Game of Dukes Read online

  ‘Are you glad that Webster is here at last?’ she asked. ‘I began to think that the irritating man would never take up his responsibilities. If he had left it much longer this damned barn of a place would have crumbled around our ears. I do hope that your intelligence is on the mark and that he has the funds to put it in order.’

  ‘I knew he would come. Eventually.’ Toby sat up, plumped up the pillows behind his head and rubbed his chin. ‘No one turns their back on such an advantageous inheritance. As far as he was aware, the duchy was still thriving.’ He chuckled. ‘First impressions will have come as quite a shock to him, I dare say. It will take him a while to recover from his disappointment, since he probably recalls the Abbey as the thriving enterprise it was when he was a boy.’

  ‘Is he married? Is there a woman with him?’

  ‘Just another man, I think. Anyway, let the games commence. I suppose I had better go and make myself agreeable to our new lord and master.’

  ‘Talking of games, have you breached Celeste’s defences yet?’ Alice chuckled when she observed the anger that Toby wasn’t quick enough to conceal from her. ‘You haven’t, have you? She finds you resistible.’

  ‘The sport has barely begun.’

  ‘Well, do hurry up, darling. That silly boy of mine is still besotted with her. I thought he would have got over his obsession by now, but he still follows her about like a lovesick calf, and we can’t have that. She’s quite unsuitable for him.’

  ‘And you resent her because of her youth, beauty and resilience.’ Alice’s pout gave Toby cause to chuckle this time. ‘You fully intended to send her packing the moment she buried her mother, until I persuaded you otherwise.’

  ‘True.’ Alice plucked at the coverlet. ‘But you were right to suggest that she would have her uses, even if the ones you have in mind for her don’t mirror my own needs. What do I know about housekeeping, economising and all the other little services that come naturally to a woman of her class?’

  ‘Shall I ring for your maid?’ Toby asked politely as he stepped from the bed and reclaimed his robe. ‘You and Emma will need to come down and welcome the prodigal as well. We need to present a united front and start the way we mean to go on.’

  Alice scowled, disliking the reminder that she no longer actually had a maid of her own. Once the precarious state of the duchy’s finances became known following the death of her brother, that presumptuous upstart Celeste Stirling had had the audacity to tell her that if she wanted to retain her girl’s services, she would have to pay for them out of her own pocket. The nerve of the child! Alice still saw red every time she recalled the confrontation. This was her home…hers! She had been born in the Abbey and would likely die in it too. Her brother had seen no reason for her to move when she married, and her husband had simply taken up residence, much as Toby had done when he married Emma. There had never been any vulgar talk about the expense of keeping a maid, which was a lady’s natural right, or any expenses at all for that matter. He brother had simply settled their accounts, and no mention had been made of the sometimes admittedly large totals.

  But neither Alice nor Emma had money of their own, and they had been obliged to dispense with the services of their maids. Now they had to depend upon the two harried housemaids they had managed to retain to help them dress. Neither of the maids had the first idea how to style a lady’s hair, and Alice had been reduced to attending to her own. It was beyond humiliating, but she would get her revenge upon Celeste when the time was right. She was a patient woman. If Toby failed to get into her petticoats using charm and persuasion, Alice was not averse to employing more forthright methods to trap her in a place where her struggles and cries would go unheeded. Once the little madam was no longer in a position to occupy the moral high ground, Alice would have her revenge by ensuring that Alvin knew she had given herself to a married man. That would put paid to his infatuation and normal order would be restored.

  Toby chuckled, as though understanding the nature of Alice’s thoughts. ‘Have patience,’ he said as he sauntered towards the door. ‘All will be well, and very soon now. We have prepared for this moment, and the game is finally afoot.’

  *

  Phin glanced up at the angry young man standing in the doorway, clenching and unclenching his fists, clearly attempting to look threatening. And failing.

  ‘You shouldn’t be in here with a stranger, Cel,’ he said, moving to stand beside Miss Stirling and placing a protective hand on her shoulder. ‘These are dangerous times. You should have called me. I would have sent him packing.’

  ‘Oh, don’t be such an idiot, Alvin,’ she said, impatiently shaking his hand off. ‘This is your cousin, the Duke of Suffolk. Surely you can see the resemblance to Matthew. Your grace, allow me to introduce Mr Alvin Porterhouse.’

  ‘Delighted,’ Phin said succinctly, neither standing nor offering the proprietorial young man his hand.

  ‘Oh,’ Alvin said sulkily. ‘No one told us you were coming.’

  Phin arched an imperious brow. ‘I was not aware that I required your permission to visit my own property.’

  Alvin glowered at him. ‘I say, it’s not yours!’

  ‘I’m as sorry about the way things have turned out as you obviously are,’ Phin replied, ‘but none of us have much choice in the matter. I would refuse the title if I could, but we both know that I cannot.’ Phin stood. ‘Now then, I shall change my attire and then reacquaint myself with the rest of my family in, say, an hour’s time?’ He looked to Miss Stirling for approbation and she nodded. ‘In the meantime,’ he added, turning to Alvin, ‘the only habitable drawing room is in turmoil because you left it that way, so I strongly recommend that you spend the next hour putting it to rights.’

  ‘Who the devil do you think you are?’ Alvin cried.

  ‘The man who holds your future in his hands,’ Phin replied, steel in his tone. ‘You created the mess with no thought as to who would rectify it, well aware that the few servants you still employ are overworked. I cannot abide thoughtlessness in the idle.’

  Alvin folded his arms across his chest in a belligerent manner. ‘I am not a servant and I refuse to be treated like one.’

  ‘That, naturally, is your choice but think carefully before you take a stand. If that drawing room is not looking pristine by the time I come back down then you can pack your bags and find somewhere else to live.’

  Alvin’s body trembled with rage. ‘You would not dare!’

  ‘I suggest you do not put that assertion to the test. I think it only fair to warn you that I am not a patient man.’ He paused in the doorway, taking in Miss Stirling and the angry young man with one glance. ‘Don’t help him,’ he said to Celeste in a quiet aside. ‘I shall know if you do and it will still result in my cousin being ejected from the Abby.’

  He was rewarded by the first real smile he had seen grace Celeste’s lips. It lit up her features, caused her eyes to sparkle, her cheeks to glow, and deprived Phin of the ability to breathe. His despair about the situation that had been foisted upon him lifted as he basked in the warmth of her approval. She’d had to tolerate the thoughtless behaviour of his family for too long, and she would not be human if she didn’t enjoy seeing the tables turned. He wanted to tell her that his treatment of Alvin had been a mere opening salvo but contented himself with winking at her as he left the room.

  ‘Dash it all, Cel,’ he heard Alvin grumble, but only after the door had closed behind Phin, ‘who the devil does he think he is, talking to me that way? Well, I won’t put up with it and that’s a fact.’

  Phin didn’t wait to hear Celeste’s response but instead bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He was unsurprised to discover that the master suite was now clean and orderly. A fresh breeze wafted through the still open windows, agitating the bed hangings. John had just completed Phin’s unpacking and, ever attuned to his requirements, had laid out fresh clothing.

  ‘You won’t want to confront your relations wearing dusty boots and an old coat,’ he observed. ‘That will create the wrong impression entirely. Anyway, are matters as bad as they appear to be?’

  ‘Not sure yet.’

  Phin stripped off his shirt and made use of the hot water that John must have just brought up. He told him what he had learned from Celeste.

  ‘The chit has been holding the place together for over a year, all the while grieving for her mother and, I suspect, my cousin, whom she clearly adored.’

  ‘You will engage more servants?’

  ‘Naturally. But I also need to speak with my uncle’s attorney. Face to face. No economies were made before my uncle’s death and, as far as I can make out, he left no creditors behind him.’ Phin dried his face on the towel that John handed to him and peered at his friend intently. ‘Where has all his wealth gone? Damned suspicious, if you ask me.’

  ‘You suspect embezzlement?’

  ‘Not sure about that either. I am glad now that we didn’t stop in London and talk to the man before we came here. I shall know now if he tries to cut a sham, having seen the way things are for myself.’

  Clothed again, Phin seated himself at the writing desk beneath the window. Someone, Celeste presumably, had thought to provide pen and ink. He scrawled a few lines to Frazer, the attorney who dealt with his uncle’s estate and who had written to Phin in America, advising him of his inheritance. Feeling unsettled, Phin picked up the ring that had been left on his dressing table—the duke’s heavy gold signet ring bearing the ducal crest depicting a soaring eagle, talons extended—used it to seal his letter and then slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his right hand. He was unsure whether to feel reassured or disconcerted when it proved a perfect fit. In any event, affixing the ducal seal to his own letter somehow made his situation seem more permanent.

  There could be no turning back now.

  ‘Have it sent by express, John, but do it yourself. I don’t want the family to know he’s been summoned.’

  John flexed a brow. ‘You imagine there is more to the downturn in the duchy’s fortunes than simple mismanagement, and you think one of them might be in cahoots with the attorney?’

  ‘Perhaps. But then again, I’m suspicious by nature. You know that.’ Phin stood, adjusted the fall of his neckcloth and the lapels of his coat. ‘Right. I have asked the family to meet me downstairs about now. Come with me and agree with everything I say.’

  John rolled his eyes. ‘As if I would dare to do anything else.’

  ‘Good man!’ Phin slapped John’s shoulder as they left the room together. ‘Apart from Miss Stirling and Mrs Gibson, you are the only person here upon whom I can depend.’

  ‘I am surprised that you are already willing to trust Miss Stirling.’ John chuckled. ‘Can’t imagine why.’

  ‘That’s because your imagination is too damned…imaginative.’

  The sound of muted voices greeted them when they reached the foot of the stairs, as did Rufus. He had been held back by Miss Stirling when Phin left the library and it was clear that she had been busy in the interim. The dog was now spotlessly clean, his coat sweet smelling, his tail sporting silky plumes as he wagged it furiously from side to side.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ Phin said to him, sending the dog into a state of near delirium when he bent to scratch his ears. ‘But we all have to bathe occasionally.’

  The doors to the drawing room were partially open and Phil could see the back of the young cove he’d taken to task earlier, as well as a man with broader shoulders wearing a finely tailored coat. Two ladies were seated in front of them. Before he could wonder where Miss Stirling was, she came up quietly behind him. She wore the same gown still but had put up her hair.

  ‘Very ducal,’ she said, a combination of amusement and admiration in her tone as she took in his pristine attire.

  ‘First impressions, Miss Stirling. Did the young man comply with my instructions?’

  ‘With the utmost reluctance. He didn’t stop complaining the entire time, but I convinced him you meant what you said and even he had the sense to realise that he had no choice.’ She paused. ‘He has been indulged his entire life, so it’s not altogether his fault if he fails to appreciate his good fortune.’

  ‘Don’t make excuses for him. The world is a harsh place, and he needs to be made aware of that. And just so that you are aware, I never make idle threats. If he hadn’t done as he was told I would have turfed him out.’

  ‘I didn’t imagine otherwise, but Alvin took some convincing.’

  ‘Shall we?’

  Phin pushed the doors wide, bringing the conversation inside the room to an immediate halt as all heads turned in his direction. Phin ushered Miss Stirling to a chair. Only when he was satisfied that she was comfortably settled did he turn his attention to his relations. His aunt Alice, wearing a gown that was too frilly and fussy for a woman of her age, was immediately recognisable. His cousin Emma, a drab little thing whom one could be forgiven for overlooking in a crowd, sat beside Alice, glancing at Phin with curiosity and a modicum of resentment. The young man whose acquaintance he had already made slouched against the mantelpiece, glowering at nothing in particular.

  The remaining figure—a gentleman of about thirty—met Phin’s gaze and held it like an adversary sizing up the opposition. This must be Emma’s husband. The handsome wastrel he’d heard so much about. A man content to live at his father-in-law’s expense rather than lift a finger to help himself. Phin had met men like him before and would not make the mistake of underestimating him. Of all the people in the room, he was the one who would resent Phin the most, since he would be aware that his position within the household had suddenly been rendered less substantial and that he could no longer strut about giving the impression that he was the lord of the manor.

  ‘Good morning,’ Phin said, standing to one side of the small gathering, John as always at his side. ‘I did not expect ever to set foot in this house again, and I suspect there is more than one person in this room who wishes I had not been given cause to do so.’

  ‘If, nephew, you mean to imply that we still mourn the death of my beloved brother and his son, then you are in the right of it.’

  ‘How are you, Aunt Alice?’

  ‘Distraught. We have none of us been ourselves since that dreadful accident, but life must go on.’

  ‘Alvin.’ Phin turned towards Alice’s son, glanced around the room and gave a small nod of approval. He then leaned over and took his cousin Emma’s hand. ‘I would not have known you,’ he said. ‘You were six when I last saw you.’

  ‘And you were so big and bold that you frightened the life out of me, especially when you and Matthew joined forces.’

  Phin smiled. ‘I apologise. Small boys look upon it as their duty to terrify female relations, I’m afraid. It’s just the way things are.’ He turned towards Toby. ‘You must be the man who stole my cousin’s heart.’

  ‘Toby Darwin at your service.’

  He offered Phin his hand, confident and self-assured. Phin shook it and then introduced John to them all. He noticed Alice eyeing him with speculative interest.

  ‘I took an opportunity this morning to discuss the situation here with Miss Sterling. Clearly it is a dire one.’ No one said anything, nor had Phin expected them to. ‘I shall take an early opportunity to effect repairs to the Abbey.’ He noticed Alice and Toby share a significant look. ‘I have asked Miss Stirling to engage sufficient maids to allow the house to run smoothly.’

  ‘Consult with me on the point, Celeste,’ Alice said. ‘We will agree what is needed.’

  ‘Miss Sterling reports directly to me,’ Phin replied. ‘I alone will approve her suggestions, and I alone will appoint suitable candidates.’

  Several voices rose in objection. As Phin had supposed would be the case, it hadn’t taken them long to challenge his authority. He thought he heard Toby say something in a quiet aside to Alice about Alvin having healthy competition and scowled when Alice pointed out that the same situation applied in his case. God forbid that Celeste should be required to avoid Toby as well as Alvin.

  ‘Miss Sterling has been a godsend these past months,’ Alice said. ‘But if you have the wherewithal to put the Abbey to rights, Phin, then I don’t see any need for her to prolong her stay. She has often expressed a wish to leave us.’

  ‘Miss Sterling remains,’ Phin said in a tone that brooked no argument.

  ‘May we ask in what capacity?’ Toby spoke with refined amusement. ‘Is she to assume her mother’s role as housekeeper? Amongst other things,’ he added sotto voce.

  ‘Miss Sterling is not a servant and will not be looked upon as such. I wish to make that point abundantly clear. She has been exploited this past year and has now earned the right to be treated with respect. I shall require her advice to return the Abbey to its former state of efficiency and profitability, and as far as I have been able to ascertain she is the only person in residence who possesses the requisite knowledge of its workings to be of any use to me.’ He looked at each of them in turn, quelling their objections with the ferocity of his gaze. ‘Unless any of you are sufficiently competent to provide me with that service.’

  They mumbled between themselves but no offers were forthcoming.

  ‘Very well. Servants will arrive as early as tomorrow and the rest of this wing will be made habitable. I would like the main drawing room and dining room to be put back into use. In the meantime, John will engage an estate manager, who in turn will recruit the necessary outdoor staff to put the grounds back into good order before we restock. I myself will meet with the tenants whom, I dare say, have grievances to air. I assume you will be able to offer John help and advice,’ Phin said politely, turning to Toby with an enquiring look, well aware from Celeste that he had never involved himself with the running of the estate and wanting him to publicly make that admission.