A Mistletoe Match For The White Duchess (Historical Regency Romance) Read online

  What a disaster, what an utter disaster I am! The girls are right and so are the Lady Conner and her cousin. I am useless. Plain and useless and I shall never find anyone to care for me. Look at me! An embarrassment.

  She cried hot tears as she remained sitting on the stairs.

  “Miss! Faith, are you injured?” A familiar voice sounded out from behind her. She turned and through the curtain of tears she saw the blond-haired lord who had come to her assistance in the supper room. She wiped her eyes and tried hard to suppress any further tears. He was beside her in a split second.

  “Can you stand?” He squatted next to her.

  “I believe I can, yes.” She attempted to rise but a sharp pain raced through her back.

  “Let me assist you,” the man said and wrapped an arm around her to help her stand.

  Isolde’s tears stopped for the sheer shock of having a man she was not related to touch her in such a way. He helped her up the steps and to a bench on the porch. The pain in her back ebbed away somewhat as she sat.

  “May I see your finger?”

  She let him examine her finger. As he did, she noticed how very blue his eyes were. So much like the ocean but with a sparkle as though she was looking into the stars. He wrapped a handkerchief around her finger. The sensation of his hand on hers made her shudder, but not in an unpleasant way.

  “It is not too bad a cut.” He looked up at her and she became very aware of how her tear-stained face had to look. The carefully-applied powder was surely ruined.

  “It might be improper to say so, Miss, but I could not help but overhear some of the unkind things the ladies said to you. And I am certain what I heard was but a small fraction of what they said.”

  Isolde swallowed hard. She had been utterly humiliated. What cruel irony it was that a handsome lord should pay attention to her when she was near ruined with embarrassment. Of course, a handsome lord such as him would not otherwise have paid attention to her.

  “It is quite all right, my Lord. It is not the first time and it will not be the last. I am usually much more composed. My Father always taught me the best way to deal with ladies such as these is to remain composed for they will eventually see the virtue in my endurance.”

  He frowned and looked out into the night, then shook his head. “I do not know who your father is, but I must respectfully disagree. When assaulted in such a vile manner it is imperative to defend oneself. Next time it happens, let them see how cruel they are, let them get a taste of their own medicine.” She noticed that he had balled his hands into fists in anger. The knuckles turned white in a hurry.

  “Promise me you will not let ladies such as these cause you so much pain again. You deserve to be treated with respect for you appear to be a fair and kind-hearted young woman. Do not let them tell you otherwise.”

  Isolde’s mouth fell open for she had never received such advice from a stranger with such compassion. Whoever this young lord was, he appeared genuinely concerned for her.

  “I promise,” she said quietly. “I am sorry, but I do not believe we have met.”

  A slight smile appeared on his lips. “I am…”

  “Oh, Faith! There you are!” The door burst open and Olivia appeared, Isolde’s pelisse draped over her arm. “I went to search for you and came upon the commotion in the supper room. They said you rushed outside without your pelisse. You must be frozen to the bone.”

  She rushed to Isolde’s side and draped it around her. Only once she was done did she acknowledge the young man.

  “Oh, excuse me. I did not mean to …”

  The man rose and bowed to both of them.

  “It is quite all right.” He looked at Isolde, a warm smile on his face. “Now that you are properly attended to, I shall take my leave.” He opened the door and was almost inside when he stopped and turned back.

  “Do not forget your promise.”

  “I will not forget, my Lord.”

  With that, the stranger entered the house and left.

  “Who was he? What promise? And what happened to you? You look a fright.”

  Isolde’s eyes were still fixed to the door where the young man had disappeared. She tore her gaze away and faced her friend whose fair face was marked with worry.

  “I fell and he assisted me. I did not even discover his name.”

  She looked down at her index finger which was still wrapped in the man’s handkerchief. She unwrapped it and took a closer look. It was made of fine muslin and had beautifully-decorated edges. In the middle, the letter E was embroidered. E? She frowned and found herself looking out into the night, just as he had done. The handkerchief in hand she closed her eyes and thought of the young man who’d come to her rescue in more ways than one. Her heart beat faster as she thought of the way he’d wrapped his arm around her to help her up.

  She could not help but wonder, Who was this stranger? And would she ever see him again?

  Chapter 2

  Jonathan sat behind his father’s heavy oak desk, and rubbed his eyes as a yawn escaped him. He had not slept well the previous night as the events of the ball and his encounter with the young lady had kept his mind occupied. Even now, when he should be attending to matters of his estate, he kept thinking back to last night. Rage built up inside him when he thought of the three young ladies’ behavior. To taunt someone so mercilessly as to reduce them to tears….

  The poor young lady. I hope she has recovered from the incident. Why did I not ask her for her name so I could call on her? She seemed familiar, so did many of the lords and ladies at the ball and yet I spoke to hardly any of them. The only time I felt comfortable with anyone was with the young lady.

  He sighed heavily when a knock on the door drew his attention. Hastings, his estate steward, entered the room. Jonathan was still in shock over how much the man had aged since he’d last seen him. Jonathan had been away for almost ten years, but Hastings appeared to have aged many times that. He walked with a beautifully-carved walking stick, a gift from Jonathan’s father. His hair was entirely white and his face lined with deep wrinkles.

  “Good morning, Your Grace. I hope you had an enjoyable time at the ball last night. Were you able to surprise your friends as planned?”

  Jonathan groaned at the question and shook his head. He’d returned from India less than a week before and decided to surprise his closest childhood friends, Mister Eric Gordon and Mister Thomas Brown, by attending last night’s ball. Given that both were keen on balls and the life of each party, he’d been certain they would be there. Oh, what a reunion it would have been! But he’d found neither in attendance.

  “Evidently, both are out of town, thus my surprise was an utter failure. As for the ball itself…it was rather unpleasant. I had quite forgotten how catty the ladies of the ton can be.”

  He shook his head as the incident came back to his mind. “There was an unpleasant incident that, I’m afraid to say, has only furthered my dislike for these types of events, Hastings.”

  Hastings pressed his lips together before speaking again.

  “How very unfortunate, Your Grace. Perhaps when your friends return to town you may feel different?”

  “Perhaps.” Jonathan shrugged. He had sent word ahead via letter that he was returning to England after his journey overseas. He’d hoped to see them at the ball, or at least be able to reconnect with some of his neighbors. But shortly after arriving he’d witnessed the young lady’s distress and it had put him out of the mood for a ball entirely.

  “Has Your Grace had a chance to survey the paperwork I left?” He walked as though his feet were weighted down and sat on the red-velvet covered chair as soon as Jonathan indicated for him to do so. He plopped rather than sat as Jonathan heard the old man’s knee joint pop.

  Jonathan sighed. “I have. And I understand little of it other than the tenants are behind. Is the estate in trouble?”

  Hastings swayed his head back and forth.

  “Not quite. Your Grace’s fortune is not in
any danger. But, since Your Grace’s Father separated from the sugar plantation in the Caribbean, there has been a reduction in income. In addition, the annuity to Your Grace’s Mother in Scotland further reduced your fortune.”

  Jonathan frowned. “I am certain my Father provided my Mother with only what she asked for. And she would not ask for outrageous sums, she is a modest woman, Hastings.”

  Hastings, an older fellow who much believed in the old ways of the world and stood hesitantly in the face of change, sighed heavily.

  “Be that as it may, the real issue is the lack of rent and tithe paid by some of the farmers.”

  Jonathan narrowed his eyes. “Is this not why we employ an estate steward? To ensure such issues are attended to?”

  Hastings nodded, “Of course, Your Grace. If you would like to look over the correspondence here and here,” he shuffled pages around the desk, “You will see what is owed.”

  Jonathan picked up a sheet and his eyes bulged.

  “Jones has not paid a tithe or rent in six months? And Forester in eight? And there are more! Hastings, I do not wish to be blunt, but what have you been doing since my Father passed away and I was in India?”

  The old man cleared his throat, “I apologize for disappointing you, Your Grace. “

  Jonathan shook his head. “My Father always spoke of you with the highest regard, but I must admit that I do not see much evidence of your abilities as Estate Manager. True, my finances are not in disarray, but the number of tenants that have not paid rent, the outstanding tithe …”

  He shook his head and looked from the papers on his desk to the old man whose lips quivered.

  “I have done my best, I assure you, Your Grace. The Duke, the previous Duke, had been quite withdrawn for some months before he passed away. I have been unwell myself and my wife…” The old man swallowed hard. “It has been difficult.” Tears welled up in the old man’s blue eyes.

  I have upset him. Why did I have to be so harsh with him? I have been gone a long time, and many things have changed. I should not have been so demanding. He is an old man, after all. Why must I be so forward sometimes?

  “Hastings, I am only trying to understand the problems so we can address them.”

  “Yes, Your Grace. I have not done as thorough a job as I have in the past. I must admit, I have not the energy I once had. And the farmers know that fact. Some of the farmers have taken advantage of the situation. Knowing that there was no lord in residence, with Your Grace far away in India, made some of them rather keen to take advantage.”

  “Jones has always been a cocky one. Stiffing us on his tithe and trying to shave off parts of his rent. I recall him well. I assume he is the ringleader among those who have not paid?”

  Hastings nodded. “He is indeed.”

  “I shall speak to him myself and ensure he knows there is once again a Duke of Ekhard in residence, and that such behavior will not stand. Neither will disrespect to my steward. You speak with my voice when you speak to these tenants, and I will ensure he knows that. “

  The old man nodded. His grip tightened around his walking stick.

  “That is all, Hastings. Go home and attend to your wife,” Jonathan said, releasing the man from his duty for the day.

  “Yes, Your Grace.” He rose with some difficulty, which made Jonathan feel even worse. He had grown so old and he’d been in charge of the running of the estate for several months, since the sudden death of Jonathan’s father in the summer.

  “Hastings?” He called the man when he had almost reached the door.

  “Yes, Your Grace?”

  “I apologize for my harsh words earlier. I have been overwhelmed with responsibility and I should not have turned my frustrations on you. You have done your very best, I am certain.”

  A slight smile appeared on the man’s face and Jonathan caught a glimpse of the man he remembered from his childhood. The regal, always-in-control Estate Manager who’d taken charge of the lands with a firm but fair hand. In truth, Jonathan would do well to aspire to follow in his footsteps as much as in his own father’s.

  “I thank you, Your Grace. I do admit it has been taxing, but it is good to have a Duke seated behind this grand desk once more.”

  He departed, leaving Jonathan behind in the office that had been his father’s for so many years. With a sigh, Jonathan rose and decided to attend to matters of the estate.

  * * *

  Jonathan rode his beloved horse, Jora, through the forest, after paying a visit to his delinquent tenants. The shock had been great upon their faces when they saw the Duke. His father, while kind and diligent, had not often met with his tenants. On St. Stephan’s day he would take Jonathan and his older brother, Charles as well as their three sisters, Mary, Charlotte, and Lorraine, to hand out gifts, but that was the only time of year his tenants saw him face to face.

  Jonathan intended to change that. The way of old often was not the right way. In fact, the incident at the ball last night had proven as much. He found it appalling that young ladies were expected to always maintain a pleasant countenance even when faced with such vile assaults as he’d witnessed yesterday. He truly hoped the young lady would keep her promise and stand up to these wenches next time.

  He sighed and inhaled the fresh November air. The scent of pine cones lingered in the air. Oh, how he loved the forest. It was one thing he’d missed while in India, the chance to ride through the forest. He hadn’t done so in many years. The last time he could remember riding through these woods was just before he’d departed. He’d spent the afternoon with Eric and Thomas, as the forest connected all three of their estates.

  By Jove! I am mere miles from Roselawn Manor. I shall ride there and inquire when Eric may return. Since my surprise did not work out, I may just as well let him know I am here. Yes. I will leave a message with Hector, their butler.

  Jonathan rode out of the woods and into a clearing at the end of which rose the beautiful Roselawn Manor. Three stories tall, with beautiful statues perched along the roof, it was built during Queen Elizabeth’s reign and had an attractive charm that his estate, Chesterton Court, lacked.

  Jonathan approached the house and halted his horse. He rushed up the steps to the front door and knocked. Shortly thereafter, a butler opened. Jonathan frowned for he did not recognize him. The old butler, a grumpy yet charming man named Hector had always cut an intimidating figure when he was but a boy. This new butler was younger, dressed in a crisp uniform and a stern expression upon his face. Of course, unlike Hector, he did not recognize him.

  “Good morning,” he presented the butler with a calling card. Upon seeing his titled, the butler stood even straighter than he had before.

  “Good morning, Your Grace. Lord Lincester is out of town unfortunately. He won’t return for another week.”

  Jonathan nodded; it was no surprise. The Viscount, an investor in a chain of coffee houses, had always traveled for as long as he could remember.

  “That is quite all right. I am aware the Viscount and Mister Gordon are out of town. I wondered whether you know when Mister Gordon might return.”

  The butler nodded, “Mister Gordon shall be back this afternoon, should you like to call again.”

  Jonathan grinned. This afternoon! What good fortune. He would indeed call again.

  “That is wonderful news. Please let him know that I have returned and I shall be calling on him this very evening.” He paused as he did not know the butler’s name. He always prided himself at learning the names of the staff. “I do not believe I know your name. I was familiar with Hector, who used to be the butler here.”

  The man stood; lips pressed together for a moment. “I am North. I was under butler when Your Grace was last here.”

  “Good to meet you, North. Say, what has become of Hector? Is he retired?” North shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable.

  “Hector has taken a position at Ludlow Manor. Has been there a good number of years.”

  Jonathan�
��s eyes widened. Ludlow Manor was the home of Baron Balwick, Lord Lincester’s brother. It seemed rather unbelievable that Balwick had the audacity to poach his own brother’s butler. Quite the scandal, in fact.

  He thanked North and returned to his horse which was being attended to by one of Lord Lincester’s footmen.

  * * *

  Jonathan rode along the main road toward home. He’d considered calling on Lady Conner but decided against it. He’d seen her at the ball very briefly yesterday, but she’d been engaged in conversation with an elder lady and he’d found it inappropriate to interrupt. He’d fully intended to return to inquire about Thomas’ whereabouts, but the encounter in the supper room had thoroughly taken up his time and attention.