Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

A drian had to leave.

The fact of the matter was that his meeting with his secretary wasn’t for another three hours. He had intended to review his intended curriculum with Charlotte, give her homework, and test her knowledge on a few other matters.

Dancing skills, tea service, and artistic talents. It would have taken up most of the morning.

But he had already walked away. Turning back now would show his weakness, layered over and over with protective walls he had spent his entire life building up.

He gritted his teeth at the near miss with Charlotte only moments ago; he needed to be more careful. She knew how to get under his skin. How much did she know about him? Clearly, she had read the gossip rags. That balderdash was only so accurate. He was all right with the little they knew about him, but for the most part, he preferred his privacy.

The fewer people know, the better.

In a flash, his thoughts went back to the way Charlotte had teased him in his study. His attempt to control the situation had failed during their short time together. Especially with her ferocity.

The ton will eat her alive if we are not careful. They could never stand someone so confident and stubborn. If she doesn’t fall in line…

But what could he really do?

His father had broken horses for most of his life. Having spent his first sixteen years in the late Duke’s shadow, Adrian had a good idea about how life was managed for the former Duke of Wakefield. Or rather, how the former Duke of Wakefield managed everyone else’s lives.

The horses were broken, the servants were broken, and the former Duchess was broken.

Adrian grunted as he crossed the street. He had forgotten his hat. The sun was shining bright and sharp until it made his eyes ache. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was even going until he realized where his feet were leading him. He could meet his secretary in the man’s office instead of his own, so he continued on his path.

And put anything regarding his father out of his mind.

“Don’t you wish to be a father? A husband?”

They were such simple questions that anyone should be able to answer them with ease. Black and white, yes and no. All he had to do was choose one.

And he did. He had. When he was fifteen years of age, Adrian had made the final decision to never marry nor beget a child. He would never, so long as he could help it, become his father.

After years of watching his father mistreat his mother, it had not been a difficult call for Adrian to make. He had known all his life that there was something wrong with the way she had been treated. The quiet tears had been evident enough, and that tight feeling in his gut that never faded when his father was home…

Letting go of his past was supposed to be easy. His parents had been gone for nearly as long as he had them. Neither of them was perfect during those years, he knew that. Coming to live with his aunt Theodosia had saved him in many ways that he had not expected. He had found relief and security and courage.

Then off into the world he went to become his own man.

Perhaps there was some part of him that would always be haunted by his past. He understood this and tried to accept it. And the best way to do this was to ignore it all.

And focus his attention on something else. Anything else. Anyone else.

Like Charlotte.

That clever, dangerous young woman. She wouldn’t back down without a fight. Although she had moments of weakness, innocence and naivete, there was a strength within her that he had not seen in most ladies of the ton.

Whether she makes it out of this Season happy or not, I have to question how much I can truly affect her. Will she accept any of my instructions? This really should be handled by Aunt Theodosia or another lady of similar standing. Why she expects a duke to teach a lady everything is beyond me. But the agreement remains whether I am happy about it or not.

Adrian arrived at his secretary’s office—much to the dismay of the man, who stumbled out in his small and overcrowded space, trying to make room for them to stand or sit.

“I apologize, Your Grace. I should have tidied up,” Harold Leland blurted.

But Adrian waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. If anyone should apologize, it is me. I needed to get out of the house for a while and stretch my legs. We can resume the meeting in my study later if that would be more convenient for you.”

“Not at all, not at all. I was just gathering the files for our discussion. Please sit. Er… tea?”

Since Adrian didn’t particularly know where the man was going to find them anything to drink, especially since no one else had greeted him or appeared to be in the building, he shook his head. “I’ll be just fine without the tea, thank you, Leland.”

With a nod, his secretary steered the conversation back to his concerns about his properties and lands. The two of them conversed for hours about business before they moved on to other topics. Before long, Adrian was inviting Leland to join him at the club for a noonday meal.

Leland eventually took his leave, but Adrian found himself deep in conversation with some old friends like Lighthound and Garber—titled gentlemen from his university days. They discussed politics for hours over billiards and drinks. Though he was kept up to date on the corn laws, he lacked the insight of people directly affected by those laws.

It was a successful day at the end when he finally took his leave to return to his aunt’s home. Adrian was pleased as he reached his bedchamber and Lionel arrived to help him undress.

“Your aunt was disappointed that you didn’t join them for another supper,” Lionel commented while removing his coat. “She said I should beg you not to leave the house on the morrow.”

Adrian’s lips twitched. “Will you beg, then?”

“I’m not that desperate. At least not to please the lady, though I shall never let her know,” Lionel added under his breath.

“Careful, or I shall.”

“Then I shall tell her of your exploits and adventures outside of England. She’ll believe every word and more. The question is whether or not she’ll disown you or scold you until you cry.”

Adrian turned to face his valet and started undoing his cravat. He didn’t particularly need the assistance. Tonight, he simply craved companionship. But Lionel’s spoiled ways were increasingly becoming unmanageable.

“I think I pay you too much,” Adrian said blandly.

“Impossible.”

“If I didn’t pay you, what would you do?” Adrian asked, unable to help prodding his servant.

Together working to remove his tight boots, Lionel grunted before replying, “I would probably steal that ridiculous cravat pin—I cannot understand your obsession with emeralds. But it would fetch a pretty penny on the other side of Mayfair.”

Laughing, Adrian shook his head. “You are too big for your boots.”

“And you’re too small for yours.” After some more pulling and wiggling, the first boot came off. “I thought we would be on a ship by now. Will you not be seducing half the city, after all?”

“Not here.” Sighing, Adrian sat on the edge of his seat and then bent down to help Lionel with the other boot. “I told you about Lady Charlotte. We are staying here for a month for her. I need to focus on preparing her for the Season so we can leave.”

“If you say so,” Lionel grunted before pulling off the second boot. There was a thin sheen of perspiration on his brow as he collected the boots and went to put them by the door. “I expected you to be here, with her, most of the day. Did matters not go well this morning?”

A short laugh escaped Adrian. Shaking his head, he leaned back lazily to tell his valet about his morning.

“They went well enough. She’s quite a stubborn, little hen. She walked in without even attempting to knock on the door. I’ve never seen anyone so bold and brash as her. It’s hard to knock her off her feet for longer than a minute.”

He looked up with a chuckle, expecting to see his valet laughing as well. But Lionel only looked somewhat amused.

Adrian rubbed his eyes with one hand. “What is it?” he demanded. “Does this not intrigue you? It is much better than dying from dullness every minute of the day.”

“It does intrigue me, but not in the same way. If I wasn’t careful, Your Grace, I would think you hold Lady Charlotte in high regard.”

Adrian blinked. He frowned. He shook his head, which made a cracking sound from the harsh movement. “Don’t be absurd. High regard? Her ?”

“Is that not true? You just went on about how much you enjoyed her company this morning,” his servant pointed out.

Did I? No, I’m fairly certain I was complaining about her manners. They’re horrible but amusing. Isn’t that what I said?

“No. No, I only…” Adrian fumbled for the right word. “I only…”

“Respect the lady?” Lionel offered.

Adrian opened and closed his mouth before he huffed. His servant didn’t understand. That was the only matter. Lionel hadn’t interacted with Charlotte, so he didn’t know what he was saying.

“Pay it no mind,” Adrian said dismissively. “Are you going to close those curtains, or shall I die of the summer heat?”

When Lionel closed his eyes, Adrian let it slide. They steered the conversation to some of the fashions that he had learned about at the club. A new cravat style had emerged, which meant Lionel needed to know how to do it by morning.

The sun set and then it rose again. Unwilling to let Charlotte have another victory so soon, Adrian woke Lionel up early so he was dressed and readied for a long day of training a certain young lady for the Season. Tempted as he was to start the day with a drink, Adrian sorted through his papers until Charlotte arrived.

“Good morning,” she said after knocking this time. She hadn’t waited for his permission to enter, but he counted it as progress. “Will you be off to the races again before the hour is over?”

“I don’t gamble or attend the races.”

She tilted her head. “Certainly. You simply had a meeting that took up the entirety of your day.”

Ah, yes. Already there is fire on her tongue. She will not give me a day of rest here, will she? Perhaps I should have Aunt Theodosia sit in on our lessons so she can see what I have to put up with.

“I beg your pardon,” Adrian uttered with the most bored tone he could muster. “I didn’t realize I was speaking with another duke, or at least someone who carries the same responsibilities as I do.”

Charlotte frowned but took her seat all the same. Pragmatic movements, he decided. Not exactly graceful, but functional. “My father never had meetings that lasted that long.”

“Was your father a duke?”

“I suppose not. But he was well-liked and well-received.”

Seeing something glimmer in her eyes, Adrian stood up and studied her before asking, “Do you miss him very much?”

Her smile dimmed. “Every day, yes. Don’t you miss your parents?”

He stared at her without blinking until she looked away.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. It must have been difficult to lose both of them at once.”

Adrian opened his mouth to say that it was easy, but then he changed his mind. This was none of her business, and he doubted she could ever comprehend what it was like. Clearly, she missed her father dearly. As for him, he was relieved his father was gone. But those weren’t words he would say out loud.

“Never mind that,” he proclaimed. “Come. We have wasted enough time already. I want to confirm the skills we’ll be working on before we get started. Did you find the books I asked you to read?”

“I did, yes, most of them. My maid Abigail helped me search for the last one, but it appears we don’t have it in this house. The Queen’s etiquette book isn’t here. Lady Theodosia believes she may have burned it years ago, so I will need to find it in a bookshop,” Charlotte explained with a grin.

Adrian pursed his lips to suppress his own grin, knowing all too well what his aunt was capable of doing. Just reading two pages of that book would surely have Charlotte wishing to do the very same. But she wouldn’t, not if she was going to succeed in finding a husband this Season.

“I’ll have a footman go out and buy it so we can focus on today’s lesson,” Adrian decided. Charlotte pouted but said nothing. “Let us assess your skills today so I can decide on what we need to prioritize. Your posture when sitting down, for example, as well as the way you walk.”

A short huff of laughter escaped her. “The way I walk? I’ve been walking most of my life. I think I can sort that out without your help, thank you very much.”

He snapped his fingers as he rounded his desk. “You can walk like a villager, yes. But can you walk like a lady?”

“Can you?” she threw back.

Raising an eyebrow, he pulled back his shoulders and lifted his chin. With his toes pointed forward, Adrian walked slowly around the study, his chest slightly puffed out. His arms were down but relaxed. He swayed purposefully and then he relaxed further before turning back to Charlotte.

Her open mouth snapped shut. “Ah.”

“Precisely,” he told her, crossing his arms over his chest. “And now it’s your turn. Walk to the back of the room and then return to me.”

When Charlotte moved to obey, he was focused on her every move. He eyed her hips, her hands, her shoulders. It was only for educational purposes, he told himself. To teach her and prepare her for the Season. For other eligible bachelors, not himself.

“See? I can walk,” she told him upon her return.

“Again. This time, keep your chin up.”

The first time it was her chin. Then her chin and her shoulders. And then her back. On and on it went until she grew irritable. It was clear she wasn’t taking this seriously, especially not with him. Adrian let it slide, moving on to tea service as Lloyd brought in a tray for them.

“I can’t do this wrong,” he heard her mutter under her breath. “I never spill a drop. I never have.”

“But you shouldn’t be hunched over,” Adrian pointed out. “And putting your hand on the bottom there reflects a lack of proper training. Try again but with one hand.”

“What?” Charlotte grunted before doing as he said.

She overreached, and the tea sloshed over the rim of her cup. A few drops.

Adrian pursed his lips when she cried out in outrage. “No! Do you see that? Do you see what you’ve made me do?”

Shifting the pillow at his back, Adrian shook his head. “I can’t even reach you unless I lean forward. That is all you. Try again.”

“But it’s just tea. I could do it just fine until you ordered me to do it with polish,” she added snidely. Her patience was beginning to wear thin, and so was his. “Why don’t you do it if you know how it must be done?”

“Dukes don’t serve tea,” he reminded her. “Do it again, Charlotte. Your guests are starving.”

Though Charlotte grumbled under her breath, she obeyed. He saw the way her arms strained beneath the heavy weight of the teapot before attempting to pour tea once again. She managed one cup without a splash before a loud groan escaped her lips. She set down the teapot with a loud clang before she threw her hands up in the air.

“I give up,” she proclaimed.

“Because you can’t pour tea?” Adrian shook his head. “All you need is more practice. Do it again.”

“For how long? Until my arms fall off?” she sniped. She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “I won’t do it. You cannot keep ordering me around like this until you deem me worthy.”

Irritation flared inside him. He felt his skin itch at the way she spoke to him. Why was she mad? All he was doing was helping her. This was his aunt’s request. It wasn’t like he wanted to be here.

Besides, if she would only do it right, then we wouldn’t be here. I’d finally have some blasted tea.

“I don’t see what the problem is here,” Adrian forced himself to say. “This is an essential skill that every lady must master. If you had listened to your governesses, you would have already been equipped with the needed skills.”

“Only for you to keep scolding me and insulting me?” She scowled when he opened his mouth to protest. “You’re only going to be unkind, and I won’t have it any longer. Simply because you happened to inherit the title of Duke doesn’t give you the right to keep disrespecting me. Good day!”

He sighed. “Charlotte––”

However, he didn’t get the chance to finish, as she marched out of the room. At least the lady knew how to make an exit.

His irritation grew. He turned toward the door, but she was already gone. Walking away like she was giving up. Or avoiding him.

Right then, he didn’t particularly care. All he wanted was for her to do everything right. The sooner she did that, the sooner this would all be over. She would find a husband and then he would leave London at last.

Once I am free of her, everything will be better. Everything will return to the way it was—simple.

Stewing there for a few minutes, Adrian slowed his pacing as he silently acknowledged that he might have been more brusque with her than he needed to be. He just knew she could do better. That she could be better. If she was going to debut, then she had to be prepared for the talons that would dig into her flesh and destroy her the moment they had a chance.

I know what some of the ladies can do to each other. Gentlemen, too. All these lessons are just the framework for her to survive her first ball and luncheon. If she doesn’t do it right, they’ll attempt to eat her alive. Even though I know she could walk out with her claws in them, I would rather she thrive and survive. Especially without my help.

Perhaps he could have been kinder. Hadn’t his valet said something along those lines this morning?

“It’s not a war you are walking into with Lady Charlotte,” Lionel had muttered in his ear while fixing his jacket. “No matter how eager you are to spar, you’ve offered her your help, and sometimes that requires just as much patience and kindness as accepting the said help.”

Adrian hadn’t been listening at the time. But it seemed his valet was right.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. He had more work to do than he wished to admit. Walking back toward his desk, he began to rethink his strategy.