The Duke's Predicament (The Reluctant Duke Book 3) Read online

  There was a knock on her door and the duchess was outside. She rushed in and closed the door behind her and wasted no time with any preamble. ‘My dear girl, what were you thinking of? Why couldn’t you wait until Patrick returned to give yourself to him?’

  ‘How could you possibly know?’ There was no point in denying it and anyway she wasn’t ashamed and had no regrets at all whatever the consequences might be.

  ‘Richard went into Patrick’s room first thing and knew at once that you’d been there.’

  Hannah felt the heat travel from her toes to her crown. Her legs folded and she crumpled onto the sofa. How humiliating, how awful, to think that… She couldn’t bring herself to ask exactly what evidence there’d been to indicate her having spent the night with her lover. Leaving as she had whilst Patrick had been asleep had obviously not been sufficient.

  ‘Is that why he’s been so quiet? I’m surprised he hasn’t confronted me, called me a light-skirt and asked me to leave at once.’

  Her friend reached out and squeezed her hand. ‘We’re shocked, how could we not be? But we both understand why it happened and we must now talk about something else. Have you considered what you would do if you’re carrying his baby?’

  ‘I’m not going to marry the doctor in case you were thinking I could trick him into making me an offer. I know I cannot stay here under those circumstances, but I was hoping the duke might have a small house somewhere I could go to until Patrick comes back to marry me.

  ‘He said in his letter that he hoped to be home by the autumn – we could be married immediately and then remain isolated until after the baby came. I know what I did was reprehensible, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.’

  ‘I don’t think you’ve considered how difficult it will be if Patrick doesn’t return. Your child will never be able to take his or her place in society, will forever be tainted. Is that what you want?’

  ‘Patrick is going to return, he told me so in his letter. He loves me…’

  ‘I’m sure he does, but, my dear, you must consider that he might have no choice in the matter. Wellington might refuse to release him immediately, he could be involved in fighting and be killed.’

  ‘I’ve no wish to discuss this with you any longer. I thought you my friend, but everything you say points to the reverse. Would you have married someone you didn’t love when there was still a very real possibility that the person you did love would return to you eventually?’

  ‘Please, Hannah, I’m trying to point out the reality of the situation. Let me put it to you a different way. If Patrick was dead and you thought you might be carrying his child would you then be prepared to marry Doctor Peterson?’

  ‘That’s a hypothetical question but I can still give you my answer. It’s a categorical no. I would never trick a gentleman I admire and like so shabbily. To deceive him into taking me and then foisting someone else’s child on him would be, to me, a bigger sin than having a baby unwed.’

  She stood up wishing to end this unpleasant conversation. ‘I shall have my trunk packed and be ready to leave this afternoon. I’ve sufficient funds saved to rent a small cottage and to live in reasonable comfort until Patrick returns. There’s no need for this family to be involved any further with either of us. I shall forward my address when I have one and would be grateful if you will send any letters from Patrick on to me.’

  ‘If that’s what you’ve decided, Hannah, then I’ll not stop you. I’ll have the carriage outside in two hours to take you wherever you want. If your maid is prepared to go with you then she may do so.’

  Hannah was disappointed that her brief intimacy with her grace had ended in this way. What she didn’t say was that she actually had no intention of hiding away somewhere, but intended to travel immediately to Spain and find him. They could be married by the company padre and she was confident there would be no need for banns to be called in such circumstances.

  She expected at any moment to have his grace stride in and try and dissuade her from leaving but she’d completed her packing with the help of her new maid undisturbed. She wrote a polite letter of thanks to both of them, wrote another to Beth saying goodbye, and was ready to depart.

  Ellie had been pleased to be offered the opportunity to accompany her so she wouldn’t be entirely alone on her journey. She wasn’t sure the girl would be quite so happy when she discovered where they were actually going.

  She exited through the side door not wishing to draw attention to her departure. To her surprise and delight John, Patrick’s valet, was waiting to hand her into the carriage.

  ‘Her grace said I was to come with you, miss, and I’m happy to do so. Do you wish me to travel on the box?’

  ‘No, come inside with us.’ The coachman waited to be told in which direction to go and she said to head for Colchester.

  She bit her lip as they drove through the gates of Radley Manor for the last time. If she hadn’t gone to Patrick on his final night none of this would be happening but she still didn’t regret her impulsive decision.

  ‘Now, I’ve something to tell both of you. I intend to go to Spain and find my betrothed so we can be married immediately. He wouldn’t take me with him but I refuse to wait at home when I don’t know how long he might be away. If you don’t wish to accompany me abroad then I’ll give you coins for your journey back to Radley when we arrive in Colchester.’

  Instead of answering John dipped into his pocket and tossed over a heavy purse. ‘Her grace didn’t say so in so many words, miss, but I got her drift. She said to give you this with her love and blessing.’

  Ellie nodded vigorously. ‘I’ve always wanted to see the world, I’ll keep you looking neat as a pin wherever we are, Miss Westley.’

  *

  Patrick soon had the recalcitrant troops in order and marched them more or less in time onto the ship and saw them stowed below. He barked his orders at the unfortunate corporals and was confident they were sufficiently in awe of him not to cause any further trouble.

  Lieutenant Digby wouldn’t succeed in his chosen career unless he toughened up. On the journey he would endeavour to instil some much-needed wisdom into the young man. The new troops would have had some rudimentary training before embarkation, but a junior officer had none at all and had to learn on the job.

  They were fortunate that the journey was accomplished in relative comfort. Crossing the Bay of Biscay, as expected, was unpleasant but apart from that he almost enjoyed being at sea. He had the men on deck whenever possible, drilled them mercilessly in the limited space, and when they arrived in Corunna they were unrecognisable from the shambles he’d first seen milling about on the dock in London.

  He’d opted to sleep with Bruno, he didn’t trust a sailor to take care of his horse. He’d left his belongings in the cabin that he was supposed to be sharing with Digby. The purser sponged his jacket and he cleaned his boots so he was immaculate when they docked.

  The battle had now moved well into Spain and this company of infantry was to march to join the British troops over two hundred and fifty miles away. There were three companies travelling in this ship and each had their own officer, but his was the only one to have a sergeant major as well.

  He watched with some amusement as his officer parleyed with the other two equally inexperienced gentlemen. The three of them approached him.

  ‘Sergeant Major, we’ve decided that it would be best for all of us if we combined our companies and put them under your command.’

  Patrick hid his smile. ‘I think you mean, sir, that I’m to take charge of the men whilst you and the other two officers remain in command.’

  ‘Of course, of course, that’s exactly what I meant. Go ahead, Sergeant Major.’

  It didn’t occur to the officers that if he was to take control of the three companies, around sixty men, then he should march with them which he had no intention of doing as he had a perfectly good horse to ride. In fact, when the mounts for the three young men were led from the hold the
y were distinctly inferior to his own.

  They were to remain just one night in Corunna and then set out on the arduous trek to join the rest of Wellington’s army. As always, in a port that shipped troops in and out, there were hostelries used exclusively by officers and those by the non-commissioned. The poor buggers in their new, hot, uncomfortable uniforms were herded into the nearest open space and told to bivouac.

  There were no tents, no cooking utensils and if he didn’t step in and get them organised they would go hungry. He used some of his largesse to buy the necessary pots and skillets so each company could set up their own temporary camp kitchen.

  ‘Here, corporal, you seem to have your wits about you. Find a couple of men capable of building a fire that won’t burn down the nearest buildings. Then get water from the pump and get a brew on. They have their irons, and once food is prepared they can eat. Something to put in the stewpot will arrive and only the companies ready to receive it will get any.’

  Although they were to march as one unit it was better that they camped separately and got to know each other as almost certainly they would be separated when eventually they arrived at their destination. He spread more of his blunt amongst the locals and headed for his own dinner satisfied his men, as long as someone could cook, would be well-fed tonight. They couldn’t march on an empty stomach. Bread, fruit and cheese had also been added to the vegetables and meat he had paid for.

  There were only half a dozen sergeants in his temporary accommodation. He introduced himself and was immediately aware that they recognised his name. He wasn’t sure if that was going to be of benefit to him or not.

  Over a decent dinner, and large quantities of rough red wine, he discovered what was happening with Wellington’s army. After winning a minor victory at Fuentes de Onoro, wherever that was, the army were laying siege to the fort of Ciudad Rodrigo taken from the Spanish, and presently occupied by Marshal Ney’s VI Corps.

  If there was one thing Patrick hated, it was siege warfare. Inevitably there would be a forlorn hope – volunteers hoping to get promotion and extra pay by attempting to enter the besieged city through a breach in the walls. Very few of them survived, that was for sure.

  ‘What’s the best route for me to take my boys?’

  ‘Well, I ain’t been there myself. I’m stationed here taking care of the new arrivals and such,’ a stout, scruffy individual replied.

  ‘What about you, Matthews, can you be of more help?’

  ‘What you want is a good guide, then you don’t need to worry about directions.’

  Patrick bit back a snarled reply. He took a deep breath and tried again. ‘We’ve got a guide, we’d hardly set out without one. What I want to know is which towns we’re likely to go through so, one, I can send ahead to make arrangements for the men, and two, I can then be sure we’re not being led astray.’

  Corporal Bevan had been listening to this exchange. ‘I’m just back from there, Sarge, been sent to collect the mail. You go through Lugo, Astorga and then follow the river Esla the rest of the way. If you can delay your departure for a couple of days I’ll be happy to return with you. I speak a bit of the lingo, which helps with the locals.’

  ‘Thank you, Corp, that solves the problem. I’ll let my officer know the change of plan.’ Nobody thought this an odd thing to say – a company sergeant always knew better than a junior officer. They wouldn’t have achieved this rank without having been serving King and Country for a decade.

  He returned to his billet having been unable to give Lieutenant Digby the news that they wouldn’t be leaving at first light after all. All three of the young gentlemen were drunk as wheelbarrows. He’d found pen and paper and left a note in a prominent position.

  When the bleary-eyed lieutenants staggered from their beds the following morning he was already drilling the three companies. By the time they set out for the fort they would be in better shape, so the delay was beneficial for all of them.

  Digby, blinking and rubbing his eyes in the bright sunshine, approached him a trifle unsteadily. ‘I say, Sergeant Major, they look a lot smarter than they did. As we’re not to leave until the day after tomorrow I’ll leave you in charge. You can send me another note at my billet if needs be.’

  He watched, grim-faced, as the man who would have these poor men’s lives in his hands strolled off as if he had no responsibilities at all. This one was a killing officer, no mistake about that. His decisions would lead his men to their deaths if he couldn’t knock some sense into him before he actually took charge.

  *

  Amanda wasn’t looking forward to explaining to her husband that yet another member of their household had abandoned them. His reaction was harsher than she’d anticipated.

  ‘God’s teeth, why didn’t you stop her? How could she be allowed to leave thinking so badly of us? I’ll fetch her back. I thought better of you, Amanda.’

  ‘Richard, if you would stop shouting at me and let me continue you will understand why I was happy to see her go. She’s not going to any cottage, she’s doing exactly what I would do in her circumstances, she’s going after Patrick.’

  She had his full attention now and he looked suitably ashamed at his rude outburst. ‘I beg your pardon, sweetheart, I should have known at once there was more to this story.’

  When he heard that she’d arranged for John and a maid to accompany Hannah, and made sure that there were sufficient funds for the expedition, he smiled.

  ‘In which case, I’d better get something in place for the removal of Carstairs. Patrick told me yesterday that our prisoner was already demanding to be released by hammering on the door.’

  ‘Nobody will hear him where he is and John assured me that the footman and groom who remained there are quite capable of keeping that young man imprisoned until he’s well enough to be sent abroad. On that subject, my dear, are you quite sure you don’t wish to speak to his father? Might not he wish to say goodbye to his oldest son despite his reprehensible behaviour?’

  ‘Good God, he’s just going to work his passage to India. I’m supplying the captain with the money to pay for his return as a passenger. It will just keep him out of the way for several months, probably longer, and let the dust settle.

  ‘Patrick informed me that the vicar hasn’t seen his son since he went up to Oxford. He spends his leisure time in hellholes in London and has no interest in his family or his benefactor.’

  ‘In which case you’re right, there’s no necessity to involve Mr Carstairs. From what you say I think he’ll be relieved that matters have been taken out of his hands. He might even think it’s divine intervention and that his son will repent his evil ways and return a changed young man.’

  ‘Highly unlikely, but we can but hope. This leads me to another subject entirely, my love, I’ve noticed that you’ve been quiet, unhappy even, these past weeks. Tell me, what’s bothering you?’

  ‘It’s you that’s been different, Richard. You’ve been too busy to stop and speak to me. You promised when we married that I could remain involved with the running of the estates but you’ve relegated me to the role of housekeeper and I’m not content with that.’

  His smile, as always, made her spirits lift. ‘As both Paul and Patrick are no longer residing here I should be delighted to have you work alongside me. I thought to give you the opportunity to be a lady of leisure, not something you’ve had for many years. I apologise if I misread the situation.’

  ‘You did, and I should have mentioned it before. Shall we repair to your study immediately so I can get started on whatever task you have in mind?’

  He’d accepted her answer without question when really her main concern was the fact that she was yet to conceive a baby with him.

  Chapter Ten

  Hannah enjoyed the two day drive to London. She got to know her travelling companions and was certain that both the duke and duchess knew exactly what she intended and were giving her their full support.

  ‘John, you must be my man
of affairs, I’d like you to have charge of not only our luggage, the arrangements for our journey, but also the two purses I have with me. Your size and demeanour should discourage anyone from attempting to rob you.’

  He flicked back his jacket – he was dressed in normal apparel and looked exactly like a senior servant which he now was, of course. ‘I’m armed, miss, and know how to use it. I also have a stiletto in my boot. Mr O’Riley said it was always advisable to carry a knife.’

  Ellie stared open-mouhed at the weapon. ‘Oh my, I hope you never have to use it. Tell me, John, why would you need a knife in your boot?’

  ‘I can take a stone out of a horse’s hoof, cut away a boot from a broken leg, use it to eat my dinner and also for protection if necessary.’

  The girl was suitably impressed by this explanation as was she. ‘What about the other task you were given? Have you been able to find somebody else to take care of that matter?’ She was referring to the beast who’d tried to force himself on Beth.

  ‘No need to worry on that score, miss, his grace has it organised.’

  They stayed overnight in a clean, but basic, hotel reasonably close to the docks. The carriage was already on its way back so John would have to arrange for a hackney to collect them when they needed to board whatever vessel he’d been able to book passage on.

  Obviously, they couldn’t travel through France so would have to make the long sea voyage down the coast and dock at a place called Corunna in Spain. She was over a week behind Patrick so had no expectation of finding him still there when she arrived.

  Her man of affairs took to his new role as if born to it. Considering that he had only been a senior footman before being promoted recently to valet for Patrick, he was proving to be remarkably adaptable.

  ‘We have berths on a ship leaving at high tide. This means we must leave here immediately and there’s a hackney carriage waiting outside, miss.’

  John paid what was due, organised for her trunk – which also included Ellie’s few items – to be transported too, whilst all she had to do was behave like a young lady of breeding and step into the cab as if this was the most normal thing in the world.