Masquerading with the Duke: Ducal Encounters Series 4 Book 2 Read online

  Ducal Encounters Series 4

  Masquerading with the Duke

  Wendy Soliman

  Ducal Encounters Series 4 Book 2

  Masquerading with the Duke

  Copyright © Wendy Soliman 2019

  Edited by Perry Iles

  Cover Design by Jane Dixon-Smith

  This e-Book is a work of fiction. While references may be made to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations contained are from the author’s imagination and are not a resemblance of actual living or dead persons, business, or events. Any similarities are coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any method, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of

  The Author – Wendy Soliman

  This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction fines and/or imprisonment. The e-Book cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this e-Book can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the author.

  Chapter One

  Winchester: Summer 1826

  ‘What brings you here so unexpectedly, Clarence?’ Zachary Sheridan, Duke of Winchester, enquired of his brother-in-law.

  ‘Must I always have a reason?’ the Earl of Romsey asked, taking a sip of the excellent burgundy that Zach’s brother Amos had poured for them all.

  ‘Not in the least,’ Zach replied, matching Clarence’s indolent tone. ‘But you’ve come out of your way, and a busy man like you always has a reason.’

  ‘We seldom see you here at the Park without being told to expect you,’ Amos added, ‘and travelling anywhere in this wretched heat just for the hell of it…’

  Clarence ran a finger around the inside of his neckcloth, looking uncharacteristically hot and rumpled, lending support to Amos’s accusation. Zach and Amos were both in shirtsleeves and had forgone their usual Hessians in favour of lightweight leather slippers.

  ‘Amos is right. We don’t see you unless our sister drags you down here, and since you have come alone…’ Zach allowed his words to trail off.

  ‘How can I make you understand that I fully intend to give up my work with the Foreign Office?’ Clarence yawned. ‘It’s becoming tedious.’

  Zach and Amos shared a smile. ‘You thrive on the cut and thrust of international diplomacy and would be bored witless without it to keep your…well, your wits sharp,’ Zach said.

  ‘Besides,’ Amos added, ‘you have been threatening to resign for eight years, ever since you married Anna. I should have thought that our sister and your growing family would be more than enough to keep you occupied.’ He lifted one shoulder. ‘But apparently not.’

  ‘You two have other duties to claim your time as well as being family men.’ Clarence glanced away. ‘Sorry, Amos. That was crass of me.’

  Amos waved the apology aside. His wife had died tragically in an audacious attack, struck by a bullet intended for Zach’s duchess. ‘I ran the stud for Zach when Crista was still alive, which is the point you were attempting to make, I would imagine. But there is a vast difference between that and what you do. I worked and lived here with my family. Nothing dangerous about breeding horses.’

  ‘Ha!’ Zach threw back his head, grinning. ‘Says the man who convinced me I’d be able to handle Thunder. Still have the bruises from my ongoing battles with the headstrong beast.’

  ‘I’m sure that getting tossed to the ground now and then is a good deal less dangerous than some of the diplomatic shenanigans that Clarence finds himself embroiled with in the defence of our nation’s secrets.’ Amos spoke with a suggestion of sarcasm. ‘I admire what you do, Clarence, but I’m with Anna on this one. It’s time for someone else to take up the reins. It’s a game for a younger man with no familial responsibilities.’ His expression turned sombre. ‘Children need both their parents. Take it from one who knows.’

  ‘Point taken.’ Clarence inclined his head, allowing a brief, awkward pause. Amos seldom referred to his loss in such direct terms. Zach wondered if that indicated a grudging acceptance of his altered circumstances and proved that he was, as Frankie insisted, very slowly returning to life. ‘But I’m not in the direct line of fire. Not anymore. And I am pulling back, despite what you think. I don’t know what’s going on myself half the time, and that situation suits me admirably.’

  ‘Come on, Clarence, out with it.’ Zach affected impatience. ‘What do you need me to do for an ungrateful government this time?’

  ‘Well, since you mention it, there is one trifling matter…’

  Amos chuckled.

  ‘You astound me,’ Zach said, rolling his eyes.

  The French doors were thrown wide to the terrace beyond them but not a breath of a breeze stirred the insufferably hot air. A heat haze hovered over the grounds, enveloping the landscape in a translucent miasma that saw tempers fray and livestock suffer. Zach had already heard of disputes and unrest in the local villages as the stifling and unrelenting heatwave caused trivial disagreements to flare up out of all proportion.

  Zach prayed for a good storm to clear the air. His young dogs, Marley and Mungo, lay on the cool slate of the terrace in the shade, panting. The horses in the nearest paddocks stood listlessly beneath the trees, tails swishing in a futile effort to ward off the flies, the once lush pasture reduced to a parched and dusty desert of brown earth.

  ‘Ever heard of Jared Braden?’ Clarence asked.

  ‘The name rings a vague bell.’ Zach leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes in an effort to recollect.

  ‘Braden?’ Amos sat forward in his chair. ‘I remember Crista mentioning that name as someone connected to her father’s nefarious activities.’

  Zach was pleased that Amos could mention his dead wife’s name without his expression closing down—a further sign that he was slowly beginning to heal. Brooke had been a master jeweller who sold his exclusive designs to the wealthy, but he had become embroiled in dishonest endeavours that cost him his life. Crista, who designed and made jewellery as well as her father, was targeted by the same ne’er-do-wells, who were keen to exploit her skills. Amos had other ideas and saved Crista from their unwanted attentions, at no small risk to both their lives.

  ‘This can’t be the same Braden who inveigled Brooke into indiscretion, can it?’ Zach asked.

  ‘Good heavens no,’ Clarence said, a little too casually. Zach sent him a suspicious glare. ‘You’re thinking of the previous generation. Crista’s father became involved in making jewellery for some rather dubious sorts and Braden’s father, who permanently had pockets to let, was up to his grubby neck in it.’

  ‘I hardly need reminding,’ Amos muttered. ‘Exclusive pieces sold at inflated prices on the back of Brooke’s reputation and the funds used to support Napoleon’s cause. But that’s water under the bridge now. The war’s long over, we’re bosom pals with the French again and no one cares who did what to raise funds.’

  ‘I suspect that Clarence’s paymasters still do,’ Zach remarked, leaning back in his chair and almost hanging his head out the doors when a slight breeze rustled the shrubs, blowing dust into the air.

  ‘Parliament has a long memory and the patience of Job,’ Clarence replied.

  ‘This isn’t the first time I’ve known you become involved with tracking down supposed turncoats,’ Zach said. ‘People who hedged their bets by backing both sides. I k
now you’ve caught one or two as well, but they’ve never been publicly exposed, so what’s the point?’

  Amos nodded. ‘I was about to ask the same question.’

  Clarence chuckled. ‘Knowledge is power, my friends. Never know when it might come in useful. It might be in the national interest not to wash our dirty linen in public, but there are other ways to thwart the ambitions of enemies of state. His majesty’s government won’t permit them to benefit from their perfidious behaviour. Besides, they need to know that we know. Can’t have them thinking they got away with it.’

  ‘Perish the thought,’ muttered Amos.

  ‘In other words,’ Zach added, ‘they can either quietly leave the country or your shadowy masters will make use of their services.’

  Clarence lifted a shoulder. ‘Something of that nature. I’m just a lackey who does as he’s told.’

  Zach and Amos shared a simultaneous burst of laughter.

  ‘What precisely is your interest in Braden’s son?’ Zach asked.

  Clarence flashed a puerile smile. ‘Funny you should ask…’

  ‘Oh God!’ Amos shook his head. ‘You’ve played right into his hands, Zach. Again.’

  ‘Jared Braden’s been living it large in Paris since the end of the war–’

  ‘Working for you, of course.’

  Clarence nodded. ‘He has, as it happens.’

  ‘Why the devil would you employ the son of a man who supported Napoleon?’ Zach asked, scowling.

  ‘Such men sometimes make the most reliable agents, keen to prove their loyalty to king and country, and eager to restore the family name. Braden has given exemplary service until just recently, when he resigned from the service without explanation.’

  ‘Ah,’ Zach said, rubbing his chin. ‘You’re suddenly less sure of his loyalties.’

  ‘The foreign office isn’t fond of surprises.’

  ‘What’s it to do with us?’ Amos asked, leaning lack in his chair.

  ‘Braden’s back in England and has just finalised the purchase of Musgrove Manor.’

  The brothers again shared a look. Zach let out a low whistle.

  ‘That estate’s been on the market for a couple of years. We knew it had been taken, but not by whom.’ It was rare for Zach not to be able to find out anything he wanted to know, thanks to the inventiveness and endless network of contacts forged by his emissary Adler. The estate in question was only a few miles from Winchester Park, Zach’s ancestral seat, and he made it his business to remain fully aware of local developments. A man in his position couldn’t afford to be taken unawares, especially since the unprovoked attack on Crista had exposed a weakness in his security that others might seek to exploit. That was why the future of Musgrove Manor had been of some concern to him. ‘There’s been a lot of activity on the estate. I know a local agent has been hiring household staff, but it’s going to take a fair amount of blunt to knock it back into shape.’ He sat forward. ‘Now I understand your interest. You want to know why Braden’s jumped ship and what’s made him decide to settle in this part of the country.’ Zach wouldn’t mind knowing that for himself. ‘He’s not a local man.’

  ‘And you think that Braden will leave his card here,’ Amos added, frowning.

  ‘He’s bound to if he wants to be included in local society. He’s a sociable chap, and popular with the ladies, so I hear.’

  ‘You’re not interested in how he made his fortune?’ Amos said, scowling. ‘I presume it was inherited, and none of us can look too closely at the scruples of our ancestors. You’re more interest in knowing what made the man suddenly resist pressure from the foreign office to continue spying on their behalf.’

  ‘Hardly spying…’

  Amos’s hard expression caused Clarence’s words to trail off.

  ‘You don’t know how well provided for his father left him, and your masters are wondering how he suddenly came to be in a position to take on Musgrove Manor. There’s still a lot of skulduggery behind the scenes when it comes to Anglo-French relations.’ Amos absently rubbed the side of his chin as he thought the matter through. ‘We still don’t trust one another and someone in a position of authority has obviously upset the applecart by acting against British interests. You’ve lost control of the son who’s resigned without giving a reason, and because his father played both sides against the middle, you’re naturally suspicious.’

  Clarence waggled one hand back and forth. ‘I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we’ve lost control precisely.’

  ‘Of course you wouldn’t,’ Zach replied. ‘That would imply carelessness.’

  ‘God forbid,’ Amos muttered, amused.

  ‘Braden reckoned he’s had enough of the cut and thrust and wants to retire to a life of gentlemanly respectability.’

  Amos shrugged. ‘Sounds reasonable enough. Why can’t you accept it and leave the poor man alone?’

  ‘He isn’t yet thirty,’ Clarence replied, his airy explanation failing to convince Zach. As always, Clarence was holding something back.

  ‘Taking on Musgrove Manor hardly equates to a life of idle dissipation,’ Zach pointed out. ‘Managing an estate of that size will require a lot of ruthless supervision on his part. Unless he proves himself to be awake on all suits, he’ll be robbed blind.’

  ‘You’ve got a leak somewhere,’ Amos said slowly. ‘Someone’s been feeding our secrets to the French. You think it’s Braden and that he was rewarded with enough blunt to purchase Musgrove Manor outright.’ He sat forward. ‘But even if that’s true, how are we humble country bumpkins, who know nothing about the back-stabbing world of politics, supposed to get him to admit it?’

  ‘Feed some false information to your agents, and if it gets passed onto the French then you will know where to look for your traitor,’ Zach said, shrugging. ‘I don’t mean to tell you your business, but surely it’s obvious.’

  ‘If it was that easy,’ Clarence replied sheepishly, ‘we’d have trapped the guilty party long since.’

  Zach could see that it had taken an effort of will for Clarence to admit to his department’s failings. If Braden had been Clarence’s responsibility and it was he who had been unable to either condemn the young man or clear his name, Zach knew that he would take it personally. He understood now why Clarence had been required to swallow his pride and lay the problem at Zach’s door.

  ‘That’s what you want us to do, isn’t it?’ Zach said, frowning. ‘He will know of your relationship to me and you expect me to drop some snippet into conversation that could only have come from him if it finds its way to French ears.’ He shook his head, unsure whether he admired Clarence’s deviousness or resented being used by him. ‘What do you say, Amos? Shall we help rid the government of its nest of vipers?’

  Amos shrugged. ‘I suppose we better had, otherwise Clarence might set Anna on us.’

  The brothers shuddered simultaneously. ‘His not so secret weapon,’ Zach said, legs splayed in the futile hope of feeling a little less overheated. ‘You, Anna and the children will be here with us in a couple of weeks. I suppose you expect us to have cultivated Braden’s friendship by then.’

  ‘I rather thought that Frankie might invite him to her masquerade,’ Clarence said casually.

  ‘Hold on.’ Zach sat forward and his feet hit the floor with a resounding thud. ‘I will not have my duchess associating with the man if there’s anything the least bit suspect about his character or his intentions.’

  ‘Easy, Zach,’ Amos said, waving a placating hand. ‘Even if he has worked against British interests, it doesn’t follow that he means any of us harm. Besides, I still can’t help wondering why Clarence recruited him if he thinks him as amoral as his father.’

  Clarence chuckled. ‘Amoral men make the best diplomats.’

  ‘There speaks the voice of experience,’ Amos added, grinning.

  ‘I personally rather like Braden, and I certainly don’t hold his father’s…shall we say, lack of patriotism against him. Not that it was ever
actually proven that Braden senior worked against us. And for what it’s worth, I don’t think the son does either, but my opinion is seldom taken into account by my superiors without solid facts to back it up.’

  ‘But you think the old man was actually disloyal?’ Amos asked, scowling when he thought of the manner in which Crista’s father had been manipulated by him.

  ‘What I think is of no consequence.’ Clarence shrugged. ‘As I say, no one listens to me. And as for Braden, I wouldn’t have suggested inviting him to the masquerade it if I even suspected him of being anything other than a gentleman. He is one of several men who could be working against us. I like him and I hope he isn’t the guilty party. He’s charming and popular. I dare say Frankie will appreciate another single man to balance her numbers. There always seems to be a surplus of ladies.’

  ‘We shall see,’ Zach said, refusing to commit Frankie’s exposure to a man with a hidden agenda.

  ‘He will be living on our doorstep, Zach,’ Amos pointed out. ‘We can’t shun him without good reason. That would be akin to judging him without a trial. And if you don’t invite him, others will follow your example and he will become a pariah. It seems unfair.’

  Zach nodded, thinking about the damned masquerade he’d been talked into holding, wondering why he’d capitulated—especially at this time of year. Well aware of what, or more to the point, who had made him give in to the idea without putting up too much of a fight. His wife could make him do absolutely anything she set her heart upon. Gentle coercion through the deployment of her feminine wiles was a speciality of hers. Zach knew that she still mourned the loss of Crista and felt guilty because she herself had been the target of the attack, but had survived at Crista’s expense. He pretended to be put out by the request to open up his ballroom for a grand charity masquerade. In actual fact, he hadn’t seen Frankie so animated, so enthusiastic about anything since before Crista’s death. That in itself had been enough to convince him.