Mesmerising the Duke (Regency Romance) (Regency Lords Book 1) by Regina Darcy

Author:Regina Darcy [Darcy, Regina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clean and Wholesome Romance
Published: 2016-05-27T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

1 Week Later

London, Mayfair

“Monty, surely you are not going ahead with this?” Nathaniel Hughes exclaimed, exasperated. If he had thought it of any use, he would have knocked some sense into his friend. “Yes, the young woman was disgraced, but you are not obliged to marry her,” he continued.

“My word is my bond Hughes, without it I am nothing and I gave my word.”

“She has no dowry to speak of and no connections. This match is ill-conceived. You know full well that your mother, the Dowager, expects you to be tying the knot with Lady Catherine.”

“I have made no promises to Lady Catherine,” Douglas replied, but of all who would feel the brunt of his decision, it was Lady Catherine’s situation he regretted the most. The gossip was very likely to be brutal.

“While no promises have been made, I am sure the young lady will come calling,” Nathaniel muttered. Before he could continue trying to dissuade his friend, the butler came to announce a visitor.

“The Dowager Duchess of Staffordshire.”

Douglas groaned. This was the last thing he needed, a visit from his mother. Truth be told, every visit from his mother was unwanted. It had been that way ever since he was 13 years old.

His mother sailed into the room, looking as flawless as she always did.

“Lord Wiltshire, how marvellous you look,” she cooed.

“Duchess. It is always a pleasure to be in your company,” Nathaniel replied, with a charming smile, as he kissed her hand.

She turned to her son and her smile faltered a little. She continued sailing into the room and offered him her hand. He kissed it as duty demanded.

“Douglas,” she said with a nod.

“Ma’am,” he replied in an icy tone.

“I understand you are to marry shortly,” she commented as she elegantly sat down in the cameo back sofa.

“You have heard correctly. I believe you received the invitation.”

“Yes. I can but imagine what you had to promise the Archbishop to have him expedite this happy event.”

“I have my ways, mother,” Douglas responded.

“I had assumed that Lady Catherine was a contender for your affections,” the Dowager continued, as if she hadn’t heard him.

“You would have assumed incorrectly. You more so than anyone else should know that affections have nothing to do with marriage,” he snapped. Nathaniel cleared his throat at this unseemly display of emotions and excused himself from the room.

The dowager took a deep irritated breath. “Douglas, don’t tell me you are doing this in a futile effort to get back at me,” she exclaimed.

“I am not quite that childish,” he replied.

“It has been 15 years, when are you going to forgive me?” she asked, her green eye brimming with unshed tears.

“I am not the one you should have asked forgiveness from.”

“My marriage to your father was never any of your concern, you were not privy to all that happened,” she retorted.

“No, I wasn’t. But I was privy to seeing you and your lover,” he slung back mercilessly.

“How many more years are you going to hold this over

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.