Chapter 1
One
“There is no time left! The duke will be here at any moment. Have you looked at the silver? What about the upholstery? Have the couches all been scrubbed?”
Lady Hartwell sounded positively rattled, a sight to behold for Miss Ivy Hartwell, her older daughter, who’d just entered the drawing room.
When her mother had something in mind, she truly set herself into it.
This time, it looked like she was willing to tear apart the whole place and redecorate if that was what a guest wanted.
Their beleaguered housekeeper, Mrs. Henshaw, could only nod with lips pressed together as she attempted to keep up with the list of commands.
“Ensure the servants are lined up properly with their clothes clean and pressed for today. We want to make a good impression, for heaven’s sake!
” Lady Hartwell continued, narrowing her eyes at the entrance hall.
There, the rest of the staff scurried about like mice, afraid to become the next to be at the receiving end of their mistress’ ire.
Meanwhile, the viscount was in front of the fireplace. His excitement was of a different kind, as he rubbed his hands together with glee. Ivy swore she could see her father’s eyes glittering like diamonds.
“I knew it. I told you all that our Madeline would one day make us proud,” he said, his chest puffed up with pride. “We will soon have a duchess in the family. Have you all thought about that?”
Ivy could not fathom how her father and mother were behaving. For her, the exultation over having a duke in the family was ridiculous. It was especially terrible considering that her younger sister, Madeline, did not look particularly happy about her own impending marriage.
Madeline, only seventeen, sat on the couch, looking considerably pale.
She was a taller and more slender version of her older sister, hailed as the beauty of the family and, now, apparently an offering to the Duke of Everleigh.
Beautiful green eyes were shiny with unshed tears and pink lips were pressed together.
Ivy did not like the look on her sister’s face. So, she braved being in the same room as her frantic mother and crossed the room toward her sister. She took Madeline’s hands in hers.
“Maddie, what is it?” she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
“Ivy, I d-don’t know what to do. I feel trapped!” she confessed, her voice quivering, revealing more about the feelings she had been repressing deep inside. She turned her pleading eyes toward Ivy. “I have never even met the man!”
“Let’s find out more about it,” Ivy said, not really knowing how to navigate the situation.
“Ivy, Father and Mother are marrying me off,” Madeline whispered. “To the Duke of Everleigh. He is on his way here to take me away!”
“I knew something absurd was going on,” Ivy remarked, although she knew that was going to be always the case with her Father and Mother. “So, they arranged your marriage without telling you? You didn’t have a say?”
“Not really, Ivy,” Madeline admitted. “Tell me. If Mother tells you you should get married tomorrow to some earl or viscount or duke, do you think you’ll have the courage to say anything against her?”
The answer was no. However, Ivy was also confident that her mother would never arrange a marriage for her short, plump daughter, whom she often called stout.
“I’m frightened, Ivy,” Madeline continued, more likely misunderstanding her sister’s silence. “It’s happening all so fast—”
And her words were like an ominous announcement. Because Ivy was no longer given the opportunity to respond. The butler’s voice resounded from the hallway, “His Grace, the Duke of Everleigh!”
The drawing room was already thick with excitement and frantic preparation, which for the sake of the servants, was complete. However, when the duke entered, Ivy suddenly felt as if she was in one of her favorite operas.
There was a hush in the drawing room, and it was for good reason.
Maximilian Everleigh was breathtaking.
The way he strode across the room reeked of self-assurance.
Yes, it should feel like a negative, given that Ivy’s sister was being forced to marry this man.
However, it was also difficult to ignore how handsome he was, with a face that seemed to be carved from stone and high cheekbones that made him even more intimidating.
Flashing dark blue eyes scanned the room. He was unreadable and mysterious.
Even Ivy’s father, who'd had a big grin on his face not too long ago, faltered. His smile was completely gone.
There seemed to be an almost enchanted silence, with everyone barely breathing in front of the duke. Then, he spoke, with a smooth but firm voice.
“Good day, I do not wish to take up much of your time, or mine for that matter. Therefore, my visit will be brief. I found a contract between my grandfather and Lord Hartwell’s father. It stipulated that the next Duke of Everleigh should be wed to the next Hartwell daughter.”
Ivy’s blood ran cold and her stomach had that sinking feeling, as her mind attempted to process his words. There was a contract? Surely, an arrangement from the past cannot be binding? Why couldn’t the duke be made to choose his own bride?
“I am here to claim my bride,” the duke declared. It was a simple, unostentatious statement. However, it was followed by his eyes drifting toward the sisters.
The Duke of Everleigh had not met either of them. Therefore, it was natural for him to make a curious assessment.
His eyes were startlingly intense, creating a strange prickling sensation on Ivy’s skin. She expected him to linger on Madeline, whom the Hartwells believed to be the beauty of the family. He did look at her, but then his eyes settled on Ivy.
For a moment, Ivy lost all sense of time. She could not tell if he was watching her too closely or if she was imagining things.
Lord Hartwell seemed to notice the confusion in the duke’s assessment. Everleigh might have thought there would be only one daughter waiting for him in the drawing room. Or at least only one who was of marrying age.
“Your Grace, allow me to introduce you to Madeline, our daughter,” Hartwell said, stepping forward with an eager smile on his face. There was no hesitation this time.
There was no lie there. It was, however, not the complete truth.
Ivy quickly caught the implication. Her father had deliberately presented Madeline as if she were his older daughter. She had been quickly set aside, as if she did not matter in this case.
The duke merely inclined his head to acknowledge Madeline. He did not show any indication that he suspected anything amiss.
“Shall we take a stroll in the gardens, Your Grace?” her father suggested, nodding up and down. He was eager to ensure that the marriage contract would be met and confirmed as quickly as possible.
“Mm. Very well, but I must attend to some urgent matters of my own, so I can’t be long,” the duke reminded him.
Again, his voice did not indicate his feelings, and his face remained impassive.
Madeline looked taken aback. She probably did not think she would have to converse with the duke on the first meeting.
Her hands were in fists, knuckles turning white on her sides.
However, she also knew that she had no choice but to obey.
She silently followed her father and the duke out of the door.
As soon as the trio was out of earshot, Ivy turned to her mother. Her voice was still low, as if she’d expect anyone to suddenly appear before them.
“Why did you not correct the duke’s assumption, Mother? Why are you forcing Madeline to go through with this? Can’t you tell she is unhappy? ”
Lady Hartwell sighed, but there was no regret on her face. Instead, Ivy recognized the dismissiveness there.
“We merely wanted to make sure the Duke of Everleigh would honor the contract,” she replied, smoothing the sleeves of her dress.
“You believed that the duke wouldn’t want me?” Ivy asked incredulously, staring at her mother.
Her mother looked at her as if she was startled that Ivy was even there. Her mouth opened, and then closed. Then, it opened again.
“Ivy, you must understand—”
“Oh, I understand, Mother,” Ivy said softly, although she could not help the little edge in her voice. “You don’t think I’m suitable to become a duchess.”
“It’s not me, dear. These dukes and princes. They have certain preferences.”
“As you do,” Ivy retorted.
“You know that is not what I said, Ivy. You are purposely misinterpreting me. A successful match will be for the best, for the whole family.”
“For the whole family? It doesn’t seem like Madeline is happy about the arrangement,” Ivy pointed out. “Have you noticed how terrified she was?”
“Terrified? It’s normal for any bride to be nervous before her wedding. The duke is also a stranger, but soon enough, he won’t be anymore. Have you looked at him? Surely she can see how handsome he is. Just look at them.”
Lady Hartwell gestured towards the window, where they could see Madeline flanked by her father and the duke. “Don’t they make a beautiful pair?”
Ivy followed her mother’s sweeping hand, saw the scene through the glass. Was it her imagination or were Madeline’s hands still trembling? The duke seemed normal enough, but it looked like he barely spared her a glance. His stance was too stiff, and he was looking directly ahead.
A beautiful pair? They were, in terms of appearance. Ivy wondered what else could make them a good pair. But then again, perhaps she was merely being silly.
Then, unexpectedly, the duke’s eyes flicked directly toward her through the window. Was her imagination going wild? No, he really was still holding her gaze even though he was talking to her father. For the life of her, she could not let go, either, and the connection made her stomach flip.