Chapter 6 #2
“I can’t.” Felix immediately wanted to slap himself for uttering the words. He’d been a fool to stay at Strandon Mannor all these weeks. He should have known something was amiss when Nicole hadn’t replied. There was no way he was going to accept her leaving him. She was his.
He stared directly at his twin. "I need you to switch places with me one last time."
“You can’t be serious.” His brother let the parchment fall to the desk. “You're the Duke of Strandon now. Dukes don’t indulge in such behavior.”
"But rakes do?” Felix straightened and walked over to the window. “I need to know what happened. I need Nicole. She might not need me, she might not want me, but I will not let her go without explanation."
Seeking warmth, he walked over to the fire and stoked it alive.
Each jab was punctuated with his thoughts.
“I must go to Scotland. But I can't simply disappear. Damn, there are still estate matters to settle here in town, the Regent is still awaiting my appearance, and I have a slew of meetings with lords you know I don’t care a wit for.
" Felix looked over his shoulder at Reg and pleaded, "Help me. Be the duke for a few weeks. I promise to return soon, and you’ll be free once again.”
"Felix, I can’t. Pretending to be the heir apparent is one thing, but to dupe others into thinking I’m a duke is an entirely different matter. There are serious matters to be decided upon. The livelihoods of others. Policies to be voted upon. I can’t—"
Felix stood and rejoined Reg, who was leaning against his desk. Felix elbowed Reg. "You know you can. We've done it a hundred times before."
"Playing pranks on tutors is not the same! Discouraging marriage-minded maidens or mamas, I can handle, but to weigh in on discussions in Parliament… I’m not level headed, intelligent, and capable.
" Reg shook his head. "Think of the scandal should someone find out.
It would leave a stain upon the dukedom, your heirs—"
“Without Nicole, there shall be no heirs. I won’t marry anyone else.
" Felix faced his brother. "I won’t repeat my past mistakes. I’m going to Scotland, and I’m going to marry Nicole.
She wouldn’t claim to love me one day and then leave me the next.
" His voice cracked. "I can't lose her, Reg. I can’t. "
Reg searched his eyes and, after a long moment, his twin slung an arm over Felix’s shoulders, "You’re certain you want to switch places?"
"Absolutely."
"What if I mess up again? You won’t be here to rectify matters like before. What if someone realizes I'm not you?"
"You haven’t mucked up the ledgers in years. You're better at being me than I am half the time." Felix gripped his brother's shoulders. "Please, Reg. I'm begging you. I need to go to her. I need to make matters right between us."
His twin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You're going to be indebted to me for life."
Relief flooded through Felix. "I already am, but I shall grant you any wish you make when I return a married man."
"You had best return posthaste. No wedding trip. Deal?"
Before his brother could change his mind, Felix said, “Deal.”
Reg returned to sit in his seat. With one hand, he reached into the drawer to retrieve a piece of parchment, dipping his quill into the ink well with the other. "Right. Before you head off to Scotland, share with me what I need to know. I will not be able to bluff my way through everything."
Felix blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Try not to entangle yourself with a woman in my name.”
“Well, then you shall simply have to return with Nicole within a month.”
“Not funny, Reg. Not funny at all.” He studied Reg as his brother busily made a list. “What if I fail?”
Ink pooled as Reg looked up at him and said, “That would be a first. The odds of me failing you is much higher if you do not focus and share with me what is expected of me as the Duke of Strandon.”
Felix attempted to condense years of training into manageable tasks over the next two hours, as Reg scribed note after note. Eager to set out, Felix stood and declared, “That should cover all the pertinent matters for now. I trust you.”
“Will you at least inform the staff?”
“No. It’s too risky.” Felix arched his sore, tired back. “Don’t tell anyone what we are up to. No one.”
“What if I need help?”
“If you must, reach out to Lady Anne. She’s the only person other than Nicole who can tell us apart. In addition, she can keep a secret. She may well be the only other person we can trust.”
“Lady Anne? She left for the Continent weeks ago.”
Felix shrugged. “I trust no other. It’s Lady Anne or no one.” He left his brother, who looked like he’d like to go a few rounds in the ring with Felix.
With no time to dwell upon the monumental task he’d asked his brother to take on, Felix jogged to his awaiting coach and ordered, “Baron Swyft’s castle.”
“Yes, your Grace,” the driver replied with a smile and set off as soon as Felix had pulled the coach door closed.
Felix patted the special marriage license that he carried about with him everywhere.
He’d not return to London until he was married to Nicole.
He had three days of travel to formulate how to best propose to Nicole.
As they left the cobbled streets of town, Felix began to devise a secondary plan in case the stubborn woman refused him.
Desperate to have her, he entertained the scandalous thought of kidnapping her.
While the idea had been fleeting, it did have a certain appeal that Felix couldn’t deny.
Mayhap he’d played the role of a rake for far too long.