The Duke and the Accidental Bride (Duchesses of Convenience #5)

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

" O h Victoria, this is so beautiful," Charity said beside her, a look of wonder on her face.

"Yes it truly is," Victoria replied, because it really was. Lady Danbury had always been known for her remarkable ability to throw the best balls in every season and this season was no exception.

She always went for decoration out of the norm and this time around she had turned her ballroom into an ice paradise with figurines and icicles all over.

Victoria was truly in awe and wondered how she had managed to procure ice in the middle of spring. But then, if there was anyone capable of performing magic, it was the strong matriarch of the Danbury title.

She was sure that decorations such as this were sure to cause even the most devoted societal recluse to want to attend her balls, as the events always ended up in the newspapers with more than one writer extolling the intentionality behind all the activities.

At its root, her balls were a celebration of creativity and happiness and Victoria was here for it.

And that happiness multiplied when she caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

As if he felt her smile, the gentleman in question turned in her direction and an answering smile spread on his face when he recognized her. Bending his head back to his companions, he excused himself and strode towards her in long legged strides.

"Miss Hobbs, a pleasure to see you here," he said, bowing to her and taking her gloved hand to place a kiss on it. His eyes were dancing with laughter.

"Please stop, Theodore. I still remain the old Victoria you have always known" she said, giggling, "no need to stand on ceremony on my account."

"Well I do," he said rising to his full height. "I am, after all, a gentleman."

"You? A gentleman?" she teased, "you seem to forget that you are hiding a wild hellion beneath all your fine clothes," she said, rolling her eyes in mock outrage.

"Shh!" he said, placing a finger on his lips and making a show of looking around for eavesdroppers. "Do not let anyone here hear you say that. Especially not Lady Danbury, she only let me in under the impression that I was a proper gentleman."

"You must have really perfected your skills for theatre. It is definitely not easy to pull the wool over Lady Danbury's eyes."

"Maybe she believed me, because I am actually one," he said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Oh you wish. Spin me another tale, would you? I am sure she would not think that if she had seen you fall out of the tree... on your behind," she said, bursting into laughter and Theodore soon joined in. They laughed until tears almost came out of their eyes and some other guests turned to look at them aghast.

When they managed to get themselves together, Victoria changed the subject. "I have really missed you, Theodore," she said. "You always make me laugh."

"Well, I do aim to please," he said with a smile.

Now that she thought about it, she really missed him. He had been the only real friend she had since childhood because she had not fit into the character of a typical female so she had not been friends with young ladies her age. Instead she had become friends with the son of the earl that lived in the next estate and together they had raised hell and gone on adventures, climbed trees, fished in nearby streams. Together they were the perfect partners in crime getting into unimaginable trouble together.

But as it was inevitable, when they approached adolescence they had to be separated as Theodore left for Edinburgh to attend Oxford and she had to concentrate on caring for her sisters.

They still met when he returned home from his studies for holidays, but there was already some distance and the distance widened even further when he fell in love with Miss Henrietta, a viscount's daughter. When he married her and his father passed away a year later, he had to move back to the title's seat to take up the title and manage the estate that was attached to it.

She still kept in touch with his wife and Theodore himself through letters, but it was never the same as a physical meeting.

"What brings you to town, Theo?" she asked curiously.

"I am to attend Parliament, I have been absent this last few years but this year, Henri insisted that I must attend," he explained.

"How is Henri?" she asked.

"She is healthy, but her belly is growing bigger by the day," he said with a humorless smile on his face which caused her concern. "We are expecting another child."

"That is great news, Theo!" she said. "Congratulations! You are about to be a father for the second time."

"Thank you, Victoria," he said. “Sometimes I just… never mind.”

“What is it, Theo?” Victoria asked concerned.

“I just wish things were different sometimes. You know what I mean.”

“I thought you had made your peace by now,” she told him, knowing he referred to his unhappiness with the marriage his father had arranged for him. “You two seem so happy. She’s carrying your second child.”

“I know,” he sighed. “I couldn’t help but wish I were married to someone else. You don’t have any suggestions, do you?”

She laughed then, seeing the smile on his face, and shook her head.

“Unfortunately, I do not. I am the only available female I know. Unless you wouldn’t mind an older woman, then I have a lot of those.”

“You would be the perfect candidate.”

“Oh, Theo. You flatter me,” she laughed but stopped at the serious expression on his face. “You really must stop with this. It can never be. You know that.”

“If things were different… You’re right. I’m sorry.”

She smiled at him and nodded even though she felt uncomfortable.

Seeking to distract him she asked, "how is my little godson, George?"

At the mention of his energetic first born son, the wide smile appeared on his face.

"He is quite well. He is a real hellion. He had taken to giving everyone a headache with his war play these days."

The mental picture of a little boy rallying his imaginary army caused a chuckle to escape Victoria.

"Seems he takes after his father then. How is he accepting the news of the close arrival of a sibling?"

"He is ecstatic. But I think he is under the misconception that he is getting a new playmate. He would be in for a rude shock when he discovers that his sibling would not be able to play with him in that way for a few years, at least"

"I guess you and Henri have your work cut out for you," she said with a smile.

"I guess we do," he said with an answering smile.

The look of happiness on her friend's face when speaking of his son made her happy for him, but it also caused an ache in that part of her heart that had always felt lonely.

She had always wished for a family of her own, to have children of her own. But with every year that passed that she remained firmly on the shelf that dream moved further away from her reach. Instead she immersed herself in caring for her sisters instead.

"Are you well Victoria? You do not seem happy."

"I am quite fine, Theodore. Do not worry."

He gave her a doubtful look, but she was not about to complain to him about her loneliness or the dilemma of extricating her sister from the Duke's proposal. Her embarrassment would not let her and she was sure a simple talk with father will see an end to the Duke's proposal.

Theodore looked ready to pry and with his intimate knowledge of her character, he just might succeed so she had to distract him

"I think I hear the first dance starting. Surely you would not keep your dance partner waiting."

"Alright, I am leaving," he said, raising his hand in surrender. "But this discussion isn't over," he warned, striding away.

As she stood looking around for signs of her sister, she saw her father heading outside the ballroom, most likely to smoke his cheroot, but it was rather early, even for him.

Besides there was no better time to talk to him, but now because she most likely would not meet him at home within the hours he was awake, given how busy her schedule usually was.

Her mind made up, she followed him outside and sure enough when she met him outside, he was lighting his cheroot.

"I thought we have talked about this, Father. You promised to stop this habit of yours."

Her father turned to her with a placating smile. "This," he said raising the cheroot in his hand, "keeps a man's blood flowing."

When she didn't seem convinced, he sighed miserably, "can you not allow an old man to enjoy simple pleasures?" he said, using his signature act of guilt tripping his daughter.

When she looked a way in defeat, he lighted the cheroot with such glee that was almost childish. Victoria shook her head in amused disbelief.

"I have something to discuss with you, Father."

"What is it, Victoria?" he asked.

"It's about Charity's engagement to the Duke."

At the mention of the Duke, he paused a little then continued puffing away his cheroot.

"What about it?" he asked.

"I don't think he is the best match for Charity," she replied.

"Why would you think that, dear Victoria?" he asked peering at her behind the wall of smoke his cheroot had produced

"He is too intimidating and unyielding for a soft girl like her."

"She would learn to accommodate him when they marry. Remember the suitor in question is a duke, so we require his help in matters of the financial nature. We cannot afford to antagonize a man with his level of his importance. If he gets annoyed, he could destroy us all."

"Father..." she began.

"That's enough. I am not going to listen to anything about this again. Charity is going to marry the Duke of Devlin and that is final." He said with a set quality to his jaw

Victoria looked at the man that was her father in astonishment. Her father was usually tender with his daughters listening to their needs and proffering the solutions the best way he knew how, but the stranger who stood before her, had no resemblance to her kind papa.

He was reckless and had absolutely no empathy for their plight

The stranger before her was quite comfortable with selling off his daughter for a few bags of coins and that knowledge filled her with a righteous anger.

She turned and marched in the opposite direction back into the ballroom

There was one more way to handle the matter and she was ready to take proverbial bull by the horns, if that was needed to prevent her sister's distress.

Anthony stood speechless in the fringes of the ballroom when a passing server passed him a note that he said was for him.

'Please meet me in the library. It is urgent' the note read simply, it was not signed but the scrawl was decidedly feminine in nature. His mind wandered in puzzlement, which lady would want a private assignation with him?

Granted, if this had happened a few months earlier, before he went to war, he would have thought that to be from an admirer, but he had little of those these days, he thought with a bitter smile.

Whichever reason was the reason for the note, he was definitely not going to find out standing in the middle of the ballroom.

Besides, he needed something to distract him from the continual whispering and finger pointing that went on around him, when they thought he was not looking.

He suspected that if he stood there for longer, he would probably explode with tension, so it was probably better to expend that extra energy meeting the author of the mysterious invitation.

Which was why he was heading to the Danbury's library at this time of the night

When he entered the room, he realized he was right because the figure that stood close to the shelf was female, dressed in a dark colored gown, blue or green he couldn't ascertain in the dim light of the library.

"Good evening, my lady," he greeted. "I believe I came across your note, but I fear I no longer provide adventure of the nature you seem to be seeking, my lady,"

"And what sort of adventure might that be?" she asked calmly, lighting more candles that were strategically placed around the library.

The increase in brightness of the room brought the woman's features to his notice.

With her dark eyes and hair that glinted in the light and the curvy nature of her body. She looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had known her from.

A faint part of him wondered what this beautiful Amazon could possibly want from him, so he stared until the woman's forehead furrowed with annoyance. He realized he had not provided answers for her previous question.

"My lord, I asked what adventures you refer to."

"Why, an affair of course."

At his answer, her lips widened in a smile, a dimple appearing on both cheeks transforming her from just beautiful to arresting

"I am sorry to disappoint you sir, but I approached you today for a different reason entirely."

"What might the reason be?" he asked.

The woman stared into his eyes. Her easy smile transforming into a stare of determination

"I am Miss Victoria Hobbs, the first daughter of the Viscount of Wynten and Miss Charity's elder sister. I am here to ask you to call off your engagement to my sister," she said

Anthony was surprised by the audacity of the girl He had often heard described as a recluse. First, she had sought him out despite knowing he was a man and he could pose a dangerous threat to her since they were both alone and then because if they were caught, her reputation could never survive it.

He listened deeply then for footsteps wondering if that were part of her plan.

"What are you doing, Miss Hobbs?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

He still shot a cautious look around the dimly lit room, not trusting her fully. She squared her shoulders sending him a serious look.

"I have come to ask you not to marry my sister."

Her words surprised him so much that his brows lifted before he schooled his features back into a blank look.

"Excuse me?" he asked.