Perfectly Mismatched With The Duke (Historical Regency Romance) Read online

  Perfectly Mismatched with the Duke

  A Historical Regency Romance Novel

  Patricia Haverton

  Contents

  A Sweet Gift For You

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Epilogue

  Extended Epilogue

  Preview: A Game of Chess with the Marquess

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Also by Patricia Haverton

  About the Author

  A Sweet Gift For You

  Thank you for supporting my efforts. Having you beside me on this wonderful journey means everything to me.

  As a Thank You gift I have one of my full-length novels here for you. The Last Lady of Thornhill Manor is only available to people who have downloaded one of my books and you can get your free copy by clicking this link here.

  Once more, thanks a lot for your love and support.

  Patricia Haverton

  About the Book

  She swore never to love and he swore to love her until the end of time...

  Matchmaker extraordinaire Alexandra Evans lives by one rule: never fall in love.

  Having watched her mother wilt away after her father’s untimely passing, she has vowed to dedicate herself to her flourishing business and never fall victim to that kind of painful loss.

  Maxwell Hayes, Duke of Gatterlen, feels like an ensnared hare when his mother announces that she has found a suitable match for him. That is until he meets the matchmaker tasked with making it happen.

  With her walls crumbling one by one, courtesy of one dashing Duke, and someone ransacking her home, Alexandra decides this just might be the first match she’ll walk away from.

  Only, she never gets the chance to. And when he goes looking for her, all that’s left behind for Maxwell to find is a single silver pendant…

  Chapter 1

  Alexandra walked along the road, her shopping basket heavy in the crook of her left arm. She watched enviously as carriages passed by. She wished she’d taken a hackney from the market. Most days she did not mind walking, but it was a bleak day. Smog hung low in the London sky and a chill was in the air.

  She knew spring was around the corner, given that it was already the middle of March. It could not come soon enough. Though what she truly longed for was the fall. Oh, how she wished for the beautiful days of fall. True, the Season, from January until the middle of August, was always the busiest for her matchmaking agency, but she still looked forward to autumn. She loved when the colorful leaves covered the streets. As a child, her mother would take her for long walks where Alexandra would take much pleasure from jumping into and kicking up piles of leaves, much to the chagrin of the street sweepers who would glare at her and shoo her away. Alexandra smiled at the memory.

  Perhaps autumn was simply her favorite because her mother had loved it so.

  “Yoohoo!” A voice called out from some distance away, breaking her out of her thoughts. Alexandra looked up and saw a lady coming her way from the direction of the linen draper. She wore a pale blue morning dress and a matching bonnet embellished with flowers. The woman removed one hand from the silver muff she was carrying and waved at her, prompting Alexandra to wave back. She shielded her honey-brown eyes against the sun and squinted. When the woman came closer, Alexandra finally recognized her.

  “Lady Chatterley,” she called out to the woman.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Evans,” the lady replied with a pleasant smile. “I thought it was you. You look well, my dear.”

  “As do you,” Alexandra replied, unable to look away from the lady’s bulging belly. The woman placed her hand over her midsection.

  “Ah yes, thanks to you, all is well.”

  Alexandra smiled, touched by the kind acknowledgement. Lady Chatterley was another of Alexandra’s growing number of success stories. The previous summer, Alexandra had matched Lady Chatterley. Then she matched Lady Isabella Brown, daughter of the Earl of Worthington, with the Marquess of Chatterley. A glorious match, merging two of the most influential aristocratic families in the country. The match had been a boon to Alexandra’s matchmaking business, which had grown ever larger since she had taken it over from her mother.

  “I am pleased to hear all is well, My Lady. How is your sister, Lady Elizabeth?” Alexandra already knew that Lady Chatterley’s sister had not fared well in the matchmaking department. In fact, she had been left just days before her wedding, causing quite the scandal. Rumors about the reasons for the sudden end of the engagement flew around the ton, though nobody knew what had occurred. This, in turn, caused more rumors.

  In Alexandra’s opinion, Lady Elizabeth’s chosen suitor had been a poor match from the start. Had she been the one to make the selection, she would never have put her with the volatile Earl of Dorrington in the first place. Alas, the match had been made long ago by a now-retired clergy matchmaker.

  Ever the shrewd businesswoman, Alexandra always had her eyes and ears on the ton, and she had seen this unfortunate event coming. Now that she was in good standing with Lady Chatterley, perhaps she could land herself another high-profile client.

  “I am sure you have heard all about the unfortunate affair by now. Poor Elizabeth, to be left in such a manner.” Lady Chatterley shook her head in dismay.

  “It is rather a shame. Perhaps I can be of assistance once she has recovered from the shock.” Alexandra put on her sweetest smile and placed a hand on the lady’s forearm. Lady Chatterley patted Alexandra’s hand.

  “You are very sweet. However, it may be some time. Elizabeth’s health has taken a turn for the worst. She is at sixes and sevens, prone to crying fits and fainting spells. We may have to send her to Scotland for some time, to recover in the fresh air. Perhaps that will restore her and lift her spirits.”

  “Oh, the poor dear. Such a tragedy.” Alexandra felt badly for the young woman. Her antics were a little theatrical, but she could understand how difficult it had to be for the young woman to see a promising match fall apart. While an unsuccessful match was unfortunate, most of all for the matchmaker, it was Alexandra’s policy to simply move on and find a better match. It was a pity Lady Elizabeth was not in a condition to do so.

  “Perhaps once she has regained her strength, we will call on you. I am certain you will have much more success in finding her a suitable husband. Oh, Miss Evans. You and your mother have been a true blessing.”

  She flashed a big smile at Alexandra who gave her a courteous nod. The mention of her mother was like a thorn in her heart. It had been two years since she had passed away and left Alexandra, her only child, the matchmaking agency Evans U
nited Hearts. Already a great success at the time she took over, Alexandra had poured all her passion and energy into it and grown the business even more. Her ultimate goal was to be known as the matchmaker whose matches always worked out.

  She was close to her goal and would have achieved it already if not for an unfortunate event last winter. A groom, hesitant to get married to begin with, turned down every one of her matches and then took off with his brother’s governess. She still hoped to find another client of Lady Chatterley’s standing to make the public forget that unfortunate incident. Today was not the day, it seemed.

  “Well, I shall take my leave, my dear. I hope to see you soon.” Alexandra gave a nod and began to walk away when Lady Chatterley stopped her.

  “It nearly slipped my mind, Miss Evans. Lady Frances Stewart will be calling on you this afternoon. She is the daughter of the Earl of Cladborough. The Earl has been most impressed with the stories he’s heard about you and will be sending Lady Frances to engage your services. She is rather keen to wed. Lady Frances is a lovely young woman and I assured her she could trust your fine judgement.”

  Alexandra’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, really? That is lovely. Thank you for the recommendation, Lady Chatterley.”

  “It is my pleasure, Miss Evans. You have brought me much luck and fortune, and I am grateful to be able to repay you.”

  With that, the ladies parted ways, and Alexandra headed toward her home.

  * * *

  Alexandra turned at Foxberry Lane, which led directly to her little house. She and her mother had lived in the house for as long as she could remember and ran their joint business from the office located within. Just south of Piccadilly, it was close enough to be convenient for the nobility to seek out their services, but far enough away to not cost too much.

  Money had been tight all her life, but they’d managed. Somehow, when they were truly in dire straits, what they needed would always turn up. Her mother had always been lucky that way.

  Although, that was as far as her mother’s luck stretched. Alexandra force herself to stop thinking about her mother. The memories brought nothing but sorrow. Oh, how she wished she could remember her mother with joy and happiness, rather than with such sadness. When she thought of her mother, it was rarely of the successful woman who strived to provide security and happiness to lonely people. It was hardly ever of the woman who was respected by her clients and held in high esteem by her peers.

  No. It was of the woman who spent her evenings alone, sitting in her armchair, overlooking the hustle and bustle on Foxberry Lane, often a glass of ale in her hand, which she’d sip from over the course of the evening. After a long day of providing a prosperous future, of chaperoning young couples, and of ensuring the best possible unions for her clients, Lily Evans spent her evenings alone, in solitude.

  Alexandra knew where her mother’s thoughts had been during those lonesome evenings. With her father. Her father had passed away of consumption before her birth, and his loss had scarred her mother. She was never whole again after his death.

  Watching her mother and the pain she endured over her lost love had been the driving force behind Alexandra’s vow to never fall in love. No, like her mother, she’d devoted her life to bringing happiness to others as best she could.

  With a heavy heart, she passed Holmes’s Fine Art, the jewelry shop next to her house. Just like her mother and herself, the owner, Mr. Holmes, lived above his shop.

  She peeked inside and saw the old man standing at his counter with a customer. She recognized the man as Lord Alderth, a frequent visitor to the jewelry shop. She didn’t know much about the Earl other than that he was a recent widower, he was not looking to remarry, and he had no children. Thus, he was not a prospective client of hers, and so these were the only things she cared to know about the man.

  Presently, the Earl and Mr. Holmes were looking at a case containing rings. Mr. Holmes glanced up for a brief moment. When he saw her, a kind smile spread across his face and he waved at her. Alexandra couldn’t remember a time when Mr. Holmes had not been part of her life. He’d lived next-door to them for as long as she could remember, acting like a surrogate father to her and a trusted friend to her mother.

  Often times, when her mother was called upon to chaperone a potential couple, Alexandra would stay with Mr. Holmes. She’d help him polish the silver and sweep the store. She was never allowed to touch any of the jewelry, but she would stand in front of the cases, watching the light reflect off the precious stones.

  To this very day, Mr. Holmes remained a trusted confidant. Most days, she would stop in the little shop to have a chat with the old man, always making sure he did not have a customer at a time. In turn, he would frequently check up on her, peeking his weathered, friendly face into her office window.

  They had developed a routine, checking in on one another. Often, in the evening, they would join one another for a meal and catch up on the events of the day. It was nice to know that there was somebody who cared about her. Especially now that her mother was gone.

  She had fully intended to stop in the shop, not least because she had picked up an extra supply of fruits and vegetables at the market for the old man. He had the most atrocious eating habits. If left to his own devices, he would eat nothing but bread and pottage or porridge, even though he could afford to buy meat and other fine foods. Alas, since he had a customer, Alexandra kept on walking until she reached her front door. She would stop back by later to bring him his groceries.

  * * *

  She entered the house and removed her coat. Her impulse was to head to her office which was at the front of the house, overlooking Foxberry Lane and search her records for a potential husband for Lady Frances. Despite not having met the young woman, she wanted to be prepared. She hated nothing more than appearing flustered or unprepared in front of clients.

  Alexandra had a tendency to get lost in her work and she knew if she went to the office right away, the groceries would sit on the floor and soon be forgotten.

  To that end, she postponed the search and attended to her shopping first. With a sigh, she lifted the basket and carried it to the kitchen, which was in the back of the house just past the tiny guest room that now functioned as a waiting area for clients. The kitchen, compared to the office and waiting room, was sparsely decorated and furnished, with only the bare necessities. All the best furniture and artwork was used in spaces clients could access, not leaving much for the rest of the house. Even her bedroom, which was directly above the office, was bleak compared to the luscious furniture downstairs.

  * * *

  When her shopping was neatly put away, she hastened to her office. She sat at her small desk and pulled out a wooden box. It contained calling cards with information about her clients and their preferences for potential matches.

  Given that Lady Frances Stewart was the daughter of an earl, and an influential earl as such, she would have to find a husband of equal or higher standing. That ruled out any barons and viscounts she had on her roster. No, for the daughter of an earl, Alexandra needed to find an earl, or better yet, a marquess.

  The best any of her clients could hope for was to wed a duke. Since there were only a limited number of dukedoms in the country, and since the Crown was not in the habit of creating new dukedoms, eligible dukes were hard to come by. At present, Alexandra had not even a one on her roster. The highest ranking noble she was actively seeking a wife for was the Marquess of Farnborough.

  She doubted he would be a very good match for Lady Frances. The Marquess was almost forty years old, and the reason he had yet to wed despite his grand title was twofold. It was well known that he was a rather poor businessman and had squandered a lot of his family’s fortune on terrible investments. Besides, he was also quite a lonesome fellow, and prone to violent outbursts. He had been a client since her mother was alive.

  Eventually, she was sure she would find him a match, but she suspected that Lady Frances was not it. She had not met the lady ye
t, but she had heard of her. Alexandra was familiar with most of the nobility, especially the single ones. Lady Frances was a typical aristocratic lady and her father, Lord Cladborough, was a rich and powerful earl. She had to make sure whoever she selected to court the young lady was of impeccable manners and reputation. Lord Farnsborough was of neither.

  Frustrated, she shut the box and returned it to the drawer. She needed to recruit new clients. This was the downside to being as successful as she was. She had made so many matches the previous Season that her client base was somewhat depleted. She was sure once the Season was in full swing, she would gain many a client, but for right now, the options were sparse.