Page 3 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
“I apologize for my lateness,” she said with a sigh. “We had an outbreak of hair pulling and doll hiding at the orphanage.” The men chuckled at her quip. “Did I miss anything?”
“No, my dear. We were just catching up on things,” Dorman said, lovingly smiling at his wife as she took the seat next to him.
A maid entered a few moments later, pushing a tea cart with a platter of sandwiches and a selection of sweets, including another plate of lemon bars. As the duchess poured and the maid assisted with plating, William looked around the room,eyeing the elegant drapes adorning the tall, beveled windows, the thick Aubusson carpet, and the leather furniture. He liked the various blues and greens that the duchess had chosen to use throughout the rooms, as well as her taste in fabrics for the drapes and furnishings.
“Harriett, my compliments on the changes you implemented to the townhouse.” He turned to the duke. “Dorman, is there any chance I could borrow your lovely wife to help me decorate the manor house in Kent?”
“Not a chance. Get your own wife! I love having Harriett by my side,” Dorman teased. “She is talented at everything she undertakes.” He winked at his blushing wife. “However, there may be another option. We haven’t been to Kent in a long time, and I have a business matter that may require travel to the area.”
“I would consider it an honor to help with your estate, William,” Harriett said. “Perhaps we could follow once you’ve settled yourself. We would be happy to have Michael stay here with us while you get things sorted at your estate. We have plenty of room. The girls have an excellent governess, and Cat and Bea love animals as much as Michael does.” She giggled.
William smiled. Catherine and Beatrice were Lucas and Harriett’s wards, children Lucas had taken in when their parents died. It seemed his brother’s penchant for rescuing wild creatures had made the rounds. “That is most kind of you. I appreciate your invitation to have Michael stay here,” he said. “However, I think it would be good for my brother to live with me at Cliffton Abbey. It would be good for me as well.” Even though William would be immersed in the estate business, he would have plenty of time to spend with Michael.
“Our friendship is something I never anticipated,” Harriett mused before she sipped her tea. “I ignored every effort you initially made to contact me, thinking you would be the horrid person my former mother-in-law described. As awfulas my late husband was, she made no bones about wanting everything her son had left to me—she didn’t feel I should’ve received even a farthing.”
“Well, I’m glad she didn’t get her way,” William said, his tone firm. He had made certain of that himself, instructing his capable staff—including Franklin, who had remained loyal to him, as well as his newly appointed butler and housekeeper—to ensure the old harridan was gone from Cliffton Abbey well before his arrival.
William had understood Harriett’s dilemma the moment he spoke to Harriett’s former mother-in-law, and when he discovered the extortion papers that the late viscount had used to marry Harriett, he had had a fairly good idea of what had transpired.
He shook his head. “But as horrible as the whole affair was, had I not inherited his title—something I never anticipated—I would have never met you or your husband, and two finer friends I have never had,” William said. “And I cannot disagree that the title has given me an advantage that is much appreciated where my brother is concerned.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Lucas added, lifting his brandy glass in a toast. “Harriett has returned to me as my wife, and my life is all the richer and happier for it. William, your friendship is a gift as well. Let me speak with my man of affairs, and I’ll update you on our possible travel to Cliffton Abbey.”
“I should give fair warning. The latest report from my man of business revealed the manor house needs much repair,” William said. “This will be my first time living there.”
Harriett harumphed. “I wishIhad never lived there,” she said tightly, her voice trembling with anger—and no doubt the painful memories of having essentially been a prisoner there.
Dorman wrapped his arm around his wife’s slender shoulders and hugged her close.
“There is a decent central living area, but the older wings need significant refurbishment and repair,” the duchess said, sounding calmer. “I would be happy to make suggestions. I would like nothing more than to see it transformed into a bright and welcoming place to live.” She paused. “There was also a tunnel that wound down to the beach. I must show you where it is—but my understanding is that tunnels run throughout the property and possibly connect to the estate it borders. I never mentioned it to your cousin, but it was the only way I had any semblance of freedom, where I didn’t feel spied upon. I used it every chance I got. I discovered it by accident and realized his servants didn’t seem aware of it.”
William couldn’t imagine how difficult that must have been for Harriett—living in near isolation while her every move was watched and reported on. Nothing about his cousin had surprised him; he had been a cold, unscrupulous man. William would have to do his utmost to change the perception people had of the title of Viscount Dudley. Each time he was introduced with his new title, people eyed him speculatively until they were sure he was not of the same ilk as the late viscount.
“Thank you. Knowledge of a tunnel would be an important piece of information, especially if I’m to have a very adventurous eight-year-old with me,” William said with a laugh. “Michael’s favorite pastime is playing pirate, when he’s not rescuing stray animals. Finding a secret passage to the sandy beaches of Dover would be perfect for him. I’ll need to look into that.”
The duke chuckled. “A secret tunnel is a definite draw for children. Certainly, something we would love to have discovered when we were that age.”
“A boy with Michael’s spirit will certainly offer a hearty challenge,” Harriett added. “Perhaps I could be of assistance in securing you a governess. It might make things easier.”
William was glad she didn’t echo Dorman’s teasing him about getting a wife. He had no immediate plans to marry. Despite his having acquired the title of a man who was greatly disliked, word of William’s missions had spread among theton. He’d become recognized as a hero of sorts, and at every ball or dinner he’d been forced to attend, he’d found himself avoiding all the young debutantes. He had hoped to divest himself of the Crown’s responsibilities and remove himself from London, where people in his set lauded him at every turn for saving the lives of children who’d been stolen and bound for slavery—among them, a child of a fellow peer.
If he were being honest with himself, he’d admit that he’d enjoyed the work—the connection with his team, the common purpose.
It was the same feeling he’d had when he was in the army. What his admirers didn’t know was that while William had let the man who committed the crime drown, he now understood he hadn’t gotten the head of the snake. However, he hadn’t lost any sleep over Blackstone’s dying. Rescuing Beth Ann Wilson and returning her to her loving parents had been worth it. The death of that bastard Blackstone was still a win. If that made William more ruthless and less heroic, so be it. The problem was—he hadn’t put an end to the Pied Piper. The villain was still out there.
~*~
Chapter Two
Three weeks later
Bridgewater Manor
Dover, Kent
“Lacey… where are you?” Lady Bella Connolly called to her dog. Lacey never wandered away. Bella had swung open the kitchen door five minutes ago, the savory scent of beef stew and warm bread from their midday meal lingering behind her, and let Lacey out, trusting her faithful companion to play in the familiar, grassy expanse as she always did. Now, as Bella stepped outside, wrapping her shawl around her shoulders to ward off the biting cold, a sense of unease washed over her. The yard was usually noisy from Lacey’s exuberant barking and her penchant for digging up flowers, but the area felt unsettlingly quiet.
“Come on, Lacey, where are you?” Bella called. She put two fingers under her tongue and gave a loud whistle for her dog—something her father had taught her, although her Uncle Stephen often chided her for such an unladylike display.
