A Duke By Any Other Name

Chapter One

L ady Henrietta Newman leaned back into the seat of her carriage and sighed. The journey to the wilds of Scotland had been nothing short of tedious. She had received an invitation to her cousin the Earl of Grayfield’s wedding. She had wished to decline, but her father insisted she attend to represent the family. The earl was her father’s heir apparent, but poor health prevented the Duke of Hampstead from making the journey himself. As his only child, Henrietta was the natural choice to fulfill this duty. She could travel and therefore was the perfect person to represent her father at the wedding.

At times like this, she wished for the counsel of a mother. But her mother had been lost to her many years ago, a victim of a fever when Henrietta was just a child. Since then, it had been only her and her father—a man who, more often than not, seemed indifferent to her presence. Most days the Duke of Hampstead could not be bothered with his only child. She had long wondered why he had never remarried, but he appeared content to let his titles and estates pass to the Earl of Grayfield one day.

Henrietta closed her eyes and sighed again. She loathed being cold, and it seemed that since crossing the Scottish border, the chill had become a permanent fixture of her existence. She tightened her cloak around her shoulders and peeked out of the carriage window. At least the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands was something to admire. That did not mean she wished to remain there for too long, and it definitely did not endear the place to her. She longed to be back in London, and she fervently hoped the wedding would proceed without complications so she could return as swiftly as possible.

The carriage struck a rut in the road, sending her tumbling across the seat. Her head struck the wall with a sharp thud, and pain shot through her skull, leaving her vision speckled with dancing dark spots. How had her life come to this? It would be hours before she reached her cousin’s estate. Every part of her body ached, and the biting cold seeped through her layers of clothing. She could not recall a time she had been more miserable. Surely it could not get worse.

She gingerly pressed a hand to her head in an attempt to dull the throbbing ache. It was futile. The carriage jolted again, and this time, she slid to the opposite side, hitting her head once more. A loud crack shattered the air, and the vehicle lurched sharply to the left. Henrietta’s body slammed against the side, and pain reverberated through her frame. She struggled to sit up, her movements sluggish and unsteady. Why had she dared to think things could not get worse? Clearly, she had tempted fate, and fate had answered with cruel precision.

Determined to assess the situation, she pushed open the carriage door to crawl out, though the awkward angle of the vehicle made it a struggle. She had not been using the intelligence she had been born with. She had to escape the confines of the carriage and discover what happened. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she stumbled out. She finally broke free and stepped onto the road.

Henrietta glanced around her and sighed. Turning back to the carriage, she saw the damage: one wheel lay at an odd angle, completely broken, while the driver slumped motionless on the ground nearby.

Panic gripped her as she hurried to his side, her movements clumsy from pain and disorientation. A shallow cut on his head trickled blood, but it did not appear life threatening. She pressed trembling fingers to his neck and exhaled in relief when she felt a pulse.

Yet their predicament remained dire. They were stranded in the middle of nowhere, with dense forest on either side of the road and no immediate hope of aid. How was she going to make it to her cousin’s estate now?

Everything seemed to be going wrong. If the driver had been dead, she would definitely not know what to do. Not that her situation was any better with that news. She still was out of her element and lost. There was nothing but a forest surrounding them on both sides. How was she going to get help for both herself and that poor driver?

Her head throbbed fiercely, and the world swam before her eyes. She clutched at the air, trying to steady herself, but the ground seemed to tilt beneath her feet. Just then, the distant sound of hoofbeats reached her ears. Was help on the way? Dare she hope?

The horse emerged from the shadows, its sleek black coat gleaming even in the dim light. Its rider was an imposing figure, tall and broad shouldered, with long auburn hair and piercing moss-green eyes. He dismounted and strode toward her, his movements purposeful and commanding. Her heart beat heavily inside her chest as he approached.

“Who are you?” Henrietta managed to ask, her voice weak and trembling.

The man’s gaze swept over her, his expression unreadable. “I suppose ye will do,” he said cryptically, his brogue thick and unyielding. “Ye are certainly pretty enough. I see why he likes ye.”

“Who likes me?” she asked. She wished desperately for the ground to stop spinning.

“Ye know very well who I mean,” he said with a wry twist to his lips.

“But I do not…” Henrietta’s voice faltered as her knees buckled. She swayed, and darkness closed in around her before she could process his words. She flailed a little as she tried to catch her balance and failed.

Henrietta started to fall backward and feared she would hit the ground. She never knew what happened in that moment because it went dark, and all thought fled her battered mind.

*

Landon Murray, the Duke of Rosebery, stared down at the woman in his arms. She was fortunate he had been quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground. The poor lass had already been battered enough by her carriage mishap.

She was a bonny little thing, with golden-blonde hair and eyes so blue they reminded him of the sea at night—dark and arresting to behold. Surely such a lovely creature could not truly intend to marry that reprobate. She was far too radiant to be tied to the likes of that dastardly earl, a man who had quickly become the bane of Landon’s existence.

He told himself he was doing her a service by taking her with him. She would thank him once she realized what a mistake it would have been to wed such a scoundrel. She was far too good for the earl, and even if she weren’t, Landon did not care. As long as his actions caused the earl some degree of discomfort, he would consider it time well spent. For now, she would keep him company at his estate, where he planned to get to know her much better.

He fully intended to seduce her. He would have been inclined to do so even if she had not been so stunningly beautiful, but her beauty certainly made the prospect all the more appealing.

With that thought in mind, Landon carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her to his horse, laying her across the saddle. She would undoubtedly feel the aches from this journey once she woke, but there was no easy way to transport her to safety.

He glanced at the carriage driver, who lay slumped on the ground, and sighed. He ought to check on the man, at least to ensure he was still alive. Landon approached cautiously but stopped short when he heard the driver groan. Well, he was alive, then, and likely regaining consciousness. That was enough for now. Landon could not afford to let the man delay his plans. He had other priorities, and those did not include explaining why he was absconding with the earl’s betrothed.

Returning to the horse, he adjusted the lady as best he could, settling her so she was astride the saddle. Then he mounted, lifting her to rest against his chest. Her head lolled onto his shoulder, and a smile tugged at his lips as he gazed down at her. Yes, he would very much enjoy becoming better acquainted with this fetching lass.

With a nudge of Landon’s knee and a flick of the reins, the stallion began its steady pace toward Rosebery. As the horse picked up speed, the wee lass in Landon’s arms began to stir. She rubbed at her eyes before freezing, stiffening against him. He held her firmly, preventing any foolish attempts to leap from the horse.

“Stop, now,” she demanded, her voice laced with panic.

“I canna do that,” he replied firmly. “Ye need care, and I’ll see tae it once we’re safely at my estate.”

“The driver…” she said.

“Is fine,” he finished. “He had already stirred before we left. He’ll tend tae yer carriage.”

That was not entirely false. The man had indeed been moving, and no doubt he would see to the wreckage soon enough. Landon, however, had no intention of letting her know this was essentially an abduction. It was far better if she believed she was being rescued.

“Oh…” she murmured, nibbling her bottom lip—a gesture that made Landon nearly groan. He wanted nothing more than to lean down and capture that lip with his and nibble on it himself. “We’re going to your estate, then?”

“Indeed,” he told her. “’Tis not far tae Rosebery. It’s a fine castle, though a wee bit drafty on cold days.”

“Of course it is,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Nothing in this infernal country is warm.”

“Are ye finding it difficult tae stay warm?” he teased. He could think of several ways to help her with that problem, though he wisely held those suggestions for later. “Rest assured, there are plenty of hearths tae keep a fire going. Ye’ll no’ be cold for long.”

“I suppose that will do,” she said with a sigh. “I’m not too cold now. You’re keeping me warm enough for the moment.”

Her words sent a rush of satisfaction through him. She was enjoying his warmth—a very good sign, indeed. “What’s yer name, lass? I realize this isn’t a proper introduction, but I think we should at least know that much about each other.”

“You’re right, of course.” She hesitated, nibbling her lip again, testing his already fragile restraint. “I am Lady Henrietta Newman. And what should I call you?”

“Ye can call me Landon,” he said. He could have given her his title—being a duke tended to impress most women—but for some reason, he wanted to keep that information to himself.

“That’s not proper…”

“Aye,” he said, “it’s not. But since nothing between us has been proper so far, I doona see why we should start now.” He did not add that he hoped to make things far less proper once they reached his estate. He imagined stripping away the layers of her gown, laying her bare, and kissing every inch of her soft skin until she screamed his name in ecstasy. The thought nearly made him groan aloud.

“All right,” she said softly, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I suppose there’s no harm in informality. Thank you for finding me. I feared I’d be stranded.”

“I would never leave a lady in distress,” he assured her.

“When we reach your estate, I’ll need to send word to the Earl of Grayfield,” she said. “He’ll be worried when I don’t arrive.”

Landon’s jaw clenched at the mention of that dishonorable earl. Let the man worry. He would not give her up so easily. “Of course. I’ll have a message sent straightaway,” he said smoothly. “He’ll be reassured tae know that ye’re safe with me.”

“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice drowsy. “I do hope it isn’t much farther. I’m so very tired…”

“Not far at all,” he said. “Rest, my lady. I’ll see tae everything.”

She sighed and nestled against him, her trust warming him more than he cared to admit. Landon would not think too heavily about the ramifications of those feelings. They were not important. However, the fact he had her was an achievement he was quite glad about. Soon they would be at his estate and he would have far more control over her and her actions. There he would set everything he had planned in motion.