Second Chance for the Duke Read online

  Gabriel had gone cold inside. “How do you come to know this?”

  “A business acquaintance. The story had nearly slipped my mind save for the girl’s name, of course, but when I heard it in connection with Lady de Grey, I sorted out who she must be.”

  Gabriel drained the last of his brandy. “I’ll be ready to leave for the continent by morning, Benjamin.”

  His cousin looked surprised. “I had the sense that you might have considered abandoning your journey for the sake of a pair of pretty eyes. I’m gratified that you’ll be coming with me.”

  Gabriel bid him good night and went upstairs to pack his things. He had brought no manservant, and had traveled light, so there wasn’t much to do, but he could have wished for more. There would be no sleep for him that night, just hours of wakefulness, regretting yet another betrayal of his affections, of imagining a confrontation in which he might make it clear to her how little he actually thought of her.

  They departed early the next morning and were in Portsmouth in good time. There they booked passage across the channel, and Gabriel left England with but a single regret, that he had not had the occasion to take his leave of Miss Dwyer. He would have preferred a clean break, an honest one, but he did not wish to spend another day at Greylings where he had been betrayed yet again by a woman.

  His trip was joyless. Though the voyage was easy, Gabriel’s mind was not. He could not forget Evaline, and yet could hardly bear to think of her. In his mind’s eye he saw her looking lovely in her pink gown, a pencil lodged in her hair, or laughing as they danced together, or yielding to him with a grace that even Marianne had never shown him. She had begun to seem to him a woman he could love, one for whom he would abandon his rejection of love and marriage.

  Benjamin seemed to sense that Gabriel was troubled. He tried to keep him amused on board the ship, and once they reached Le Havre, he insisted that they spend their last night in each other’s company enjoying the pleasures of the town. Benjamin found a quite respectable brothel and offered to pay for a girl for his cousin, but Gabriel’s heart was not in it. He wanted nothing more than to prove to himself that Evaline had been simply a pleasant diversion, but he could not go from her bed into the bed of a common whore and think that it was all of a piece. It was not, no matter what Benjamin said of Evy’s character and history.

  They parted company the next day. Benjamin traveling to Paris, and Gabriel to Brussels, a city which he had never visited. While he was there he composed a letter to Lady de Grey, explaining that he had chosen to leave with Benjamin for personal reasons. He thanked her for her hospitality, but made no mention of Miss Dwyer.

  When he arrived in Vienna a few weeks later, there was a letter from Clarice.

  I cannot imagine how a woman of such wit could produce a grandson as obtuse as you are, Gabriel Howard. I assume, at least, that you are simply a stupid man with no appreciation of the treasure you possessed in Evaline. The alternative — that you are a cad and a rake — is unthinkable.

  How could you treat the girl so callously? Though she says that you made no promises to each other, I can see that she is heartbroken. At the very least do you not think you owed her a farewell?

  I accept that my matchmaking was not well done, Gabriel. And just so you know, it was my intention to drive you into the arms of the most intelligent young woman I have ever met, not those other empty-headed creatures I threw at you. But if you are angry with me about any of it, pray do not take it out on Evaline. She is a good child and deserves better.

  In spite of his embarrassment at Clarice knowing what had passed between himself and Miss Dwyer, his reply was terse.

  Madam, I appreciate your good intentions. It was only the result that was not felicitous. While I will not elaborate on what I have been told of her character, please understand that I feel that I was saved from yet another unfortunate alliance by the timely communication of certain facts about her past. Please believe me when I tell you that I trust my removal to the continent has given me far more pain than it has given Miss Dwyer.

  Clarice’s reply arrived while he was idling in Lucerne, enjoying the late autumn weather on the lake.

  I knew I should not have left you alone with Benjamin Howard. He is the source of the information you spoke of, is he not? It could be no other for Benjamin has destroyed reputations for his own ends in the past. This is the reason why your dear grandmother detests him. He was the source of the rumor about Major Wilhelm that caused that innocent man his commission and ultimately his life. For the sake of the family it was not spoken of since the Major was already deceased when the facts came to light to clear his name.

  I would have expected Evaline to be beneath his notice, but clearly he sees her as some kind of threat. I have no idea what that threat might be, though perhaps you do. In any event, and without knowing the details of his information, I feel safe in telling you that it is as false as the man himself.

  Gabriel answered immediately and remained on tenterhooks until Clarice replied.

  The prince’s “whore?” Oh Gabriel, the prince is a notorious sodomite. I doubt he even noticed Evaline’s existence. However, given what you say about your intention to make Benjamin your heir, his perfidy now makes sense to me as it ought to you. He stands to lose a significant increase in wealth and position should you marry again and have children.

  I expect you have already worked this out. As such, I believe you owe Evy an explanation at the very least. Yes, you’ll look like a fool, but that is far better than the impression you’ve left with her that you are a heartless cad. You can find her at my house in Florence if you have the courage to face her.

  I have not communicated the details of our correspondence to her. That is up to you.

  Gabriel was on his way to Florence before the day was out. As he traveled he spent most of his time imagining what his reception might be like. He played out scenes in his head, trying to avoid telling Evy what it was he had believed of her. How could he say that to her?

  She received him with cool good manners. “My Lord, I’m surprised to see you.”

  Every possible scenario but one deserted him. He realized he had to make a clean breast of it, whether that meant she would send him away or not. He had wronged her and she deserved the truth.

  Gabriel went down on his knees before her. “I have done you such wrong, Evaline, and for that I apologize abjectly.”

  “What are you talking about, Gabriel?”

  He drew a deep, ragged breath and told her not only the story of how Benjamin had led him to believe the worst of her, but of Marianne, and how he knew now that he’d been willfully blind to all the lies she’d told him. “I’m a fool,” he said as he finished his story. “I believe the words of liars and traitors over the knowledge of my own heart. I humbly beg you to forgive me, but I will understand if you send me away.”

  “I do not want to send you away,” Evaline said, tilting his chin upward with her fingertips. “I am hurt, it’s true, and I could wish you had had more faith in my affection. But what we have been to one another is not something easily reconciled to the rules of society. I accept some of the responsibility for while I have always acted according to the laws of my heart, I have given society reason to question my character. Shall we then be friends again, Gabriel?”

  He took hold of her hand and kissed it. “I will remain here, on my knees to ask the question that I had intended to ask at Greylings. Will you be my wife, Evy? I promise you faithfully never to doubt you again.”

  He saw tears trickled down her cheeks as she nodded her assent. “Yes.”

  Overjoyed, he leapt to his feet and embraced her. “My love, my own. We will marry here in Florence and never be parted. Everything I have is yours- body, soul, mind, heart, all my worldly goods.” He kissed her and she responded with the quick passion he adored in her.

  They barely made it to the couch before he had raised her skirts, and she had laid bare his cock. His need of her was desperate and wi
thout much prelude, he entered her From her wetness it was clear that she was in a similar passion, and as he thrust into her, she reached down to finger her clitoris, so to bring herself to climax as quickly as he reached his.

  They cried out, their voices mingling, their bodies out of control. As he slipped from her, he said, “We must find a bed, for I will have you again before long, I swear it.”

  With a fond kiss, she rose and led him to her bedroom where they undressed and lay naked in each other’s arms.

  “My darling,” he whispered as his lips and hands worshiped her sweet breasts, softly rounded belly and dark furred mound that opened to the pressure of his tongue and fingers. As soon as he was hard again, he applied himself to the task of bringing her to the limits of aching pleasure. She would never want for such feelings so long as his body was able to deliver them.

  Again he penetrated her sweet, open cunt, and drew her up and up to a climax so intense she became insensible. And as he filled her with his seed, he prayed that one would take hold, so that they could make a child from the love and desire that sparked between them.

  Much later, when they were sated and happy in each other’s arms, he said to her, “We must make some heirs, so many that Benjamin will know that he has no chance of ever being more than a poor and bitter cousin.”

  Evy caressed his cheek. “Oh my dear, there is already a little duke inside me.”

  “Why did you not tell me?”

  She blushed. “I would not force you to wed me under any circumstances.”

  He curved his hand over her belly and felt inside of himself, a rush of happiness so deep that it shook him to his very core. He had so very nearly missed this opportunity. He had let his own bitterness and disillusion rule his head and heart.

  He closed his eyes and murmured a heartfelt thanks to whatever powers had brought Evy to him. Not everyone was lucky enough to get a second chance at happiness.

  The End

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  Diane Queenston, Second Chance for the Duke

 

 

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