Page 21 of Duke of Myste
The knowledge that Richard had described her actions as courageous rather than merely proper caught Jane by surprise. “He wrote to you about our situation?”
“Of course,” Harriet replied, stirring her tea with precise movements that echoed her brother’s habitual precision.“Richard tells me everything of consequence. Our relationship may appear contentious to outsiders, but it is built on total honesty—sometimes brutally so.”
Jane considered this as she sipped her tea, another piece of the complex puzzle that made up the Duke of Myste falling carefully into place. His relationship with his sister—clearly founded on genuine affection, despite their apparent differences in temperament—revealed a capacity for deep connection she had not previously associated with the stern, proper man she had come to know.
“May I speak frankly, Miss Brandon?” Harriet asked, setting her teacup aside with deliberate care.
“I would expect nothing less,” Jane replied, genuinely curious about what might follow.
“My brother is not an easy man,” Harriet began, her expression softening with evident affection despite her critical words. “He carries responsibilities that would crush a lesser person, and he bears them with such rigid determination that many mistake his strength for coldness. But beneath that ducal façade, exists a man of profound loyalty and tenderness—qualities few are privileged to witness.”
The description aligned with glimpses Jane had caught during their courtship—moments when Richard’s stern exterior had briefly given way to something warmer, more vulnerable than his public persona suggested. Yet, hearing these qualitiesarticulated so clearly by someone who knew him well made them impossible to dismiss.
“Why are you telling me this?” Jane asked, genuinely curious about Harriet’s motivations.
Harriet studied her for a moment before responding. “Because marriage to my brother will not be simple, Miss Brandon. Society will expect you to become the perfect Duchess of Myste—dignified, restrained, impeccably proper in all things. Yet, I suspect, based on what Richard has written and what I see before me, that such a transformation would require the sacrifice of precisely those qualities that have captured his attention.”
“Captured his attention?” Jane echoed, her interest piqued. “I was under the impression that our courtship stemmed from necessity rather than genuine interest.”
A smile of surprising complexity curved Harriet’s lips. “My brother may have initially offered for you out of obligation, Miss Brandon, but his continuing fascination with your challenging mind suggests that something far more interesting has developed. Richard detests intellectual boredom above all things—a quality we share despite our differences in expression.”
Before Jane could formulate a response to this startling revelation, a soft knock interrupted their conversation. A maid appeared in the doorway, her expression apologetic.
“Begging your pardon, Lady Harriet, but the puppy has escaped again. Mr. Cree found him digging in the kitchen garden and thought you might want to know before His Grace discovers the damage.”
Harriet rose immediately, shifting from sophisticated hostess to conspirator in an instant. “Thank you, Maggie. Please tell Mr. Cree I’ll retrieve him immediately.” Turning to Jane, she added with a rueful smile, “I’m afraid I must abandon you briefly. My latest project has proven more adventurous than I anticipated.”
“Project?” Jane’s curiosity overcame her sense of propriety.
“A stray puppy I rescued from a rather sad fate near Covent Garden,” Harriet explained, moving toward the door with purposeful strides. “Richard has not yet been informed of our newest household member, as I’m still working on a strategic approach to that particular conversation.”
The thought of the stern, proper Duke confronted with an unauthorized puppy struck Jane as unexpectedly amusing.
“Perhaps I might assist?” she offered, rising to follow Harriet. “I have some experience with difficult negotiations.”
Harriet’s eyes lit up with appreciative understanding. “Miss Brandon, I believe this could be the beginning of a most productive alliance.”
As they hurried through the elegant corridors of Myste House in pursuit of the errant puppy, Jane found herself contemplating Harriet’s earlier words about her brother.
Could it be possible that Richard Riverstone—the embodiment of aristocratic propriety and ducal dignity—had developed a genuine interest in her, rather than merely resigning himself to an inescapable match?
The possibility sent an unexpected flutter through her chest—one she could no longer simply attribute to anxiety. Whatever this new emotion was, Jane was not yet prepared to examine it too closely.
For now, the immediate adventure of rescuing Harriet’s puppy before Richard discovered its existence provided a welcome distraction from more complicated considerations regarding her evolving feelings toward the Duke of Myste.
CHAPTER 8
“It is time, miss.” The maid’s voice carried a gentle urgency as she fastened the last pearl button on Jane’s wedding gown.
Jane studied her reflection in the mirror, the ivory silk gown catching the morning light. “I hardly recognize myself, Mary.”
“You look beautiful, miss.” Mary adjusted the veil with careful hands. The Duke will be most pleased.”
“The Duke’s pleasure has never been my primary concern,” Jane replied, though her voice lacked its usual edge.
These past weeks of courtship, filled with formal visits and carefully chaperoned outings, had revealed complexities in the Duke that she hadn’t expected.
The door opened, and Diana slipped in, already dressed in her bridesmaid’s gown. “Jane? Are you ready?”
