Bertrice Small - The Duchess

Shocked by her recitation the duke said, "He was a very brave man, your brother." His arm went about her to comfort her.

Allegra shook off the arm. "My brother was a fool!" she cried, and now the tears ran down her face. "He wasted his life for what? For love! You say, my lord, that you shall never love me, for you would not commit the mistakes of your antecedents. Well, I shall not love you either, for love brings nothing to anyone but pain. But we shall have a good marriage for it shall be based upon sensible principles. Respect for one another and enough wealth to sustain us. And whatever love either of us can muster we shall lavish upon our children. The love of a parent for its child seems to be the only love that does not hurt."

He wiped her tears away with his own linen handkerchief, but said nothing more. What could he possibly say that would comfort her? It was obvious that she had loved her brother greatly, and his death, three years before, had hurt her terribly. Finally he spoke. "Is the loss of your brother the reason you learned how to manage your own funds?"

"Oh, no," Allegra told him. "I have been interested in Papa's businesses ever since I was a little girl. James Lucian and I used to compete to see who could manage the most successful ventures. We were fairly evenly matched, although I think I probably had the cooler head. My brother always allowed his emotions to carry him away. To his own detriment in the end," she finished.

"When will you come to Hunter's Lair?" he asked, changing the subject lest she begin to cry again.

"When Papa's architect and his builder say my apartments are habitable. From all reports so far, however, I think I will be with you in just a few weeks. Do your friends live far?"

"No," he told her. "Aston's estate is just an hour away, and Dree's home, a charming little holding, less than an hour. It will please me to escort you to both weddings."

"There will be a certain amount of gossip, I fear, when I come to live at Hunter's Lair before our wedding. Will you mind?"

He laughed. "No. Will you?"

"No," she replied, and her violet eyes looked directly at him.

"We are well matched," he replied with a small smile.

"So it would appear," Allegra agreed, and then she boldly leaned over and kissed his cheek. "So it would appear, Quinton."

The morning after Sirena's wedding dawned as beautiful as had the day before. Lord Morgan's wedding to Lady Abbott would take place in the main salon of his house at nine o'clock in the morning. Then, after a small repast, the family would depart for home although they had originally planned to remain for another day. The duke would come with them most of the way before turning off the main road for Hunter's Lair. Allegra was glad her father had made the decision to leave London immediately. She was anxious to get home, although it would be lonely now without Sirena to keep her company.

There was something different about Sirena this morning. She and Ocky had arrived at quarter to the hour. Her cousin had been radiant with open happiness. She and her new husband kept touching one another with both their looks and their hands. She had little time for anyone other than Ocky. Allegra found it rather disturbing, and not just a little embarrassing. She was also hurt that Sirena had so few words for her.

The minister arrived at five to the hour. Augustus Abbott escorted his mama into the salon. She was wearing a sky blue brocaded gown. Her dark blond hair was piled upon her head and a single curl fell over her left shoulder. There was a tiny pouf of lace netting atop her head. She carried a nosegay of pink roses tied with blue and silver ribbons. Her look was one of complete happiness as she was led up to join Lord Morgan, who was quite elegant in a dark blue coat and breeches. The ceremony began.

Allegra looked about her. The guests were few: Lord and Lady Bellingham, who would sign the marriage register as witnesses, Sirena and Ocky, Lady Charlotte and Gussie, and the duke. Again she thought her cousin looked so very happy. Aunt Mama looked happy, too, as did their gentlemen. They loved one another. Even Charlotte Abbott had a soft smile upon her face, her gloved hand tucked into her husband's, as she watched her mother-in-law taking a second husband. Allegra would have sworn that Lady Bellingham had a tear in her eye, for she kept dabbing at it with her lawn handkerchief. What was the matter with them? Surely they weren't all in love? Love was such a nebulous emotion, and not at all reliable. Certainly Papa of all people knew that.

The ceremony concluded. To Allegra's surprise her father took his new wife into his arms, kissing her soundly. The new Lady Morgan blushed most becomingly as her guests clapped their approval. Allegra quickly stepped up to the newlyweds, and kissed her stepmother first and then her father.

"You know I wish you both happy," she said sincerely.

"Ohh, my dear," Olympia Morgan said, "I have always thought of you as my own child, and now you are!" She kissed Allegra back.

They repaired to the dining room where the chef had set out a lovely wedding breakfast. This morning he offered them pieces of chicken in a wine and cream sauce that he wrapped in very thin rounds of cooked dough he called crepes. There were shirred eggs, a country ham, rashers of bacon, a platter with thin slices of trout sprinkled lavishly with fresh dill and slices of lemon. There were new baby lettuces, raw, which Allegra found most tasty, as well as breads warm from the ovens. When all of this had been cleared away, strawberries with clotted cream brought up from Devon were served along with a small wedding cake iced in sugar and butter and filled with dried fruits. Only champagne was served during the entire breakfast.

After the meal with its toasts to Lord and Lady Morgan, the guests departed-Sirena and Ocky upon their wedding trip, Lord and Lady Bellingham to their country house in Oxford. The Marquess and Marchioness of Rowley left for their estate. Now it was their turn. Allegra chose not to ride in the coach with her father and stepmother.

"They are so embarrassing, very like Sirena and Ocky," she murmured to the duke. "I feel very much the third wheel."

"You are," he told her. "Your father and his wife are in love, as are Sirena and Ocky."

"Love!" Allegra scoffed. "I cannot believe such a thing of Papa. Surely my mama cured him of that foolish emotion."

"I think not," Quinton Hunter said.

"Then it is fortunate I am coming to Hunter's Lair shortly," Allegra said. "I do not believe I could bear a summer of their billing and cooing. Neither of them is in the first flush of youth, sir."

He laughed. "Love, I have been told, makes no exceptions for age or infirmity, my dear," the duke answered her. "Your father and his new wife have the best of love, for they were friends first. And then, too, your stepmother is a woman of character. She would never have even considered the path your mama took. Nor would you" he concluded.

"How can you be certain?" she asked him. She had worried silently to herself that something like that might happen to her one day.

"Because, Allegra, you are also a woman of character," the duke told her. "I should not take you for my wife, fortune or no, did I believe otherwise. My family has never in its history had any scandal attached to their name. Nor would I bring shame upon them. Your wealth was the primary factor in my decision to make you my wife; but your reputation was equally important to me. Despite your friendship with young Tanner, I know you to be a virgin of good repute."

They had just left the city behind. Her gelding shied as a cart passed too close, but Allegra held him firm even as she felt her cheeks grow warm. He had made her feel almost like an item to be inspected and bought, which was after all what the duke had done. A tiny curl of resentment brushed at her, but she pushed it away. She had made the perfect alliance, and had departed London in triumph. Hers was the match of the season. The match of the decade, or so Lady Bellingham had crowed to her.