A Duke’s Lady in Disguise (Preview)

Chapter One

“My Lady?”

Lavinia was aware of someone standing over her, blocking out the sun resting on her face. She blinked as she focused on the person above her, and they began to take the form of someone with whom she was familiar.

“Hilda?”

“Your father wants you,” her maid said, nodding towards the house. “He says that it’s important.”

Lavinia groaned. Of course, her father would say that; he demanded attention from everyone. The Earl of Kingsley’s inflated sense of importance was enormous.

“What does he want?” she asked, sitting up slowly. “Did he say?”

“No, he didn’t. Just that he wanted to see you right now.” Hilda gestured at the blanket Lavinia had been lying on. “He wouldn’t be impressed to see you asleep in the sun, though. He would complain that it was going to ruin your complexion.”

“What’s wrong with enjoying the sun?” Lavinia got to her feet and dusted down her dress. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“I think you know what your father would say about it, My Lady.”

Lavinia did know. Kingsley would say that a lady should not expose her delicate skin to the sun because it would go brown. Apparently, being brown said that you were of a lower class because you spent a lot of time outside. Lavinia thought it silly but knew when to pick her battles.

It didn’t mean that she would listen, though.

“I’ll go and see him now. I’ll be coming back out here once I’m done.”

“Do you want me to wait here for you?” Hilda asked.

“If you don’t mind? Knowing the rest of the staff, they’ll come along and tidy everything away. I want to read my book out here.”

“Fair enough, My Lady.” Hilda bowed her head a little. “I’ll stay and make sure your belongings aren’t taken away.”

Lavinia smiled at her before going inside. Hilda was good at following through on her word, whereas the other servants just followed orders from her parents. It wasn’t the first time that Lavinia had laid out her things in the garden, intending to make the most of the sunshine, only for another servant to come out and try to get her to move to the shade or gather up her belongings. Lavinia hated that her parents were so averse towards her having a bit of sun on her face. It was like they were allergic to it themselves and didn’t want her to enjoy it, either.

It was strange but pointless to argue about it. Even though she kept pushing the boundaries. It annoyed her mother, and she clearly saw her father wanting to scold her about it. She was twenty years old. They needed to stop treating her like a child.

Their behaviour towards her was taking a while to catch up with her age.

Reaching the study, Lavinia heard voices coming from inside. One was her father’s, but one was a voice she didn’t recognize. Lavinia slowed and listened at the door, straining to hear what they discussed. It was rude to eavesdrop, but she didn’t care if she was caught.

After a moment, she heard footsteps getting closer and realized that she would be caught. Lavinia hurried away and reached the nearest alcove. She drew the curtains across and waited, her heart pounding. That had happened too fast. Hopefully, whoever was in the study hadn’t heard her running away.

She waited as she heard a door open and close, followed by more footsteps moving away. Lavinia glanced through the curtains and caught sight of the retreating back of her father’s visitor. She didn’t recognize him. There was nothing extraordinary about the gentleman in question. Then again, it was from the back, so nothing could be considered extraordinary.

Lavinia waited for the gentleman to disappear before coming out from behind the curtain. What was that man doing with her father? Was it business? The Earl of Kingsley was involved in a lot of business ventures, so it probably had something to do with that.

But the voices a moment ago had been a little raised. Maybe it wasn’t such a good business deal if arguing was going on.

Lavinia understood that her father was a busy man, and he liked to invest in something he considered worthy. He wanted to have a say in everything. But she couldn’t understand why he would spread himself thin over it all. She knew that much, even if her parents told her she was too young to truly understand what was happening whenever she raised it with them. She needed to leave it alone. Lavinia just thought that was their way of saying she was a child and couldn’t think for herself.

She wished they would stop doing that.

Squaring her shoulders, Lavinia went up to the study door and knocked.

“Come in.”

By those two words, Lavinia knew she would have a hard conversation. Her father sounded frustrated.

She entered the room and found Kingsley pacing around by the window. One of them was open, and a cool breeze wafted across the room. It felt nice as it tickled across Lavinia’s arms. Maybe it was needed to cool her father’s temper; it was barely being held back right now.

“Father?” she asked.

Kingsley stopped and spun around, his eyes wide in surprise. Then he shook himself.

“Lavinia. I didn’t realize that it was you.”

“You sent for me, didn’t you? You asked Hilda to fetch me.”

“Oh. Right. Of course.” Rubbing his hands over his face, Kingsley gestured towards a nearby chair. “Please, sit down.”

Lavinia didn’t want to follow his order. This sounded ominous, and Lavinia was worried about what she was going to be told. But she didn’t argue and perched on the edge of the chair, folding her hands in her lap.

His hands now on his hips, her father paced slowly towards her.

“It’s bad right now, Lavinia. Our finances … it’s not good.”

Lavinia frowned.

“How, Father? What do you mean?”

“I made a few mistakes in recent weeks regarding some business deals, and they …” Kingsley cleared his throat, and Lavinia could see the embarrassment coming through. “They were a mistake. I’ve lost a lot of money due to it.”

That was hardly a surprise. Lavinia was aware of how precarious things could be when putting money into something. She was sure that her father had done it a bit too much, and now he was paying the price.

“How much are we talking about?” she asked.

“At least ninety percent of our money.”

“What?”

“I don’t know how to get into the details of it. It’s all too complicated.” Kingsley hung his head in shame. Lavinia had never seen him like that before. “But you can be certain that we’re in serious trouble. We could lose everything.”

Lavinia sat up, horrified.

“Are you telling me we’re going to be penniless?” she gasped.

“We are almost penniless, not going to be. At this rate, we’ll have to leave our home and go to a small tenement we can afford. We’ll have to sell everything that we don’t necessarily need to get enough for us to live on.”

“It’s that …” Lavinia pressed a hand to her stomach. “What does that mean for us?”

She was feeling nauseous now. This was a shocking revelation, one that she never anticipated happening. Her father might have been a little reckless in choosing as many deals as he could, but he wouldn’t have put all of his money into it, would he?

From the look on his face when he lifted his head, Kingsley had done exactly that.

“I … I can’t believe this,” Lavinia breathed. She fought back the tight lump in her throat. “What are we going to do, then? Do you need me to do anything for you?”

“Actually, there is something you can do, Lavinia.”

“What? I’ll do what I can.”

Lavinia knew this was opening her to many things that she might not like, but the thought of her family falling into disgrace because of foolish business choices was enough for her to try. There had to be something she could do to help with their situation.

“Well, I was just talking to Mr Gary just now, and we’ve come to an agreement.”

Lavinia blinked.

“Mr James Gary was here?”

“He was. He had heard of our situation and came over to offer us some help.”

Lavinia doubted that they were going to get any help from that man. James Gary was a merchant who had many dealings with Kingsley. He had often come to their house for dinner, and he put Lavinia on edge. Something about him made her nervous, especially when he leered at her. He was coarse and rude, and her father kept entertaining him. It didn’t sit well with her, but Lavinia wasn’t about to complain about her father’s guests; he wouldn’t listen to her, anyway.

“I don’t understand what that has to do with me, though, Father,” she said.

“He’s coming back next week to finalize the engagement.”

“Engagement?”

“Between you and him.”

It took a few seconds for Lavinia to realize what he was saying. Her mouth dropped.

“What? What do you mean that I’m engaged to him?”

“It’s exactly what I said, Lavinia.” Kingsley leaned his hands on the back of the chair opposite her. “You’re going to marry Mr Gary. In exchange, he’s going to help pay off my debts. Then we’ll be financially secure, and you’ll be married.”

Lavinia couldn’t breathe. Her chest had tightened to the point that she was gasping for air. Kingsley groaned.

“Stop being dramatic, Lavinia. You know that you should be looking for a husband, and you’ve been relaxed on that lately to the point I don’t think you’re bothering anymore.”

“I don’t want to be forced to marry this early!” Lavinia protested. “I’m only twenty.”

“And that means you’re too old.”

“At twenty? That’s madness!”

Kingsley scoffed.

“You think it’s madness that ladies your age are getting married and settling down with husbands while you’re still gallivanting around as if you’re a child with no care in the world?”

“What’s wrong with that? I’m still young! It’s not like I’m going to shrivel up and die if I don’t get married!”

“Don’t be crude, Lavinia.”

“I haven’t even got started on crudeness, Father,” Lavinia shot back. “And if you don’t like my tone, perhaps you shouldn’t have told Mr Gary that I would marry him without telling me about it.”

Kingsley sighed and pushed away from the chair.

“I didn’t tell you about it because he only just suggested it to me, and I knew you would refuse it.”

“Of course I would!” Lavinia cried. “Mr Gary is older than you! He’s also a nasty individual who makes me feel like I need to have a bath and scrub my skin raw.”

“Oh, stop it with that, Lavinia. You sound even more childish.”

Lavinia shot to her feet.

“I’m not being childish, Father. Just because I’m not agreeing with you immediately doesn’t mean I’m behaving as such.”

Kingsley’s eyes narrowed at his daughter.

“Are you telling me that you don’t want to help your family with their financial situation?” he asked slowly. “When we’re in dire straits, are you willing to stand back and not do anything to help?”

“Are you threatening me, Father?” Lavinia gasped. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“It’s not a threat. As far as I can tell, it’s our only way out of this horrible situation. You become Mrs Gary, and he’ll give us the money to get back on our feet.” Her father waved a hand at her. “You’re our only child, so it’s all on your shoulders, Lavinia. You have to do this for the family.”

Lavinia felt like she had lost the ability to breathe properly. Her breath was coming out in gasps, and she clutched her chest, gasping for air as best she could.

“I … I can’t …”

Kingsley rolled his eyes.

“Please, Lavinia! You’re being hysterical over nothing.”

“You’re … you …” Lavinia gulped hard and sucked in as much as she could. “You’re asking me to marry someone I loathe all so you can get some money? You do realize that you’re selling me off to him, don’t you? How do you expect me to go along with it?”

Kingsley strode towards her so suddenly that Lavinia jumped back with a gasp. His cheeks turned bright red, and his eyes bulged. He looked like he was about to lose his temper.

“You are not going to argue with me on this, young lady,” he hissed, jabbing a finger at her. “We are in serious need of help, and Mr James Gary said he would do that for us in exchange for your hand in marriage. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?”

“It is when he’s a vile human being,” Lavinia snapped.

Her father practically bared his teeth at her before turning away sharply and heading to the window. He slumped on the windowsill, his head down. Lavinia was getting nervous. The Earl of Kingsley could get upset when something wasn’t going his way, but he had never truly lost his temper with her.

She was scared now, especially as Kingsley was organizing her life without her knowledge or consent.

“Mr Gary is going to return here next week to finalize everything, during which time you’ll be able to talk to him properly about your life together …”

“I’m not going to marry him!” Lavinia cried.

“You will do as you’re told, Lavinia. You are going to marry Mr James Gary and become a proper wife as you should be. There will be no more discussion on the matter. You are going to do it.”

Lavinia felt her outrage building again.

“You’re going to tell me that I have no say in my choice of husband?”

“You’ve not shown any interest before, so why bother now?”

“Because I don’t want to think about marriage right now! What’s wrong with that?”

Kingsley didn’t answer, and Lavinia knew that was his way of saying that the conversation was over and they would discuss the matter no further. Lavinia could tell that it would be pointless trying to argue with her father when he had already made up his mind.

Fighting back the urge to scream or burst into tears, Lavinia stormed out of the study, slamming the door behind her.

#

Hilda was still waiting by the blanket on the lawn when Lavinia returned. She barely said anything to her maid, simply collapsing with a sob onto the cushions. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

“My Lady?” Hilda sounded concerned, dropping to her knees beside her mistress. “Lady Lavinia, are you all right?”

“No!”

Lavinia tried not to wail, but it was hard not to when she felt like her chest was sore. Her throat hurt, and she could feel pressure building up in the back of her head. Every time she ended up crying, this happened, and Lavinia hated it.

How could this be happening to her? Why was she being forced into this situation? She couldn’t believe it. Her father couldn’t possibly think that this was appropriate, but there was a good chance that her mother believed this was the right thing as well.

Lavinia didn’t. She didn’t want anything to do with it.

“Lady Lavinia, you’re beginning to scare me,” Hilda said. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Hilda, I can’t believe it!”

“My Lady?”

Lavinia lowered her hands, gulping in air.

“Father wants me to marry Mr James Gary to save us from financial ruin. He expects me to go along with it without question.”

Hilda gasped.

“He’s selling you off to someone for marriage?”

“That’s what it feels like. Oh, Hilda, I don’t want this. I don’t know what to do. This can’t be happening right now.”

Hilda looked shocked.

“But I thought he was going to allow you to choose someone for yourself. Only at the start of the Season …”

“Well, he’s gone back on his word now,” Lavinia said bitterly. Her hands shook as she found her handkerchief, dabbing her eyes before blowing her nose. At least she could breathe a little better when her nose wasn’t clogged up. “I can’t believe it. This was not how things were meant to go.”

“Can’t you go to your mother and ask her to appeal on your behalf?” Hilda suggested. “She might be able to figure out how to get through to the earl …”

“She’ll be on his side. I just know it.” Lavinia shook her head. “She’s united with him on anything he does, even if she disagrees.”

“Even if it’s upsetting her daughter?”

“I’m afraid that’s how she was raised. You support and stand with your husband no matter how you think he’s doing the wrong thing.”

Hilda arched an eyebrow.

“That’s going to get someone into trouble one of these days if she carries on like that. I don’t want to speak against my employers …”

“Oh, they’re getting someone into trouble already. Me!” Lavinia licked her lips. They were now very chapped. “I can’t stay here. I have to get out of here.”

“How are you going to do that, though, My Lady?”

“I’m going to run away. I must depart at once.”

Her maid’s mouth dropped open. Lavinia wasn’t surprised by Hilda’s reaction, although she thought that Hilda would have expected it by now. She had been looking after Lavinia as her personal maid for nearly three years now. She knew how brash Lavinia could be with her declarations. It had certainly got Lavinia into trouble occasionally, but not this time.

This time Lavinia meant it.

“It’s not going to be like the last time you had a suitor, is it?” Hilda asked.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t you remember last year when you had a potential suitor pestering you because he wouldn’t listen to you turning him down? You caused a scene at the ball you were attending and stormed off after telling him off, only to get lost in the woods.”

Lavinia grimaced.

“You would have to remember that, wouldn’t you?”

“Your parents had to send out a search party. I think it was the talk of the ton for quite a while.”

“But this is different, Hilda,” Lavinia pointed out.

“How is it different that you’re getting angry at another potential suitor again?”

“Because Mother and Father have forced me into a corner with this. They won’t let me out and expect me to go through with it. I despise Mr Gary.” Lavinia shuddered. “Have you seen him lately?”

Hilda made a face, which indicated that she had. Then again, anyone who came into contact with Mr James Gary would know exactly what he looked like. He was not very tall, fat, and going bald rapidly, only hidden by his wig. He was also a very mean man and treated women horribly. The only thing Mr Gary had going for him was that he was very wealthy. He liked to use that money to throw his weight around. Lavinia could easily guess that this was the case here. How was it possible that her father thought this was a good solution? Didn’t he notice that Mr Gary was the least desirable man in London?

Lavinia would rather be married to the rag-and-bone man. He would be extremely poor, but he would be preferable.

“Please, Hilda.” Lavinia grabbed her maid’s hand. “I’m serious about this. I know that my parents are going to force me into this. If they’re going to behave like this because of money, they’re not going to back down. I’ll be made a prisoner, and I won’t be allowed to do anything that I want.”

“You can’t know that,” Hilda pointed out. “You might find that Mr Gary might give you that freedom.”

Lavinia snorted.

“He’s made it clear many times that he knows how a lady is supposed to behave, and they’re to be an extension of the husband. He will expect me to behave as he wants, not what I want.” She grimaced as nausea bubbled up in her throat. “I just know that he’s going to demand children as soon as we’re married as well. I cannot bear the thought of that happening. I’ll be trapped for good.”

“Lady Lavinia …”

“I’ve got to get out of here. I don’t care where I go right now as long as I get out of the house and they can’t find me.”

Hilda blinked. She looked over her shoulder to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping. Even then, she lowered her voice.

“You mean you’re going to run away? But wouldn’t that bring more ruin to your family?”

“If Father didn’t want the family ruined, he shouldn’t have got in too deep with his business dealings. Then I wouldn’t be getting sold to a man so foul in appearance and behaviour that he should be given a wide berth by everyone.”

“You’re not being sold …”

“What do you think is happening, then? Hilda, I’m being forced to marry in exchange for money. I am being sold.” Lavinia tried to calm her temper, but it wasn’t easy. “I have to get out of here, even if it means running away.”

“But where would you go if you could do it?” Hilda asked.

“I’ll think of something. I should have a better idea of it tonight.” Lavinia gave her maid a pleading look. “Please, Hilda. I need to do this. I can’t stay here and be pushed into Mr Gary’s arms. I’ll never be able to leave if that happens. You know I’ll not be able to cope. That man … he’s going to be horrible, and I refuse to be around him.”

Hilda looked like she was still arguing with herself. She seemed to be getting pulled in both directions if the look on her face was anything to go by. Finally, she nodded with a heavy sigh.

“All right. I’ll help you. But we’d better not get caught.”

“We’re not going to get caught,” Lavinia promised. “I can assure you that.”

Chapter Two

“Are you sure you don’t want another one?” Peter asked, holding up his empty glass.

Hugh grimaced and shook his head.

“I really shouldn’t. I’ve got to get back to the house.”

“This is the first time you’ve left the estate grounds. Why shouldn’t you stay here to have some fun?”

Hugh frowned.

“We’re grown men, Peter. I doubt this can be classed as fun. It’s merely getting drunk.”

Peter Dawson, Marquess of Stockton, arched an eyebrow at his friend.

“There’s nothing wrong with getting drunk. In our current positions, we’re more than allowed. We haven’t got parents looking over our shoulders and telling us to be sensible with our antics. We can stumble home in circles and fall somewhere near the bed before waking up in the morning with a splitting headache, knowing that it was all our fault.”

Despite himself, Hugh couldn’t help laughing at that. Peter was very good at painting vivid images.

“You’re someone who will certainly do that without any nudging,” he pointed out. “You’re far too invested in amusing yourself, and getting drunk seems to do the trick for you.”

“Why not?” Peter signalled for the nearby footman to join them, placing his glass on the tray. “Another one of these, if you would, Edwards?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Edwards walked away, and Peter sat back, stretching his legs in front of him.

“Anyway, I’m sure I’m far more interesting to people when I’ve got drunk. More people around me laugh when I’m stumbling around being a fool.”

“I don’t think they’re laughing with you, Peter,” Hugh pointed out.

“You should try it again. We had a lot of fun.”

Hugh sighed and wagged a finger at his friend.

“I’ve got a good reason for not doing any of that, Peter. You know that.”

“Even so …”

“So just stop drinking too much. Or I’m getting up and leaving right now.”

Peter held up his hands and shook his head.

“All right, I’ll stop. Although I think one evening won’t do you any harm.”

Hugh didn’t answer that. He wasn’t interested in getting drunk; that mostly resulted in his guard getting lowered, and the memories of what happened that night came back to him. Hugh didn’t want to deal with that while attempting to enjoy himself. When the memories appeared, he drank more to get rid of them, and it just made things worse. Hugh didn’t want to go through it all again.

He watched as Peter stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Hugh had once been the marquess before they inherited their respective titles: Peter took over the marquess title from his father, and Hugh inherited the Duke of Westbridge’s name as his own. It had been a few years since he had become the duke, and Hugh was still struggling to get the hang of it. He would rather have his father back than the title; it wasn’t worth the heartbreak.

Unfortunately, that’s how things went. It was never easy, and Hugh knew it would stay with him for a while. Grief over losing someone he cared about never really went away, certainly not when he was involved. Hugh hated it; he just wanted everyone he loved around him. It would mean he never gained the duchy, but he didn’t care as long as his father was around.

He had been coaxed out to have a drink at the nearby club at Potters Bar with Peter, but Hugh wasn’t going to drown his sorrows. He wasn’t about to let that happen when he knew how bad it would get. Nobody needed to see him in such a state.

“Peter!”

The exclamation made Hugh jump, and he saw a tall, well-built man who looked so similar to Peter in complexion they could almost have been twins. Peter sat up and beamed.

“Franco! So good to see you!” He stood up and clasped hands with the newcomer. “I thought you would be staying in from Italy for a while.”

“I came back earlier than I expected. Thought I’d come and see a few of my friends.” Franco turned to Hugh with his grin, making his teeth glint brightly. “Looks like things haven’t changed.”

“Good to see you, Franco.” Hugh shook hands with the other man. “How is Italy? You said you were going to travel to Rome at one point, didn’t you?”

“I planned to do it, but my grandparents were still unwell, so I decided to stay with them.” Franco shrugged. “Those two are as stubborn as anyone our age, so this illness is just a brief slip out of the norm for them.”

“But they’re doing better than they were?” Hugh asked. “They must be if you’re back.”

“You could say that. Mother and Father wanted to fuss over them, but Grandmother told them to stop fussing and get back to normal.”

Hugh had met Franco Gianelli’s family before, including his grandparents. They were strong, proud people from Italy who loved London as much as their home country. Franco had been short and scrawny when he had been at school with Hugh and Peter, but now he was as tall as them and filled out well. He was a little on the heavier side, but his charm, good looks, and fun nature shone through.

It was nice to see him again.

“Why don’t you join us?” Peter suggested, tugging Franco to sit in the chair beside him. “Hugh is starting to become boring and suggesting that he should head home, and I want to have fun with someone.”

“Oh?” Franco laughed. “And you’re not happy about that?”

Peter snorted. Franco and Hugh exchanged looks, and Franco smiled. He knew how wild Peter was; their friend loved being social, and he certainly loved women’s attention. When he was tall, dark-haired, olive-skinned, and had a nicely built body that showed he had done a lot of exercise, it was easy to see why the ladies flocked to him. Hugh had seen it happen multiple times.

Peter and Franco certainly knew how to keep the women entertained. Hugh was not as confident, so he just kept to the background and let them get on with it. It was fun for them, and he wasn’t about to begrudge them that.

Hugh didn’t care. He preferred not to be a part of it. Not unless they got themselves into trouble.

“Oh, by the way,” Franco said as he got a glass of brandy from Edwards when he returned, this time carrying two glasses. “I heard some news about James Gary. That obnoxious merchant we have to deal with now and then on the docks?”

“That man?” Peter made a face. “What has he done now? Has he fallen into the dock and caught pneumonia or something?”

“We’re not that lucky. More like he’s going to get married.”

Hugh blinked. He had heard about James Gary before; the man was known in various business circles linked to shipments, not in a good way. He was good at dealing with various business ventures, but his personality was something else. He was not a nice person, and nobody wanted to associate with him outside of a handshake and arranging contracts. Hugh certainly did his best to keep his distance.

“He’s going to get married? How on earth did he manage that?”

“More like some poor girl’s been forced to marry him,” Peter said with a grunt. “It’s one of those situations where there can’t possibly be anyone who loves that man.”

“That is horrible to say, even if it’s true.” Hugh turned to Franco. “Do you know the girl who will become Mrs Gary?”

“Not really. I know she’s the daughter of someone who’s made a few business dealings with Gary, and they’ve gone really wrong.” Franco sighed. “Sounds like she’s been made to marry him to get rid of the debt.”

“That poor thing,” Peter declared. “She shouldn’t have to go through that.”

“Apparently, she doesn’t have a choice. Gary isn’t going to let her get away so easily.” Franco shuddered. “From what I heard around the docks, which is abuzz with this news, he’s wanted to get this girl’s attention for a while now, but she won’t even look at him. Then her father ended up in dire straits financially, and Gary decided to make the most of it.”

Hugh was not surprised about that. James Gary was a man who ensured he always got what he wanted. Even if the young lady now betrothed to him didn’t share his feelings. From the sound of it, the daughter would be kicking up a big fuss about it. Hugh would if forced into marrying someone he didn’t want to be around.

He, at least, had a bit of freedom over it. But that wasn’t the case here. It was not going to be a simple wedding and marriage. Hugh suspected it would be full of fireworks that would end up going horribly wrong. James Gary was not going to come out of this believing he was the winner.

“Maybe I should have another drink,” Hugh said, signalling for Edwards to join them. “One for the poor girl who’s going to become Mrs Gary.”

“Count me in,” Peter declared, finishing his drink quickly.

Franco laughed.

“You just want an excuse to get drunk.”

“Always, but I do feel sympathy for the girl who’s going to be stuck with that man for life. I wouldn’t want to be in that position.”

“Do you mean getting married to James Gary or marrying against your own free will?” Hugh asked with a grin.

Peter shuddered.

“Either of those sounds awful.”

Hugh couldn’t agree more. If he ended up in that position, he would probably need to get drunk to forget the fact that his life would be forever changed, especially if it was to someone he didn’t like. Surely, if people had to marry for convenience, they had to like each other, at the very least.

That should be how it worked in his mind. But others wouldn’t share the same sentiment.

#

By the time darkness fell and everyone was retiring to bed, Lavinia knew what she would do. She would head over to Harwich and get on a boat heading for Portugal. She knew there were boats to Lisbon coming out of that dock. Then she would find her friend who lived there. Mr Howard Oliver was a childhood friend and neighbour, and he had moved to Lisbon a year ago to start up a new business there as an extension of his father’s. They kept in contact.

It would be a little embarrassing getting there without warning, but Lavinia knew that Howard would look after her. He had promised that he would always be a good friend to her no matter what. Lavinia planned to take him up on that promise.

Hilda had wondered why not take a boat out of London, but Lavinia had pointed out that Kingsley could follow her there. He would immediately head for the London docks if he guessed what she was up to. Lavinia wanted to throw him off the scent and go to Harwich instead. She had initially thought about going to Portsmouth or Southampton, but that meant travelling in England for longer, and there was more chance of her getting caught. Lavinia didn’t want to risk it.

Hilda was still not happy with the situation, but she promised to help. Lavinia was glad that she could rely on her maid. She might get into trouble for not watching her charge closely enough, but Hilda said she could handle it.

It was almost midnight when things started getting put into motion. Lavinia had pretended to retire as normal, bidding her parents goodnight. Her evening had been very stressful, listening to her parents talking about Mr Gary and how this would sort out their problems. Lavinia had tried to get them to stop, but she was ignored, so she sat in silence, having lost her appetite while they carried on discussing what they were going to do with the money left over.

Did her parents even love her? They claimed they did, but if they loved her, they wouldn’t be treating her like this. It was a massive shock that they were doing this at all. Lavinia wanted to scream at them, but it wasn’t going to help. Nobody would change their mind.

Well, she wasn’t going to change her mind. Lavinia was not going to allow this to happen to her. And once her parents realized they had made a mistake, it would be too late.

She kept pacing around her room, trying not to look at the clock on the mantelpiece every time she passed it. Hilda promised to bring a few things with her so they could execute the plan.

When she finally knocked on the door, Lavinia was so on edge that she was practically jumping out of her skin. She heaved a sigh of relief when Hilda came in carrying a bag.

“Don’t scare me like that!”

“Forgive me, My Lady,” Hilda whispered, hurrying over to the bed and putting the bag down. “It took a bit longer than I thought. Mrs Ronald wanted me to look after a few more chores before I was allowed to retire.”

“I had a feeling that was the case.” Lavinia hurried over. “So, did you get what I asked for?”

“Yes. Here.” Hilda opened the bag and pulled out the simple maid’s uniform, laying it on the bed. “I’ve got my spare dress here for you. We’re about the same size, so wearing it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“What about you? What will you do about a spare gown for yourself?”

“I’ll just say that it’s gone missing and get one from the laundry room. Everyone does that.” Hilda brought out a pair of shoes and a hat. “You’d better get changed quickly. I don’t think we’ll be disturbed, but you don’t want to take the risk.”

She was right. Lavinia didn’t want to waste any time at all. She changed clothes, putting on Hilda’s dress. It was a bit loose due to not being properly shaped to her body, but it fit well enough. And Hilda’s shoes were, thankfully, the same size as hers. Lavinia didn’t think she could cope if they pinched, and she was unable to walk. But it would have looked suspicious if her shoes looked more expensive than her dress.

Going to the mirror, Lavinia took the pins out, letting her black hair fall in waves down her back. Then she picked up a green ribbon and used it to tie her hair back. Something simple but effective enough to keep her hair out of her face.

She looked at herself. It was Lavinia Marchment, daughter to the Earl of Kingsley, but at the same time, it wasn’t. Her green eyes were wide and round, her face pale with a slight pinkish tinge on her cheeks.

She looked like a frightened little girl rather than a refined lady. Lavinia hoped that worked for her, providing that she didn’t run into someone who knew her. As soon as a member of the ton recognized her, it would be over. Lavinia wouldn’t be able to hide once word got around that the daughter of an earl was running around dressed as a maid and that she was trying to disappear.

She would have to keep a very low profile.

“How do I look?” she asked.

“You look like someone trying to pretend to be a servant,” Hilda said glibly.

“That’s not helpful, Hilda.” Lavinia rejoined her. “Don’t forget, I’m sleeping longer in the morning, and I asked you not to bother me until nearly lunchtime. That way, nobody will come and get me up if you’re aware of it.”

“And it will give you more time,” Hilda replied. She sighed and pursed her lips. “I still feel bad about this. I feel it will be a massive problem if this goes wrong.”

“It’s not going to go wrong. I know it.”

“That’s what you said when you got lost in the woods, wasn’t it? You thought walking home like that wouldn’t go wrong, either.”

Lavinia clasped Hilda’s hands.

“I promise I’m not going to get caught. I’ll keep going until I reach Lisbon. I’ve got enough money on me to make sure I get a ticket for the boat and for when I get to Portugal.”

“Don’t they have different money over there?”

“I’ll figure it out. Howard can help me.”

Hilda still looked unconvinced, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she reached into her pocket and brought out something gold and shining. Lavinia’s eyes widened when she saw what her maid was holding.

“My locket? Did you manage to get the clasp fixed?”

“Yes. Alexander at the jewellery store said it was an easy fix.” Hilda held it out. “I’ve put a little something inside, My Lady.”

“You have?”

Lavinia took the locket and opened it. Inside was a small, pressed petal from one of the roses in the garden. Lavinia loved their roses; they seemed to have a unique scent, and their bloom was gorgeous.

“I tried to press an entire rose, but it would have been too big for the locket, so I did a single petal. Oscar, the gardener, showed me how to do it.” Hilda smiled. “I know how much you love those roses. It was to remind you of home if you ever felt like you missed it.”

“That’s really sweet of you, Hilda.” Lavinia meant it. “You didn’t have to, though.”

“I wanted to. My little gift to you.”

Lavinia hugged her maid. Hilda was like a close friend to her, and it touched her that she would do something so sweet and special.

“Thank you,” she whispered, pulling back, putting the locket on, and closing it shut. “I’ll keep it with me. Hopefully, nobody will question it.”

“Just be careful. Some people would be willing to steal it.”

“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.” Lavinia gestured at the bag. “Did you pack anything else?”

“Yes, some food I got from the kitchen, a shawl if it gets a little cool, and one of your favourite books so you can have something to do on the boat.”

“You seem to have thought of everything.”

Hilda shrugged.

“I have to be when I work for you, My Lady.”

Lavinia had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing loudly at that. She fought back the wave of sadness at the same time. She was going to miss Hilda. It was a shame that she couldn’t take her maid along with her, but it would be easier for them to have Hilda stay behind. Besides, Hilda would put them off the scent if she was forced to tell Lavinia’s parents the truth. Hilda was a good actress when she wanted to be.

“Is there a horse ready for me?” she whispered, picking up the bag and slinging the strap over her shoulder and chest. “Not Chestnut?”

“No, one of the other horses has been saddled up for you. Harry helped me with that.”

“Harry, the stable lad?”

Hilda held up her hands.

“I couldn’t do it on my own,” she protested. “I’ve never saddled a horse before. Harry said he would help me, and I just have to let him take me out on our afternoon off in return.”

Lavinia smiled.

“I did tell you that he has a fancy for you.”

“He’s sweet, but that’s about it. I suppose it’s better than nothing.”

“Well, let’s go.”

They slipped out of the bedchamber and tiptoed towards the servants’ stairs at the far end of the hall. It would be quicker to go that way, although there was a chance of bumping into a servant still awake. But it was a chance Lavinia was willing to take. They would be gone before anyone noticed what was going on.

Getting to the ground floor, the women left through the side door and entered the stables. Harry was holding onto the horse’s reins, doing his best to keep the animal calm. He blinked in surprise when he saw Lavinia.

“Lady Lavinia?”

“Don’t ask, Harry. It’s best that you don’t know the details.” Lavinia turned to Hilda. “So, this is it. For now.”

“For now,” Hilda whispered. She bit her lip, her eyes filled with tears. “I should be stopping you, but I can’t.”

“And don’t.” Lavinia hugged her again. “Goodbye, Hilda. And take care of yourself.”

“You, too, My Lady.” Hilda stepped back, dusting her hands absently on her apron. “Try and write to me when you get to Lisbon, just so I know that you’re safe.”

“Of course. I plan to.”

Lavinia pulled herself up and into the saddle, arranging her skirts as she got herself comfortable. It was so strange riding without a side saddle. Women were not meant to ride straddling a horse, and Lavinia knew she was committing a social faux pas, but that was part of the plan. Her father would be looking for a horse with a side saddle, and Lavinia wanted to blend in as much as possible.

It was probably going to result in an embarrassing dismount, but as long as it worked on throwing Kingsley off the scent, it was fine.

“Are you sure you’re going to be all right, My Lady?” Harry asked, letting go of the reins. “Do you need someone to chaperone you?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be at my destination soon, so you don’t have to worry.” Lavinia nodded at Hilda. “Take care. And I’ll let you know that I’m safe.”

Hilda nodded, still looking unconvinced while trying not to cry. Harry went to her, put his arm around her, and Hilda leaned into him a little. Lavinia felt bad for doing this, but it had to be done.

She urged the horse into motion, and it trotted out of the stables and into the street. Lavinia adjusted her hat, hoping that nobody saw her right now. Maybe she should have worn men’s clothing so it wouldn’t look suspicious seeing a woman ride a horse in this manner, but there hadn’t been any time, and Hilda could get access to dresses that fit Lavinia better than men’s clothing.

She had started on this, and she would need to get moving.

Once she got to the end of the street, though, Lavinia realized she had made a mistake. She should have ridden normally, regardless of the saddle. It was too uncomfortable, and she didn’t like it. Maybe she should figure out how to sit as she wanted.

But if she delayed it too long and someone saw her, they would raise the alarm. She had to focus on getting to Harwich. Sighing at her momentary stupidity, Lavinia urged her horse into a canter.

She lived in the north part of London, and soon she was out of Watford and onto the main road heading towards Harwich. It was going to take at least a day before she got there, and that included stopping along the way. Lavinia would find a place to sleep; there had to be a farmer’s wife who would be fine with her sleeping in the barn for a few hours. Then, she intended to get to Harwich before dawn. Someone should be happy to let her onto a passenger boat with a last-minute ticket. If she needed to wait, then Lavinia could do that. Just as long as she got what she wanted, which was out of the country.

As she rode on, Lavinia wondered what Howard would say about this. He would be very surprised to see her on his doorstep when she turned up, but he would get her inside and help her with whatever she needed. Her friend had promised he would help her regardless, and Lavinia hoped he remembered.

If he didn’t, then she would have to think of something else. There were bound to be jobs for English people in a foreign country. There were surely plenty of English families around.

Starting a new life somewhere was exciting and daunting at the same time. Lavinia wanted to see what it would be like. Anything would be better than being Mrs James Gary.

Being penniless in Lisbon would be better than what was waiting for her.

The road sign was telling her that she was near a town called Potters Bar when things started to go awry. Lavinia sensed that people were watching her from the side of the road. She couldn’t really tell, but the shadows were moving in a way that wasn’t natural. She tried not to show her discomfort, gripping the reins tighter as she prepared to bolt.

She knew that highwaymen and ruffians prowled the main roads, looking to steal valuables and money from the wealthy ton coming by in their carriages. And while Lavinia might have looked like a simple maid, she was riding alone, which also made her a target.

Her heart started beating faster, and Lavinia did her best not to panic. She couldn’t do that here. She might have a little bit of money and her locket, but there was no chance she would give them anything. Especially the locket; Lavinia would have that taken when she was dead and not before.

Someone stepped out into the road, looking dark and menacing in the moonlight. Lavinia reacted on instinct, kicking the horse into movement. The horse neighed and then went from a canter to a full-on gallop, charging towards the man blocking the road. He dived to one side with a yell, and Lavinia was aware of someone shouting after her.

She couldn’t stop, though. She had to keep going. If she slowed down at all, they were going to be on her. Lavinia couldn’t afford to have that happen.

The sun was beginning to poke through the mist that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, rising to the east in front of her. Lavinia focused on that, knowing that was the way she needed to go. If she could keep the sun in front of her for a while, then she would be able to get through this mist.

It was beginning to feel a little thicker than she anticipated. Lavinia hoped that it would ease off soon; it was starting to make her feel nervous. And she wasn’t even sure if she was on the main road anymore.

This felt like she was heading through the scene of a Gothic novel. She wasn’t in the Castle of Otranto right now.

The horse slowed down, snorting loudly. Lavinia was gasping for air as if she had been running. Looking around, she peered into the dimness of the early morning to see if anyone was following them. If those highwaymen had horses, she should be able to hear them, but she wasn’t entirely sure if it was horses approaching or the thumping of her heart in her ears.

It was frightening, and Lavinia felt like she wanted to scream.

At least the mist was clearing a little bit. She sat back properly and patted the horse’s neck.

“Good girl,” she murmured. “You’ve done well. Now, we need to get going again. Think you can do that?”

She tried to start off again at a trot, but she nudged the horse a little too hard, and it took off like a bullet from a gun. Lavinia cried out and clung onto the reins, scared that she would fall off.

It was not clear enough to go at this speed. Lavinia could barely comprehend what was happening.

Then, a tree branch appeared out of nowhere, and Lavinia had no time to duck.