remained.

“That is…” After another pause, the Duke cleared his throat. “I suppose that is not unexpected. You are a lady who has an iron will, I believe.”

“Once I have made a decision—or, in this case, a promise—then I have no intention of turning from it.” Slowly, Florentina moved back to her chair and, watching him still, sat down. “Why do you wish to injure me so, Dartmoor? Have you not caused enough pain already?”

The Duke’s head shot up, his eyes rounding as he stared at her. After another moment, he shook his head furiously, then, much to Florentina’s astonishment, crossed the room towards her and, sitting down in the chair next to her, leaned nearer still. “I did not come to tell you this in order to cause you pain.”

“No?” Florentina lifted one eyebrow lightly. “Forgive me if I do not immediately believe you.”

“I came here to offer you a chance of happiness with a gentleman who is, though something of a rogue, a good deal better a character than I,” the Duke continued, speaking with a gentleness to his tone that caught Florentina by surprise. “Yes, I will admit that it will give me the house but I could not tell if, after some time of consideration, you might then have changed your mind. I know that many a young lady seeks to have a gentleman by her side who truly cares for her and given that I appear to be the sort of fellow that most wish to avoid, the opportunity for happiness might not have been one you wished to pass over.”

Florentina shook her head. “I do not think of my own happiness, as I have said so many times.”

“But you agree, then, that I am the sort of gentleman that most in society wish to avoid?”

Biting back her first answer, Florentina looked away. “I cannot say that you are the sort of gentleman that I have found to be particularly delightful, as you well know, but I will not speak for society.”

The Duke closed his eyes and let out a long breath. A swell of sympathy rose in Florentina’s chest and, a light frown on her face, she watched him steadily. “Is there something that has happened which makes you think such a thing?” She was not entirely sure as to why she asked this but mayhap, she thought, it might have come from the strange demeanor he wore at present.

“I have lost two friends, both in quick succession.” The Duke lifted his head and looked back at her, a heaviness in his eyes which spoke of truth. “They have both thrown certain remarks at me and, much to my shame, I have begun to realise that they might well be correct in their view of me. That is not a pleasant experience, Lady Florentina.”

Surprise jolted her heart, but Florentina kept her expression just as calm as she could. “I can imagine it must be rather difficult.” This was so unlike the Duke that she knew, it left her overwhelmed. Her thoughts raced, wondering if he was saying and doing this to gain something from her—perhaps to end their betrothal and regain the freedom he craved. Was this a game to him? A ploy? Or, for the first time, was she seeing him as he truly was?

She could not decide.

“I was not always like this.” With a rueful smile, the Duke looked away and then rubbed one hand over his chin. “My father… well, he was known to society but not held in high standing. It was the shame of that which made me quite determined to be the opposite of all that my father had become.”

Florentina’s heart softened despite the warnings ringing through her mind. “Your father was thought of poorly? I am sorry to hear it.”

“He brought it upon himself.” The Duke’s lips twisted, a sharp glint in his eyes now. “He was a little like your brother, I am afraid. Often far too willing to indulge in liquor and, thereafter, gamble with the wealth that our family possessed. I swore that, once I took on the title, I would do all that I could to not only restore my family’s wealth but also to gain more. And that is what I have done.”

The sympathy in Florentina’s heart grew, urging her to understand and see why the Duke behaved as he did.

She did not want to listen.

“I want the ton to think highly of me, despite the ruination my father brought to the family name and to our standing,” he continued, looking away from her now, his voice soft and even a little wistful. “That is what I strive for, what I focus on.”

“What you obsess over in both your thoughts and actions?”

The words were out of her mouth before she could prevent them but, much to her relief, the Duke did not appear to be the least bit angry or upset with her. Yes, his eyes flashed back to hers but he did not instantly speak nor berate her for what she had astutely noted about him. Instead, he ran a hand over his mouth, clearly thinking about what she had said before, after some moments of silence, he finally nodded.

“Perhaps you are correct, Lady Florentina. Perhaps it has become something of an obsession. In truth, I do not know what it is, and what I have become. The reason I was delighted to take the house from your brother is because it would spell the achievement of what I have longed for, what I have been pushing towards for so many years.”

“And what is that?”

The Duke took in a long breath, his shoulders lifting as he sat back in his chair. “To be all the greater.” His eyes closed, his lips flattening. “To be the very best gentleman in all of society—but not in character, however. To have the ton know that save for the King, I have the greatest wealth, I possess the largest number of properties, that I have the very best of everything.”

Florentina’s heart twisted. “And then, do you think that you will be satisfied? Do you believe that once society views you as you wish it to, all will be well? That your character will alter with it, that you will no longer be as you are now?”

The Duke’s eyes glinted. “By that, you mean nothing but selfish and inconsiderate, yes?”

There came a slight hesitation in Florentina’s heart, an urge to say no, to soften the words a little so that he did not feel the sting of them but, after a moment, she simply nodded. Seeing it, the Duke smiled but it was not one that held any joy or mirth. Instead, it was a trifle sad, a shadow passing across his face.

“I have much thinking to do.” Rising to his feet, he stood before her and Florentina, knowing what was expected of her, also stood. The Duke held out one hand to her and, a little cautious still, Florentina offered hers. The clasping of his fingers upon hers sent such a jolt through her, she snatched in an audible breath, flushing hot as the Duke’s eyes caught hers.

Then, he bowed over her hand, the heat of his breath whispering across her skin and her body heated all the more.

“I do not know if I ought to apologise or not, for I am not quite certain that I have done anything wrong as yet. Though I can see now that my behavior has brought you pain, both you and your family and that was never my intention. I will confess that I have been thinking only of myself and mayhap, seeing that now two of my companions no longer wish for my company, I ought to consider that.”

Florentina tried to speak but the sudden thumping of her heart prevented her. Something about the Duke holding her hand in the way he was seemed to steal her breath from her but, much to her relief, he did not appear to notice.

“I shall take my leave of you now but, be assured, should I realise that I ought to offer you an apology, then I shall not hesitate.”

“And might you reconsider your present ownership of my brother’s house?” Florentina blurted out, pulling her hand out of his. “What would you say to that?”

Much to her surprise, the Duke instantly shook his head. “No, I think not. The agreement has been made and I will not go back upon it. After all,” he finished, a slight quirk about his lips, “I won the house and if I am to give it up, then I must have something else in its place. That would not be at all fair otherwise.”

Florentina did not know what to say at this. Was the Duke comparing her to his possession of the Haddington house, as though somehow she was to be owned by him? The gentle lift of his lips and the softness about his eyes, however, made it appear as though he was speaking a little in jest and, somewhat tentatively, she smiled.

“Do you think…?” The Duke ended his question midway through, dropping his head and running one hand over his eyes, his expression growing into one of uncertainty. Florentina bit her lip, worrying about what it was that he wanted to ask. Thus far, he had expressed concern as to how his friends might view him, had informed her that he was rather upset over his present state of character and, thereafter, had stated unequivocally that he would not end their betrothal and now had something more to ask her? Florentina already had much to ponder from what he had revealed to her. What more did he wish to say?

“I am being foolish to ask you such a thing after the dreadful manner I have gone about things.” Wincing, the Duke threw her a quick look and then turned his head away. “Do you think there is a chance that we might become friends?”

Florentina’s heart threw itself so hard at her ribs, it was painful. A gasp caught her lips, her eyes rounding and instantly, the Duke dropped his head, rubbing one hand over the back of his neck.

“It was a foolish thing to ask you, I can see that.” With a shake of his head, he made to go to the door. “I am sorry. I—”

“Wait!” Without thinking, Florentina hurried forward just as the Duke turned away, catching his hand in hers. Fire shot up her arm, dulling her senses as she gazed up into the Duke’s face, seeing the surprise leaping into his eyes.

She dropped his hand, face flushing. “Your Grace. I did not… that is to say, I do not know what your motivations are to ask me such a thing but neither do I want you to think that I reject such a question.”

He nodded just as she glanced up at him again. “I quite understand, Florentina. You have no reason to trust me, and I know why that is. It will take time but I should like to try to improve our connection, truly.” A wry smile touched his lips. “And even in saying that, I can see that I am being foolish in my thinking. For you will not be able to trust me in this either!”

“You are right.” Florentina did not hold back the truth from the Duke, choosing to be just as honest as he. “I do not think that I can trust you but the desire you speak of is something that I can understand for it is within my own heart also. I should not like to go into a marriage where neither of us can even remain in conversation for more than a moment given our dislike. But if you are truly saying you believe there can be an improvement in our connection then that is something I would welcome.”

The Duke held her gaze for another long moment and then, much to Florentina’s surprise, smiled so warmly, it was as though, in some way, she had fulfilled everything that he had ever hoped for.

“You are truly as has been said,” he murmured, though Florentina did not understand what he meant. “Thank you, Lady Florentina. I am truly grateful, whether you believe that of me or not.”

Then, just as her mother and sister swept into the room again, the Duke bowed low and, turning, bid them all farewell.

The moment he stepped out of the room, Lady Haddington rushed towards Florentina, grasping both of her hands tightly. “My dear girl, whatever was it he wished to say to you? You are flushed, and your eyes are full of concern.”

“I am quite well, Mama.” Florentina pressed her mother’s hand in return but smiled quickly “Truly, I am well.”

“Then what did he say?” Christina wanted to know, glancing over her shoulder as though she feared the Duke might reappear at any moment.”

With a slight lift of her shoulders, Florentina offered them both a small smile. “In short, I believe that he wants to be my friend,” she answered, her heart softening all the more. “And that, somehow, we might find a way of contentment together. It does not mean that I shall have great happiness in my marriage but it does promise me a little more contentment than I would have enjoyed before.”

“Goodness.” Lady Haddington’s eyes were rounded, though there was a smile which soon followed. “Well, that is wonderful, so long as you believe he can be trusted.”

A quiet laugh broke from Florentina’s lips. “Yes, Mama, that was my thought also,” she admitted, as Christina went to ring the bell for tea. “But I suppose time will tell whether he is genuine in his desire. Though,” she finished, softly, “my heart prays that he is. For that, I know, would change everything.”