The Lion Duke’s Proposal (Troublesome Duchesses #1)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

“I’m just saying it’s unusual, that’s all,” Poppy sighed, looking once again at the clock on the mantel, which was ticking dangerously close to midnight. “Even when he goes out drinking, he’s never normally this late home.”

Julia shrugged. She suspected that their father would eventually stumble in as usual, shout a bit, and collapse on a couch.

As the elder of the two sisters at four-and-twenty, she was well used to his antics over the years and had often shielded Poppy from the full extent of his debauchery.

Although Lord Norish had tried his best to be a good father to the pair of them after their mother died, he was a struggling alcoholic who didn’t truthfully know anything about raising girls.

Thankfully, at least, he still managed to conduct business well enough to keep the household running financially, so Julia had simply picked up the task of raising her sister and left him to his own devices.

“You should go to bed,” she offered. “There’s no use waiting up any longer for him. It’s your debut Season this month, remember. You shouldn’t ruin your sleep for this.”

“Oh, even if I go to bed, I shall still be tossing and turning,” Poppy argued. “Something about this time just feels different somehow. Besides, what about your beauty sleep? You still might find a suitor this Season, too.”

Julia sat down beside her sister on the chaise with a small smile. “I don’t need a suitor. You’re the one who’s been excited about your debut since you were six years old. Remember when I walked in on you trying on Mother’s veil?”

Poppy blushed. “Honestly, it wasn’t very elegant. It smelled like mothballs.”

“I’m not surprised,” Julia laughed. “It had been in that chest for ages. But you wore it anyway and paraded around the house all day pretending to be married to every lord you’d ever heard of.”

Poppy giggled at the memory and leaned her head on her sister’s shoulder. “That was a fun day. I don’t think I would like to be married to any of those men in real life, though.”

“I should hope not. Most of them are in their fifties now. Far too old to sweep you off your feet!”

“Do you really think men do that? Carry you in their arms like in a novel?”

“The right one will. I’m sure of it,” Julia smiled. “This has been your dream all your life, Poppy, and I so, so want you to find what you’ve been looking for all along.”

“But what will make you happy, Julia?” Poppy asked. “You can’t tell me that you also don’t want a family, a home, a husband.”

“I have a family and a home,” Julia smiled.

“And handling Father is quite enough work for me; I don’t need another man around, thank you very much.

No, the ton may call me a spinster, but I say let them.

I’m happy. I couldn’t be more grateful for everything I’ve got in my life, and to see you married in your first Season is all I could ever want.

So please, for both our sakes, go to bed. ”

Poppy sighed. “You promise you’ll wake me when he comes home?”

“I promise.”

“Well, all right then. But only because I still think you’ll find a man, and I don’t want you to put him off with worry lines.”

“Whatever works,” teased Julia. “Goodnight, darling. Sleep well.”

After Poppy departed, Julia sank back down into the couch, idly fiddling with the fringe of her nightgown.

Although she had shrugged off her sister’s concerns as her father simply staying out at the club a little later than usual, it was true that he had never been this late before.

That was her problem to worry about, though.

She didn’t want Poppy losing any sleep over a man who hadn’t lifted a finger for either of them, not when it was so important that she be mentally and physically prepared for the Season.

A violent knock shattered the silence.

Julia jerked upright on the chaise, her heart pounding as the sound came again—louder this time, urgent, insistent.

Who on earth—

She scrambled to her feet, her pulse quickening. The clock had only just struck midnight. No decent visitor would call at such an hour.

“Miss Norish!” came a muffled voice from beyond the door. “Miss Norish, I must insist—this is a matter of urgency!”

Julia froze.

Urgency.

A cold unease curled in her stomach.

She hurried into the hall, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders as another round of knocking echoed through the house.

“Coming!”

Her hand trembled slightly as she lifted the latch.

She opened the door herself in her haste to see who was behind it and was startled to see their father’s solicitor, Mr. Harold Brown.

She’d only met him a few times when he’d come over to manage business affairs or have documentation signed.

He was an older, balding man with a combover that failed to hide the top of his shiny head and glasses that seemed to be a little too small for his round face.

Julia quickly realized she was still in her nightdress as his eyes roamed over her.

“Mr. Brown! Goodness, I’m sorry, we weren’t expecting you!” She grabbed at one of the coats on the hooks beside the door and quickly covered herself in it. “My father isn’t here, I’m afraid, and I don’t know when he’ll be back, but you are welcome to wait if you’d like.”

“Miss Norish.” The lawyer inclined his head. “I know Lord Norish isn’t home. It’s actually you and your sister I’ve come to talk to tonight.”

“Oh,” Julia frowned. “I see. Is - is my father all right? Has something happened?”

“It would be best if you fetched your sister,” Mr. Brown replied. “I think this is something both of you should hear together.”

“No need,” a voice issued from the top of the stairs.

Thankfully, Poppy had thought of putting on proper clothes before leaving her bedroom.

She gripped the banister hard as she descended into the foyer, her white knuckles and pale, false smile the only indicators of her nervousness.

“As you can see, I have fetched myself. Hello to you, Mr. Brown.”

He inclined his head in greeting. “My apologies, ladies, for calling on you both at such an hour.”

“Not at all. Would you care for some tea?” Julia offered, ignoring the thumping in her heart and the sick feeling in her stomach. Even at a time like this, she refused to forget her manners.

“I do not, thank you. This will be a short visit, I’m afraid.

” The man shifted uncomfortably, looking down at his slightly muddied shoes.

“I’m here to tell you both that, unfortunately, there have been some irregularities found in your father’s business.

It appears that he has been borrowing from some very unscrupulous creditors and has failed to pay the debt owed.

I was contacted by these men yesterday, demanding payment of eighteen thousand pounds, including interest.”

“Eighteen thousand?” Julia’s mouth hung open. “That - that can’t be possible!”

Mr. Brown cleared his throat. “I regret to say that, having received the call, of course, I immediately looked into the matter to verify its authenticity. Your father would not take my call, but I checked with his business manager, and he confirmed the same. It appears that Lord Norish somehow found out that these men were coming to collect on their debt and has fled the country with his remaining assets.”

“I don’t understand.” Julia’s brain was still trying to process this information. “He wouldn’t just leave. He - what about us?”

The solicitor did not meet her eyes. “Your father has arranged for the family home to be sold in order to pay off the debt.”

“Sold? To whom? What will become of us?” Poppy cut in, her mask of politeness beginning to crack and threatening to give way to tears.

“Lord Norish has left no instructions concerning the two of you.”

Julia had a feeling that if Mr. Brown could have sunk directly onto the floor to avoid continuing this conversation, he would have.

“You’re both of age, after all, so there is no guardianship to be appointed; and he will maintain control of the business and its remaining assets.”

“So we’re to be evicted?” Julia realized, reading between the lines. She swallowed. “How long do we have?”

“One month from today, the new buyers will take possession.”

“A month,” Poppy said faintly. Her hand reached for the banister.

She ran her fingers along it, as though trying to remain grounded.

Julia knew this was a habit of her sister’s when she felt especially nervous or scared, so she took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, determined not to show any weakness, to look like she had a plan.

Whenever Poppy was afraid, she always remained strong, and this time would be no different.

“What about our dowries?” she asked. “Surely we still have some money of our own?”

“Your mother insisted when the funds were created that your dowries remain protected under any circumstance.” Mr. Brown nodded.

“You each have five thousand pounds. However, because your father is the only living signatory, I require his consent and signature in order to release the money. This must be done in person to be valid, and I have no reason to believe he intends to return to England soon. He still won’t even answer my letters. ”

“There’s nothing you can do to have the money released to us?”

He shook his head. “I’m so terribly sorry, Miss Norish. While your father lives, even if he is abroad, there is no way to circumvent it.”

“So we’re to be homeless and penniless?” Poppy was taking short, sharp breaths as if she were about to suffer a spell of faintness.

Julia rushed to her side, taking her shaking hand between both of her own. “We’ll be nothing of the sort, Poppy. Please, don’t worry.”

“Even you can’t fix this, Julia.” Her sister shook her head. “How could he do this to us? Our own father?”

Mr. Brown coughed. “Once again, ladies, I really am terribly sorry to have to bring you this news. I will take my leave now. If you have any questions, I’ll leave you my card. You may call me any time.”

“Thank you.” Julia took the card and curtsied automatically as he hastened to the door, even forgetting in her shock over the whole situation that she was wearing just a nightgown and a coat.

“Good day…er…good evening,” the solicitor said, nodding at them both one last time, and then just as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving the tattered chaos of their lives in his wake.

“What are we going to do, Julia?” Poppy’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Julia glanced at her sister. “We’ll take one step at a time. But first, I’m going upstairs to put on something respectable.”

Her head spinning, she shrugged off the coat and went upstairs to change.

One month.

One month before, they would have to leave the only home they had ever known, without a penny between them. She was not panicking, though. Her reliable brain was already in the process of organizing itself into thoughts and plans.

Julia was sure she could find work. She may not be able to cook or clean, but she was well-spoken and knew her music, literature, languages, and etiquette; if nothing else, she would become a governess or perhaps a schoolteacher.

She was confident that she would be okay, even if she never saw any of her dowry.

For Poppy, the path ahead was clear as well.

She needed a husband, and she needed one who would be willing to accept her without an immediate dowry.

It would not be the easiest task, but she was young, pretty, and well-educated.

Poppy still stood a chance if Julia could clean up her own bad reputation this Season.

Julia kept her voice steady, though every word felt as though it scraped against her throat.

“We shall manage,” she said. “There are always solutions to be found. We must not despair.”

Poppy stared at her, eyes wide and shining with unshed tears.

“But what are we to do?” she whispered. “Everyone will know. If what Mr. Brown said is true, if Papa has truly… absconded.”

Julia did not let her finish.

“We do not yet know the full extent of it,” she said firmly. “And even if the situation is… grave, we shall face it together.”

Together.

The word sounded hollow, even to her own ears.

Because she did know.

Mr. Brown had made it perfectly clear.

Their father had not simply fled debts. He had deceived, manipulated, and ruined men of standing. There were those in London who had lost fortunes. Others who would be seeking retribution.

And his name would be spoken with contempt.

No respectable family would align itself with such disgrace.

No suitor would come forward.

No protection would be offered.

They were alone.

Poppy’s voice trembled. “Will they come here?”

Julia hesitated, just for a moment.

“They will not harm us,” she said, with more certainty than she felt. “We have done nothing wrong.”

But innocence, she knew, did not always shield one from consequence.

She rose abruptly.

“I shall write to Aunt Bendon,” she said. “She will advise us. Until then, we must remain composed.”

Poppy nodded, though it was clear by the way she brushed hastily at her tears that her fear had not lessened.

Julia turned away before her sister could see the truth written plainly on her face.

Her hand trembled only once as she walked into the drawing room, strode purposefully to the writing desk, and pulled the quill from the inkpot.

Then she began.

My dear Aunt,

I regret that I must write under the most distressing of circumstances.

She paused, pressing the nib harder against the paper than she intended.

No. That would not do. Not strong enough.

Julia made a series of intense slashes on the parchment as she drew thick lines through what she had already written. She inhaled a steady breath and began again.

My dear Aunt,

We are ruined.

The words stared back at her, stark and unforgiving.

My father has fled, and it has been revealed that he has committed acts which have brought disgrace upon our name and left us entirely without protection or means.

We are alone, and I fear what may follow.

I implore you, if any kindness or regard remains for us, you must help us.

Julia set down the pen slowly.

For a moment, she simply stared at the letter.

Then she folded it with deliberate care.

Because once it was sent, there would be no pretending otherwise.

Everything had changed.