Game of Dukes Page 4

  ‘You didn’t take a husband yourself? I cannot help thinking that you must have received offers.’

  She lifted one shoulder, embarrassed by the implied compliment. ‘None that tempted me.’ She swallowed down her anguish and finally found the strength to meet the duke’s gaze. ‘Anyway, you should be aware that my mother’s friendship with your uncle was not well received by the rest of your family.’

  ‘By which I assume you refer to my Aunt Alice, cousin Emma and her husband.’

  ‘Quite. They felt threatened by their closeness and put pressure upon the duke to send us away.’

  ‘And yet you are still here now that your mother and my uncle are gone. Alice could have turned you out.’

  ‘She could have, and probably fully intended to, until we realised that the coffers were empty. That came as quite a shock. Oh, we were well aware that funds were tight, but not that tight. Now, of course, she needs me to run the house, since no one else is likely to do it for nothing.’

  ‘Ah yes, about that.’ He fixed her with a probing look. ‘What happened? The sharp downturn in the condition of the estate could not, as you earlier suggested, have happened in the year since my uncle’s death.’

  ‘No.’ She looked up from her folded hands and studied his face intently, seeking signs of criticism and finding none. ‘Were you aware that Matthew went to Burgundy almost as soon as it was safe to travel again after the war?’

  ‘Of course. I had quite forgotten about the vineyards.’ He leaned back in his chair and crossed one dusty booted foot over his opposite thigh, causing Celeste to inhale sharply and avert her gaze. She wondered if she was sickening for something. The sight of uncompromisingly robust gentlemen making themselves comfortable did not usually have quite such a disconcerting effect upon her. Well, she assumed they couldn’t possibly have done so. She was sure she would have recalled such an occasion. Yet the new duke possessed the ability to make her forget her own name, which was most disobliging of him, given that she had struggled night and day to prevent his inheritance from crumbling completely away before he could claim it. ‘The family’s income must have been severely disrupted by the onset of the war.’

  ‘It was. The vineyards were your great-grandmother’s dowry, I think.’

  The duke inclined his head. ‘I remember her. She was a cold, remote woman who never got over her disappointment at being obliged to leave France and marry an English duke, even though it elevated her social status.’

  ‘You did not like her?’

  ‘She terrified me,’ the duke said, shuddering and making Celeste smile. ‘She spoke French to us the entire time, disliked children, including her own…especially them, and rapped our knuckles with disconcerting regularity for the smallest of reasons.’

  ‘Mathew didn’t tell me that.’

  ‘Matthew, I presume, went to Burgundy as soon as he could to try and save the family’s income. Did he succeed?’

  ‘Look about you.’ She sighed. ‘No, he did not succeed. The workforce had scattered, the vines had rotted and he considered the vineyards beyond reclaim. It would have cost too much to replant, he said, and it would have been impossible to pay the skilled workers the amounts they could command to make them profitable again. Feelings still ran high against the English and Matthew said he thought they were being deliberately obstructive in the hope that he would sell the vineyards back into French ownership. In the end he was obliged to do exactly that—for whatever he could get for them, which was precious little. Almost certainly less than they were worth.’

  ‘I’m sure he did all that he could.’

  ‘He felt as though he had failed in France, but he was still determined to do what he could to bring the Abbey back to life. Make economies and modernise’ She paused. ‘Did you know that your uncle was unwell?’

  ‘Not until you told me. How could I have known? I have not seen or communicated with any of my family since my father took me to America when I was ten. I gather his mind was failing. What else ailed him?’

  ‘Gout. He was a little too fond of his port, I’m afraid. That and his absence of mind. He had become very confused and I’m afraid people took advantage of him, or they did until Matthew returned and took control. He drew up a programme of repairs that were to be undertaken methodically.’

  The duke frowned. ‘But, excuse me, I thought you said there were no funds.’

  ‘That is the strangest thing. I still don’t know quite what to make of it.’ She shook her head. ‘There seemed to be adequate amounts available then, and all the servants were paid each quarter without problems. Only after the accident, when the duke’s attorney came to see us, telling us that a letter had been sent advising you of your inheritance and ascension to the title, did we discover that the coffers were almost empty. I tried to press him on the point, ask him what had happened to the funds, but I am not a member of the family and I am a woman to boot, so he wouldn’t tell me anything. Alvin should have pressed him. I tried to make him do so, but I’m afraid Alvin is barely able to tie his own neckcloth. Doing battle with legal complexities would be quite beyond him and, frankly, I don’t trust Toby an inch. He thinks only of himself.’

  ‘I should have come back sooner.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, meeting his gaze. ‘You should.’

  The duke chuckled. ‘So direct.’

  ‘I see no occasion for flummery or prevarication.’ She lifted her chin. ‘The Abbey is your responsibility, as are the people who depend upon it for their livelihoods.’

  ‘I sit duly chastised,’ he said, clearly fighting a smile. ‘Even so, I did come as quickly as I could. What happened to the tenants? I saw no livestock in the fields I passed.’

  ‘They are still here, but they have to manage for themselves as best they can. We have no steward or outside help of any kind, apart from Ned. I had to let them all go when our situation came to light and I realised we would be unable to pay them. I have Mrs Gibson still, but she is unswervingly loyal—’

  ‘I saw her just now.’

  ‘She was excited about your return. Anyway, I have her and the two maids you saw earlier.’ She spread her hands. ‘That’s it.’

  ‘And work your fingers to the bone yourself.’

  She waved the compliment, if that was what it had been intended as, aside. ‘I am not afraid of hard work, your grace.’

  ‘Well, we will have to do something about that.’

  ‘But there is no money to—’

  ‘I have funds,’ he replied, holding up a hand to ward off her protests. ‘As you rightly point out, this is my inheritance, like it or not, so I must take responsibility for it. But first, I shall have a frank word with my uncle’s attorney. I should dearly love to know what has happened to the funds, and I can assure you that he will not fob me off with generalities.’

  Celeste smiled, perfectly sure that he would not, and felt the weight of responsibility fall from her shoulders now that a man worthy of bearing it in her stead had shown himself. Mrs Gibson had constantly assured her that Phineas Webster would not shirk his duty. Since she had not seen him for sixteen years, Celeste had been dubious about her claims, unsure how she could be…well, so sure. Now she had met the man she understood.

  ‘Tell me about the accident, if you can bear to speak of it,’ he said softly into the ensuing silence.

  Celeste looked away from him, swallowed and took a moment to contain her emotions. ‘I have gone over it a thousand times in my mind,’ she replied, ‘and still struggle to understand how it could have happened. My mother, the duke and Matthew were returning from the races. I should have been with them but a slight cold kept me at home, otherwise…’

  ‘You feel guilty because you survived.’

  She flashed him a startled look. ‘What makes you say that?’

  ‘It’s a natural response. The three people you loved most in the world lost their lives and you wonder why yours was spared.’

  ‘It’s odd that you should say that.’ Celeste suspected that her incredulity showed in her expression. ‘It’s precisely how I feel. I have been struggling with guilt, regret, call it what you will, but how could you possibly know? We are barely acquainted. No one else, none of the people who know me a great deal better than you do have made the same suggestion.’

  A veil descended over his eyes. ‘I am no stranger to grief myself.’

  ‘Well, all I can tell you about the accident is that it should never have happened. The weather was fine and Matthew was driving. He was an expert whip and knew the team of two that we kept at the time very well. He purchased them and broke them to harness himself. They were well schooled and not easily spooked.’

  ‘But something did spook them,’ the duke suggested when Celeste fell silent, lost in a moment of despondency.

  ‘Seemingly so. In the narrow lane that you would have driven along yourself in order to get here. Toby and Alvin were on horseback, almost directly behind Matthew’s conveyance but by the time they reached the spot where it had left the road, it was too late for them to help.’ Celeste dashed a tear aside. ‘No one knows what happened. We think an animal likely ran in front of the carriage and that the horses swerved to avoid it.’

  The duke scowled, clearly as unconvinced about the cause of the accident as Celeste herself. ‘Matthew would not have been travelling at anything faster than a trot on that stretch of road,’ he said. ‘It’s too narrow to go any faster.’

  ‘True, but Toby insists that he heard the sound of galloping hooves, so we have to assume that the team bolted and Matthew lost control. The duke and my mother were killed outright. We hoped that Matthew would survive since he was thrown clear and although badly injured the doctors gave us reason for optimism.’ She sighed. ‘However, he slipped in and out of consciousness, never said anything that made sense, and succumbed to his injuries three days after the accident.’

  ‘I am so very sorry.’ He reached across the space that separated them and squeezed her hand, but quickly withdrew his own when someone tapped on the door.

  ‘Here you are, my loves,’ Mrs Gibson said, bustling in with a tray loaded with sandwiches, some of her mouth-watering cake and a pot of tea. ‘You both need refreshment.’

  ‘You shouldn’t have troubled yourself, Mrs G.’ The duke stood and took the tray from her, placing it on a table. ‘You have more than enough to do, but I hope to have engaged help for you by this time tomorrow.’

  ‘Well, I can’t say it would be unwelcome.’ She edged towards the door. ‘You enjoy that now, and drink your tea while it’s still hot.’

  Celeste watched the door close behind her and smiled. ‘She has been looking forward to seeing you again for months,’ she said, lifting the heavy pot and pouring for them both. ‘She is convinced that you will make everything right again.’

  ‘I hope her faith in me is not misplaced. I am not sure where that faith came from, for that matter. She only ever knew me as a child and…well, small boys and mischief are constant companions.’

  ‘She says that you and Matthew were cut from the same cloth,’ Celeste replied, nibbling on a sandwich that she shared with Rufus. The dog had suddenly awoken at what had seemed to be a sound sleep and taken active interest in the food of offer.

  The duke drained his cup and put it aside. ‘Despite your earlier denials, I can tell that you loved Matthew. Your eyes soften, yet there is an innate sadness about you when you mention his name.’

  ‘Oh yes, I loved him in all sorts of ways, but I understood the boundaries that existed between us and respected them. Matthew would be a duke and had a duty to…well, the same duty that you now bear.’ She offered him the ghost of a smile. ‘Be prepared to be bombarded by the attentions of every eligible female in the county once word of your return leaks out.’

  ‘Good lord! One look at this place would be enough to deter the most determined of gals, I should imagine.’

  She smiled and shook her head. ‘Don’t count on it.’

  The duke’s own smile faded. ‘You have had a terrible time of it, and I am grateful to you for holding things together, but I am here now to take control.’

  ‘Then I can leave.’

  ‘Leave? Good heavens, no! That’s not what I meant to imply at all. Why would you want to leave? Where would you go?’

  ‘I am not a member of this family, your grace. I stayed because someone needed to take control, but you don’t need me—’

  ‘That is where you are quite wrong. I have never had greater need of someone with strength and a sense of purpose to help me sort out the mess I have inherited.’ He sent her an imploring look that melted her heart. ‘Please don’t go yet, unless of course there is a young man somewhere pining for your company, in which case I shall either have to call him out, or reluctantly concede that he has first rights.’

  Celeste smiled and shook her head. ‘No, there is no young man, but there are too many memories for me to be comfortable here. A fresh start is needed.’

  ‘Stay for three months.’ He leaned his elbows on the thighs that so distracted Celeste and flashed a boyish smile so similar to Matthew’s that she was obliged to avert her gaze. ‘I will reward you handsomely and you will not need to work nearly as hard as you do now. Your first duty, in fact, will be to engage enough servants to properly maintain the house. Well, the main part of it, at least. I assume the wings are closed off.’

  ‘Yes.’ She smiled. ‘The roofs leak and I’m afraid the rooms have fallen into shocking disrepair. They have not been used for years. A converted Abbey is almost impossible for a single family to maintain. I blame the arrogance of your ancestors for taking it on.’

  The duke smiled at her forthrightness. ‘I believe it was gifted to us by a grateful monarch when we took his side in some dispute or other with the Catholic church. I forget the particulars. But I tend to agree with you. It’s a vulgar display of wealth, or lack of it in the current situation. But, I’m fond of it, for all that.’

  ‘I can see that. It shines through when you speak about the place. You must have missed it.’

  ‘I am back now, and we shall have to do something about the disused wings. I will have John engage outside help. I myself will meet with the tenants and engage a new steward. Then we will be in a position to knock the place into shape.’ The duke paused, appearing to quell his enthusiasm. ‘My first priority will be the courtyard.’

  She gasped. ‘How did you know that was to be Matthew’s starting point?’

  ‘He and I used to play in the cloisters as boys. I hate to see them crumbling, and if we don’t restore them soon, they will be beyond help.’

  ‘He said something similar to me once. About your games, I mean.’ Her expression sobered. ‘Talking of which, there is something else I need to share with you regarding the accident.’

  The door burst open. Celeste looked over her shoulder and withheld a sigh when she observed Alvin standing there, scowling at the duke.

  ‘I say, Cel,’ he said imperiously. ‘Who is this person and why are you entertaining strangers in my uncle’s library?’ Rufus lifted his head, a rumbling growl echoing in his throat. ‘And what is that smelly mutt doing in here?’ he added, taking a hasty step backwards.

  Chapter Three

  Toby Darwin strode into Alice’s bedchamber at a little after eleven in the morning without bothering to knock. His wife’s aunt sat up in bed and welcomed him with a provocative smile.

  ‘What brings you to my room at this hour?’ she asked, stretching her arms above her head. ‘As if I couldn’t guess.’

  Dressed in a robe with nothing beneath it, Toby stood at the window and stared at the scene being played out in front of the house. ‘I thought you would want to know that Webster has deigned to join us.’

  ‘Finally.’ Alice used several expletives that had no part in a lady’s vocabulary. She had her reasons for wanting her nephew here, yet resented the fact that he had inherited the title, and everything that went with it, including the roof over her head. Toby enjoyed hearing her curse. It reminded him that she was no lady but an individual who was as ruthlessly determined to plough her own furrow as Toby himself was, as evidenced by her willingness to allow him into her bed whenever Toby had a persistent itch that required scratching. It happened frequently, and Toby’s adoring wife—Alice’s niece—remained blithely ignorant of the infidelities that were occurring just a few doors away from her own bedchamber. Not that she’d have the backbone to complain, even if she did know. Emma was not known for her courage, or her ability to think for herself.

  ‘Celeste has just threatened him with a shotgun,’ he added, chuckling.

  ‘The first useful thing she has done in weeks.’ Alice stretched and yawned. ‘Are you planning to join me or Webster?’

  ‘Oh, you, I think.’ Toby dropped his rope and allowed Alice to observe the extent of his arousal. She licked her lips appreciatively and pulled back the covers.

  ‘Best not allow that to go to waste then.’

  Toby chuckled. ‘I wasn’t planning to.’

  ‘Don’t neglect your wife too much,’ Alice said when they had satisfied their mutual lust. ‘It might arouse her suspicions. You know how badly she wants a child.’

  ‘But she does not enjoy her marital duties.’

  ‘An unwilling bedfellow who allows herself to be dominated, despite the fact that she takes no pleasure from it, always provides more sport for a man.’

  ‘Emma does so like to please me, I cannot deny it.’ Toby shrugged. ‘You, on the other hand, are never unwilling, which rather takes the fun out of it.’

  ‘True, darling, but I am also a realist. You are twenty years my junior and only look at me because I happen to be convenient, inventive, as amoral as you are, and I do not cling.’

  ‘And because we are kindred spirits who want the same thing. Your method of keeping me in line is original, Alice, I’ll say that much for you.’

  Alice gave a modest shrug, glad that Toby still retained a modicum of tact and had not disputed her assertion that she was only twenty years his senior. They were both well aware that the age difference was greater than that, so Alice looked upon it as a point of pride that Toby visited her bed with far greater regularity than he did that of his young and nubile wife.