Ruining the Duke Read online

  As their friendship grew, Emma was made aware of the most intimate details of Lady Sarah, as well as her concerns, her hopes, and her dreams, but Lady Sarah did keep some distance between them. Emma did not think much of it, as she did not expect Lady Sarah to divulge the entire contents of her heart and mind upon Emma.

  “Did his allure distract my lady from his lack of grace on the dance floor, at least?” Emma asked, combing her fingers through Lady Sarah’s thick tresses.

  The maid lived vicariously through the tales which Lady Sarah told her of the balls and formal gatherings she attended. As Emma was only her maid, she was not allowed to join the events. She was to remain at Collier Estate, as instructed by the duke and the dowager duchess. Although Lady Sarah requested that Emma accompany her, her requests were always denied.

  “There is no place for a maid in our coach, Sarah,” the duke would mutter, and that would be the end of it.

  Emma had often overheard Lady Sarah and the duke discuss their friendship, and although Lady Sarah was very much aloof regarding the matter, Emma knew that they were good friends.

  “Unfortunately not, Emma. If the man had been in any manner attractive, I might have overlooked it, but it was rather ghastly, if I may be frank,” Lady Sarah scoffed.

  “Did you see any young gentlemen who caught your attention, my lady?” Emma inquired.

  “Not at all.”

  “None, my lady?”

  Lady Sarah was silent for a moment and glanced at Emma. “My brother is convinced I will never find a suitable husband.”

  “Why on earth would His Grace be convinced of such a thing?” Emma asked, purposely avoiding Lady Sarah’s eyes, at the risk of revealing her feelings of admiration for the duke.

  “He says that my standards and expectations are too high, and no man would possibly be able to live up to such unattainable expectations.”

  “His Grace knows not what he speaks of. You are a delight, my lady.”

  “I keep reminding him of that,” Lady Sarah chuckled. “But what of you, Emma?”

  “What of me, my lady?”

  “Is there a man whom you love?”

  “It is rather slim pickings here at the estate, my lady. Except for Timothy, who assists John with steering the coaches.”

  “You are in love with Timothy?”

  Emma’s eyes widened as she realized her blunder and shook her head. “No, my lady. You misunderstand me. Timothy is much too old for me, and I do not love him.”

  “Love knows no boundaries, Emma. You should always remember that.”

  For a moment, Emma wondered whether Lady Sarah would approve a relationship between herself and the duke, but the moment was fleeting as Emma realized how ludicrous she sounded. Someone as noble and entitled as the duke would not be seen in the company of someone as untitled and ordinary as Emma

  “Except when he is a terrible dancer,” Emma pointed out.

  Lady Sarah burst into a fit of laughter, which shifted the focus off Emma, for which she was grateful. She most certainly did not feel comfortable speaking of love with the sister of the man she adored from afar.

  After a few adjustments, Emma smiled and said, “There you are, my lady. Does my lady approve?”

  She stepped back and allowed Lady Sarah to examine herself in the mirror.

  Lady Sarah gasped and gently touched her dark hair. “Emma, it is perfect. I adore it.”

  Much to Emma’s surprise, Lady Sarah embraced her happily. The moment seemed rather awkward, but Emma did not utter a word.

  Lady Sarah was dressed in a fine muslin day-dress in a dark green hue, which complemented her olive complexion. She carried herself as a true noble woman should, and Emma envied her elegance. Emma envied her life as well, being well taken care of, wealthy, and having the world at her feet, but she was also aware of how lonely such a life could be.

  It was no secret that the nobles of Bathampton were rather pretentious and true friendships were rare between the noble women. They preferred one another’s company because of their titles and not their shared interests. Most of the marriages were based on the same principle. Marriages were arranged according to nobility and stature, not based on love, which was rather heartbreaking.

  Emma could not even imagine what it would be like to marry someone she did not love or have feelings for.

  Perhaps she was not as unlucky as she imagined after all.

  “I thank you, my dearest Emma.”

  Emma nodded. “Enjoy your afternoon with Her Grace, my lady.”

  “I most certainly will. The seamstress is the finest in all the county, and only the best will do for Mother’s grand ball. It is set to be the grandest affair in all of England,” Lady Sarah beamed.

  “It sounds delightful, my lady.”

  Lady Sarah smiled and walked to the door of her bedchamber. “Again, thank you, Emma.”

  “It is my pleasure, my lady.” Emma smiled in return and watched quietly as Lady Sarah left her chambers to join the dowager duchess downstairs.

  It was quiet in the bedchamber as Emma tidied up after herself and Lady Sarah. It had taken multiple attempts to choose a dress Lady Sarah was satisfied with to wear for the excursion with the dowager duchess. Each day-dress was more beautiful than the previous one, and even Emma had had a difficult time choosing her favorite, but of course, she’d offered her objective opinion, which meant she was forced to say each dress looked wonderful.

  Emma became lost in her thoughts as she hung the dresses back in the wardrobe. As she closed the wardrobe doors, she turned around and noticed the duke enter the bedchamber. Her cheeks colored immediately and she lowered her gaze.

  “Your Grace.”

  “My sister has already departed, has she not?” the duke asked, glancing around.

  “Indeed, Your Grace,” Emma answered.

  “I shall have to wait for her and my mother’s return,” the duke said and left the chambers without even gazing upon Emma, even for a moment.

  ***

  As soon as Emma had completed her duties for Lady Sarah, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen to find Kate. After her very brief encounter with the duke, she wished to keep herself occupied, as her mind had already conjured scenarios which did not even exist.

  The duke’s presence, although very brief, had been overwhelming to her, and she had gotten tongue-tied. It was no wonder the duke had paid no attention to her. She wished there was a way in which the duke would notice her, and see her as more than a mere maid in his employment.

  Emma walked slower than usual, dragging her feet towards the kitchen. The maidservants and cooks had already prepared for dinner later that evening, and Emma glanced around her. She sank onto a nearby stool and stared at the washed potatoes on the large table in the midst of the kitchen. Kate appeared, carrying an apron full of freshly washed vegetables, and placed them down on the table with the potatoes. Noticing the expression on Emma’s face, she asked, “Is everything all right, Emma?”

  “I am fine. Is there anything I can perhaps help you with, Kate?” Emma asked.

  “Are you not waiting on her ladyship?” Kate asked.

  “Lady Sarah accompanied her mother in to town. They are visiting the seamstress for new gowns,” Emma answered. “Did you know Her Grace is hosting a ball here at the estate? That should be rather magnificent.”

  “I would not know. Whenever Her Grace hosts a ball, I am confined to the kitchen, preparing the meal. Clara and Anne assist in decorating. You could ask them,” Kate answered as she started to cut the potatoes, dropping the chopped pieces into a bucket with water.

  “Would it not be lovely to wear a magnificent gown and dance amongst the nobles, even if it was only for one night?” Emma asked dreamily.

  “That would most certain not happen, ever,” Kate scoffed.

  “What do you mean?” Emma asked as her brow furrowed.

  “Stop looking so confused, Emma. We are staff. We are not allowed to go anywhere near the ballroom or
the hallways where the guests are. Her Grace gives us clear orders on where we should be.”

  Emma’s smile faded and was quickly replaced by disappointment. “We are not allowed there?”

  “Not in the least,” Kate said. “The closest you will get to attend is assisting Lady Sarah with getting dressed.”

  Emma bit her bottom lip and lowered her gaze. “Perhaps.”

  “It is not our place, Emma. I am not even certain why it affects you as much as your face shows. Those people think they are better than the rest of us, but that is the way the world works, dear Emma. We cannot change the world, much less the minds of the nobles,” Kate explained.

  It was a sad and harsh truth which Emma had considered, but no one had ever uttered those words to her. Her dreams of the duke now seemed foolish and impossible, and a miserable sigh escaped her throat.

  “We should stick to our own kind, Emma. It is safer that way, especially for our hearts. Falling in love with a nobleman of any kind is dangerous to our hearts, and to our minds.”

  Emma glanced at Kate and cleared her throat. “I am not in love with a nobleman, Kate,” she pointed out defensively.

  “Of course you are not, Emma. You know your place in the world, I was merely making a point. We are from different worlds and when those worlds collide, there is always sorrow and anguish,” Kate said, followed by a long silence.

  Emma wondered whether Kate had experienced the matter firsthand, as a hint of sadness and resentment showed in her eyes, but Emma did not utter a word. Instead, she stood from the stool, and helped Kate cut the vegetables.

  ***

  Lady Sarah glanced at the duke from across the dining table at dinner that evening but did not utter a word. Lady Sarah and her mother had discussed the details of their new gowns extensively, and the duke had expressed his opinion regarding the matter after having to listen to them.

  The dowager duchess took a sip of wine and glanced at the duke. “Your trip to Cheltenham is in a few days. Have you prepared all the documents?”

  “Indeed I have, Mother. I am always prepared,” the duke answered.

  “That is wonderful news,” the dowager duchess answered.

  “Oh, how I love Cheltenham,” Lady Sarah beaned. “Colin, do you remember when we traveled there when we were children? The lovely times we had?”

  “Vaguely.”

  Lady Sarah’s smile faded and she inhaled slowly. Before the death of their father, the duke and Lady Sarah had had wonderful times together where they laughed and danced. The death of their father had affected the duke in such a way that he was no longer that young man. The duke now wore the responsibly of his father’s name on his shoulders, and it was a heavy cross to bear. The expectations of following in his father’s footsteps were somewhat unattainable, as the late duke had been a confident man who was intelligent, honorable, and very proud. He had also been respected by his peers, and everyone he came into contact with. A well-liked man, but with the necessary authority with which to command respect and obedience. The late duke had also been a scholarly man, having a degree in law from Oxford.

  The duke felt pressured to live up to these achievements, but at times it made him feel inadequate, as he was not even in small part the man his father had been. A failed legacy.

  “Perhaps I could join you on your trip, brother,” Lady Sarah suggested with a smile. “It would be lovely to visit Cheltenham again and—”

  “I do not think it is a good idea, sister,” the duke said.

  “Why on earth not?”

  “It is not a pleasure trip, Sarah. It is a business trip,” the duke argued.

  “Perhaps for you.”

  “The answer remains no, Sarah. You will not accompany me, and that is final,” the duke said angrily and stood from the table.

  “Colin, stop being theatrical and unreasonable and sit down,” the dowager duchess, who had been quiet until now, said firmly.

  “Mother, I certainly do not wish to argue with you—”

  “I am glad to hear that,” the dowager duchess said with a tight smile. “Cheltenham is quite a long journey, and I would feel much better if you did not travel alone.”

  “Mother, please be reasonable.”

  “I am being reasonable, Colin,” the dowager duchess said. “Sarah will accompany you on your trip and that is the end of it.”

  The duke’s jaw clenched before he stormed out of the dining hall.

  “He is upset,” Lady Sarah noted after the doors slammed shut.

  “Do not mind your brother. He simply does not like it when he is told what to do. He requires complete control,” the dowager duchess grinned.

  “I do not wish for him to be upset with me for the duration of the trip,” Lady Sarah said. “Perhaps I should have a word with him.”

  The dowager duchess nodded silently, dismissing Lady Sarah from the table. Lady Sarah rushed after the duke and found him standing in the great hall in front of the window, gazing out at the gardens.

  “Brother,” she said as she approached him.

  “What is it?” the duke asked.

  “I do not wish for you to be upset with me, brother, but—”

  “Of course I am upset with you,” the duke whirled around and glared at her. “You dismissed my words and allowed Mother to dictate to me what was not even her choice to begin with. You belittled me and embarrassed me without uttering a word.”

  “That was not my intention, and you should be aware of that. I merely thought it would be delightful to join you on this trip, and I did not wish for you to journey such a far distance on your own. If something were to happen …” Lady Sarah’s voice trailed off and the duke glanced at her.

  “Nothing will happen to me.”

  “You cannot be certain of it,” Lady Sarah mumbled and turned away, tears forming in her eyes.

  Of course the duke was not blind to her tactics, and knew she was acting dramatic for his attention, or to make him feel guilty for being angry. However, even if he wished to deny it, her tactics worked rather effortlessly.

  The duke rolled his eyes and approached Lady Sarah. “Very well. You can join me.”

  A smile instantly formed on her face and she embraced him. “Thank you, brother. You will not even know we are there.”

  “We?”

  “You certainly did not think I would travel without her?”

  “Sarah, I do not think it is suitable for the maidservant to travel with us in the coach.”

  “Would you prefer it if she sat outside the coach, beside Timothy?” Lady Sarah asked.

  “That is not what I meant,” the duke muttered.

  “Colin, you agreed that Emma could be my personal maid and accompany me while traveling. You agreed, and now you wish to go back on your word? That is not very honorable,” Lady Sarah said and crossed her arms. “Father would never do such a thing.”

  The duke was taken aback by her words, and they struck him like a hundred swords through his heart. Lady Sarah simply knew how to manipulate him, and he was a fool.

  “How dare you bring Father into this?” he exclaimed.

  “Emma will accompany me whether I have your approval or not!” Lady Sarah hissed.

  “Do whatever you wish, as you will do so regardless of what I think or say!” he exclaimed finally as he stormed off again.

  Lady Sarah smiled smugly at her brother, but as she turned, she noticed Emma in the hallway, frozen on the spot. As their gazes met, Emma turned on her heel and rushed away.

  “Emma, wait!” Lady Sarah called out to her.

  Emma, who was already a short distance away, turned back to Lady Sarah, and carefully approached her.

  “My sincerest apologies, my lady. I was not eavesdropping. I was merely passing by the hallway when I heard my lady and His Grace arguing,” Emma apologized.

  “Hush, Emma,” Lady Sarah silenced her with a wave of her hand. “His Grace and I will be journeying to Cheltenham, and I informed him you would be joining us as we
ll.”

  Emma’s brow furrowed for a moment and she asked, “My lady, are you certain?”

  “Indeed I am. There is not a single person on this earth I would rather have accompany me than you,” Lady Sarah answered.

  “Very well, my lady. Will you require my assistance this evening?” Emma asked.

  “Not this evening, Emma. In the morrow we will pack, but lightly. We do not wish to aggravate my brother even more with too much luggage.”

  “Understood, my lady,” Emma nodded.

  “Have a peaceful evening, Emma. See you in the morrow,” Lady Sarah said with a nod.

  “And you, my lady,” Emma said quietly before Lady Sarah gracefully made her way down the hallway and up the stairwell.

  Chapter Three

  May 1814

  Leitshire Hall

  Cheltenham

  Kent, England

  The duke paced around the large bedchamber which had been specially prepared for him at Leitshire Hall, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Leitshire, and their daughter, Lady Laura.

  The purpose of the trip was to negotiate the terms of their betrothal, as he had discussed with the Duke of Leitshire at a ball a few weeks ago. The duke had not informed Lady Sarah of this until the previous evening, and she had been delighted.

  Lady Sarah and Lady Laura were both very similar women, and perhaps this was why the duke thought Lady Laura would be a good fit for him. She was elegant, graceful, and very well-spoken. Although her beauty was obvious, her eyes felt cold and distant, but perhaps he had imagined it. His mind had certainly been elsewhere ever since the journey had begun, and this frustrated the duke to no end.

  Much to his surprise, the duke had taken notice of Emma months ago, struck by her beauty and kindness. The vision of her stayed in his mind, especially when she smiled shyly, or attempted to hide her flushed cheeks. She spoke softly, walked softly, and tolerated Lady Sarah’s demands as if they were the easiest of tasks, which the duke knew they were not. The duke wondered how she managed to keep such a straight face while listening to Lady Sarah’s rambling regarding the eligible men she enjoyed dancing with at balls.