Chapter 1 #2
Typically, neither woman was afforded such a thing; both forced into marriages for various reasons. And while their marriages had started on uneven ground, they had since transformed these marriages into transcendent unions that were the height of envy.
As they tell it, it is proof that one should not be so rigid and strict when choosing a husband. As I see it, they both got lucky.
“What are you both doing here?” Madeline asked her friends. “I did not think either of you was going to attend?” She snorted. “As dreary as this garden party is, that might have been something worth being jealous about.”
“True enough,” Rose laughed.
“We did not plan on it,” Josephine said with a deep sigh. “But Cassius wished to speak with His Grace about something, or rather.”
“As did Dorian,” Rose said. “A trade deal… or a parliamentary bill he wishes for the Duke to vote on. I wasn’t really listening.”
“His Grace?” Madeline asked. “Which one?”
The two ladies turned together and pointed across the garden. There were dozens of people in the way, but that made little difference. Through the masses, Madeline saw immediately who it was that they had pointed at… and for good reason.
“His Grace, the Duke of Hawcrest, of course,” Rose said.
She saw the ladies' husbands first; Cassius, the Duke of Ashbourne, and Dorian, Lord Voss. But Madeline took little notice, as her attention immediately fell on the Duke of Hawcrest. And once it did, there was no retrieving it.
He stood taller than both men by several inches, and his back was broader, while his shoulders were wider.
But it was his dark features that had Madeline staring, particularly his hair, which was worn longer than what was normal; it blew in the wind, was messy and unkept, nothing like how a duke should wear it.
As he spoke to the two lords, he stood over them, dominating the conversation with his sheer physical presence. Madeline meant to glance and look away – she wanted to! But once she found him, for reasons she could not explain, she was trapped.
“I warned Dorian to be careful,” Rose said with a click of her tongue. “He thinks he is so clever, but that matters little where His Grace is concerned.”
“Agreed,” Josephine said. “I have heard there is little His Grace will not do to get what he wants. Not surprising, considering his upbringing.”
“He is a bully,” Rose added. “A wolf pretending to be a dog so the sheep might invite him to supper.” She scoffed. “I really hope that Dorian is not trying to be too clever…”
Madeline was hardly listening.
For reasons that she could not explain, she simply could not stop staring at the Duke.
There was just something about him that was so…
unknowable. A secret she needed to solve.
A mystery she had to discover. She stared pointedly as the Duke spoke to her friends’ husbands, even going so far as to take a step away from her sister.
That was when the Duke snapped his head up and looked right at her.
Their eyes met, Madeline gasped in surprise, but she did not look away.
His eyes were like black pools, and they swallowed her so that she could not move.
He continued to stare, no doubt curious about who she was and why she was watching him.
Inside, Madeline’s conscious screamed to look away…
terror spiked through her… fear enveloped her, but still she stared.
Her pulse quickened. The urge to walk forward made her legs tremble. What is going on?
“Madeline…” Rose touched her shoulder, snapping her from the moment.
“Oh!” Madeline tore her eyes free and took a deep breath. Her body shook, and the world turned… “What… what is it?” She glanced quickly at the Duke to find that he was back to not watching her.
That almost made her upset. Although why it did, she would never dare to consider.
“You might want to do something about that?” Rose raised an eyebrow over Madeline’s shoulder.
“About what?” She turned, and her face dropped.
Nerissa was standing back a few feet, and with her was Lord Beremount. He leaned closely as he spoke to Nerissa, he touched her on the hip, and he made jokes that had her sister giggling like a child.
Madeline’s eyes narrowed because she knew Lord Beremount, just as she knew his reputation. He was a rake of the worst kind, the type who preyed on innocent ladies like Nerissa, looking to use them before they learned the truth of who he was.
This is why she needs me.
Madeline stormed forward and snatched Nerissa’s hand. “Nerissa, we are going.”
“What? Why?” Nerissa objected and looked desperately between her and Lord Beremount. “We were talking.”
“Ah, Lady Madeline,” Lord Beremount crooned. “Lovely to see you.”
“I wish I could say the same,” she sneered before yanking her sister’s arm again. “Trust me, Nerissa. Please…” She widened her eyes at Nerissa, praying her sister would do the right thing and heed her warning.
Nerissa sighed and finally relented. “As you say.”
Madeline pulled her sister to safety, cursing herself for becoming distracted. Even as she did, she dared to look for the Duke again, but was unable to find him. This upset her for some reason… which caused great confusion, because she should not have given a damn.
The only thing that mattered was Nerissa, and so long as there was breath left in her body, she would do whatever she could to protect her and keep her safe from men like Lord Wexley and Lord Beremount.
It was her charge in life, perhaps not one that promised a happy ending of her own, but Madeline had never aspired to such things.
“Girls, if you will wait a moment before retiring to bed, I have an announcement. One that cannot wait.” Harold Bennet, the Earl of Hollington was Madeline and Nerissa’s father, and his call had them both stopping what they were doing.
Not that they were doing anything exciting.
They had just arrived back home from the garden party and, as was typical, Madeline and Nerissa were on their way upstairs to undress, bathe, and ready themselves for bed. As well as gossiping about the party, of course.
But they stopped short at their father’s command and turned around to find him standing in the middle of the foyer, positively buzzing with excitement.
Such a sight as that had Madeline’s stomach knotting with worry.
“Yes, Father?” Madeline asked as she took hold of Nerissa’s hand. “What is it?”
“Here, please.” He pointed in front of himself. “Thank you.”
The two sisters walked slowly down the steps, and Madeline’s stomach continued to twist itself into knots. Her father was not a cruel man. He was not wicked or mean. What he was, was far worse: unpredictable.
Madeline was just twelve when her mother had died, and because her temperamental father was unable to keep the house together, she had been forced to grow into a woman overnight.
She became a mother to Nerissa, a guiding hand to her father, and a matriarch of the estate because her father cared little for true organization and long-term planning.
Lucky that her father knew this and was more than happy for Madeline to take over when it suited him, allowing himself to focus on his spur of the moment ventures and schemes, knowing that she would keep them afloat.
That was half the reason that she had never married. If she did, who would look after her family? Who would watch Nerissa where her father was not able?
“Did you enjoy yourself today, girls?” their father began.
“We did, Father,” Madeline said as she clung to Nerissa’s hand. “And yourself? I trust that whatever business ventures you sought went well?”
“Very well.” He flashed his eyes with excitement. “In fact, that is what I wish to speak of.”
Madeline could sense the storm coming. Most often, these business ideas that her father had were of little consequence, as he was far too disorderly to see them through. But every now and then… chaos came to the home, and it was all Madeline could do to keep things together.
What on earth has he gone and done now?
“Now, Nerissa…” He clapped his hands together. “As we have spoken about, you are finally of an age where we need to start planning your future. Specifically, it is high time that we find you a match.”
“Which we have been doing,” Madeline spoke before Nerissa had a chance. “We spoke to several lords today, didn’t we, Nerissa?” She widened her eyes at her sister. “Many of whom had potential.”
“Oh yes,” Nerissa agreed. “Many.”
“I am sure that you did,” their father said. “And you will surely be pleased to hear that there is no need for you to worry yourselves with such things any longer.” He literally shook with excited energy. “As your father, I have done my duty and found you a husband. A rather good one, at that.”
Madeline’s stomach flipped.
“You have?” Nerissa squeezed Madeline’s hand and Madeline heard the fear in her voice. “Might I ask who?”
“You may,” their father said. “It is none other than Cuthbert Everett, the Marquess of Ellin–”
“Father, no!” Madeline cried before her father was able to finish.
His eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
Madeline winced. Despite the role that she played in this house, her father was still in charge, and manipulating his actions was a delicate game that demanded a deft touch. He hated being reminded of how much he relied on his daughter.
“I mean…” She offered a courteous smile. “The Marquess of Ellingham is…” She swallowed. “I am sure he has made a fine case for why he might marry Nerissa but is there a need to be so hasty?”
“Hasty?” He snorted. “This is not hasty. It is practical.”
“But –”
“And it is done,” he cut over her. As he did, he was sure to narrow his eyes in warning. “It has been a deal in the making for some time now, and today we finalized it. In truth, I could not be happier for the match. He will make a fine addition to this family.”
Nerissa looked between Madeline and her father, her eyes wide in both curiosity and worry. “The Marquess of Ellingham? I do not know much of him, Father… Madeline. What is he like?”
Oh, how Madeline would have loved to just lie to her sister.
To tell her that the Marquess was a kind and gentle soul.
A respected lord. A man who any woman of the ton would be thrilled to find as their husband.
What a dream it would be to say such things and see the adoration and excitement take her sister’s visage.
But that was not Madeline. She had spent her entire life being honest with her sister, trying to do what was best, and this marriage was the exact opposite of what was best.
She would not lie to her.
“He is a rake and a scoundrel,” Madeline said darkly. “And he is not good enough for Nerissa.”
Her father’s expression turned stormy. “Careful, girl. I will remind you to whom you are speaking.”
“Have I spoken a lie?” Madeline fired back. “Surely, you know his reputation as well as anyone, Father.”
“That is not…” He clicked his teeth with frustration. “The man has changed, Madeline. And do they not say that reformed rakes make the best husbands?”
“And amputees make the best jugglers,” she scoffed.
“Enough of that,” he snapped. “The deal is done, and complaining will not change it. Nerissa requires a husband, I have found the perfect one, and that is the end of the matter.”
“But Father –”
“It is done!”
Her father was not quick to anger… but that did not mean it did not happen on occasions. That was the problem with one who was so unpredictable. One minute he was as soft as a kitten, the next he was as vicious as a rabid dog.
He glared with warning at Madeline and she knew in his eyes that his mind was made up. Just as she knew that this was not some long-standing deal, but a hasty one made on the spot. Likely, it was offered and agreed to today.
“I don’t… might I first… Father, is there no chance that I might meet him first?” Nerissa trembled and her chin wobbled. She was not one to argue, and the good daughter that she was would do whatever her father asked of her.
“Of course you will.” Their father’s angry facade dropped. “He will be coming to visit in a few days, at which time I expect you both to be on your best behavior.” He was sure to look at Madeline as he said that.
Madeline glared. She scowled. She shot fire from her eyeballs. None of it was to any avail, and her father simply rolled his eyes at her reaction.
“Very well,” she said through gritted teeth. “We shall meet him. And then we will decide.”
“No, girl,” her father said. “As I have told you, it is done. And do not dare argue on the matter.” He looked right at her. “I give you a lot of leave way, Madeline. The Lord knows that I do. But do not mistake my kindness for weakness. In this, my mind is made up.”
What could Madeline do? She looked at her sister, and she saw the confusion that this announcement wrought.
Nerissa would do as she was told, she might even pretend that she was happy.
But she would soon come to learn the tragedy that was this arrangement: she would not be getting her happily ever after.
Worse still, it was all Madeline’s fault.
She had spent her life protecting Nerissa. Everything that she did was for the good of her sister. And now, in one fell swoop, it was done and there was nothing she could do.
That realization hurt her more than anything else.