Her Beastly Duke (Damsel in Distress #5)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

B riar walked around the garden, admiring the flowers and the fountain. The sky was overcast and it was cool, but at least it was not raining. During the walk she thought more about the season and the prospects that would be opened up to her. Julius would not choose her, but at least now she knew that she could share intimacy without being repulsed. Now that she was certain, there was no need to avoid marriage. Since she found pleasure with Julius, perhaps she could find it with another gentleman who would be prepared to marry her. She should open her mind to the possibility.

She continued on the path across the lawn until she heard children shouting. Briar spun around to find three little boys barreling toward her in a race. The smallest child was shouting with glee when he tripped and fell into the grass, arms sprawled. Briar took a step forward, but then the other boys quickly stopped to help him up before they all started running again. They were breathless by the time they reached Briar.

“My name is Warren; this is Sidney and Patrick,” Warren said as he pointed.

Briar immediately saw the resemblance. “It is lovely to meet you. I am Miss Walcot. Are you all friends?” She asked with a grin.

The boys giggled. “No, silly. We are brothers.” Warren replied.

“Warren!” Briar had hardly noticed the elegant lady following the boys across the lawn. She was shorter than Briar and more plump, yet she moved with grace and elegance. Her curly brown hair tumbled over her shoulders. She stopped short and turned to Briar, “I must apologize for Warren. I have told him not to use that word. What should you do, Warren?”

“I am sorry I used the word silly, Miss Walcot.”

“Apology accepted, Warren.”

“Now run along and play by the trees.” Lady Fenton said.

And off the boys went, arguing about who won the first race.

“Miss Walcot, Julius had just told me about you.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Lady Fe – .”

“Nonsense. Call me Emmeline. I insist. I would like for us to be friends.”

“Very well, Emmeline.”

“He also told me that you are the reason he decided to have a season.”

“Perhaps he is giving me too much credit.”

“You are as beautiful as you are modest. Lord Fenton and I have been trying to get him to socialize for years and he would not have it. You must have made quite an impression on him.”

“How did you two meet?”

Briar was sure Emmeline would hear the story from her husband if she did not tell her, so she did.

“So, you thought to steal the painting?”

“I have never stolen anything in my life. It was our dire circumstances that led me to take such action.”

“And you challenged Julius to a duel?”

“He had no choice. I am quite skilled and I started fighting.”

“This has been quite an adventure. You are a resourceful woman. I will give you that.”

Briar’s mouth curved into a smile. “You only know what you are capable of when you are faced with poor choices.”

“Hmm,” Emmeline murmured thoughtfully.

“His Grace has been quite generous and forgiving. He has allowed me to work to cover my family’s debt, and I will have a dowery. I may find a husband in London and have my own home.”

Emmeline cleared her throat. “You speak of him with such admiration.” There was no mockery in her voice, but she held a curious stare.

“I was the one who put myself in harm’s way, and His Grace did what he could to protect me. He could have left me alone to deal with the consequences. I will always be grateful because it could have been much worse.”

“According to what my husband told me, you have helped Julius too. His life has been a series of twists and turns. We never thought we would hear him say he would go to London for the season or consider marriage. It is quite phenomenal. I believe he will have the confidence to charm society. He needs to believe it, and he is well on the way to arriving at that conclusion.”

To hear Emmeline speak of Julius getting married filled her with a pang of regret. If only they had not shared the night of all-consuming passion. If only he thought she was good enough to be his duchess. Briar pressed her lips together because she did not want to think of Julius sharing his bed with someone else. There was so much that she wished she could have said at lunch. There was a part of her that wanted to say everything that she felt, but she held back, afraid to reveal too much of herself. Something unspoken was unfurling inside her, and she had never experienced it before. It was almost as if her feelings were at odds with logical thinking. Worse yet, her feelings appeared to be at odds with themselves. There was a part of her that accepted what she heard. Julius would not marry her, but another part of her hoped something would change and it would be alright in the end. She had to trust logic because she certainly could not trust her feelings.

Briar swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Before I had my season, I thought I would marry, have a family and take my place in society. Sadly, after my father died, my prospects were reduced as I would not find a suitable match with a dowery. I accepted my fate and decided I would have been happy to maintain my independence.”

“Truly?”

Briar nodded in confirmation. “Yes. It is my brother Duncan who must be concerned with securing my family line.”

“Yet, when you marry, you will provide your husband with children and possibly an heir.”

“Did you know from the start that you wanted to marry Lord Fenton?”

“When I came out, I had a few suitors, and my father was quite pleased about that. He was kind enough to allow me to make my own choice. I spent time with all the gentlemen who pursued me, but as the summer wore on, I realized that I cared for my husband. He was patient, kind and compassionate. I never regretted my choice.”

Briar had already lost her chance for a happy ending, damned because of her circumstances. Was there even the tiniest bit of hope?

Emmeline gave a satisfied sigh. “I am happy in my marriage, and I love having children. The boys are a light in my life. Warren is a handful, and he is the spitting image of his father.”

Briar chuckled. “He is. I have only just met them, but they seem like lovely children.”

The children started running toward Emmeline. “I will return to the house and see about the children having a bath. It was lovely to chat with you, and I think we will be fast friends, Briar.”

“I am sure we will. See you at dinner, Emmeline.”

“Come along, boys,” Emmeline said as she turned and walked toward the house.

Briar watched her fade into the distance. She raised her head to the sky and sighed. She must put her feelings aside because if she continued to hope, her guard would slip, and she would let Julius into her heart, which would be her undoing.

One month later

Julius sat at the large Mahogany desk in the library. His chair was pushed back, his feet were popped on the desk, and his hands behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling. The last few weeks had been great in some respects and torturous in others. He had settled into a familiar routine with Briar and Emmeline and even found time to spend with his nephews. His confidence had grown tremendously, dinner conversation came easily, and he enjoyed every dance with her, all under Emmeline’s watchful eyes.

Julius kept his promise to himself and did not seek out Briar for a rendezvous. By God, he did not know it would be so bloody hard . Last night at dinner, he was sure Emmeline saw him staring at the elegant curve of Briar’s neck. He wanted nothing more than to lean down and press his lips to her neck before gently gliding over her shoulders down to her full breasts. She was wearing one of the new dresses he commissioned from the modiste. It was low cut, exposing her creamy skin, and when she laughed, her breast strained against the fabric. They tasted like cherries the night he took her, so sweet. Julius groaned. He wanted to quell his appetite and carnal desires, but he could not.

Yes, he wanted to bury his cock inside her, but there was more than sensual pleasure to consider. He could not deny he was drawn to Briar. It was like a magnetic pull, and no matter how much time he spent with her, it did not seem to be enough. As promised, he wanted to protect her and made all the arrangements for her family to use his townhouse in London. He enjoyed her being in his home, by his side, but now he faced the reality that they were running out of time. Everything was about to change because Julius would enter society seeking a duchess, and Briar would choose a husband. They would set off for London shortly, and they would no longer be under the same roof. He would not be able to see her every day. It would not be the same. He never wanted to let her out of his sight and for another man to pay her attention.

He had not worn his mask at Berkley Estate in weeks and did not miss it, although he would wear it in London. Briar made him forget he was unsightly, and she brought a certain energy to the room. She was lively and upbeat, and Emmeline seemed to like her a great deal. There was a knock on the door and he bid them enter.

“Good afternoon, Julius. I came to check on you. You have been quiet these last few days and did not join us for lunch.”

“Do not worry, Emmeline. Perhaps I am a bit nervous about reentering society.”

“From what I observe, Miss Walcot has prepared you well.”

“Effortlessly. She made it seem easy, and I am comfortable with her. What will happen if I do not feel that way about anyone else? The ladies of the ton may not accept me in the same way that she has.”

“She has accepted you for who you are. You do not know what is going to happen when we arrive in London. You need to wait and see.”

Not only did Briar accept him, but she also understood him. She accepted the entirety of his being, his personality, quirks, and individuality. She appreciated his unique essence beyond just his external or observable characteristics. She was performing a task, one for which she would be handsomely rewarded. Yet, she was not pretending; she never cared about his appearance. Her feelings toward him were unconditional, and at this point, he knew he was not prepared to accept anything less. His duchess must do the same.

“What I will say is that I am pleased you recognize her qualities. I came upon her playing with the children in the garden and observed her for a while. She is patient and compassionate. She will be a good mother and make someone a good wife.”

“I agree.”

“I met with the modiste when the gowns and dresses were delivered as you asked. Miss Walcot has everything that she needs for the season.”

“I will open the townhouse in Berkeley Square for her family. Will you visit with her?”

“Absolutely, and I will make some introductions to ensure she is well received.”

“That would be helpful.”

“Julius, you are a bit apprehensive about how you will be received, but it appears you are more concerned about Miss Walcot’s welfare.”

Julius was silent for a moment. “Do you really think so?”

“I see the way you look at her, and it is obvious that you care for her. Perhaps you should reflect on that while you are in London.”

Whenever he saw Briar, his feelings were immediate and loud inside him, and he had not managed to quieten them. This did not escape Emmeline’s notice.

“I did not mean to be so transparent or to put my feelings on show. It was not my intention because I need to decipher these feelings myself.”

“I am sure you will understand what they mean in time. I hope you will join us for dinner.”

“I will.”

Emmeline stood up and regarded him for a minute. It appeared she wanted to say something else, but she thought better of it. After she left, Julius mulled over the conversation. Julius was never an open book, so it said something if Emmeline could see that he cared for Briar. Now, the question is what he was going to do about it.