A Lady’s Choice: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Book Read online

  “Oh, Camilla, it would be so wonderful. The Duke of Lox is such a handsome man! What if he should turn out to be the man I marry?”

  “I am praying for us both, Emma!” Camilla said, still excited. “I really am!”

  “Lady Wentworth!”

  Emma turned when she heard her name. She smiled at the newcomer, a dancing partner for her for at least the last three seasons, Lord Archibald Van D’Obson, Earl of Carne.

  “Sir Archibald! How lovely to see you here. I did not expect you at the ball tonight.”

  She leaned in and gave her friend air kisses on both cheeks. “I did not expect to be available this evening, Lady Wentworth. But here I am. You look stunning.”

  “Why, thank you ever so kindly, my lord. You do remember my cousin, Lady Fielding?”

  Lord Archibald bowed at the waist. “I do, yes. Quite. It would be difficult for one to forget such a beautiful young lady who only serves to accentuate the beauty of her constant companion, Lady Wentworth.”

  Emma giggled, opening her hand fan and sweeping it in the direction of her face. “Oh, my lord, you are so complimentary! I do thank you!”

  “It is always a pleasure. May I have a dance with you this evening?”

  “Of course, yes. I would be so honored.” Emma handed him her card. “How is your Lady Bonneville this evening?”

  She noticed his eyes went directly down to the bottom of the card. He scowled for only a moment when he saw the slot was taken. Emma saw the look and knew that he wiped it off his face as quickly as he could. He was smiling when he looked back up at her.

  “Thank you, my lady. She is not feeling well this evening and has chosen to stay home from this event.”

  “Oh I do hope she feels better very soon.”

  “Thank you, I will tell her of your good wishes. I will see you just after intermission. That way we will both be quite rested.”

  “Yes, quite.”

  As the lord walked away, Camilla gave her cousin a wide grin. “I did not know you were so close to Lord Archibald.”

  “I do not consider myself to be close to him,” Emma replied. “We are only friends.”

  “He seems quite fond of you.”

  Emma looked at her cousin with her eyebrows raised. “You came to that conclusion in less than five minutes?”

  Camilla giggled. “Emma, I have been coming to the dances with you since we first began attending. I have seen you dance with him before. You and I have met him in the street while shopping. I can see it when he looks at you and I know you can see it too. Do not try to fool me into thinking you do not see what I see.”

  Emma just smiled at her cousin. “I do not know how he feels but I do know that we are friends. Only friends.”

  Camilla gave her a skeptical look that she chose to ignore. Lord Archibald was an earl but he was poor and it was well-known he would rather spend his time in front of a canvas, painting some odd object with obvious skill and talent, than hold a job that would put pounds in his accounts. It wasn’t that he was lazy, he just never seemed very grounded to Emma.

  Plus, she saw a resemblance in some of his behaviors and speech that reminded her of her step-mother’s authoritarian ways. She did not want a husband who would treat her more like an employee than a wife. She wanted love. That was the only thing that would make her happy.

  Lord Archibald lived in the east wing of a huge mansion just outside of London owned by his patroness and benefactor, Lady Bonneville, whose advancing age was known to all in their small area of England.

  Chapter Two

  Emma waited all night, dancing with every man on her card, for the last dance. She could feel her step-mother’s eyes on her as she did so and wondered what the Duchess of Corning was thinking. She hoped she was doing everything required of her. She did not like to be lectured. The Duchess of Corning was known for that.

  Lord Archibald talked all the way through their dance. He’d started a new business deal with a local merchant to bring goods from Germany and Italy, which he planned to sell to the highest bidder. Emma could barely stay awake through his lengthy one-sided discussion. She was not interested and if she had not been moving her body to dance, she would have fallen asleep without question.

  Typically, when she danced, she flirted as she was taught to do. She knew her step-mother, the Duchess of Corning, was always watching. She was aggressive with Emma and Katherine, keeping a close eye on both to make sure they were behaving properly.

  Just like most of the other mothers of eligible girls in society, the Duchess of Corning gave “her two girls” no leeway whatsoever. She was almost brutally pushy in what she did for them. She did not care what they thought of her methods. She was going to make sure they behaved the way they were supposed to behave.

  Emma had respect for her step-mother. She was an honorable woman. Not only was she tall and beautiful, with a slender body and fine features, such as big blue eyes and long wavy blond hair, she was also extremely intelligent and resourceful.

  When the current Duchess of Corning met her father, the Duke of Corning, she seemed to fall immediately in love with him. There was a small scandal, because she was nearly twenty years his junior. But their love proved true.

  For the first few years, the Duchess of Corning had to endure talk that she had only married the Duke of Corning for his power and money. She had provided two sons, ensuring her husband’s legacy would live on through them and there would be a male heir waiting for the dukedom. It would most certainly be Michael, who was three minutes older than his brother, Thomas.

  Despite all the good things about the Duchess of Corning, Emma was also resentful that the older woman was so stern and hard about the rules of the ton. She didn’t care if Emma was happy with the man she married, just so long as she was married. By the end of this season.

  She hoped.

  She met him near the dance floor, glancing at her cousin Lady Camilla with a sweet smile.

  “Lady Wentworth?” the Duke of Lox grinned. “Would you care to dance?”

  “I believe it is your name on my card, my lord. Yes, I am happy to dance with you.”

  He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. They took their positions and waited for the music to start.

  The Duke of Lox was an extremely interesting man. Emma could tell he was not like any of the other men she’d danced with the entire night. The sound of his voice was like silk brushing up against her body. She felt warm and comfortable with him. Unlike the other men of the ton, he seemed to assume from the beginning that she was intelligent and had something to discuss other than local gossip and clothing.

  “Please tell me, Lady Emma Wentworth,” he said, sweeping her to the side with one long step. “How has your evening been?”

  “I have enjoyed myself, thank you, your grace,” she responded, smiling at him. “And you?”

  She was keenly aware of how graceful he was as he stepped from side to side. She felt like she wasn’t even moving. They danced together perfectly. She looked up at him, assessing his height to be about five inches taller than her. She was 5’1 and one-quarter. He was one of the most handsome men she had seen in the last three seasons.

  “It has been a splendid evening, my lady. And I have been blessed beyond measure that I end it with a woman as stunning as you.”

  Emma knew she was blushing by how hot her cheeks grew. “How very complimentary, thank you, my lord.”

  “You are quite welcome. May I ask, my lady, if you have ever traveled to another country? Such as the Americas, Ireland or anywhere else?”

  Emma had never been asked such a question before. She had no response, not immediately. She had to think about it first. There was a pause in the conversation, which seemed to amuse him. He pulled away just slightly and looked at her. “You do not know if you have been out of the country, my lady?”

  She could hear the laughter in his voice. It made her smile. “I am sorry, my lord. I was caught off guard by your question. I have no
t been out of the country, though it is something I would someday like to do. I have read about it in many of my father’s books, though. I am sure you have been, have you not?”

  “I have, yes. How interesting that you have read of other countries. I have not met a young lady with that response before.”

  Her smile softened. “Perhaps you have not danced with the right lady.”

  He chuckled. “I do believe you are right. I think you would enjoy many of the places I have been. You seem like you would be a worldly woman if you put your mind to it. I would be most interested to hear what you have read about.”

  “Thank you, your grace. You barely know me but yet have such a flattering assessment of me. I do appreciate your candor.”

  “I speak only the truth, my lady. I do not have time for frivolous games, nor frivolous women. Your eyes tell me you are not that kind of woman.”

  Emma raised her eyebrows. “My eyes?”

  “Do you find that odd?”

  He swept Emma to the side again. She felt like she was floating on a cloud. “I must say I do find it a bit odd.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I have never met a man who has looked into my eyes and predicted my personality. Do you do this often?”

  “Over the years, I have developed a keen sense of intuition when it comes to this. The ladies of the ton are not the only ones who must find a mate. I also feel this pressure. My mother, the Duchess of Lox, is anxious to become a Grand-Duchess and have many little lords and ladies running about the mansion.”

  Emma giggled. She had never been to the mansion of the Duke of Lox but could still picture it. In her mind’s eye, she saw a grand woman of noble stature, chasing an unruly batch of hellions as they ran through the large hallways of a mansion, threatening every priceless statue and artifact on display.

  He grinned at her. “That does not scare you?”

  “Scare me?” Emma sounded amused. “My lord, it is my duty to marry and have children. I see no reason why such words would scare me.”

  “We met a few hours ago. How do you know I am not a dishonorable swindler?”

  Emma gasped. “My lord! I would never think of you in such a way! Never!”

  His grin remained. “I could be that and more. You do not know.”

  Emma shook her head. “I do not believe you are such a thing. You do not seem the type to defraud anyone out of anything. I am sure you are a fine, respectable businessman.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  “I find that most women are unable to hold a decent conversation, especially those who are of lower upbringing, unlike you, my lady. You clearly come from a distinguished family of note.”

  “Do you know my family, your grace?” Emma did not remember ever having heard her father mention the Duke of Lox. She would be very surprised if they knew each other.

  “I have not had the privilege of meeting anyone in your family, my lady, other than the Duchess of Corning. She encouraged me to seek you out.”

  Emma felt a stab of disappointment slice into her. The Duchess of Corning was the reason the Duke of Lox was dancing with her. Her own merit had nothing to do with it.

  “I see.”

  “She was correct in her assessment of you, at least from what I have seen so far.”

  “Do tell how she described me, my lord.” She hoped her voice didn’t reflect how she was feeling.

  If the Duchess of Corning encouraged the meeting, there was no telling what she had told the Duke of Lox. The Duchess of Corning had often endowed Emma with abilities and attributes she did not in fact have, making Emma seem to be a liar when she denied the things that were said.

  Why the Duchess of Corning would make her out to be a liar when she was working so hard to marry her off was beyond Emma’s comprehension.

  “She said that you were obedient and kind and you would be an excellent wife and mother.”

  Emma’s high hopes from before were dashed in just a few seconds. The man was typical, just like all the others. Her mood immediately soured. She had misjudged him.

  He must have seen the look on her face because he lost his smile. “Are you not those things?”

  Emma was quick to smile, though it did not reach her eyes. “I am all of those things, my lord.” But you are not what I had hoped. She thought the words but dared not speak them. The handsome young Duke of Lox would probably end up being a man with the kind of attitude her step-mother had, dictatorial and authoritarian.

  She would not fall for such false charms and charades.

  Emma did not mind respecting those in authority. But she wanted respect in return, simply because she was the kind of woman who deserved that respect. She was not a woman of disrepute, nor had she made a habit of being unkind to others. She wanted others to be happy just as she wanted to be happy.

  For the rest of their dance, Emma’s disappointment kept her from paying close attention to what the Duke of Lox was saying. She concentrated on the dance and enjoying how smoothly the Duke of Lox was able to move her around the floor. He was an incredible dancer, she had to admit that.

  But his statement that she was “obedient” had stuck in her mind. To her, that meant she would be expected to do whatever he wanted her to do, even if she didn’t want to do whatever it was. She could not expect any freedom. That sounded like a miserable existence to her.

  She assumed there was something he was hiding, otherwise he would not put on such a fine act of nobility. Only a man who was hiding something would put on such a display of friendliness.

  She was glad when the dance was over. The Duke of Lox may have noticed her initial look of disappointment but seemed to pay less attention to the distance she put in between them as he finished the dance with her.

  Although it was the last official dance of the evening, many people would mill about afterward, talking as they slowly made their way out the doors.

  Instead of going toward the front of the ballroom to leave like everyone else, Emma decided to step out onto the veranda, where there were only a few people, many of them in groups of threes.

  The Duchess of Corning would be unhappy that Emma had disappeared but she wasn’t too interested in what her step-mother wanted at that point in time. She wanted to think. She was disappointed that the man she had initially thought might be perfect for her had turned out to be just another duke who wanted a slave for a wife.

  She walked to the left, crossing her arms in front of her chest, before she sat on a bench just beyond a row of ferns that ran along the side of the house. When she thought more deeply about it, she did not know why she had come to the conclusion that he might be the one so quickly anyway. It was as though her brain had decided it before she even met him.

  Her instant attraction to him had been purely physical. That was obvious now. He was handsome to the point of distraction. Her heart had not given her brain enough time to make a logical decision. She had let herself drown in fantasy and reality had hit her with a swift smack.

  Emma was disappointed in herself. Why had she let herself slip into such a fantasyland? She shook her head. No more. She would trust that God would send her the right man before the end of the season. Her family depended on it.

  She stood up and was about to go inside to leave the ball when she saw Lord Archibald through the glass-paned double doors. He spotted her, too, and pushed the door open, hurrying to her.

  “Lady Wentworth. How has your evening been?” he asked, hurrying over to her.

  She looked at him, surprised. “Lord Archibald. Were you coming to find me, my lord? Did my step-mother send you for me?”

  Lord Archibald shook his head. “No, my lady. The Duchess of Corning is still inside with Miss Katherine, wooing one of the dukes who danced with her.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. I believe Lady Camilla is searching for you, though, unless she has left. I am sure she will realize you are out here. You look a bit distraught. Is everything all righ
t? Did you not have a good time?”

  “I had a good time tonight. It was a bit disappointing though.”

  “I am sorry to hear that, my lady. What happened to disappoint you?”

  Emma wanted to tell Lord Archibald that she was disappointed because she had not met a suitable candidate for her hand in marriage. But she knew he was vying for that position himself and if she revealed her feelings, he might be upset about it. “I suppose I am just not feeling well right now. My father is not feeling well. His health is declining and… I am very worried about him.”

  What she told him was the truth. She was worried about her father and she was just beginning to feel a little queasy standing out in the moonlight talking to Archibald. The Duchess of Corning would not approve.

  She moved back toward the door, grateful that she and Lord Archibald were not alone on the veranda. He knew it was not appropriate for her to be seen with him alone. It made her feel disrespected. It put her reputation with the ton in jeopardy. He should know that.

  He opened the door for her and she went through, searching the room for Camilla or her step-mother. The Duchess of Corning was on the other side of the room, her back to Emma, with Katherine, the Duke of Lox and the Duke of Rabney.

  She was surprised when a streak of jealousy passed through her. The Duke of Lox, to his credit, did not look extremely happy. His eyes were wandering around the room over Katherine’s shoulder. He spotted her and a look of pleased recognition passed over his face. He said something to the duchess, who turned and looked at Emma.

  She did not look pleased. Emma wondered why, feeling anxious. She rewound the evening in her mind but could not think of anything she had done wrong. Had the Duke of Lox said something unpleasant about her? She would find out later that evening. The duchess was sure to tell her what she had done wrong as they went home.

  “Excuse me, my lord. The duchess is waiting for me, I believe.”

  Lord Archibald was standing next to her and leaned slightly to whisper without looking at her. “She does not look happy, my lady. I do hope it is not because I came in from the veranda with you. I did not intentionally go out there seeking you. I would not have done that without permission.”