Page 10 of The Duke's Gamble
“Perhaps we may defer this discussion for another time, Your Grace, for, truth be told, I have never encountered such preposterous nonsense from any gentleman—nor felt such a lamentable disregard for consideration. To suggest that allthreeof my daughters find a suitable match in one Season when theyoungest one is not even out speaks of a lack of understanding and consideration. Nor is there any understanding of the mourning we have been enduring and though you speak of the shock we must feel, you have no empathy for that.” There was dignity in every word, but Florentina did not miss the way her mother’s lips trembled as she spoke.
“My lady, I—”
Lady Haddington held up one hand in the Duke’s direction. “As I have said, I have heard enough and do not wish to continue the conversation for the moment. This is still my house, given thegracethat you have supposedly shown us and, in that, I have every right to command what happens within these four walls.”
“I—” The Duke began to speak, then bit back his words. “Of course. I shall have to remain until we come to some arrangement, however.”
Her mother ignored this. “Then excuse me, if you please.”
Silently thrilled with her mother’s tenacity, Florentina walked from the drawing room alongside her mother, with both of her sisters following thereafter. She was sure that her mother’s quiet dignity was what had both the Duke and Lord Crawley bowing as Lady Haddington passed, with the Duke mumbling something that Florentina paid no heed to. Her only concern was her mother.
It was not until they made their way into her mother’s private parlour that Lady Haddington finally released all of her emotions. She dropped her head and allowed a small sob to break from her lips as she sat down heavily in a chair, and Florentina’s heart twisted so painfully that she clutched at her chest.
“What has Henry done?” Lady Haddington’s voice was crippled with agony, broken with sobs. “How could he have done this to us after everything we have already endured? Hepromised he would care for us. How can he do this to you all? To his sisters?”
“I do not know, mama.” Helplessly, Florentina spread her hands as both Christina and Miriam echoed the same, with Miriam ringing the bell for the servants and Christina going to pour a small measure of brandy, clearly aware that her mother needed something fortifying. “We shall find a way through this difficulty, however, I promise you. Something must be done. Somethinghasto change. Perhaps the Duke will be convinced to give up the house and his claim to it, once he has time to consider.”
Lady Haddington shook her head, squeezing Florentina’s hand as her sisters stood silently, Miriam crying silent tears and Christina wringing her hands.
“No, my dear girl, he will not.” Lady Haddington spoke quietly, but her gaze was steady as she looked into Florentina’s face. “I have met a man akin to the Duke and I can tell you that his demand to gain what is rightfully his will surpass any sort of emotion or pricking of conscience. Make no mistake, my dear. This house is no longer our own.”
***
The days passed at Haddington Manor, and the Duke and Lord Crawley remained at the estate, taking occasional walks about the grounds and engaging in private discussions. Lady Haddington spent most of her time in her chambers, as did the girls, avoiding interaction with the Duke and his companion, save for at mealtimes or in rare chance encounters in the hallways. There was still no sign of Henry, who, despite having been expected to arrive shortly after the Duke and his companion a few days prior, had still not made an appearance.
Florentina and her sisters were now in the library, where they had often secluded themselves in recent days, discussingtheir circumstances repeatedly and reassessing any new information they would acquire.
“I do not like the Duke.”
Florentina gave her youngest sister a small smile. “That is quite all right. I think you are permitted not to like him.”
Miriam let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. “I am much too young to be out, am I not? I cannot go to London and find myself a husband.”
“Given that you are not yet near sixteen, I do not think that you are under any obligation to find a suitable husband just yet, Miriam,” Florentina said softly. She caught the look of relief on Miriam’s face and allowed herself a gentle chuckle. That sound soon faded. “Though it is now both my responsibility and Christina’s to make a suitable match this Season, even though we had not truly thought of such a thing with any sort of seriousness.” Had it not been for their father’s untimely death, then Florentina might well have been already wed by this time, but it had been almost two years now since she had any thought of being in society. There had been a good deal of talk about it when her father had been alive, but no certain preparations had been made. And then had come her father’s passing and she was only now finishing her year of mourning. Besides that, the shock of his death had not given her any eagerness to make her way to society, although now it seemed that she would have very little choice. Pondering this as she picked up her embroidery, Florentina released a slow breath trying to remove the worrying twist from her stomach.
What the Duke had suggested was, unfortunately, the only route she and Christina could take, the only path that would lead her to any sort of security for her family. If she made a good match with a suitable gentleman who might be considerate and generous, then that could help her mother and youngest sister.Though,she considered, worrying her lip as she sewed,if thetonhears of what Henry has done and that his own manor house is no longer in his possession, the chances of a suitable match will be much slimmer.
“You do not like the Duke either, I think.”
Florentina glanced back towards Miriam, who had completely forgotten about the book in her lap and was now looking across the room directly towards her. With a wry smile, Florentina lifted her shoulders.
“He is a difficult man to like. I am trying to remind myself that my brother is the one who has caused us so many problems and whilst that is true, I cannot quite help feel anger towards the Duke also. I am all the more distressed to see that he will not give up the bet for our sake, given that he is already a gentleman with his own fortune, his own estate and the like. I do not understand why he finds this particular manor house such an improvement on his own, but he seems quite determined to take what is ours and make it his.”
“And Henry is still absent.” Miriam sighed and shook her head, blinking quickly as tears formed, sparkling in the light. “I do not know what our brother is doing, leaving us at such a situation. I cannot understand it. Yes, he may have been foolish, but I did not think he was a coward.”
This remark sent a pang of sorrow through Florentina’s already troubled heart. Her brother was gone from the house and had done nothing other than send a note to their mother. He himself had not shown his face, nor come to the house to apologise to their mother or to ease the transition in any way. Instead, he had simply removed himself from their lives and showed no intention of returning.
“I do not know where Henry is or what he is doing,” she admitted, softly. “You are quite right to say that such behavior is cowardly. I know that I should direct my anger solely towardshim but instead I find myself blaming almost everything on the Duke! I think very poorly of him, I confess.”
“And what of his friend?”
At this Florentina immediately frowned, turning her head to see Christina coming into the room. Evidently, she had heard part of Florentina’s conversation with Miriam. “You mean the silent gentleman who says very little and simply observes everything without a word?” she asked, her hands tightening suddenly around her embroidery. “I do not know what to make of him, truth be told. He says very little but appears to go along with everything that the Duke suggests.”
“But that makes sense, does it not?” Christina replied softly. “After all, he is his friend; therefore, we could not expect him to act otherwise.”
“I suppose so.” Sighing, Florentina shook her head as Christina sat down beside Miriam. “I had hoped that another gentleman one a little removed from the situation might convince the Duke to reconsider, that he might bring a little wisdom into this dark predicament.” Closing her eyes, she pulled her mouth to one side in frustration. “However, it seems instead that Lord Crawley is the quiet, watchful sort who will offer neither wisdom nor defence, even in such a situation as this.”
“Mayhap he feels he cannot do so, for fear of incurring the Duke’s wrath,” came Miriam’s soft reply. “You have observed much about the gentleman, have you not?”
