Chapter 1
Chapter One
“ M y life is over!” Lady Natalie Rokesby wailed as she stared at the horrible gossip rag in her hands. “I am completely and utterly ruined!”
Natalie was standing in the drawing room of her brother’s Castle, with her sister-in-law, Rose, Duchess of Emberly. Her hands shook as she stared at the tawdry article before her.
“What has happened?” Rose’s eyes widened, her voice full of concern.
“I think I am going to be sick.” Natalie began to slump.
Rose darted forwards, catching her by the arm and guiding her with some difficulty to the sofa. Natalie’s feet were unsteady beneath her, and her sister-in-law was considerably shorter than her. The height difference made her attempts at helping rather difficult.
Stilll, Natalie allowed herself to be gently placed on the sofa, and glanced numbly at the article in her hands. Rose peered over her shoulder.
“Announcing the engagement of Lady Natalie Rokesby, youngest sister of Alexander Rokesby, Duke of Emberly and Lord Henry Lindon, Marquess of Bolton.” Natalie heard the shock in Rose’s voice. “How can this be?”
Before Natalie could respond, the doors to the drawing room burst open and a tall man with shaggy black hair rushed into the room. It was Peter, Natalie’s twin brother.
“What is going on? I heard a scream.” He looked around, fists raised as if prepared to fight off the intruder.
His amber eyes met hers, and she could see his fear in them. They were the same height, and shared the same sharp, angular features. Though Peter had a more masculine face, and Natalie’s edges were softened by femininity. Not that pretty looks will do me any good now.
“I have been a complete and utter fool.” Natalie waved the scandal sheet in the air.
“Well, that is hardly anything new. I thought something serious had happened.” Peter grinned at her, though his smile faltered as he caught sight of the depth of emotion on her face.
Natalie was thoroughly tempted to thump her brother in that moment, though a more reasonable part of her knew she was being unfair.
“Something serious has happened.” Rose interjected, and Natalie suspected she had sensed the danger brewing. “Your twin is in the latest Morning Post.”
“What?” Peter gaped at her. “Surely there is no need for this depth of despair, everyone knows the Morning Post is full of complete and utter drivel.”
“Do not be so na?ve. People have had their lives destroyed by this drivel.” Natalie shook her head at her brother. “And now I shall join their number.”
“But it is ridiculous to pay any attention to anything that this rag publishes! Let alone give it credence. It is barely fit to line a bed pan.” Peter took the Morning Post from Rose and gestured to the headline. “Like this: ‘Devilish Duke strikes again. Lives ruined by the masterful machinations of the marionette master of the Ton.’”
“Awful writing aside, people do pay attention to it Peter. And unfortunately the more tawdry the better.” Rose’s face darkened. “How long were your brother and I in the dratted scandal sheets? It has taken years to repair the damage these sheets have done.”
“The Devilish Duke is a perfect example, brother, of just how much attention people pay to these rags. You can scarcely hear of someone’s bad fortune without people pointing to him, assuming he must have something to do with it. Apparently he has a network of informants all too happy to feed him information he can use.” Natalie shook her head.
Peter frowned. “But they do not even name him! He could be anyone.”
“They do not need to name him. At this point, simply saying the Duke of B lets us know exactly who it is. The Duke of Blackwood cultivates his reputation, and the gossip rags feed it.” Rose wrapped her arms around herself. “The rags exist for scandal, they care nothing for the truth of matters.”
“What they print will be seen as the truth, and they have proclaimed that I am engaged.” Natalie said, unable to keep the bitterness and anger from her voice. “And more to the point, apparently we were found alone and unchaperoned in Baroness Whitley’s library.”
She stood up, needing to move, to do something as the coil of rage and impotence twisted within her. She ignored Peter’s gasp as he turned to the page in question.
Peter’s brow furrowed as he looked at her. “I thought you had turned down Lord Bolton’s proposal?”
“I did.” Natalie replied. “I thought he took the second rejection rather well—why, we even drank to a healthy friendship. That was my first mistake.”
“What do you mean?” Peter canted his head towards them.
“He put something in my drink. I thought the champagne tasted odd, but did not wish to be rude. So, I drank it.” Natalie clenched her hands into fists.
“That is why you were so unsteady! That villain!” Peter swore loudly and thumped his fist into his hand.
“I had no idea just how much he had orchestrated.” Natalie shook her head. How could I have been so foolish? So trusting? “I thought he would be content with… with what happened at the ball, but apparently…”
“Men like that are seldom content until they get their way.” Rose said, her voice soft.
“So it would seem.” Natalie dug her nails into the palms of her hands, welcoming the pain as a distraction from the despair threatening to overwhelm her. “And we must be content to live with it.”
“But why on Earth would Alexander give his consent to such a union? I am quite sure he referred to the man as the most insipid little weasel he has ever had the misfortune to meet.” Peter looked at Rose in confusion.
“He did not, nor would he ever give consent to Lord Bolton to marry your sister.” Rose explained, and Natalie could hear an edge to her voice. “He asked Alexander twice and both times he said no. Someone has simply said they are engaged.”
“And I suspect that someone is Lord Bolton.” Natalie grimaced.
“But surely we can simply get them to take it back? To print a correction?” Peter’s eyes widened, and the hope she could see in them made Natalie’s heart break. “Especially if Alexander has not given his consent.”
“There is a little more to it than that.” Natale gritted her teeth, forcing away the memory of a sweet, cloying taste from her mouth. “Lord Bolton cornered me in the library. He… I lost my temper with him and he took advantage of that. It looked… Well, it looked far less savoury when the Baroness Whitley and her servant entered the room. And it is that scene that the scandal sheets have so kindly shared.”
Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the look of horror on the women’s faces. I wish I had kicked him instead of just slapping the man.
Rose pursed her lips and looked at Natalie “I thought you said the baroness would not share the scandal?”
Natalie shrugged. “I do not think she would share it, she was more concerned with my safety.. And even if she were to deny the claims, the damage is already done. She would just be dragged into this whole sordid affair, and it would be her word against that of a Marquess.”
“Then it seems we are out of options.” Rose muttered, and Natalie could hear the frustration in her voice. Peter’s eyes darkened, his jaw tight as he said, “Then I will duel him. That is the only way to solve this issue.”
“Do not be ridiculous, your aim is so poor you would almost certainly be killed.” Natalie gave her brother a flat look. “Besides, I am a better shot.”
“But you are a woman, and you cannot duel.” Peter drew himself up to his full height.
Natalie did the same, which meant that they were eye-level with each other – she stifled down the usual awkwardness she felt about her great height. Now is not the time. “It is my future. Perhaps I should get the chance to shoot the man who is trying to ruin my life!”
“I am your brother. It is my duty to protect you.” Peter insisted.
Natalie shook her head and moved away from him. “You cannot protect me if you are dead! Or an outlaw!”
“What I cannot do is stand by and simply let this happen to you! It is not fair. Or right. Or just! How can we claim to live in a civilised society when men like the Marquess are allowed to just do as they please?” Peter exclaimed, pacing about the room.
“Because the world is full of hypocrisy.” Natalie clenched her teeth, her eyes falling on the article on the front of the Morning Post. “But muscles and brawn will not fix this mess.”
“Neither will accepting your fate.” Peter glared around the room. “I will challenge Lord Bolton to a duel. One way or another you will be free of this mess.”
“You would have to kill him or you will be killed.” Natalie looked at her brother, saw the steely determination in his eyes and felt her heart twist.
Peter put a hand on his heart, his amber eyes sombre. “I would happily pay my life for your freedom.”
“No one is dying. No one is going to duel anyone. Rash and thoughtless actions will only make this situation worse.” Rose stood between the two of them, her tone the same one she used when her children were being particularly wild and unruly.
Peter flushed and Natalie could not quite meet her sister-in-law’s gaze.
Rose sighed, and placed a hand on Peter’s arm. “What we need is strategy. Clear heads and focus. There is no way Lord Bolton will be able to get a special licence or even a Bishop’s license, we can make sure of that. That gives us three weeks for the reading of the Banns.”
“What if we got someone to claim that Lord Bolton and Natalie are related?” Peter said, and Natalie could hear the excitement in his voice.
“We would need proof of that, and I do not know anyone capable of forging such things. Do you?” Rose’s voice was unamused.
Peter looked crestfallen. “Lies will not help us escape this. We need something true.”
“Well what do we know about Lord Bolton?” Rose asked.
As Rose asked this, Natalie’s eyes caught on the headline of the Morning Post. Knowledge is power. What did she know about Lord Bolton?
“He likes to win. He is vain.” Natalie murmured, her eyes skimming over the article. “And arrogant.”
The D of B strikes again… Informants all about the ton… Is anyone safe? Dear readers, keep your secrets close, but know that they may not be as safe as you hope.
“That is why a duel would be perfect. There is no way he would refuse me!” Peter exclaimed.
“Stop being so dramatic.” Natalie made a dismissive gesture, casting about for some way of dissuading her brother while a part of her mind churned the article over and over. “I… I have a plan.”
“You do?” Peter narrowed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.
Natalie nodded. “I do.”
“And are you going to tell me what it is?” Peter asked.
Her brother was many things, but calm and tactful was not one of them. Rose might have been all of those things, but she would share her plan with Alexander, and he would not allow it.
Natalie shook her head, still staring at the scandal sheet. “No. But… Just trust me.”
Natalie could feel Rose surveying her, and knew that she was wondering just what Natalie was up to. Natalie tried to give her brother and sister-in-law a reassuring smile.
“I am not going to marry Lord Bolton, I swear that to you.” She met each of their gazes. “I will not let that happen.”
Natalie nodded as she read the words Devilish Duke Strikes Again: Is there any secret safe? She only hoped her plan would work.
“Thank goodness for open windows on summer days,” Natalie muttered as she climbed into the window.
It had been three days since Lord Bolton had released news of their “engagement”, three days during which Natalie had sent message after message for aid. By now, she had grown increasingly more desperate.
“Or I would not be trying to climb into windows.” Natalie muttered to herself. “Well, I suppose it will only add to my growing scandal. Perhaps they will think I am mad. I think life in the madhouse might not be so bad.”
She crept through the dark room, wincing every time a floorboard creaked beneath her. She cursed softly when she stubbed a toe on a piece of furniture, but she dared not try and light a candle.
She opened the door, staring into the dimly lit corridor. She strained for the sound of footsteps but could hear nothing.
“It is not going to get any easier. I might as well get this over with.” Natalie breathed a small sigh of relief. Now I must just find his study.
Spotting a door to her right, she opened it and peered inside. It seemed to be some kind of drawing room. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she had the feeling she was being followed. And then she heard it. Footsteps. A figure loomed in front of the door, and Natalie pressed herself against the wall.
She held her breath as a man who appeared to be a footman paused, his head visibly tilted to listen. Natalie’s chest thundered so hard against her chest, she was sure he would hear it. Even if he did not, she was not sure her chest would not break from the force of it.
The man raised half a hand towards the door. Natalie pressed herself further against the wall. Then he shrugged, and turned around.
She let out a quiet, steading breath.
“That was too close for comfort.” She muttered, slipping out into the hallway.
“I would not be relieved just yet, little thief,” a voice whispered in her ear.
She whirled around and found herself staring up at one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. The lamp in his hand illuminated his face, a cool smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His eyes were grey, and seemed to see right through her, sending shivers across her skin.
His dark brown hair was meticulously cut, drawing attention to his strong jawline and the harsh lines of his face. There was an air about him that made him seem like some fae prince from stories.
“I-I am not a thief.” She said, trying to get a hold of herself.
“Of course not, why else would you climb in through the window?” The man raised an eyebrow at her, an amused smile on his face. “Though, by your lack of grace, I would suggest you are not a very good thief.”
Her throat was suddenly dry, as the man loomed over her, which was saying a lot given her already unusually tall family. She could not remember when she had last had to look up to someone. It was an altogether unfamiliar and unpleasant experience.
No matter how dashing he might look. What is wrong with me? This is hardly the time!
A hand casually swept a stray lock of his dark brown hair from his face. The movement wafted his spicy cologne over her, which seemed to muddy her mind even more.“I am not here to steal, I just wanted to talk.” She straightened her shoulders, forcing herself to meet his gaze.
“And what makes you think I have any wish in talking at such an hour?” The man’s voice was dangerously smooth, making the hairs on the back of Natalie’s neck stand on end as though he had touched her.“I confess, you are hardly the company I am used to keeping at such late hours. Though you are rather more entertaining than the last person who tried to break in.”
Anger and fear warred within her. Her heart was beating so loudly she was surprised the man could not hear it. Perhaps he can.
“I… I am not interested in being your plaything.” Natalie willed her voice not to shake. This was a mistake. “You are trying to scare me. But it will not work.”
The man’s soft laugh sent chills through her. “Is that so?”
She shuddered.
“You are a brave little thief, I will give you that. Like a sparrow, darting too close to a fox.” The man stretched, a vulpine grace in his movements. “But bravery will not save the bird. And it will certainly not save you.”