The Forgotten Duchess (The Dukes of Sin #4)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“ I t seems the Duke of Ironvale cannot help but dig himself into bigger holes with each breath he takes.”

Eleanor Andrews tried not to sigh out loud, not interested in the direction in which the conversation had gone.

Before them, couples danced gracefully to the song softly filling the air and a pang of longing resonated through her heart. She tried not to dwell on it, but her dance card seemed to weigh heavily where it was knotted to her wrist by a silk ribbon, painfully devoid of any names.

It was tiring, the situation she had to endure and how it pushed her to the edge of giving up constantly. Eleanor had approached the evening with renewed anticipation, but she had been there for over an hour and all she had faced so far was disappointment.

Her mother, Leah Andrews, Marchioness of Elmsworth, stiffened slightly, her expression dimming as the odds of her intention going well seemed to fall short.

“Ah, yes,” Leah laughed nervously. “A duel, was it? His latest row seems to have caused quite a stir because he appears to have a knack for causing even the most noble men to lose their minds with rage.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lady Bloomington grinned, clearly enjoying the subject. “Such a terrible man, that Duke. I do not understand how such a man can stand to hold such a high title in society. Do you know Countess Winter? She told me her husband had tried to approach the Duke in search of a sponsor for his business and the Duke of Ironvale had threatened to relieve him of his sight with his butter knife. Such a horrible temper, that man has.”

“I am not surprised that such words left his lips,” Lady Bloomington’s son, Colins, sighed with an irritated look on his face. "That is what he is best at, spewing vile words and challenging other men to duels over the most ridiculous issues. I heard he has killed a few of them as a result of that barbaric act. It is a wonder how he hasn't been arrested yet."

Eleanor had heard just about enough of this Duke to last a lifetime. He seemed to be the talk of the town lately, with his exploits always worse than the last. She couldn’t imagine how someone could live their life like that, ever the center of attention for such disastrous reasons.

Even more so now, she had hoped her mother would give up this futile game of trying to sway men and their mothers to find Eleanor favorable. At least for the evening, so that they could do something else to make sure it wasn’t completely worthless leaving the house.

But Eleanor’s father had said that her mother’s vicious persistence was one of the traits he had first noticed about her and appreciated greatly.

That was likely the moment Eleanor realized her parents would never understand the hopes she had locked tightly in her heart.

"He truly is a nightmare. An example of the result of poor upbringing. As parents, we must teach our children the most responsible ways to live. I have done my very best with my dear Eleanor, and she has turned out lovely. Do you know she is not only splendid at pianoforte but nearly a master at the harp? Her music teacher says she has a talent unlike anything he had ever seen." Lady Elmsworth smiled a little, glancing at her daughter.

Eleanor’s cheeks burned in embarrassment at her mother’s clear attempt to appeal to the people before them, as though she were selling off a horse.

She had short of begged her mother not to do this, but the Marchioness had been insistent on not leaving the ball without a potential suitor for Eleanor.

“Is that so? That hardly matters to a man like the Duke. I heard that he has expressed no interest in any woman beyond shallow frolics.” Lady Bloomington said with a strange smile.

"Well, he certainly is a man of poor taste, then. Unlike you, Lord Bloomington. You seem like the sort of man who appreciates the value of a good gem, and as you know, my daughter was said to be the diamond of the season. You will not find another as bright and as astounding as she –"

“Surely you jest, Lady Elmsworth,” Collins cut Leah off curtly. “Your daughter might not be as perfect as you claim, considering her dire situation.”

“That isn’t –”

“Although, I cannot blame you for your optimism, given that your daughter seems to possess more guile than one would expect. With just how serious the scandal involving the Duke of Crauford was, it is a wonder how she can stand in public after her disgrace. How do you do it, dear? How do you Grace us with your presence whilst knowing that you fell so short of a Duke's expectations, which led to him choosing another over you — publicly too. We can only imagine how frightful the shame she feels must be, especially as the Duke who rejected her prances about with his new Duchess.” Lady Bloomington said with a shake of her head.

“But Eleanor had no control of the Duke's actions. I think it reflects poorly on his taste that he opted to choose someone so… questionable, rather than my daughter.”

It was then Eleanor had finally had enough. It was one thing to look down on her or for her to be dismissed because she was thought to be defective after her courtship with the Duke went south months ago. But it was an entirely different matter for people who knew nothing about the situation to speak about it so conceitedly.

“I beg your pardon, Lady Bloomington, but the Duke should not be faulted for his decision to choose a woman better suited to him. Neither should his Duchess be looked down upon for any reason. It is strange that you would think that, given that they had simply found love in one another and pursued it. Not everyone priorities empty betrothals over love." Eleanor said softly, making sure to look right at Lady Bloomington and her son.

Leah laughed nervously and subtly tried to pull Eleanor backwards to stand behind her, while she attempted to salvage the situation.

“What she means is… despite the Duke’s claims of love for his bride, it is likely that he was consumed by his need to perform his duties, so he chose that other woman to maintain his air of responsibility. It was merely an unfortunate circumstance, and — and I am willing to bet that he likely regrets his decision. As will anyone who chooses to overlook my daughter.”

The two exchanged a silent glance and then they faced Lady Elmsworth.

"That is a very bold claim, Lady Elmsworth. Tell me, does your bravado usually get you what you wish? It must not, seeing as you are currently before us, desperately trying to urge our interest towards your daughter. Who, might I add, has continually failed to attract suitors ever since the Duke chose someone else over her? I do sympathize with you, Lady Elmsworth. But rather than working so hard to force your daughter on innocent men and their families, perhaps you should spend your time preparing her for the inevitable. A diamond isn't as valuable when someone who knows its worth has discarded it before and never looked back."

Without another word, Lady Bloomington urged her son away from them. Eleanor watched them leave, wishing she had enforced her desire to give up on this night and return home, expectedly meeting her mother's gaze when the Marchioness whirled around to face her.

"Eleanor, do you wish to live out your days as a pitiful spinster?"

Eleanor flinched, “No, mother —”

"I find that hard to believe, given your lackluster efforts to find a husband. Here I am, doing all that I can to get you what you need and all that you have done is needlessly sabotage my efforts," Leah snapped impatiently.

“I do not know what more I can do mother. It is not as though I can compel a man to stay by my side.” Eleanor sighed, exasperated and hurt.

They had this argument far too many times for her to count. Eleanor did not know what more she was expected to do, or how much more she was expected to give before it became apparent that she wanted to find a husband and get married.

It was almost ironic how others believed she was being far too presumptuous by attending balls and events as though nothing happened.

From what Eleanor had come to understand, no matter what she did, she would always be in the wrong.

“You could at least act as though you were the one wronged by that scandal — which wouldn’t be far from the truth! You were betrayed and abandoned by a man who had you believe that he had every intention to make you his duchess, only to be caught with another woman. It isn’t fair!” the dowager stated, her cheeks flushed with anger.

"That isn't true, mother. I do not feel wronged because I never really cared for His Grace. We were both merely doing what we believed would be for the best, and I do not blame him for choosing his heart overall. Additionally, he has helped us greatly in the last few months. Father's business would still be crumbling if it wasn't for The Duke's investments. How am I supposed to fault him for anything now?"

Leah made a disapproving sound and turned to walk away, her grumbling quiet, Eleanor almost didn't hear her.

“It seems I must do everything myself.”

With her mother out of sight, Eleanor felt some tension leak out of her skin and she sighed deeply. Shifting her attention to the ballroom floors before her, staring wistfully at girls her age who were surrounded by either friends or admirers.

She wanted that too. To meet and obtain the attention of a good man, despite what it seemed like to her mother.

Leah just… never understood Eleanor. She was never seen as an individual of her own, but more as an extension of her parents, forever destined to meet their every expectation, no matter how trying it might be.

And for the longest time, all Eleanor had ever known was how to obey them. She had devoted herself to being the personification of perfection they had worked to make her into.

But the scandal had ruined everything in a single evening, showing her that no matter how much she gave to her family, it would never be enough. They would never value or love her more than a child who treasures her favorite perfect toy.

Eleanor remained by herself for over two hours, lost in the swaying of colorful gowns and cheerful conversations, before the sound of her name pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Lady Eleanor?”

Eleanor stood straighter as she turned to face a footman carrying a tray that held a handful of glasses containing wine.

“Yes?” she frowned confused.

“Lady Elmsworth asks that you meet her in the orangery at once, my lady.”

Eleanor blinked. “M-My mother did?”

The footman nodded. “Yes, she expressed that it was rather urgent.”

Urgent? Eleanor mused, unimpressed. It is likely she merely wants to introduce me to yet another gentleman.

“Oh,” Eleanor nodded curtly. “All right, I shall find her right away. Thank you.”

The footman bowed and walked away, leaving Eleanor torn between leaving the ballroom immediately or passing some time to figure out why her mother would be searching for her.

At the end of the day, Eleanor did not want her mother to be even more upset at her, so she left quickly. A servant was helpful enough to point her in the direction of the orangery and she simply hoped this meeting would be a painless one, compared to the last.

When she arrived at the orangery, she couldn’t help but notice the lack of good lighting. There was likely a single lit candle or lamp, which supplied a little glow in the space, but otherwise did little to brighten it up.

Eleanor shivered and stepped into the orangery, lingering by the doorway for a moment before she walked further, calling out tentatively.

“Mother? Are you in here?”

She felt a slight breeze blow and as she shivered again, noticing a dark, tall figure rise. Fearfully, Eleanor took a step back as a chill ran down her spine, her instincts screaming at her to leave immediately.

But it was too late. As she whirled around, she heard it shut with a loud click.

Dread filled Eleanor’s veins and she reached for the door handle, dismayed when it would not budge no matter how hard she tried to turn it.

“What do you think you are doing?”

The low sound of his voice seemed to reverberate deeply within her mind, causing her body to tense up. The voice made her nervous, and slowly, Eleanor turned back around as a man approached her, his face shrouded in darkness.

“Wonderful,” he muttered sighed gruffly. “And what are you doing here?”

“I j-just…” she stammered, feeling a little overwhelmed by the man before her. “I came looking for my mother. Who are you?”

The man sighed, a deep exhale that made her feel as though she had committed a serious offense.

"You know who I am. That is why you are here, isn't it? I must say, out of all the ploys I have been an unwilling participant in, this has to be the most ambitious one yet." He noted almost casually.

Whoever this man was, he was strangely expectant, as though there was a larger ploy at hand that she had no idea about.

“I don’t understand —”

“Why do you insist on this game of pretend? It is quite obvious to me that this is nothing more than a feeble attempt to trap me in a scandal. An unfortunate mistake to make — one that might be your last.”

Panicking, Eleanor put her hand out to hang in the distance between them.

“If you would just stop, and listen to me, sir. I do not know you. I have no idea what you believe is happening, but I am only here because my mother sent word for me to meet her here. I have no interest in you, nor do I wish to be involved in any scandal with you — or anyone else, for that matter. I have had enough scandals to last me a lifetime, quite frankly.” Eleanor said, perhaps a tad too honest.

Her cheeks burned in embarrassment at her outburst and she inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself.

“You are more cunning than I would have expected. I am a little impressed, but this spectacular performance will not spare you from my wrath. Additionally, I am a Duke, and you will address me as such.” He instructed, his tone baring a warning that told her a repeat of her mistake wouldn't be tolerated.

"All right, Your Grace. I can see that we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot and I do not wish for any trouble. I apologize for bothering you as you… were doing whatever it was you had been involved in before my arrival. I think there is a misunderstanding of some kind and I am sorry that you expect that I have come up with some agenda. But I assure you that nothing of the sort is at play here. I would gladly leave, but seeing as the door is jammed, I suppose we will have to wait until help comes. But we should keep an appropriate distance between us, so that —"

Eleanor choked on her words as he stepped even closer towards her, the air between them growing heavy as the distance grew smaller.

“Although I do not mind the mystery, I'd much rather prefer to know the face of the minx who is attempting to trap me.” He muttered as his gaze studied her face.

It was very upsetting to find that she agreed with the infuriating man, but she had to admit that she could see him better now that he was closer to her.

And goodness , this man was quite handsome. The lighting in the room did not do him justice, but the diminished distance between them helped her notice the strong outline of his cheekbones and jaw, the way his hair fell over his forehead in locks of dark messy curls.

He practically towered over her as his strict and guarded gaze roamed over her smaller form, and Eleanor felt frighteningly exposed under his eyes.

“Do you really not know who I am?” he whispered, his voice much gentler than it had been… almost as if he couldn’t fathom such a possibility.

Slowly, Eleanor shook her head, willing away the heat threatening to consume her whole beneath his puzzled stare.

“I find that hard to believe, Lady Eleanor. Because much like yours, my reputation precedes me. And because I’m well aware of your situation, I know it is in my best interest not to trust s single word out of your mouth, no matter how pretty it is.”

“That is quite inappropriate, Your Grace?—”

"I am all too aware that while my reputation is… regrettably tarnished although I do not spark the best reactions among men, ambitious women like yourself still harbor favorable thoughts towards me. Even though I am merely to serve your own needs." He finished curtly.

"I do not know who you are, Your Grace," she nearly huffed in complaint. "And thus, there is no reason for me to desire a scandal out of this unwanted interaction. As I said before, the last thing I would want is another scandal connected to my name."

“If you say so. But you should know I have been here for a while and that door can only be opened from the outside, due to its problem. Either way, it seems we are stuck together for a while longer.” He told her, the cold edge in his voice telling her his earlier annoyance with the matter had returned.

But that was barely a problem to Eleanor who realized that regardless of what was happening, if anyone were to open the door to the orangery and they were found, it would undoubtedly cause another scandal.

Panic rose in her chest and she tried to step away from him. Only for his hand to close around her wrist and tug her closer.

“What are you —?”

“Would you like me to tell you just who I am?” he asked, his deep voice resonating in her mind.

She lowered her head to avoid his gaze, disliking how hot it made her feel. But then his fingers curled around her chin and he tilted her head back to meet his eyes.

“Since you seem to truly have no idea about the pit you have fallen into, perhaps I should shed some light on your predicament.” He told her slowly, his eyes darting back and forth between hers. “I am the Duke of —”

Before he could complete his statement, the door burst open and Eleanor heard her mother gasp as the Duke released his hold on her.

“Eleanor! I have been looking for you everywhere! What are you doing with — goodness! What is the meaning of this, Your Grace?” Leah demanded.

“You should know better than anyone what is going on, Lady Elmsworth. After all, your daughter came here in search of you. And you were conveniently nowhere to be found, while we were trapped here.” The Duke said, almost bored of the commotion.

Eleanor hazarded a glance in her mother’s direction, her heart sinking as she noticed a handful of people gathered behind her mother, whispering and pointing.

A new wave of horror filled her as she heard someone say,

“It seems the Duke of Ironvale has found himself in yet another problem. A scandal, no less.

"Perhaps he had grown bored of duels and fights and needed a change of pace. But with the Elmsworth girl of all people? What a disaster," Another said.

No. Oh no.

“The… the Duke of Ironvale?” Eleanor whispered in shock, shifting her gaze to her mother.

Although the Marchioness' eyes were hard and full of contempt, the corners of her lips quirked ever so slightly.

Eleanor realized two things very quickly.

She had been lured into yet another scandal.

And this time, her mother might have orchestrated it.