The Perfect Duke Page 3

  As Tara waited for her brother to come downstairs during the rest of the morning, she was beginning to wish she’d asked the butler exactly what time her brother had returned. For all she knew, her brother wouldn’t wake up until that afternoon. If she didn’t have the matter of the marriage to the Duke of Ravenshire to discuss with him, it wouldn’t be an issue.

  So she spent all morning waiting for her brother in the drawing room. To help pass the time, she had decided to read a book, and when she finished it, she checked the clock and realized it was half past one. And he still wasn’t downstairs.

  She groaned in frustration. The Duke of Ravenshire would be coming by at three. She needed to change into a gown suitable for receiving guests. And since this particular guest was the gentleman she was going to marry, she wanted to spend extra time getting ready to see him. She glanced at the clock again.

  She summoned her brother’s valet and asked him if her brother had gotten up yet. It was possible her brother had chosen to stay in his bedchamber for a while before coming down. But, unfortunately, the valet told her that her brother was still sleeping.

  She paced the drawing room a few times and then decided to change clothes. She had wanted to give her lady’s maid sufficient time to style her hair and pick out jewelry that would enhance her best features, but she didn’t dare take the risk that her brother might wake up, get ready for the day, and then head right on out.

  So she had her lady’s maid put her hair in a simple style, and she opted not to worry about jewelry. It wasn’t exactly the kind of look she wanted to have, but the urgency to talk to her brother was more important than vanity.

  By the time she made it back to the drawing room, the butler approached her. “I have told your brother that you wish to speak with him. The valet is tending to him right now, so your brother should be down here soon.”

  Relieved, she thanked him. She sat in a chair and glanced at the clock. The Duke of Ravenshire would be here in an hour. She took a deep breath and released it. She was sure her brother would be happy to find out she was getting married. He had been complaining about how long it was taking her to find a husband, and he’d been excited to learn Sir Tristan Blakemoor was her suitor.

  The butler brought tea and crumpets into the room, and on impulse, she said, “The Duke of Ravenshire will be here at three. I’d like you to bring in black tea with lemon like you did yesterday when he gets here.”

  The butler nodded. “I’ll do as you wish.” Then he left her alone.

  By the time she had finished half the cup of tea and a crumpet, her brother came into the room, looking as immaculate as ever. One would never know he had been carousing through London doing Lord knew what the night before.

  “I hear you’ve been asking to speak with me ever since this morning,” Basil Webb, the Earl of Maten, said as he poured himself a cup of tea.

  “Yes.” She put her crumpet down and took a drink of her tea. “You’ll be happy to know I received a proposal.”

  Her brother’s eyes lit up in interest. “Sir Tristan Blakemoor asked you to marry him so soon? I thought you two had only recently been together.”

  “No, it’s not him. It’s even better. I have secured a proposal with a duke. In fact, he’ll be here at three to discuss the matter with you.”

  Basil sat back in his chair and crossed his legs in a manner that told her he needed a moment to process the information she’d just given him.

  She opted to use the time to finish her crumpet.

  “What about Sir Tristan Blakemoor? Is he still your suitor?” Basil asked.

  She had hoped that, in light of learning she had a gentleman high in the peerage seeking her hand in marriage, he wouldn’t give Sir Tristan Blakemoor another thought. But since he looked at her expectantly, she was going to have to tell him about the missive.

  She set her cup down, rose from the chair, and retrieved the missive from the bottom drawer of the desk. She had put it there this morning just in case he asked about Sir Tristan Blakemoor. She held the missive to him. He wouldn’t believe her if she told him that the gentleman had decided to marry Miss Wilmington. He would need to see it for himself.

  “He sent this to me yesterday after you left,” Tara said.

  Her brother accepted the missive and opened it. Tara sat back down while he read it. She watched his lips as he read the missive. He had a peculiar habit of moving his mouth while he read something. In this case, she watched him because she wanted to know when he would give a visible reaction to the contents. And as soon as she saw him cringe at the name Miss Wilmington, she knew that was the part that bothered him the most.

  “This is ridiculous,” he muttered as he tossed the missive to the floor. “There’s no reason he should pick her over you. The lady is a wild boar. She’s got a bad temper and attacks anyone who gets in her way. And worse, she has no sense of fashion. Sometimes my eyes hurt when I look at her.” His gaze met Tara’s. “There’s no reason why Sir Tristan Blakemoor should prefer her to you. You’re far better.”

  Tara’s eyes grew wide. She couldn’t recall the last time her brother had given her a compliment.

  “So what did you do to ruin things with him?” her brother continued.

  Now, that was the brother she was used to. “I didn’t do anything to ruin things with Sir Tristan Blakemoor. And even if I had, does it matter? I have a proposal from a duke.”

  “Of course, it matters. Sir Tristan Blakemoor is Lord Cadwalader’s nephew. I’ve been trying to get into Lord Cadwalader’s circle for years. Your marriage to his nephew was going to secure that for me. That’s why I insisted you join Ladies of Grace. It was supposed to give you the kind of standing in the Ton that would make you attractive to the finest bachelors in London. Sir Tristan Blakemoor is one of those bachelors.”

  “Well, he decided he’d rather be with a wild boar than me.”

  “He’s not married yet. Pay him a visit. Get into his bed. Don’t use a French letter, and make sure you’re on top so he can’t pull out right before he releases his seed. Then, we can get him to marry you because you might be with child.”

  She gasped. She didn’t know what a French letter was, and she didn’t know what he meant by ‘being on top’ or ‘release his seed’, but everything he’d said repulsed her. Her virginity was one of the things she had worthy of a titled gentleman’s proposal. Virgins, after all, were much more desirable for marriage than ladies who were known for compromising their virtue.

  “I can’t go to his bed,” she said.

  “It’s a reasonable action,” he replied. “This marriage is important.”

  “I’ve done everything else you’ve asked of me, but I won’t do this.”

  He stared at her as if he couldn’t believe she was being so stubborn. Then he let out a sigh. “Miss Wilmington probably did it already. That’s why they’re rushing for a special license.” He looked down at the missive and shook his head. “Miss Wilmington’s always been smarter than you.”

  She bit down on her tongue so she wouldn’t continue with this discussion. It’d do her no good. Once he set his mind to something, he wasn’t going to change it. Let him think Miss Wilmington seduced Sir Tristan Blakemoor. She knew better than that. Miss Wilmington prided herself on holding onto her virginity, too. No. Miss Wilmington had found another way to get his attention.

  Basil took a drink of his tea. “All right. Who is this duke you said proposed to you?”

  Good. Now they could finally get to what was important. “He is the Duke of Ravenshire.”

  She paused and waited for him to be impressed, but to her dismay, his nose wrinkled up and he asked, “Who is that?”

  “He’s a gentleman who knows how to charm many people. He’s very likable. Miss Wilmington said that her mother said that Lady Cadwalader approves of him.”

  She thought that might please him, but he yawned.

  “What someone says about someone else means little to me,” he said. “The fact that I h
aven’t heard of him tells me he’s not important.”

  “Very few people have heard of you, and yet, you think you’re important.”

  He straightened up in his chair and narrowed his eyes at her. “Why do you think I wanted the advantage your marriage with Sir Tristan Blakemoor would give me?”

  She clenched her fists. “I’ll marry a duke who has a good reputation in the Ton. I’ve been at Hyde Park with the Duke of Ravenshire and Sir Tristan Blakemoor, and more people greeted the duke. Also, between the two of them, the duke was a far better conversationalist. He can give you an advantage if you give him the chance.”

  After a moment, her brother rolled his eyes. “All right. I’ll meet him.”

  She relaxed. “You’ll like him. Everyone does.”

  “When will I be delighted with his company?”

  Ignoring his sarcasm, she said, “He is to be here at three.”

  “Today?”

  “I would have told you sooner, but this is the first time I’ve gotten to talk to you about it.”

  “When did he propose?”

  “Yesterday afternoon.”

  “And he hasn’t been your suitor up to now?”

  “He was Miss Wilmington’s suitor. I explained that to you that day when I went to Hyde Park with her, her mother, Lady Stacey, Lord Whitney, Sir Tristan Blakemoor, and the duke.”

  “Are you sure you told me that?”

  She didn’t hide her exasperation. “I can’t help it if you don’t listen to what I tell you.” This wasn’t the first time she had to remind him of something she’d already said. “If you weren’t so wrapped up in your conversation with Sir Tristan Blakemoor that day, then you would have remembered it.”

  “I wish you had done more to keep Sir Tristan Blakemoor interested in you.” He took a drink of the tea then looked heavenward. “Now I’m stuck meeting Miss Wilmington’s throwaway.”

  “I wouldn’t refer to the Duke of Ravenshire as a throwaway.”

  “Well, there’s a good reason Miss Wilmington doesn’t want him.”

  The footman stepped into the room, so she shut her mouth and settled back into her chair. Sometimes her brother made her so angry she could hardly think straight. There was nothing wrong with the Duke of Ravenshire. He was much better looking and entertaining than boring Sir Tristan Blakemoor was.

  Basil turned his attention to the footman and gestured for him to speak.

  “The Duke of Ravenshire is here,” the footman said. “Should I send him in or tell him to come later?”

  Basil glanced at the clock. On impulse, Tara did, too. It was 2:30.

  Basil’s eyebrow arched. “I thought he was supposed to come at three.”

  “So what if he’s early?” Tara asked. “There’s no harm in that.”

  He shook his head as if she were a simpleton. “He’s desperate about something.” He gave her a good look. “You aren’t expecting his child, are you? This marriage isn’t to cover up for some fleeting indiscretion, is it?”

  Heat flooded to her face. “I can’t believe you’d ask me that, especially after what you just told me to do to secure a marriage to Sir Tristan Blakemoor.”

  He shrugged. “Just because you play the part of a virgin, it doesn’t mean you are one.”

  How dare he! “I’m not playing.” The only reason she managed to keep her voice low was because the footman was still in the doorway, waiting for Basil to tell him what to do about their guest.

  Not looking convinced, her brother set his cup on the table then stood up. “Let His Grace in. I’m curious to meet him since my sister seems so taken with him.”

  Tara bit her tongue again and rose to her feet. She wasn’t sure if this was going to be a pleasant visit or not. She had thought her brother would be happy to find out she was getting married to someone who hadn’t been featured in the Tittletattle. She hadn’t realized how much he’d hoped she would marry Sir Tristan Blakemoor.

  The Duke of Ravenshire came into the room, and at once, she felt her tension ease. He had a warm smile on his face that helped to take the edge off of the conversation she’d been having with her brother.

  “Your Grace,” Tara began, “this is my brother, Lord Maten.”

  The duke bowed, and though Basil rolled his eyes, he did likewise. Tara resisted the urge to tell her brother to be polite. Thankfully, the duke didn’t see her brother’s rude action.

  “Tara,” her brother said as he turned to her, “I wish to speak to this gentleman alone.”

  Her stomach tightened into a knot. “Why?”

  “Because I am your guardian, and as your guardian, I have every right to speak to the gentleman who wishes to marry you.”

  “I don’t mind talking to him alone,” the duke assured her.

  She glanced from one to the other. She didn’t trust her brother to be nice to him. She had a nagging suspicion that her brother was going to give the duke a difficult time.

  Her brother shot her a pointed look. “Why aren’t you leaving?”

  Ignoring the small voice in her head urging her to stay in the room, she headed toward the doorway.

  “Will I get to talk to you after I’m done talking to your brother?” the duke asked her as she passed him.

  She turned her gaze to him, aware of the excitement coursing through her. There was nothing she wanted more than to talk to him.

  Just as she opened her mouth to answer, her brother said, “You may talk with her, but the doors stay open.”

  She shot her brother a disapproving look, but his eyes widened, as if he was daring her to argue with him right in front of the duke. Forcing her attention back to the duke, she said, “I’ll be happy to spend some time with you.”

  As she reached the doorway, her brother called out, “Shut the doors.”

  She took a deep breath and released it. Her brother was being difficult on purpose. She just knew it. He was doing this because he hated the fact that Sir Tristan Blakemoor was going to marry Miss Wilmington instead of her. She never should have introduced him to Sir Tristan Blakemoor. Had she known he was going to sulk like this, she would have avoided any mention of him until he proposed. Managing to keep her emotions in check, she quietly shut the doors behind her.

  Chapter Four

  Nick wasn’t sure what the exchange between Miss Webb and her brother was about, but he had the feeling he had interrupted an argument. He should have waited until three before coming. It was just his excitement over seeing her that compelled him to stop by sooner. All night, he’d thought of little else but her. He wasn’t sure why, either.

  He’d met lots of ladies over the course of the year, and he’d offered his suit to a couple of them. Those suits hadn’t lasted more than a couple of weeks. Despite the fact that he hadn’t been Miss Webb’s suitor, she was the first lady he’d managed to secure a betrothal to. Maybe that was the reason for his excitement. He was almost married now, and because of that, his estate would finally be secure. Surely, anyone in his position would be excited.

  Lord Maten waved him forward. “Don’t be shy. Take a seat. Have something to drink. Though be warned. My sister doesn’t like any flavor in her tea, so it’s bland.” He poured tea into a new cup then held it out to him.

  Nick accepted it and sat across from him. “Thank you.”

  Lord Maten shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re thanking me. I didn’t make it.”

  No, but he had poured him the cup. Nick wasn’t sure if he should say that or not. After a moment, he opted for another tactic. With a smile, he said, “You might not have made it, but you hired the person who did.”

  At that, Lord Maten chuckled. “Well, yes, I did. I’m good at selecting the right people, too.”

  Nick drank some of the tea. As her brother had said, there wasn’t much flavor in it. However, for plain black tea, it was one of the best he’d ever had.

  Her brother crossed his legs as he settled back into the chair. “My sister tells me you wish to marry her.”

>   Nick hid his surprise. Typically, people engaged in small talk for a few minutes before getting to the actual topic they wished to discuss. He took another drink of his tea then nodded. “Yes. I asked her to marry me when I was here yesterday, and she agreed to it.”

  “Yes, she explained that when I talked to her.” He paused for a moment. “Why do you want to marry her?”

  That was a fair question. He was sure if a gentleman he didn’t know asked for his sister’s hand, he would want to know the same thing. But he didn’t wish to disclose the situation with the debt his father had left him with. If that information got out, it would shame his family. So he had to pick something else that was also the truth.

  Nick cleared his throat. “I think she’s a fine young lady. I enjoy talking to her. I think she and I will make a good match.”

  “Are you looking for a love match?”

  To be honest, he hadn’t given that factor any consideration. He was just happy he’d found someone he thought could be a nice companion. “If love comes from the union, that would make me happy.”

  “So love hasn’t come into play at this time.”

  He offered her brother a smile. “Not yet, but I don’t see why it can’t. Love is something that takes time.” Or at least, that was what his mother often told him.

  “I’ve never been in love with a lady, so I wouldn’t know. My parents didn’t love each other. They got along well enough, I suppose. They seemed to have an amiable marriage. It’s nothing like what Lady Eloise and Mr. Bachman have. They are the most poorly matched couple in London.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Mr. Bachman is completely inadequate for someone of Lady Eloise’s esteem. My sister is a member of Lady Eloise’s group. Did you know that?”

  “Yes, I did, but I thought Lady Eloise was no longer a part of it.”

  “You’re right. She’s not. My sister and Miss Wilmington felt it necessary to remove her because Lady Youngtown managed to gain the sympathies of the Ton. I don’t know about you, but I suspect Lady Cadwalader had something to do with that one. It’s no secret that Lady Eloise was quickly becoming more popular than her. I should have realized Lady Cadwalader wasn’t going to sit back and let Lady Eloise dethrone her.”