Laurie Benson - His Three-Day Duchess

‘Well, Mr Finley and I will leave you now and I will arrange for it.’

Adam practically pouted at him. ‘We are not staying for tea?’

‘We are not. We have matters to discuss and had been interrupted.’ He shot a pointed glance at the Duchess.

‘But I enjoy a good cup of tea in the afternoon.’

‘You can enjoy a cup of tea in my study.’ He turned to the ladies on the sofa. ‘I bid you both a fine journey to your next destination. I’m certain you won’t mind if I do not show you out myself when you are finished with your tea.’

‘They are leaving?’ Adam asked over his shoulder as Simon practically dragged him towards the door.

‘They are.’

‘But didn’t they just arrive?’

‘This is a very short call.’

‘I see.’ Adam extricated himself from Simon’s hold and walked back towards the ladies. ‘It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope I have the opportunity to spend time with you both in the future. Perhaps I will see you here again.’

‘I hope not,’ Simon muttered, walking out of the room.

After a few minutes of what Simon believed to be bowing his farewells to the ladies, Adam sauntered into the hall where Simon was waiting for him.

‘She likes me,’ Adam said with an arrogant smile.

‘You think every woman likes you.’

He gave a careless shrug. ‘They all do. I speak their language.’ Adam followed him down the corridor towards Simon’s study.

‘And what language is that?’

‘The language of luxury goods—of fine jewellery and fashionable attire.’

‘I wasn’t aware you considered yourself an expert on women’s fashions.’

‘You pulled me away from them before I had the opportunity to compliment the Duchess on the Brussels lace on her gown.’

‘She can thank me the next time I see her if, in fact, I ever see her again. I can only hope that I don’t.’ Simon rolled his eyes as they walked into his study and he pulled the tapestry bell pull to call for a servant to arrange tea.

‘You didn’t mention she was a prime article.’

‘The Duchess? She is not that attractive.’

‘If one doesn’t like females with rich dark hair, fine features, radiant smooth skin, expressive large eyes and tempting curves, then I assume that’s true. I, on the other hand, find her stunning.’

‘You were in her presence all of five minutes. I assure you, she’s a vixen.’

‘You’re exaggerating. I didn’t find her at all shrewish.’

‘She barely said anything to you.’

‘Which means she was speechless because she was captivated by my charms. I tend to have that effect on women.’ He tugged on the cuff of his deep grey tailcoat.

‘You flatter yourself. You render them mute because they’re shocked that a man as transparent as you believes he has charm.’

‘I could have had an opportunity to prove you wrong, but you dragged me away from her and prevented us from enjoying a lovely cup of tea by the fire on this cold day.’

‘Since when do you enjoy sipping tea by the fire in the afternoon?’

‘Since there was an opportunity to have it with that delectable creature.’

‘Truly, she is not that attractive.’

‘Then you won’t mind if I return to the ladies, seeing as you have no designs on her.’

Adam started to walk back out of the study door, but Simon placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

‘I thought you wanted to leave soon to begin your journey to Portsmouth?’

‘Portsmouth is not far. I can postpone my departure for a little while longer. What is one more night in this idyllic home of yours?’

‘The ladies are not staying. They are leaving after they have their tea.’

‘Then why are they here?’

‘Just the thought of explaining it leaves me exhausted.’

A footman walked in and Simon arranged a tea tray to be delivered to the ladies, saving him from having to elaborate more about the persistent Duchess of Skeffington. He knew she wanted this house and he knew it had to be because of the income it would bring her. He had lived his life moving from relative to relative when he was a boy until his father arranged for him to join the navy when Simon was fifteen. Houses were just places to store your things and rest your head. He had never lived in one long enough to grow attached to any of them. The Duchess didn’t appear to be the sentimental type—however, it was apparent she enjoyed her wealth. It had to be the income that drew her to Stonehaven. Perhaps she assumed, if she stayed here long enough, he would just give her the house.

This estate was within a few hours’ drive to the port town of Portsmouth. Now he could ship the treasures he uncovered directly to this house. It saved in travel time and money, and this remote location kept his business hidden from potential thieves. He would never give up Stonehaven. Using this house was beneficial to his business.

‘Before we were interrupted, you expressed interest in seeing the statue I uncovered which will certainly pay Lord Bollingbrooke back for his investment in the excavation,’ Simon said to Adam. ‘Wait here. I’ll go and fetch it.’

‘That’s what you said the last time you left this room.’

‘If I am longer than ten minutes, you can always ring for tea to enjoy by this fire.’ He gave his friend a teasing look.

‘Tea by the fire isn’t quite the same without a tempting woman at your side.’

But it would be much more relaxing without the Duchess of Skeffington there to get Simon’s pulse racing with the agitation she had a habit of causing him. Luckily, she would be gone from this house soon and his life would return to the quiet and boring state it had been in here in England before he noticed her carriage pull up in his drive.

Or so he thought.

Lizzy sat beside her aunt, staring into the blue Wedgwood teacup that was part of the set she had purchased shortly after her marriage, and was holding back her tears. He had changed her favourite room—the room she had spent many hours in entertaining family and friends. It was a room that she had taken great pains to decorate to her exact taste. She recalled trying four different paint colours before she settled on the soft white paint that complemented the gold crown mouldings that had once outlined the room. Those four walls held so many good memories of so many wonderful visits.

Now that the room didn’t even look the same, all of that was gone with the careless direction of Mr Simon Alexander. It was hard for her to think of him in terms of the Duke of Skeffington since physically he was so very different from her late husband, although he, too, could be infuriating, but in a completely different way.

‘Try drinking your tea before it gets cold,’ Aunt Clara suggested gently, patting her hand. ‘You will not find the answer to your troubles staring into that cup. A good cup of tea can help with many things, but I believe it works only when you drink it.’

Lizzy placed the cup and saucer on the table beside her. ‘It has lost its appeal seeing it in these cups.’

‘They are lovely cups. I recall going with you to buy them in London. I’ve always been partial to Wedgwood.’

‘They are his cups now.’ She didn’t even try to hide the despondent tone of her voice.

Not being able to look at the tea set any longer, Lizzy shifted her gaze to scan the new crown moulding that was painted a pale cream colour that matched the marble fireplace. What else had he decided to change? She got up and walked to the large windows that overlooked the back gardens. In the summer, they were breathtaking with a combination of manicured topiaries, water fountains and beds of roses. Now they were frozen in snow.