The Wild One

5 chapters + the prologue of my Avon Romance Novel

The Wild One
Prologue

         The Sailor's Tavern was filled with filthy sailors; all of them drinking, yelling and laughing excitedly, visibly enjoying themselves after their lengthy voyage. They were scattered around the pub, some yelling at bartenders to fill up their drinks, others talking about their thrilling voyage, while the rest tried to sneak a pinch on the back cheeks of the barmaids, who were giggling as they scurried past them. It looked as if they were luring the sailors’ money towards them.

   The barmaids in the pub, actually, in any pub, were distasteful whores who did not give a care who they shared their beds with; any one of the sailors would do for them. All they cared about was wiping the coins clean out of their partner’s pockets; they did not worry about pleasure or respect, merely wealth.

   The pub was located in the crummiest street, close to the docks, it was a convenient place for the sailors to relax after their journey, but no one other then the sailors dared to enter the pub, it was to chaotic. The pub had cheap drinks, broken tables, most likely due to all the fighting and stumbling from the sailors, and a nauseating odour that came from the soldiers who bust through the door not stopping to take the needed bath after their long voyage on sea.

   Even though the pub was in an unpleasant state, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

   Except for him, the only man sitting at the back of the pub, his hard gaze locked towards the doorway, waiting.

   Finally, after a long wait, the door swung open and two tall men strolled in instead of the regular gangly sailors. The pub instantly quieted down to observe the unusual guests, with their rich clothing and aristocratic features they looked out of place. After a moment of complete silence, they all came to a conclusion that the new comers did not mean any harm and immediately continued their loud chatter; dismissing the two gentlemen that had just walked in.

   However, he hadn’t dismissed them, his gaze stayed locked on them, he could see them perfectly while staying out of view, he had no doubt that they would not be able to see him, he had picked a perfect spot.

   They didn't know he was watching every move they made. His fury started to slowly rise while observing them.

   They ordered drinks throwing a pretty gold coin on the table not caring how much they were spending. Money, it seemed, came easy to them. The barmaids, who without indignity, were throwing seductive glances at them, clearly
understanding who the richer customers were, but the two gentlemen paid no heed to them, they were currently engrossed in a conversation with one of the Captains.

   He knew what the conversation was about; at least he thought he did, why else would they be here? They would never have risked talking about it in their own areas.He watched as one of them shook the Captains hand, the captain could barley control his glee, while the other one handed the Captain a small bag that looked to be filled with coins. Then they threw more of their shinny gold coins on the table ordering rounds of drinks for the gawking sailors surrounding them.

   With every sailor cheering for their paid drinks, the two gentlemen walked out of the pub in a spectacular exit.

   He still sat there, watching the now closed doors, simmering inside.

   God, how he hated them. He despised how they lived their faultless life not giving a second thought to him, the man they had callously ruined, banishing him out of their minds.

   They had taken everything from him, everything.

   But by god he would get it back, no matter how, no matter what, no matter when, he would unquestionably get it back.

   He knew he had to plan something soon since he wasn’t getting any younger. At age three and sixty he shouldn’t be worrying like this, it was killing him sooner then he was willing to give up the ghost, but he couldn’t help it. He was obsessed, ever since the first time he saw it, ever since it was his.

   He needed to get it back to his family, it belonged to him. They had stolen it from him and he would do anything in his powers to get it back.

   Anything. 

Group Courting
Chapter 1
1827

                      'She looked up and glanced around the ballroom. He wasn’t there she realized with a guilty conscious. What could have happened to him? Dear god, was the effect that curtail? He must have been... '

         “Leana! Come down this insist, they are about to arrive any minute now.” Leana was pulled from her writing by her Mamas voice bellowing from downstairs. She sighed and quickly closed her writing book. Opening her white drawer she rapidly placed her book inside the undisclosed box. She got up from her writing desk heading straight to verify herself at her full length mirror which was next to her small but spacious closet.

   Her plain yellow evening gown was perfectly in place and free of wrinkles. Her hair, which her Mexican maid, Shavani, loosely put up in a knot letting some of her brown curls fan her face, was perfect. She looked acceptable but Leana merely shrugged not giving a care.

   “Do hurry up, Leana. For heavens sake, the carriage has just arrived.” Leana rolled her eyes heaven wards and strolled out of her room. It was the last room in the wing and she liked it that way. Her room was decorated in her two favourite colors, it was purple and white making the room look and feel simple but with a hint of wildness, just the way she observed herself. Her furniture was all white while her curtains and bed cover were of dark purple.

   She started to wonder who the visitors might be; they must be someone of importance since her mother was in a more hysterical mood then she normally was. She had ordered the house cleaned from ceiling to floor muttering to herself all day that everything needed to be perfect. Leana raked her brain for the names of the visitors her mother had mention early then sighed in defeat. She hadn’t been paying any attention when her mother had informed her who was coming to pay a call in the evening.

   Her brother, Simon, had his room right next to hers. When she walked by his room she noticed his door was slightly open, she peeked in.

   His room was bright from the dark blue curtains that were pulled open to reveal the arresting summer day. Lean squinted at his dark blue bed and smiled softly when she saw what was over his covers; it was the tiny blanket she had made for him when he was a small boy.

   Simon was the only male sibling in the family, and also the only sibling who actually understood and liked her. She found his tall, lean form crouched on the floor; he was miraculously tall for his age, being taller then her by a few inches even though he was five years her junior. She went in gradually and lightly not wanting to disturb him.

   She stood behind him trying to see past his crop of brown curly hair that matched their Papas. Warmth washed over Leana when she thought about her loving papa; out of the four daughters he had, she was his favourite.

   Leana crept closer to her brother and crouched next to him. Simon, who was focused on something in his hands, didn’t even notice she was beside him until she nudged him gently. He looked up at her with big purple-grey eyes that matched hers; their eyes were more amethyst then grey.

   “I didn’t hear you come in.” He said in a small voice as if trying not to wake someone

   “Look what I found.” He nodded his head towards his hands.

   Leana smiled slightly and glanced at his hands, her eyes widened and she covered her mouth, nausea threatening her throat. “W-what?” Leana asked shakily

   “It’s a bird; I found it in the gardens today.” Simon explained eyeing her with concern.

   “Good God, is the bird still alive?” Leana asked swallowing down her weakness. She had a soft spot for animals, so did Simon. It was just like him to pick up an injured bird and care for it.

   She recalled when he was ten and he witnessed a revolting gentleman raising a prickly stick towards a stray dog. His feeble reason for his harsh treatment towards the harmless dog was that the dog had merely taken his toilet duties near him.

   Despicable dog, he had snarled.

   Simon had jumped between the branch and dog not caring about his own safety. It was fortunate that Leana was there to control the situation, if it wasn’t for her she feared the branch would have done damage on Simon’s person. She had grabbed the prickly stick, which scraped her soft skin, and had thrown it away receiving a hard scowl from the insensitive, self centered prig. She had grabbed Simon, who had already picked up the dog, and ran for safety.

   “I believe so; it looks like someone shot one of the wings.” Simon answered drawing Leana back to the present.

   “Poor thing” Leana whispered sympathetically. She observed the bird with Simon, making sure they checked for other injuries; they were so in grossed that they didn’t even hear their sister creeping in.

   “Leana, mother is calling you down. The guests have arrived”

   Leana heard a crisp voice from the doorway. She exchanged a glance with Simon and stood up. She turned around to find her second oldest sister, Paulina, at the doorway with an annoyed look on her pretty face. Paulina’s heart shaped mouth was turned down in distaste and her sharp green eyes were filled with irritation. She was clad in a light pink dress that enhanced her beauty, if possible, and her hair was pulled into a style similar to her own. 

   Leana inwardly sighed and headed past Paulina towards the stairs ignoring her cool gaze. Paulina made it obvious how much she detested Leana; normally they were expected to be close since their age difference was a mere distance apart, two years to be exact, but it was entirely the opposite. Paulina wasn’t the only sister who disliked her, in point of fact, all her sisters disliked her. She had two other sisters, one younger and one older, who frustratingly resembled Paulina that bore the same hatred towards her. Their only grounds for their detestation were simply because she was different.

   Leana walked down the stairs slowly, aware that Paulina was behind her making theatrical sighs, she smiled smugly.

   In a flash, she heard a piercing squeak and was pushed against the railing, Leana turned around while Paulina darted past her and went flying down the stairs. She looked up to find Simon smirking while holding the bird in his hand, she grinned at him proudly and rolled her eyes towards her sister who was muttering brainless expressions under her breath..

   “Disgusting, absolutely disgusting, I don’t understand either of you” Paulina huffed out turning towards them and shifting her biting eyes between them. Paulina noticed Simon and her exchanging laughing smiles and tilted her nose upwards as if trying to sniff the very ceiling. “Do try and act normal for an hour, Leana. The Duke and Duchess of Davidsons are here, Ma will have a heart attack if you displease them.” She paused to calculate her up and down and then added in a rigid voice “Knowing you, you would upset them regardless. I wish you much luck, Little Sister.” She turned on her heals and went scurrying to the drawing room.

   Leana groaned silently.

   Paulina, for once, was right; her mom would have a fit if she did not act proper this evening. The reality was that Leana plainly did not take well with the guest from the ton. One thing she loathed the most was the ton, which was made up of people who claimed they where higher then others simply because they were fortune enough to be born from blue-blood and wealth. Leane’s family was considered a part of the ton purely because her father and mother were of blue-blood making them acceptable to earn invitations to balls and other of those sorts. 
If it wasn’t for her father’s inheritance, which wasn’t much, she wouldn’t be surprised if her family received fewer invitations. She had angered a set of society members with her unusual wit and her ability to be the opposite from all the senseless girls.

   She looked back at Simon who gave her a big encouraging smile before he slipped back into his room.

   Her memory flashed and she recalled Paulina saying that the Duke and Duchess of Davidsons were here. Why on earth would they be here? They had never visited them; even though their kids were good friends with Simon and her.

   Except one of them, who had decided she wasn’t worthy for his kindness three years ago, Leana thought bitterly.

   She climbed down the rest of the stairs and headed towards the drawing room where she was sure her Ma was eagerly trying to please their superior guest.
Leana walked in the drawing room and almost wanted to bolt when she observed the scene.

   Her mama, who’s painfully thin body was sited in a two piece chair, was entertaining the Duke and Duchess of Davidsons, who were sitting together in a green settee, in an overly vivid voice about her plans for her oldest daughter’s new born baby. Leana glanced at her oldest sister, Andrea, who was sitting in a red chair with a stiff posture nodding agreements to her mothers maddening chatter. Paulina was already seated next to her mama trying to get in little details while attempting to draw attention towards herself. Her younger sister, Catharine, who was turning round admiring eyes towards the duke and duchess, was seated on a padded stool.

   This would be one long dull evening, Leana thought sulkily. She walked backwards softly, trying to be invisible from her mama’s sharp eyes.

   To late, she thought as she saw her mother put on a tight smile and walk stiffly towards her. Her mother grabbed her arm squeezing it tightly pinching her manicured nails in her soft skin. Leana flinched at the sting but forced a smile for the guests who were observing them.

   “You’re late.” Leana heard her mother whisper harshly near her ear.

   “My deepest apology, mother.” Leana returned sarcastically. Her mother, Vivian Rose Mchayne, Lady Wingston, was also another family member who disliked her.

   Leana was still taken aback at how all three of her sisters resembled their mother; they all had stunning blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and pale skin. Only she and Simon took after their father with their brown hair, purple-grey eyes, and light honey skin, but she didn’t mind. Not only did she take after her father’s looks but also his intelligence which earned her to be his favourite. She had more in her mind besides shopping, gossiping or finding a rich husband; it came to no surprise as to why she was detested by all the females in the family.

   Vivian dragged her towards the guest, pinching her arm again when she didn’t curtsey immediately.

   Leana laboriously curtsied towards the duchess who acknowledged her with probing eyes and then towards the duke who gave her a hint of a smile.

   “This is my third daughter Leana.” Her mother didn’t even try hiding her embarrassment from having her in her voice. Leana didn’t know why her mother introduced her; it was obvious the duchess already knew who she was.

   “Yes. Leana, I’ve heard a lot about you.” the duchess mouth curled into a sour smile. 

   “I’m sure you have.” Leana smiled toothy.

      Her mother pinched her once more and then let her arm go to resume her sitting.
Leana found a sit near Catharine and plopped down in an unladylike fashion knowing that all eyes were on her.

   She heard a chuckle.

   Leana glanced at the duke; he was trying to stifle his amusement and was rewarded with a hard glare from his wife.

   Paulina, being the attention seeker that she was, pulled everyone’s gaze towards herself when she started to talk excitedly about her new blue slippers that matched exclusively with her blue dress. 

   Leana blocked Paulina’s irksome babble and observed the Davidsons. The couple were complete opposites, like fish and milk. The duchess podgy body was dressed in a light cream gown that was more suitable for a debutante rather then an aged lady with three kids; two of them grown. Her blond hair, with white streaks, was pulled tightly into an elegant knot; it was so tight that her veins were straining near her temples. Leana shivered when she glimpsed her eyes, they were an attractive green but cold. It was like glancing in an ice storm.

   With her claw like fingers tapping impatiently at Paulina’s chatter, her pale wrinkled forehead decorated with an unattractive frown, and her mouth turned down in annoyance, the duchess looked like an irritated fox ready to charge.

   Leana quickly shifted her gaze towards the duke. He was clad in dark breeches that were tucked into shiny boots. His white shirt was spotless and highlighted with the brown vest. In addition he had on a dark jacket making him look stylish and wealthy. You would think he was a man who cared about his appearance. Well at least he dressed that way, until you glanced at his hair which was sticking out at odd places as if he was dragged out of bed a few minutes ago and just combed his hand through his hair, which probably was the case.Leana wanted to laugh at the picture he made, all fashionable but bedraggled. 

   After observing his face she realized he was the type who aged beautifully, his face looked young except for his dishevelled hair that was completely white and the wrinkles around his brown eyes and mouth. Unlike the duchess, his eyes were warm and joyful, indicating he was a pleasant man who observed the world with amusement.  He was staring blindly at the wall tuning them all out; he clearly
wanted to be somewhere else.

   Leana didn’t blame him; she was ready to slap the foolishness out of Paulina if she did not shut up about her slippers. In fact, Leana just wanted to slap the silliness out of her; slippers or no slippers.

   “If I may interrupt you Paulina, but I have an important matter to discuss
which concerns all of you and I’m afraid I don’t have much time, you see I have an appointment with Lady Hastings.” the duchess said in a shrill voice, her eyes were cool but demanding upon Paulina.

   Paulina nodded but her mouth turned putty, obviously displeased that she was not the center of attention anymore.

   It was on the tip of Leana’s tongue to enlighten her that she wasn’t even listened to when she talked but she decided against it since it would, no doubt, cause an argument between them which would lead in wasting more time, she just wanted to get back to writing her book.

   The sooner this abrupt meeting was over, the better.

   She fixed her eyes on Lady Davidson and gave her half her attention while the other half started to wonder what her next book should be about.

   “I came here to talk to you about your daughters, Lady Wingston.” She started. “As you know, you have four lovely daughters” She looked from Andrea, Paulina, and Catharine approvingly but when she looked over at Leana, who was slumped down in the chair in a very improper way, her gaze turned sardonic.

   Leana grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at her. Her mother shot her a disapproving look before smiling charmingly towards the duchess.

   “Please excuse my daughter’s behaviour, she has a bit of a headache and is
in a peculiar mood, your grace.” Her voice came out all honey and soft implicating she cared about her daughter’s health, she also made a show of keeping her eyes low as if sadden by the thought.

   From the show she just put on anyone would think she was a loving mother, which was precisely the opposite when it came down to Leana.

   Goodness, she was a marvellous actress; she should think about trying her skills on stage.

   The thought about telling her mother that she had superb acting skills and should possibly consider becoming an actress on stage was so comical that Leana couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

   She would no doubt have a fit and start chirping like a cricket then perhaps swoon dramatically.

   All eyes were on her, disapproving pair of eyes except for one pair, the duke was grinning at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

   “If you would excuse me but I have business with Lord Wingston. Where might he be?” he asked obviously trying to find a reason to leave.

   “He is in the library, I can take you there.” Leana volunteered jumping out of her seat.

   “Nonsense, sit down young lady.” the duchess said in a harsh commending tone. “Surely a footman could show him there.”

   “Yes of course.” her mother walked out of the room calling for a footman.
Charles, a polite young boy, came right away.

   “Charles direct the Duke of Davidson to the library.” Her mother told him in an impatient manner as if she didn’t have time to communicate with servants; even if ordering them.

   Charles nodded, bowed and then left with the duke who flashed Leana a sympathetic smile visibly realizing she didn’t want to be in the room as much as himself.

   Leana sighed and fell back in her chair and once again turned half her attention towards the duchess whose eyes turned icier, if achievable.

   “As I was saying, you have four lovely daughters but mind you this is only for your middle daughters; Lady Paulina and Lady Leana.” she explained.
From the corner of Leana’s eyes she could see Paulina perk up but Leana did not much care for what the duchess came to say so she went back to thinking about her book but still keeping an ear to the conversation.

   “May I be so bold as to ask how old Lady Paulina and Lady Leana are?” the duchess asked

   Maybe I could make Mr. Xviders a pirate in the book.

   “Well...” Vivian heisted “Paulina had just turned twenty three and Leana is twenty one.”

    No, I should make Mr. Xviders the heroin that would fall madly in love with Daisy.

   “Twenty three” the duchess repeated disapprovingly “I’m surprised a beauty like Lady Paulina isn’t married yet but I guess that’s fortunate for me.” She said thoughtfully. “Which I will explain later why” she added quickly when she noticed Paulina about to speak up. “As for Lady Leana, she is still reasonably young.”

    Daisy shall have blonde hair that shone bright in the sunlight and big brown eyes that could melt Mr. Xviders heart.

   “Are either of them being courted right now?”

   Maybe she would have a broken heart that she thought would never mend until Mr.Xviders came along.

   “Well for Paulina there are some suitors and admirers but nothing serious but for Leana she hasn’t attended any balls this season.” Her mother answered obediently

   “Well that’s a relief; I do not want an angry suitor going after my oldest son.”

   She could also-

   “Did you say your oldest son?” Leana asked now paying full attention to the conversation.

   The duchess gave her an annoyed look. “Yes I did, weren’t you listening?”

   The Duke and Duchess of Davidsons had two sons; Dwayne and Ian. And since Ian was the same age as Simon she obviously meant Dwayne.

   Her fingers clutched her dress and Leana flushed red with range.

   Dwayne was the most stubborn, self-centered and cold-hearted man alive. On top of that he was one of the most notorious rakes in all of England, naturally.

   Did she say that the ton was one thing she loathed the most? Well she was wrong because the one thing she despised more then anything would be Dwayne Collin Maine, the heir of Davidson. 

   Oh she hadn’t always hated him; in fact there were times, when she was a young girl, where she had fancied herself in love with him. Fool that she was. He was so quiet, mysterious and different that she had found him so alertly interesting. Since his sister, Diana, was Leana’s best friend, Dwayne and Leana had used to be accepting friends’, greeting each other kindly when they passed each other. Then three years ago Dwayne had started to slowly ridicule her, started treating her horridly when they saw each other, which was often due to Leana and Diana’s close friendship. Apparently, he wasn’t any different from all the other society members who scorned her, it just took him a longer time then others to realize she didn’t belong.

   She recalled when she had asked Diana why Dwayne was acting unkind to her all of sudden, but Diana had merely shrugged saying that his brother was in a strange mood. Leana had hoped that Dwayne was just moody about something else and was taking his frustration out on her, she had hoped it was just a faze and had been extra kind to him but instead of softening up to her, he started to hate her even more, and after what Diana did two years ago, he despised her more, if possible, putting all the blame towards her.

   The last time she saw him, he was so harsh towards her that he had actually brought tears to her eyes, she never cried.

   Even though it was two years ago, she remembered the day like it was yesterday. It had been a few weeks after Diana left behind a scandal that they all faulted her for. It had been a sunny day, her mother had ordered her to stay inside muttering about how her skin was repulsively dark enough, even though her skin had just a hint of honey color, but it was such a beautiful day that Leana couldn’t resist herself; she took her horse, Sandy, and rode to Hyde Park. She had been minding her own business, standing beside her horse who was chewing mindlessly on the grass while she stared up at the clear blue sky, daydreaming. Out of no where, Dwayne had come up to her, and started to whisper cruel words in her ear until she had broken down, sank to her knees and sobbed while he leisurely walked away not even flummoxed.

   Ever since that day, she was certain that the next time she saw Dwayne she would, without hesitance, murder him.

   Her eyes narrowed and her fits curled, why did the duchess bring him up? She tried to reflect on what she heard in the conversation but came out with bits and pieces. This is what she gets for barley listening. Although, she did remember her mama answering the duchess about the question of her age and the duchess asking if anyone was courting her or Paulina.

   Courting? Age? Was the duchess thinking about…?

   No.

   It had to be a mistake, why would she want her son to court her. One thing Leana was certain of was that the duchess bore the same disgust towards her as her son; they both blamed her for Diana’s mischievous behaviour, especially because of the last disgrace.

   She would not, in no uncertain terms, let Dwayne court her.

   She was having a dire feeling about all of this but hoped it was Paulina who would be the one to endure Dwayne’s courtship. But if the duchess wanted Paulina to have her son then why was she also asking questions about her?

   “Your grace, would you mind telling me what this is all about?” Leana asked edgy.

   Again, all eyes were on her.

   “Leana! Mind your tongue in front of your elders.” her mother scolded giving her a failed fierce look.

   Leana rolled her eyes at her mother’s supposedly fierce look and tuned back to the duchess whose lips were pressed in a line of disapproval.

   Leana crocked an eyebrow at her, waiting for an answer.

   “Well, one good that came from Diana’s disgrace is at least now she is far away from you.” Her voice was sharp, slicing the air.

   The remark hit deep but Leana controlled her expression. She did not want to give the duchess the satisfaction of knowing that it hurt her.

   “You didn’t answer my question, your grace.” Leana replied stiffly.

   “I hardly even understand why I am doing this favour for you, I’ll think of it as a favour to Lady Wingston.” the duchess said once again avoiding the question. She ignored Leana and turned towards Vivian.

   “You see, as I was going to say until I was rudely interpreted.” She shot Leana an accusing glare before continuing “I’m requesting a courtship between your daughter and my son, Dwayne.”

   The room fell silent, everyone was holding their breath; it was so quiet you could most likely hear a feather drop.

   Leana recovered first.

   “Which daughter?” She asked trying to keep her heart steady

   “Lady Paulina, of course. You didn’t honestly think it would be you?” the duchess asked in a staggered voice. “As if I would ever let that the happen.” She added in a haughty voice.

   Leana blinked stupidly, she could see Paulina smile smugly in the corner of her eyes while her mother turned husband-hunting eyes towards the duchess.

   “Of course I didn’t think it would be me.” She retorted defensively. “But why did you say this involved me?” Leana asked suspiciously.

   “I wasn’t planning to have you involved but I decided that it would be better if we had a group courting.”

   “A group courting?” Leana interrupted.

   “Leana!” her mother hissed.

   The duchess sighed heavily “Perhaps if you stop interrupting me maybe I would be able to explain.”

   “Alright.”

   “I was only going to have Lady Paulina and Dwayne court but then one of
Dwayne’s friends surprised us all by clamming he was thinking about courting you, Lady Leana. Lord Evenstan, I hope you remember him.” She paused

   Leana frowned, of course she remembered Lord Evenstan. It was hard not to remember him, especially his eyes; they were a sharp crystal blue that could make any women fall to their knees.

   Any women but herself, she felt no attraction towards him. He was just the
appealing man who was constantly beside Dwayne.

   It was shocking that he wanted to court her, she knew him as the most confirmed bachelor out of all the rakes she had heard about. Maybe he had a change of heart? Leana shrugged and nodded at the duchess to continue.

   “His suggestion had me thinking. I know that Lord Holbrook has been paying considerable attention to Lady Hastings eldest daughter, Lady Annabel. It would be an amusing twist if we had Lady Annabel, Lady Paulina and Lady Leana be courted by Lord Holbrook, Dwayne and Lord Evenstan at the same time. No one will know exactly who will end up with whom, only we would know. It would keep everyone in suspense until, of course, the wedding day, which I’m hoping would be around three months, my son has an urge to be married as soon as possible. It would also be splendid if we had a triple wedding at the same day.  It would be the talk of the season, don’t you think?” the duchess said smiling cunningly.
   “Oh how exciting!” Paulina exclaimed.

   “Oh my, that is brilliant.” Vivian said admiringly, her husband-hunting mind was almost certainly working up a storm in her head.

   Exciting? Brilliant?

   They had to be jesting.

   How on Earth was that exciting or better yet how was it brilliant? Any one could have thought of that plan except no one had the nerve to try it. Leave it to the
Duchess of Davidsons to be the first one. Given that no one would have the cheek to either fault or scorn her because of her superior title, the duchess had nothing to worry about.

   “Isn’t it just wonderful, Lady Leana?” the duchess simpered.

   She should refuse the offer, that would serve the duchess right but Leana knew she couldn’t refuse it. She did not want to die a spinster and knowing that at least one marriageable man desired her, even if she was an outcast in the society, she was eager to accept the offer especially since it would take her away from her mother and sisters. Besides if she did marry Lord Evenstan, who would no doubt go on with his life paying no heed to her, she would have the peace and quiet to finish her book without her irksome mother nagging at her.

   She also wanted a child; and she couldn’t accomplish that without getting married unless she wanted to scandalize her family, she wouldn’t mind scandalizing her sisters and mother, even herself, but the thought of ruining her father or brother’s name wasn’t pleasant at all.

   “Of course, I’m shimmering with excitement.” Leana purred. She grinned at the shocked expressions that were turned towards her; they were obviously expecting an argument. “Did you think I’d refuse?”

The Note
Chapter 2

         There was an awkward silence while everyone in the room stared at her. They all looked at her with bewildered expressions and a twinge of doubt, as if expecting Leana to burst out laughing pretending she was purely accepting the offer as a jest.

   Leana relaxed back in her sit, pointedly staring at each on of them with an amused look.

   “Did you all assume I would reject such a gracious offer?” She asked trying hard to keep the laughter spilling from her lips.

   The duchess seemed to pull through first; she gave Leana a cool smile and then turned towards the still shocked Paulina.

   “Lady Paulina, dear, would you be willing to let my darling son court you?” the duchess asked.

   Leana gave a soft snort at the endearment used towards Dwayne. Darling?

   Not even close.

   “Oh she’s more then willing, you’re Grace. Your son is one the most eligible bachelors in the ton. I must admit I had given up hope for a marriage between my lovely Paulina and him. He seemed so attached to his freedom.” Lady Davidson replied for Paulina eagerly.

   Leana watched in hilarity at her sisters reactions. Paulina frowned for not being let to answer the question and then shone a dreamy smile, clearly happy about the choice of her future husband. Andrea, who was married to a duke’s second son, was glowering, all that time with no one noticing but Leana, unmistakably displeased that she wasn’t the one marrying a duke’s heir. While Catherine looked like she was shimmering inside because it seemed she knew, even at age fifteen, that she would have a better coming out ball then all of her sisters since one of her sisters would be married into a rich, noble title.
Her sisters truly shocked Leana, even with all the loving care from their mother, they were literally the most selfish girls she had ever seen, but then they were raised by an equally selfish mother.

   She glanced at her mother who was currently listing all the bachelors she had been thinking that were suitable for her Paulina. Her mother, at the age of one and fifty, was still stunningly beautiful, she had one goal in life and that goal was to marry all her daughters into rich and high titles. Her mother was forever mad that she had not been able to do well in catching a higher title and took her frustration into finding her daughters suitable husbands. It was no surprise why she was beaming from ear to ear; apparently Dwayne, the heir of Davidsons, was on the top of her list of eligible husbands.

   “I was hoping to start this courting at the Shipford ball, it’s coming up in three days” the duchess said interrupting her mother, “Do you think you two girls would be ready by then?”

   Her mother shot Leana a hard glance warning her not to decline like she did every other ball but Leana had no intention of decline, for the first time in a her life she was actually keen to go to a ball.

   Maybe she liked Lord Evenstan more then assumed.

   Paulina and Leana nodded together at the duchess.

   The duchess cool smile widened and then, quick as a wind gust, she got up gracefully from her seat which made Vivian bounce right out of her seat as well. Andrea, Paulina and Catherine followed suit springing out of their seat, only Leana sat comfortably staring at them, her mouth curled upwards.
Did she say this evening would be boring? It was far from boring; her family were quite entertaining to watch when they tried to please visitors as superior as the Duchess of Davidson.

   “Now that everything is settled I’m off to explain my delicious idea to Lady Hastings, who will cheerfully accept.” the duchess explained while heading towards the doorway “I shall see you in the Shipford ball.” She stopped to smile brightly at Paulina patting her arm. “Wear your best gown, dear, I want you looking your best when Dwayne sees you.” She paused to turn towards Leana, her smile vanished, “I’m glad you have accepted, Lady Leana. You’re finally doing something worthwhile.”

   The duchess turned and breezed out of the drawing room while the four females trotted on her heel.

   Leana leaned her head against the back of the seat, the duchess last comment circling around her head.

   Something worthwhile? Goodness, how idiotic were these gentlewomen? How was it “worthwhile” to trap a husband?

   Life should be more then finding rich husbands, Leana thought disgustingly.
After resting her head for five minutes, Leana finally got up and left the drawing room, she went straight to her room planning to write her novel but instead she grabbed a book from her nightstand and dropped down in her comfy armchair beside the fireplace.

   She started to read from where she had left of last night and got lost in the book.

   All thoughts about injured birds, husbands, and balls were pushed at the back of her mind.

***

   One hour into her reading, Leana heard a faint knock on her door, she dropped her book, headed towards the door and swung it open ready to order who ever was behind it to leave her be.

   Leana’s order was lost in her mouth when she found her brother at the doorway looking distressed.

   “Simon, what’s wrong?” Leana asked wordily, she grabbed his arm and pulled him in the room, closing the door behind him.

   She watched silently as Simon moved blindly towards the armchair she had recently been sitting on and plopped down non to gently. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand at odd angles.

   Leana started towards him slowly and cautiously sat down on the arm chair.

   He was staring at the wall, deep in his thoughts.

   “Simon.” Leana said gently.

   No answer

   “Simon.” Lean said again, this time shaking his arm.

   He glanced up at her as if just realizing she was in the room.

   “Tell me what’s wrong.” she coxed soothingly.

   “Leana, it’s bad. Real bad. Remember the bird? Of course you do, how can you not.” He babbled nervously. “I told you I found the bird in the garden, it was lying right under the roses and violets. I also found a note beside the bird, I picked it up and shoved it in my pocket not giving it my attention, I was only focused on the bird.”

   He ran another hand trough his hair before he continued. “Well, I just remembered the note a few minutes ago... and when…Here.” He cried handing her the note.

   Leana started at his outstretched hand that held the crumpled note, she hadn’t even noticed it before. She pried it from his fingers and opened it slowly, her bone chilling.

“Roses are red; Violets are blue
The bird is dead and so are you”

   Leana felt relief whoosh over her, she had expected something way more drastic then the poor excuse for a couplet. 

   Her chest bubbled up with laughter.

   Simon looked sternly at her, flew out of the chair and started to pace back and forth.

   “This is not funny, Leana. Not funny at all. For Gods sake, stop laughing. We are in danger, we have to tell p-“

   “Simon! Calm down, there’s no need to worry. This note isn’t real, it was merely written to frighten us.”  Leana explained in fits of laughter.

   “How can you say that? They tried to kill the bird and now they will kill us.” Simon said franticly, he stopped pacing long enough to give her a hysterical look before he continued to weave a whole in her carpet.

   “Simon, is the bird dead?” Leana asked sobering down.

   Simon stopped and frowned at the question “No, the bird is fine, bad wing and all but he isn’t dead. What does that have to do with anything? We are going to be killed.”

   Lean bit her lip to prevent the laughter that threatened to come out, her bother was adorably cute, he was sixteen years old and still gullible.

   “Simon, stop your worrying. As you said the bird isn’t dead so the couplet can’t make sense. I’ll bet it’s those twins playing one of their pranks again.” Leana saw immediately when Simon realized the truth about her words. He smacked his forehead and threw his head back giving out a shot of laughter.

   “Why didn’t I think of that? You really are smart Leana. Now to think of it I’m sure the twins were the ones. Our new neighbours really are the pranksters.” he said with a grin.

   Leana grinned back. Her neighbour, Lord Jecklamps had just married a widow, Lady Kirtland, now known as Lady Jecklamps, and in tow she brought along her twelve-year- old twins from her previous marriage. The twins were constantly playing tricks on people, some laughed at their pranks but others scolded them and sent them running of with a hard look.

   Leana loved all their pranks; they were the wittiest little boys she had ever had the pleasure to meet. She knew that they hadn’t injured the bird but had most likely found it in the garden trying to find a prank to pull towards the Wingston, pronounced the bird dead and had decided to play a prank.

   She glanced at Simon who had picked up her book and was reading the title.

   “If that is all you were worried about can I please have my book so I can continue reading? It was getting intense.” Leana said smiling.

   Simon handed her the book, bent down to kiss her cheek and left the door closing the room mutely.

   Leana slid to her armchair and began to read.

   After five minutes of reading one line over and over, Leana threw the book down in frustration. Obviously her mind had enough reading for today.

   Her mind strayed to the note again and she laughed softly. The twins reminded her of herself when she was younger, although she was more discreet.

   She glanced at the note still in her hand and read it again. This time she frowned slightly when she read the note. The writing didn’t seem to belong to a twelve-year-old boy and neither did the words. Surely little boys didn’t know how to rhyme; perhaps they got a footman to help them?

   Leana shrugged the uneasiness off. She had enough to worry about.

   She got up and went to her closet, she opened the closet and bent down to place the note in a small little jewel box in the corner of her closet.

   When she straightened up there was a swamp of dull colors in front of her eyes, her face was inches from her dresses. She glared at her hideous dresses, she hadn’t noticed until today that her dresses were more suited for a fresh debutante and were out of date. That could be because she hadn’t gone dress shopping in perhaps two years; she had always asked her maid to let out her hem every time her dress got shorter, besides she didn’t need dresses since she barley attended balls, she preferred staying home reading books or writing her novel.

   But she would be attending a ball and even she, who barley cared about fashion, would not dare walk in with an out fashioned dress that looked to be suited for a clumsy debutante.

   Besides, her mother had picked all the colors and designs of her dress and Leana hated them. It seemed her mother had deliberately picked the most dreadful dresses she could find to spite her. Her mother had ordered dozens of gowns of light pink, light blue, and light green which made Leana look like a washed out ninny. She had refused to wear them, knowing it would anger her mama, and had stayed home from most of the balls at her coming out season.

   Luckily Leana had ordered a couple of gowns for herself, nothing special just simple gowns, which she wore daily. The only dresses that she wore.

   But now her gowns were out dated and didn’t seem to go well with her age anymore or her grown body.

   She was older now and was soon going to be courted by the best-looking bachelor; she needed to look her best when around him. She couldn’t possibly be seen wearing a washed out debutante dress with a handsome man like him.

   Not that she cared what others thought, but it wouldn’t hurt to look good once in a while.

   Leana grabbed her gowns and threw them out of her closet, if her mother assumed she would be wearing those distasteful gowns, think again. She was going to order a new wardrobe and this time it will be of her own choice. She might not know anything about fashion but fortunately her maid, Shavani, knew everything that needed to be known about fashion. Leana will take her to Bow Street right after she talked to her papa, who she knew was going to agree with her no matter what.

   That was one thing, out of many, that she loved about her papa, he always allowed Leana to do as she pleased.

   Leana ringed her bell and in a few minutes Shavani came rushing in, panting.

   “Yes, m’lady?” Shavani asked breathless.

   “Shavani, take this gowns away and be ready in half an hour. We are going to order a whole new wardrobe for me and since you know so much of the latest fashion, after trying for years to drum them in my head, you will surely help me pick my gowns, won’t you?”

   Shavani smiled brightly and set of picking her clothes. “I’ll be thrilled to help you. Oh I’m so happy, m’lady. You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this. I gave up hope a few months ago.”

   Shavani was not only her maid but her friend; Leana treated the servants in the house as an equal to her own self. In fact, she had more respect for them then her own mother; at least they worked for their money.

   “I’ll go talk to my papa now.” Leana slipped out of the door and headed towards the library, where she was sure her papa was.

   She reached the library and opened the door slightly to peek in. Sure enough, her papa was slumped in the chair behind the huge table.

   Leana smiled slowly and crept into the room shutting the door quietly. The library was a huge room filled from ceiling to floor with books, which were lined in alphabetical order; there were over a thousand books in the library. The curtains that hung on the gigantic windows where dark red giving the library a rich look.

   Leana loved the library; she was usually found in here plopped in one of the velvety red seats reading a book while her father sat behind the big desk working.

   “Papa” Leana said when she reached half way into the library, her papa hadn’t even looked up when she entered; he was immersed in his paper.

   Her papa looked up with weary eyes but when he saw her, he grinned widely at her. He shot up from his seat, opening his arms to her. “Come here pumpkin.”

   “I’m getting to old for that, papa.” Leana said with a small smile.

   “Nonsense, you are never too old to hug your own papa. Now come here, my arms are getting stiff.”

   Leana grinned and flew into his arms. They tightened around her giving her one of his famous bear hug. It was all childish but Leana knew deep down that she would never get to old for one of her papa’s heart-warming hugs.

   Now that she was closer she could see the dark circles around his eyes.

   “Papa, you need to get some rest. I worry about you.” Leana said when he set her down.

   He sighed and dropped down in his chair, rubbing his face. Leana climbed on the desk and sat on it.

   “I will soon, I just have to finish these papers. Don’t worry about it, pumpkin.”

   He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

   Leana felt a pang in her chest, her papa worked so hard for them. It was a sad sorry; her papa never got to inherit most of his fortune from his father since her insensitive grandpa gambled all most all of it, leaving only some, not even giving a thought about his only son.

   After her grandpa died all her papa inherited was the house they were living in, it was a big house, not as big as others, but it was big enough, and a small fortune that would have only lasted for five years. And of course the title, which her mother at least took some pride in accepting. Instead of drinking his sorrow away and gambling his small fortune, her papa had gone into business, investigating his small fortune until it grew. Her mother was so furious when she learned her father-in-law gambled her husbands’ fortune, since she married her papa thinking he would be rich, but she had gotten even more furious when her papa started to investigate his money to increase his small fortune. Without her papa’s skills they wouldn’t have been able to afford the life style they were living in, even knowing all that her mother and sisters all scorned her papa for getting into disgraceful business that was scorned by the ton.

   Leana felt anger wash over her, her mother and sisters gave her father such a hard time but he didn’t say anything back. He was always silent around them, always avoiding them, either staying in the library or going to visit his business friends. Leana didn’t understand why they couldn’t see that without papa’s “disgraceful” business, as they called it, they wouldn’t be able to afford all their pretty gowns, rich carriage, maids, and expensive jewellery?

   One thing was sure, Leana respected her father, who didn’t waste his life like all the other blue-bloods, but instead earned his money, unlike the ones who inherited their wealth from their ancestors.

   Her papa worked hard, way to hard and was rewarded by harsh comments from her mother. Leana hated how hard he worked. They were rich now, more then some of the members of the ton, but she knew her father used work as an excuse to get away from her mother.

   “What can I do for you pumpkin?” Her papa asked tweaking her nose.

   “I want your permission to go shopping, I need new a wardrobe.” Leana said casually.

   Her papa stared at her incredulously, she understood why; she was not the type who goes dress shopping.

   “Papa, stop looking at me like that.” Leana said self-consciously twitching her hands in her lap.

   Her papa snapped out of his bafflement and frowned furiously “Did your mother start nagging on you again?”

   “No, she didn’t even mention about my wardrobe, I just decided I needed a change, since I’ll actually be attending balls from now onwards.”

   “Why?” Her papa asked surprised, his eyebrows shooting upwards “You don’t like balls.”

   “Yes well, I’m soon to be courted. Mama hasn’t told you yet, has she?” Leana asked

   “No, nothing. Tell me.” her papa encouraged.

   “Well, the Duchess of Davidsons paid a call less then an hour an half ago and explained to us her new idea.” Leana explained.

   “What idea?” Her papa asked

   “Group courting, as she calls it. She plans to have her son, Dwayne, you remember him don’t you? Anyways she plans to have Dwayne court Paulina. And Dwayne’s good friend, Lord Evenstan, has claimed he wanted to court me. I have accepted.”

   “Ahh and you want these new dresses to impress Lord Evenstan?” her papa asked with a broad smile.

   “Well I can hardly go out with the dresses I have now, Papa, they are dreadful. Ma picked them three years ago.” Leana made a face.

   “In that case, you have my permission, and you can use as much as you want. You deserve it, pumpkin.” Her papa said tweaking her nose again.

   Leana smiled lovingly towards him and gave him another hug.

   “You know, I have always hoped you would find someone to marry.” Her papa said when she resumed her sitting again.

   “Are you suggesting that you want to get rid of me?” Leana asked with mock hurt.

   “You know I would never want to get rid of you, but Leana you need to get out of here, your mother will drive you insane, you need to get your own life away from here, somewhere happy. I know you aren’t as happy as I want you to be and it hurts me. I want to see you happy.” Her papa said seriously.

   “But I am happy.” Leana said in a little voice, but she knew deep down, she wasn’t.

   “No you’re not. I can tell, how can I not? You’re my little pumpkin. If you really like Lord Evenston, go for it, pour your heart out. He might make you happy, Leana.”

   Leana stared at her papa miserably, he had such a romantic, kind heart and it was wasted by a wife who scoffed at him. Leana wondered how much happier her papa would have been if he had married someone different.

   “I’ll try.” Leana said softly trying to put her papa at ease.

   “Good, that’s my girl. Now hurry on, I have some work to do and you have dresses to buy.” he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

   Leana left the library and collected Shavani, who was already at the front door waiting patiently for her. They took one of the carriages and headed down to Bow Street.


Bachelors
Chapter 3

   Dwayne Collin Maine, future Duke of Davidson watched his friend, Philip, Lord Brampcan, while pouring himself a glass of brandy. They were all lounging in their usual spots in Dwayne’s library. His friend, it seemed, was still in shock at the news.

   “I still don’t understand.” Philip said snapping out of his shock.

   “What’s there not to understand? I need a wife, I’m going to marry” Dwayne said casually while striding to his sit. He sat down and stretched his long legs in front of him, crossing them at the ankle.

   “Yes, but why do you need a wife?” Philip asked.

   Philip was Dwayne’s childhood friend from Eton and luckily they had stayed together after school finished instead of floating away like most friends but Dwayne couldn’t bring himself to tell Philip one of the reasons why he needed a wife. It’s not that he didn’t trust Philip; it was just that his mother had made him swear that he would not mention it to anyone. Only his mother and father knew why, he didn’t even think Ian, his own brother, had found out yet, even though Ian was living in the same house as his parents.

   Besides, the truth would come out soon anyways, why bother explaining now?

   But he could tell him the other reason, which was equally important. At least, it was important to him.

   “You know my aunt, The Duchess of Thornstand-” Dwayne started.

   Philip frowned. “Of course I do. Didn’t she recently pass away due to grief since her only son had gotten himself shot in a duel three months ago?”

   “She didn’t die from grief, she was ill. She knew she was going to die soon and since her son, the Duke of Thornstand, had produced no heir, my aunt had her will made, right before she died, for either me or her other nephew, my cousin John, to inherit the cottage she had bought a while ago.”

   “I still don’t get how that has anything to do with you needing a wife.”

   “I’m getting to that, since she knew that John and I both can’t have the cottage, she informed in the will that whoever married first in the next four months after her death would get the cottage and if both of us didn’t get married in the next four months after her death then the cottage would go to my cousin, Francine, John’s sister. Fortunately, John backed down claiming he had no desire to ever marry.”

   “Well don’t you get the cottage since there is no competition- “

   “I’m not finished.” Dwayne interrupted. “I had thought the same thing, John backed down, so there was no need to get married, no competition. But apparently Aunt Jane made it specific in the will that the only way any of us would get the cottage was if we marry, except for Francine, since she’s already married to Lord Chlorate and has two kids. I’m positive my mother convinced my aunt to make this plan, an easy way to finally get me married. And it worked.” Dwayne said gloomy.

   “Why don’t you just let Lady Chlorate have it? You are going to inherit Davidsons soon enough and you have this house. Why do you want the mere cottage?”

   “For one, I probably won’t inherit Davidsons anytime near the future; my father is in blooming health, I wouldn’t be surprised if I perished before he did. And secondly, ever since I was a kid and had visited the cottage, which is located in Scotland, and not even close to being plain, I literally fell in love. It’s in a quiet peaceful area, great place to escape from London’s winters…and everyone else.”

   “Ah.” was all Philip said, finally understanding. Philip knew how much he hated to socialize with people, it was a wonder how they were friends. Truthfully, everyone thought their friendship was a bit bizarre. Philip was happy, socializing and cheerful while he was quiet and reserved, yet they were the best of friends.

   “So, who’s the lucky lady?” Philip asked grinning.

   “Lady Paulina.” Dwayne answered without a trace of emotion, taking a huge gulp of his brandy.

   Philip grimaced. “Why her?” obviously Philip knew about selfish Paulina. 

   “Why not? Besides my mother suggested her. You have to admit, she is beautiful.” Dwayne said taking another sip of his drink.

   “That she is. But Dwayne, why do you think she hasn’t accepted anyone’s offer in marriage? She’s a greedy one, she wants a high title. You will be miserable with her.” Philip exclaimed.

   “I beg to differ, it’s not like I have to devote my time towards her. All I plan to do is marry her, consume the marriage, and we go our separate ways. I would probably move to the cottage while she can either stay here or follow me. I’m sure we can leave together, so many married couples live together and have they’re own disconnected life, she doubtlessly expects the same thing. Anyways, it’s past time I start producing an heir.” Dwayne explained, dumping the rest of the drink into his mouth, the liquor burned in his stomach making him feel relaxed, as it always did. 

   “That must blow, when I get married, it shall be for love.” Philip said and then immediately regretted it.

   Dwayne gave a short bark of laughter “Love? Where the deuce did that come from Philip?”

   “Nothing, forget about it.” Philip muttered.

   Dwayne laughed again but then dismissed the subject, slipping into an easier conversation; horses.

   “How is Sunshine doing?” Dwayne asked.

   Sunshine was Philips prized horse. She had won over five races in a row but
has recently been fidgety.

   “She’s getting better but I don’t think she can race at the Albort race.”

   “When is that race?” Dwayne asked. He was planning to let his horse, Mayne, race in the Albort race.

   “In five days.” Philip said. “If Sunshine doesn’t feel better by then I’m going to let Clyton race this one, perhaps he will win. How about you? Which one of your horses are you putting in?”

   “Mayne, he is the strongest out of all the stallions I have.” Dwayne said with pride.

   Mayne, was a beauty, with a black coat, he was a healthy horse that had recently started to win some races.

   They started to discuss about the recent horses that were on the market when the Dwayne’s butler, Barkley, knocked and came in, bowing to them.

   “Lord Evenstan.” He got out before Charles, Lord Evenstan, pushed past him
and entered the library.

   Dwayne nodded to the butler. Barkley turned around and left the library
closing the door behind him.

   Charles was one of Dwayne’s good friends, they had even attended Eton together, but they didn’t have the close friendship as Philip and Dwayne had.

   “Good evening, Charles.” Dwayne greeted him.

   “Evening” Charles greeted back and then nodded towards Philip who waved
his hand.

   “What brings you here?” Dwayne asked, Charles didn’t usually drop in his house unexpectedly.

   “I bumped into your mother a few hours ago while I was heading to the Gentleman Club, she asked me to remind you to get a new jacket for the Shipford ball and since I need to buy new gloves, I thought we should go together.” Charles explained.

   “Shipford ball? “ Dwayne asked confused, when did he say he was going to the Shipford ball? He hated balls.

   Charles sighed. “You haven’t forgotten already have you?”

   “Forgotten what?” Dwayne snapped, he was getting annoyed now but no one took offense, they all knew he had a short temper.

   “The group courting. We are starting it in the Shipford’s ball.” Charles answered.

   Dwayne cursed, he had forgotten all about his mother’s foolish idea.

   “What the hell is a group courting?” Philip asked dubiously.

   “Group courting, it was Dwayne’s mother’s idea. Dwayne will be courting Lady Paulina, Kyle will be courting Lady Annabelle and I shall be courting Lady Leana. The twist is that no one but us will know who is courting whom because we would be switching around. Like a game.” Charles said getting to the point.

   “And how will that work out?” Philip asked perplexed.

   “Simple, we shall all pay equal time to each individual young lady and we would always be in a group. Do you understand now?”

   “No, that makes no sense at all and also a waste of time. Why don’t you each just court your own ladies?” Philip asked sceptical.

   Exactly what he was thinking, why didn’t they all court their own ladies? But

   Dwayne knew he couldn’t back down now since he already promised his mother. What a shame.

   He was not looking forward for this, especially since Leana would be there.

   His face took on a deadly scowl, he really despised that woman. It was because of her that his sister was gone. Because of Leana’s wild behaviours that his sister felt it was right to drop a scandal like that.

   Leana was one of the most stubborn, self-centered and cold-hearted woman alive, he wouldn’t be shocked if she thought of him in the same way.

   “Honestly, Philip, if it was up to me, I would get a licence right away and marry the chit. But no, my mother wants me to court her and the other two girls. At least I warned my mother that I would only have three months -since that’s my deadline for getting married or I loose the cottage - of this nonsense and then I’m getting married.” Dwayne said sulkily.

   “But I still don’t understand why you agreed to Lady Paulina, Lady Leana would have made a better choice, or perhaps her other sisters.” Philip said.

   Dwayne curled his fist; he would rather drink poison then marry that loathsome woman.

   “Her older sister is already married, remember? Lord Kimpham? And their younger sister is barley sixteen so that is out of the question.” He answered and then added harshly “As for Leana, I would never marry her.”

   Years of knowing her he didn’t even think twice of using her given name.

   “What’s wrong with Lady Leana? Sure she might be the outcast of the ton, but the two times I have meet her she had such a nice sense of humour and her eyes glittered with mischief. Personally, I think she would be a way better choice then Lady Paulina.” Philip insisted.

   “She’s to wild, I want a wife who will settle down to be a superb duchess after I inherit my title. Besides, Charles wants her.” Dwayne said glancing at Charles.

   “Oh that’s right, I forgot that you would be courting her.” Philip said.
Charles nodded his head towards him and turned back to Dwayne “Shall we go?”

   “I suppose I have to. I guess I’ll see you later on Philip.” Dwayne said not ready to leave his comfortable seat.

   Philip got out of his seat first stretching his long limbs. “Later” He threw over his shoulder at Dwayne and without bidding Charles good bye he left the library.

   Dwayne got up from his seat and strolled out of the library, Charles was right behind him.

   “My carriage is waiting outside.” Charles said behind him.

   Dwayne merely grunted, he was not looking forward to go shopping.
Barkley was waiting for him at the front door with his hat. It amazed him how Barkley could do that, he was always there before summoned.
He grabbed his hat and opened the door. He squinted at the bright light outside his town house. Good god, it was blinding.

   It was a sunny day outside but surprisingly it wasn’t scorching, in fact, it was windy, he wouldn’t mind taking his horse for a ride or a walk to the park.
Of course he couldn’t because now he had to go shopping to buy a damn jacket for a ball he didn’t want to attend. Ridiculous.

   He saw Charles carriage and walked towards it. The footman was slumped against the carriage, waiting for them, and on seeing them walking towards him, he scrambled up to open the door for them before they reached the carriage.

   Dwayne got in first and settled in the dark green seat, resting his head at the back. Charles got in after him sitting himself in the opposite seat.

   Charles rapped on the hood of the carriage to get it moving; the carriage jolted up and started to move forward.

   After a few minutes Dwayne lifted his head and stared at his friend.

   Charles had that blonde hair and blue eyed look that was most favoured in the ton. Ever since Charles was a young boy, women, old and young, used to throw themselves at him, Dwayne would know, he was there half the times. But for some odd reason Charles didn’t seem notice all the attention or perhaps he didn’t care.

   He wondered why Charles would pick Leana out of all the other girls, who were more disciplined and upright, that would marry him in a heart beat, even if he wasn’t a duke or an earl.

   “Why Leana?” Dwayne asked the question that was nagging at him ever since Charles confessed his desire to court Leana.

   “Why not? She’s beautiful, in her own way, smart, and she’s different.” Charles replied.

   “Different? How so?” Dwayne frowned; he had never thought her different, just secretly mischievous.

   “Yes different, as in she doesn’t frit about what she wears or how she looks. Admittedly she might be on the uncultivated side but I’m sure marriage will tame her. Besides now that I inherited Evenstan, I need to start producing heirs, it was my fathers dieing wish.”

   “You could have any other girl, you know you could. You’re damn handsome, and you know it.” Dwayne said getting angry again.

   “Thank you, but I don’t take my handsomeness, as you call it, to account, I don’t even care for it. I don’t want any other woman, I want Lady Leana.” Charles said sternly.

   “Yes but why?” Dwayne probed again.          

   “As I said, why not? And I told you it was my father’s dieing wish.” Charles said glancing out the window.

   “You mean to tell me that your father’s dieing wish was for you to marry Leana? Hell I though you meant that his dieing wish was for you to produce an heir as soon as possible.” Dwayne said confused.

   “That is his dieing wish. He asked me to produce an heir and he also wanted me to marry Lady Leana. Apparently he had met her before and was charmed by her.” Charles shrugged. “What’s it to you, anyways?”

   “Nothing, just curious.” Dwayne retorted.

   Charles was right, what was it to him? He shouldn’t be arguing with Charles about his choice of wife, it was his life.

   Dwayne shrugged of the uneasy feeling that was still lingering and glanced out the window to distract himself.

   As if on cue, the carriage arrived at Bow Street.


Flying Hat
Chapter 4

   “You look beautiful, m’lady.” Shavani sighed wistfully.

   “Do you really think so?” Leana asked sceptically.

   She was being fitted by one of the most famous seamstress in London, Madame Friona but Lean worried that her unique designs would not suit her body. She wasn’t as thin as her normal customers.

   “Oui, please turn around, have a look for yourself.” Madame Friona exclaimed while turning her around to face the mirror.
Leana looked towards the mirror, and what she saw reflecting back wasn’t a girl who had never worn a pretty gown before but instead a beautiful, confident woman who seemed to have a knack on wearing stunning gowns.

   Leana smoothed her hands over her dress; it was a dark violet ball gown with short puffy sleeves that had black lace stitched around the edge of the sleeves. Madame Friona had told her not to wear a corset explaining that her dresses were designed to be worn with no uncomfortable corset, and Leana saw for herself that she didn’t require a corset, the dress fit like a glove around her waist and up. The bodice was cut low with a triangle shape, revealing a tantalizing amount of skin, the lace around the edge of the bodice was the same design and color as the one around the edge of her sleeves. The only other ornaments on the dress were a black ribbon laced through right under her breast and the ruffles on the skirt of her dress, which were pinned by little black bows. It was one of the more simple gowns that she had tried on but this one, without a doubt, looked the best on her by far. It had to be the color, she thought; it made her eyes a darker purple then normal, almost matching the dark violet of her gown. Also, because of the dark color of her gown, her skin glowed, making her light honey skin look healthy and soft.

   Leana was always a slight self-conscious about her skin color since every single one of the girls seemed to have the pale skin that men desired while hers was a light honey color, which got slightly darker in the warmer days. All her self-consciousness left her mind when she looked at the mirror, the gown would have clashed horrible if she had pale skin but with her honey skin it appeared to collide magnificent with the color of the dress, making her skin glow beautifully.

   “You have a breathtaking body.” Madame Friona said behind her.

   Leana had never really given her body any consideration, her mother had always told her to go on a green diet, complaining that she was fat. Leana knew she wasn’t fat, far from it, and the dress removed any residual comments her mother had ranted about her figure. Leana gazed at her body in the dress, it did look wonderful. Her body wasn’t born to be the thin bodies that looked to be what all the ton women prized. Instead, her body was curvy with a bit of meat in her bones. Her breast seemed to be a perfect size, not too big yet not too small. She had a small waist, although it wasn’t a flat waist, sporting a small hill on her stomach, and her hips were wide and curvy.

   “Can you make this gown in two day?” Leana asked Madame Friona in a daze.

   “No but I insist you take this one, it fits you so well. It would not look as good on any one else.” Madame Friona insisted.
   Leana took another glance at the mirror and grinned.

   “I shall wear it in the Shipford Ball.” She announced.

   “Splendid but I should warn you that the men would be after you like a hungry pack of wolves.” Madame Friona said beaming.

   Leana ordered more gowns including matching slippers, and Madame Friona promised to get them delivered as soon as possible, as for the rest of the gowns, including the dark violet ball gown, were to be delivered by tomorrow.

   Leana bid good bye to Madame Friona who smiled brightly at them when they left.

   “Did you ‘ave fun, m’lady?” Shavani asked as they walked towards their carriage that was just around the corner. The wind had picked up ever and was now blowing widely around them.

   “Haven’t I asked you many times to call me Leana?” Leana asked.

   “But I cannot.” Shavani said in a little voice.

   “Sure you can, we are friends Shavani.” Leana insisted.

   “As you wish m’la-Leana.”

   “Good. And to answer your question, I did enjoy myself, surprisingly enough.” Leana said content.

   “You did well in picking yer gowns, they are beautiful.”

   “I did, didn’t I? I’m proud of myself.” Leana beamed “I liked the pur-oof!”

   Leana stopped abruptly when something hit her squarely on the back of her
head.

   Leana turned around and glanced at the floor trying to locate the object that had hit her. She picked it up when she saw it on the ground.

   “A hat?” Leana asked incredulously and then burst out laughing. “My, this day just keeps getting amusing.”

   “I think it belongs to one of those gentlemen.” Shavani said pointing.

   Leana glanced at where she was pointing at. Sure enough, there were two gentlemen, across the street from them, looking around for the direction that the hat flew at. They obviously hadn’t seen the hat hit her or that she was holding it since they were looking at the other direction.

   “Let’s go put them out of their wonder.” Leana said grabbing Shavain’s arm and started towards the two gentlemen.

   She walked only one step until she stopped abruptly, she knew one of them.
His hair gave him away; it was so dark you would have been able notice it miles away. 

   Dwayne.

   She turned around so fast that the hand she had attached to Shavani’s arm resulted in Shavani turning around hard, scaring her.

   “My la-lady?” Shavani stammered staring at her as if she sported two horns.

   “Shavani, if you don’t desire to witness someone getting murdered, I suggest we leave. Now” Leana said tightly, already heading towards the carriage.

   She might have agreed to that silly group courting, but she was not ready to face Dwayne.

   She still felt like murdering him; and that would undoubtfully scare Lord Evenstan -the only gentlemen willing to marry her- away if he heard about it.

   She almost reached her carriage, just a few more steps, when a voice stopped her.

   “Excuse me, I believe you have my friends hat.” Leana heard right behind her but it wasn’t Dwayne’s cool and husky voice but a different voice she didn’t recognize, a laughing, softer voice.

   Caught, Leana thought and cringed. She couldn’t just walk away with the hat.

   She turned around slowly, her eyes going straight towards Dwayne who stood there stone faced, his face expressionless.

   Until his eyes lashed onto her face.

   His eyes turned darker, surprisingly, given that they were already dark enough, and his lips pinched.

   “What a surprise!” exclaimed the other voice that she still didn’t distinguish yet. She glanced at the man beside Dwayne and groaned, her mood instantly got worse when she recognized him

   Lord Evenstan was beside Dwayne giving her a stunning smile.

   Great, now she had to act charming, something she was not looking forward to do in front of Dwayne, who would no doubt mock her.

   Her day had just gone from humours to disastrous in a mere minute.

***

   She hasn’t changed at all, Dwayne thought as he stared at Leana.

   It had been two years since he had last seen her but he still remembered that day, he could never get it out of his head. He remembered it so vividly.

   He had been riding in Hyde Park, fuming inside thinking about his little sister and angry that he wasn’t able to stop her, and then he had spotted Leana, looking up at the sky in a dreamy like way. He had ridden towards her, dismounted, and without thoughts about the consequences started to taunt her. She hadn’t seemed to be listening to him, but apparently she had, because the next thing that had happened, had shocked him to the core, it still shocked him to even think about it, Leana had dropped down on her knees and broke down weeping.

   It was something Leana never did, cry that is. Dwayne had been so stunned that all he could do was walk away before making a fool out of himself by comforting her.

   That was another thing that bewildered him; the desire to soothe her had been so strong that he had been trembling all over. He hadn’t seen her after that day, it was as if she had disappeared.

   But there she was, right in front of him.

   He glared at her now, he might have felt a bit of guilt for making her cry but he still loathed her, she had driven his sister away, nothing could change that.
She was ignoring him, focusing only on Charles. And Charles, darn that man, was flirting with her, charming her.

   He stood still for five minutes listening to their joyful chatter until he couldn’t stomach it anymore, he would not tolerate being ignored, he might like it when he was invisible at times but not if she was the one ignoring him.

   “Would you mind giving me my hat back or do you wish to ruin it?” Dwayne asked rigidly.

   She was clutching his hat tightly, her fist clenched; it was apparent that she hadn’t accomplished in completely ignoring him.

   He smiled slightly at that.

   She shut her eyes for a brief moment then opened them, taking a huge calm breath she turned towards him and handed him his hat.

   He took it from her fingers slowly, silently taunting her, he saw immediately when he succeeded, her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together.

   She was clearly annoyed.

   Instead of being satisfied, he was instead struck by her loveliness

   She really was beautiful, in a simple yet sensual way. Her eyes were down right incredible, they were an unusual color of purple-grey. They were round and big but had a slight tilt at the end, giving her a mysterious look. They had turned a dark purple from her annoyance, instead of making her look less appealing because of her anger, she just looked frustratingly adorable. Her nose was straight and long, nothing special, but her lips, dear God, her lips were spectacular, they were full and red, so kissable. Then there was her hair, a normal brown color, but on her it looked exquisite, it went glorious with her eyes.  The sun was behind her giving her hair a shinny brownish-gold look. She wore no theatrical makeup, she was all natural. A natural beauty.

   And the last thing that enchanted all her features was her skin, her soft skin. It was a light honey color, so different from all the pale skin, so beautiful. She looked alive, strong and yet so soft.

   With half her hair spilling out of her knot, most likely pulled from the wind, and her eyes narrowed slightly, she looked like an adorably annoyed woman who was just lugged from her bed.

   His gaze dropped back down to her lips again; she was pressing them tightly together, making them pout out a little because of their fullness.

   He would love to…

   Dwayne groaned inwardly. I am doing it again; he thought bitterly, I am thinking about her in that way again.

   Shaking the alarming thoughts from his mind he focused on one thing.
Ridiculing her.

   “So, I’m presuming you finally decided to come out of your hiding?” Dwayne sneered.

   “What hiding?” Leana asked stiffly.

   “I have no clue; I was hoping you would tell me. I haven’t seen you in two year; I just suppose you were hiding.” Dwayne said.

   “No, I wasn’t hiding, Lord Davidsons, I was busy.” Leana said, flashing him an annoyed look.

   He eyed her suspiciously, “Lord Davidsons? When did you stop calling me by my Christian name, Leana?” And then added: “What were you busy of? Ruining another good woman’s life?” 

   Her eyes sparked at his last comment, she ignored his last question, answering only his first. “Calling someone by their given name requires a bond of friendship. And that, my lord, we don’t have, I have come to suspect that we had never actually been friends. And it’s Lady Leana to you.”

   “No.”

   “No?” Leana asked, her eyebrows shooting up.

   “No, I won’t call you Lady Leana.” David replied firmly.

   “Suit yourself. Truthfully, I couldn’t care less” Leana shot back; she turned towards Charles and said in her sweetest voice. “It has been a pleasure meeting you again, Lord Evenstan. Will I be seeing you at the Shipford ball?”

   “I’ll be there, and the pleasure is all mine, Lady Leana” Charles said, he picked up her little hand and kissed the back of it.

   Leana giggled, she actually giggled. Dwayne didn’t recall Leana ever giggling before.

   Dwayne glared at Charles then shifted his glare towards Leana.

   “Lord Davidsons.” she nodded, flashed another heart-stopping smile towards Charles and walked off with her maid following her on her heels.

   “Don’t do that again.” Dwayne said in a low voice, watching Leana disappear in her carriage.

   “Do what?” Charles asked

   Dwayne didn’t answer; he watched the carriage ride away.

   “You mean how I was kind to her?” Charles asked, obviously he wasn’t going to let the matter drop.

   Dwayne sighed and turned towards his friend, ready to tell him to forget about it.

   “Yes, stop being so damn nice to her.” Dwayne heard himself say instead.

   “Why not? Someone has to be nice to her, besides she’s a sweet girl, I’m pleased I selected her, and by the bay it wouldn’t hurt if you stopped ridiculing her.”

   Dwayne snorted. “Stop ridiculing her? Why would I ever? She ruined my sister’s life.”

   “No, she didn’t” Charles said softly.

   “I beg your pardon? Of course she –“

   “No, she didn’t” Charles said again, this time more firmly. “Your sister ruined
her own life, you’re only blaming Lady Leana because you need someone to blame and since your sister, who is the actual culprit, is in a different country, you can’t fully put the blame on her and your conclusion is that the next best thing is Lady Leana. I don’t assume it’s fair that –“

   “I’ll find my own way home, good day Charles.” Dwayne interrupted and marched off before Charles could call him back.

   “He is wrong.” Dwayne muttered to himself as he hailed a hackney that was ridding by.

   He got in the hackney and gave the driver directions to his house. He sat back on the uncomfortable seat and with a weary sigh he closed his eyes.

   Your sister ruined her own life.

   He knew Charles was partially right but he still blamed Leana for Diana’s behaviour. His sweet little sister, he had loved her more then anything, but one day
she had token off. Ran away.

   And he hadn’t been able to stop her, he knew without Leana’s influence Diana would have never even thought about running off like that.

   He believed Leana was equally responsible, and since his sister wasn’t in the same country as him, he sited all his frustration and anger on Leana.

   But Dwayne still had a twinge of doubt when he thought about what Charles had said. He pushed the thoughts away, not wanting to dwell on them.

   Luckily the hackney had just reached his house. Dwayne climbed out and paid the driver.

   Instead of going into his house, he went straight to his stables. As soon as he entered his stables, a blast of manure, sweat, and hay hit him. He heaved a pleasure filled sigh.

   He loved his stables.

   His stables were one thing he was proud of. He assumed he had some of the finest horses and his top favourite stallion, Mayne, was coming out to be magnificent.

   He stopped at Mayne’s stall and reached for the horse. Mayne immediately sensed his master and walked over to nuzzle his hand.

   Dwayne laughed softly as he rubbed Mayne’s head.

   The horse stomped his hooves signifying he wanted to go for a run.

   “Great idea.” Dwayne whispered.

   He took Mayne out of his stall, saddled the horse himself, grabbed the reins and walked the horse out of the stable.

   As soon as they reached outside, Dwayne swiftly mounted Mayne and with one encouraging whisper the horse took off in an immediate speed.

His Angel
Chapter five

   Dusk was falling when Dwayne finally turned his horse around and headed home. He went in a much slower pace, wanting to enjoy the nice calm weather as much as he could. He breathed in the peaceful air, his body feeling tranquil and pleased.

   Because he was looking upwards when he reached his house he didn’t see the one person who could possibly damper his mood.

   “My Lord.” Dwayne heard as he stopped his horse near his stable.

   Dwayne turned towards the voice and squinted his eyes to scrutinize who was standing below.

   When he recognized the man his pleasant feelings instantly turned into furry.

   “Damn it Hugh, what the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay at Davidsons and watch over her.” Dwayne barked.

   “Yes, my lord, but I think you should know this. She has been crying for the whole day. And everyone is ignoring her.” James said quickly.

   “Crying?” He asked distraughtly.

   “Yes.” James replied.

   Dwayne cursed loudly, turned his horse around and called out orders over his shoulder for James to follow him in a carriage before he set his horse in a deathly speed towards Davidsons.

   He reached Davidsons in a few minutes. He dismounted before his horse had fully stopped, ran towards the front door and knocked loudly.

   Jolly, the Davidsons butler, opened the door in less then four seconds.

   He counted.

   “Hullo, my lord.” Jolly said in one of his maddening tones.

   Dwayne had always wondered about his name, he was anything but jolly. Jolly was one of the strictest butlers he had ever met, leave it to his mother to hire him.

   “Where’s my mother?” Dwayne practically snarled.

   “The duke and duchess are having their dinner right now.” Jolly answered.

   Dwayne pushed past Jolly and charged into the dining room.

   The dinning room was richly decorated, like every other room in the house. With velvety curtains the color of rich gold and silverware from Paris itself, it looked to be suited for the King himself. There was a vast oak dinning table in the center that held over fifty chairs. His mother and father were sitting on the opposite ends; they both looked up when he made his entrance.

   “Where is she?” Dwayne asked tightly before his mother could speak.

   “Who?” his mother asked, trying to pretend confusion.

   “You know who. I advise you to let me know now before I scare your servants by ordering the answer from them.”

   “She’s upstairs, in your old room.” his mother gave in. “Why do you –“

   Dwayne left abruptly, he claimed up the stairs two at a time. He stopped when he reached the top of the stairs, he could hear loud wailing. He cursed vociferously and ran into his old room, all the time aware that his mother was following him.

   He reached his old room and banged the door open. His heart stopped as he located her sitting on the floor cross-legged, her fist pressed against her eyes, crying and hiccupping uncontrollably.

   She dropped her hands from her eyes when she was aware of someone in the room. Her eyes locked onto his, a wobbly smile appeared from her tear stained face and was followed by a loud hiccup. She opened her arms high in the air.

   Dwayne didn’t disappoint her. He ran towards her, picked her up and crushed her into his tight embrace.

   He heard her giggle into his ears and his heart soared.

   His little angel.

   “She’s fine, Dwayne. You can put her down and leave.”  Dwayne heard his mother say behind him.

   “Fine? She was crying. I will not tolerate her crying. And I won’t be leaving without her.” Dwayne said without turning around, he buried his head into his angel’s soft hair.

   His mother tsked. “Of course you can and you will. You aren’t actually thinking of putting her in your house again, especially since you agreed for the group courting. What would everyone think when they found out?”

   “I don’t give a damn what they think, mother. She’s my child and I regret agreeing for you to take her away until I find a wife. By the way, I changed my mind, group courting or not, I am keeping Angelina with me. She needs her father.” Angelina, his angel, was tugging at his hair playfully, her crying reducing to small hiccups.

   “She needs no such thing. She was doing just fine you know. I hadn’t even known she was crying.” Her mother protested.

   Dwayne turned around, clutched Angelina more tightly, and glared at his mother.

   “Hadn’t known? You lie, mother. I had one of your footmen, Hough, watching over her. He just informed me that she has been crying all day and that no one was carrying to her. I find that easy to believe since I did grow up in this house and was treated with the same courtesy but I will not tolerate my little girl being treated like this. She goes with me.” Dwayne said sternly.

   “She’s so wild, Dwayne! We need to tame her; this is good for her.”

   “I’ll decide what’s good for her and what’s not. She’s my daughter and I believe this is not good for her. Besides I don’t really care if she’s “wild”, I think it makes her out of the ordinary.” Dwayne said more firmly. He started to walk towards the door fully intending to leave.

   “But she’s only been here for two days! Dwayne you promised to let me keep her until you find a wife. I will be utterly embarrassed when everyone finds out about her when you aren’t married. Lady Paulina would be mortified and might refuse you. Besides you will be to busy wooing Lady Paulina you won’t even have time for Angelina.” His mother cried out, stopping him at the door.

   “First of all, we both know Lady Paulina will never refuse me, she’s too greedy. Secondly, I will never not have time for Angelina. And lastly I missed out on three years of Angelina’s life because of you and I would rather get stomped on by a wild horse then miss anymore years, let alone days, of my daughter’s life.” Dwayne strolled out of his old room, walked down the stairs more slowly and was just about to leave the house when his father’s form came to stand right in front of him, halting him

   Dwayne glared at his father, daring him to stop him from taking his own daughter.

   “I’m proud of you, son.” His father said instead. He walked off grabbing his protesting wife and dragged her back into the dinning room.

   Dwayne smiled at his father’s retreating back; he had always liked his father.

   Dwayne left the house and found Hugh, who was currently holding Mayne’s reins, already outside waiting for him.

   Hugh eyed him nervously and Dwayne could guess why. A thirty-one year old man clutching a small child protectively in his strong arms wasn’t something you would witness everyday.

   “Here’s your horse, my lord. I’ll take Lady Angelina.” Hugh offered.

   “No, you will be taking my horse back but first I want you to ask one of the maids to pack all of Angelina’s belonging and have it sent to my house immediately. I’ll ride with my daughter in the carriage.”

   Hugh hesitated, then nodded and opened the carriage door for Dwayne. He entered steadily and sat on one of the seat. He rearranged his daughter in a more comfortable position in his lap.

   “Are you okay, angel?” Dwayne asked his daughter softly as he whipped away the remaining tears from her face with his thumb.

   “I’m okay, papa. I don’t like grandma. I’m happy with you.” Angelina answered in her three-year-old voice. She reached up and started playing with his ear.

   Her sweetness tugged at Dwayne’s heart and he finally felt at ease after two days.

   He had agreed to the terms his mother made about keeping Angelina with her until he married only two days ago, but he had missed his little angel so much.
He recalled the first time he laid eyes on her, it was around two months ago, at that time he had no idea he had a daughter. But he couldn’t doubt it after he saw her there on his steps, staring at him with an odd expression.

   She had handed him the note she was carrying and in the note it explained who she was, who her mother was and everything else.

   Angelina’s mother, Jane Leringkan, had used to be a kitchen servant in his house hold. She was pretty enough but Dwayne had never gone low enough to dally with a servant for the reason that he knew some connived and used the purpose to earn a better position.

   But one day he was heavily inebriated to a point where Jane had managed to lure him into her room and had her way with him.

   He had always managed to stay sober or at least tried not to heavily drink but he hadn’t on that day. He knew how he had lost control of his liquor; it was because of the sexual frustration he had felt. He also remembered who had him frustrated that night, the girl who he had gotten himself drunk over, but he reviled thinking about it. He forever got furious when he thought about the reason that made him throw common sense to the wind and permit himself to get intoxicated to a degree where he couldn’t even fathom his own name.

   And at that night he had made a mistake, being to drunk, he had forgotten his number one rule. He had spilled his seed in Jane. He hadn’t even realized he had done such a mistake until she explained in the note. She had also explained that she had planned for that night for such a long time. She had expected that he would fill guilty enough about what happened to either make her his mistress or marry her. She claimed she had hopped the latter was the case. Luckily for her, that one night was enough to get her pregnant. She protested that everything had been going as planned until his mother found out before he had a chance to.

   Apparently, his mother had convinced Jane that he was vindictive enough not to care about her condition and would neither marry her nor make her his mistress.
Truthfully, Dwayne didn’t even know what he would have done if he had found out three years ago.

   His mother also went as far as removing Jane from his household and placing her in a secluded house paying her for her silence.

   Dwayne had noticed Jane’s absent but he thought nothing peculiar about it, he assumed she couldn’t bear to face him after that night. From what little he had remembered of that night, he had believed he was the one at fault. He had assumed that because of the sexual frustration that had caused him to drink, he had possibility restored in taking his frustration out on her. All that time he had believe he had forced himself on Jane. He had felt such guilt especially after realizing he could do naught about it when she left.

   He would have never guessed that Jane was the guilty party behind it all. He had been deceived, fool that he was.

   And according to Jane, she had found a rich man that was willing to marry her and didn’t want to bring the wild child into the marriage. The wild child being Angelina. So, she had dropped her of at his house, handing the confused girl a note and left without facing Dwayne.

   When Dwayne first saw the child he could never have called her wild, she looked so sweet and refined but then he noticed the slight impish glint in her eyes and shocked the whole household, including him, when she ran up to him with her little feet, wrapped her arms around his legs and yelled “papa”.

   It was awkward for him at first but after a week he bounded with his angel as if he hadn’t missed out on three years of her life.

   He stared at his angel now, who was resting her head on his chest and snoring softly. His heart plainly melted. God, he loved her. He hadn’t realized he was missing something until she burst into his life, all joyful, sweet and impishly wild. His whole household warmed up to her in the two months she had lived with him. The reason why his family and his servants were the only ones who knew about Angelina was because she was currently in secret until he found a wife or some way to explain to the society about her. He was surprised that his gossip-loving servants had kept it a secret but apparently they were more loyal then he assumed. And he was glad since he did not want her to be scorned from society at such a young age, especially for the reason that when she grows up it would be hard for her to fit in. He and his mother, who he was still irritated at for keeping his child a secret, had tried to conjure up a story about Angelina but only ended in one solution.

   Marriage.

   But luckily he was already planning to get married because of the cottage he wanted to inherit. His mother declared his child was to wild and needed a proper mother to train her properly, Dwayne agreed with her but deep inside he loved his angel’s wildness. She was so active and adorably mischievous. She brought light to his deadly and quiet life.

   But also he had to agree that sometimes Angelina could get a bit too out of control, throwing fists if she didn’t get her way and crying hysterically. Dwayne couldn’t bare it when she cried, it killed him inside. He was hoping Lady Paulina would be the perfect wife to tame Angelina down. But just a little bit.

   His mouth turned distasteful when he thought about Lady Paulina. The few times he had met her, he hadn’t liked her. At all. She was always so prudish and proper. Way to faultless. She was everything his mother had explained a wife needed to be. In fact, everything she did reminded him of his mother.

   And he was not found of his mother.

   The only bright side was that Lady Paulina was going to be one of those proper wives who would leave him alone and only bother him about important matters. It was going to be useful to have a proper wife like Lady Paulina, instead of those needy wives, seeing as he didn’t enjoy anyone disturbing his life. Let alone a wife.

   He liked to be left alone.

   He enjoyed being by himself simply because he did not care for what was happing in the ton; he found it dull and a waste of time. Philip, Diana and now Angelina were the only ones who he had actually opened up to and allowed into his life. Not even Charles, who was always beside him since childhood, weather he liked it or not, was part of his small group of people that he let in. He shut himself up against most people in the society and he disliked being bothered by the pointless activities in society, he found them ludicrous. 

   Some people rumoured that he was broody or was heart broken or even mysterious because of he was always silent, but he merely didn’t like communicating with the society people seeing as they were the most uninteresting lots he had ever met. He took pleasure in spending his time with his horses, reading, or going to clubs. He was even thinking about going into business, it would be a useful way to spend his time and he found it interesting. And somehow he knew business was going to be the future.

   The carriage came to a halt and after a moment a footman yanked the door opened. Dwayne shifted Angelina in his arm carefully, trying not to wake her. He got out of the carriage, claimed up the steps and went into his house. He could see some curious servants scurrying around him and he also detected their smiles, they were visibly pleased that Angelina was back. The house had been deadly without her.

   He went straight to Angelina’s room, which was right next to his. He placed her in her bed and tucked the warm blankets around her. She sighed in her sleep and turned on her stomach. Dwayne smiled, she got the habit from him, he always slept on his stomach.

   “Good night, my little angel.” He whispered softly. He pressed his lips on her forehead and left the room.

   He wandered of into his own room and collapsed in his bed, not bothering to even remove his clothes.

   He fell into a deep sleep right away.


{I am working on chapter six right now. Its called The Shipford Ball. Tell me what you thought, if I should continue or... Do be honest.)