Page 26 of Trapped with the Forbidden Duke
Edwina did not get a chance to even say hello, for she was pulled into a hug and buried in the thick layers of her aunt’s coat.
Isabel squeezed her tightly before pulling back. “Where is that brother of yours? I shall be having some words with him.”
“He is…” Edwina hesitated.
The Duke stepped in, clearing his throat. “Rather indisposed at the moment. I believe there was a celebration at the gentlemen’s club he frequents.”
The lie rolled smoothly off his tongue, and Isabel stopped short as if she had not entirely noticed him.
“And who areyou?” she asked interestedly. “For the rumors about my nephew and niece’s troubles did not mention a handsome stranger.”
“Aunt Isabel!” Edwina hissed and turned to the Duke. “This is Lady Isabel Vaughan, my late father’s youngest sister, Your Grace.”
“It is quite all right, My Lady,” the Duke assured her, taking Isabel’s hand to kiss her knuckles. “I am Lucien Fitzgerald, the Duke of Stormhold. A pleasure to meet you, My Lady.”
Isabel looked half bewildered as she pulled her hand back. She gave him a thorough look up and down.
“Well, you might be the Duke of Stormhold, but I believe a storm has taken hold of me.”
Laughing at her own joke, she sat down at the breakfast table and finally shed her coat.
“May I join you, Edwina? You would not wish to see your old, dear aunt go hungry, would you? Mind you, I have come to assist, so perhaps I should not?—”
“No, please do,” Edwina said. That way, she did not have to face the full intensity of the Duke’s attention alone. Even if it meant enduring some of her aunt’s teasing and humor. “Just, please, do not speak of your… internal storms.”
“Oh, darling, we all have them at some point over a man or two—or several, in my case. The ton was full of many handsome men back in my debutante days. Oh, here I go again, reminiscing like an old spinster. Do tell me about your predicament, dear, and do not hold back. I am family, and family helps out even if they do not have a lot to give.”
Isabel’s grin turned sober, and she smiled up at Edwina, her eyes softening with empathy.
Edwina knew it would have only been a matter of time before her aunt caught wind of her and her brother’s state, and there wasno point in denying it now that her aunt had seen the state of the house.
“Are you staying for long, Aunt Isabel?” she asked.
“I hoped to stay for perhaps a month or so,” Isabel answered curtly, smearing preserve on her French toast—a most strange combination, Edwina thought. “If I am not imposing. It is only that I cannot think of leaving you both like this now that I know just how dire your situation is.”
“I am sure you do not need to keep saying such things,” Edwina muttered under her breath, smoothing out her skirts. “Regardless, I shall explain. Nicholas and His Grace were friends before Nick joined the army. When His Grace… found out about our predicament, he came to help us out. He is also staying with us. Almost all of the servants you see are his.”
Isabel reared back, surprised. “Oh, they are? How incredibly generous of you, Your Grace. Although, I am not entirely sure that it is proper for you to stay here. After all, Edwina is an unwed lady. I would not want my nephew and niece to be at the mercy of gossip.”
“I assure you that I will ensure that they will not be subjected to gossip about my stay,” the Duke answered smoothly. “In fact, I was just thinking of how I might assist their lovely aunt.”
Edwina looked on, amused by the way he was charming her aunt.
“Perhaps a new gown for an upcoming social event?” he suggested. “Or, I hear you have a beautiful rose garden in your estate. I would love to gift you a new dining set to view your roses. After all, you would be a rose among roses, no?”
The flattery, in Edwina’s opinion, was rather overboard, and she fought back laughter. But her aunt’s face lit up.
“Heavens, you are charming, Your Grace. I am still unsure, though.”
“I assure you that the ton will appreciate my help,” the Duke persisted. “They would not wish to lose one of their own. The Earl has friends in the ton, as does Lady Edwina. I would not want to see either of them cast out, so I endeavor to help very privately.”
Isabel still looked slightly unconvinced, but she only said, “You are most gracious, Your Grace. Thank you for looking after my family.”
“It is nothing.” The Duke waved her off.
He shifted uncomfortably, as if he did not like the woman, or as if something about her made him uneasy. Edwina wished to ask, but she could not risk it. Instead, she gave a watered-down version of the past year to her aunt, regarding Nicholas handling their finances and the estate, finding his feet, and adjusting.
By the time she was finished, her aunt was shaking her head.
