Duke Is Always Wicked (eBook)
378 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-4246-0 (ISBN)
Sophie Pettigrew was in dire straits. Her brother, Edward, had been in London living the high life since he came into his title of Viscount Litchfield after the death of their father. Now, he had gambled and lost everything. The only thing Sophie had left in this world was a derelict old crumbling down abbey and a small allowance left to her by her mother which was barely enough to buy food. She was desperate and desperate times called for desperate measures. When Sophie walked into the famous gaming house, The Devil's Lair, to plead with Mr. Benedict Kingston, the proprietor, not to allow her brother to gamble away the only thing she had left, there was no way she could imagine how that night would change her life. Benedict Kingston normally didn't get involved in the personal problems of the men that gambled and lost at The Lair. But when the beautiful and enticing Sophie Pettigrew walked into his apartments to plead with him to never allow her brother to gamble there again, he couldn't help but be intrigued by her beauty and curious about her circumstances. When he discovered the despicable plans her brother had for her, he couldn't stand by and watch something so lovely be hurt by the one person who should have been protecting her. After Benedict found himself thrust into a position of power and prominence he never aspired to, the proposal he had for Sophie was the perfect solution to both of their problems. Sophie had not expected to see Benedict Kingston again after that night she visited him at The Devil's Lair, but when he offered her a proposal that would be beneficial to them both, how could she refuse? If she could just somehow manage to resist his charming smile and wicked suggestions, then one day she would have the freedom to live her life as she wanted and would be safe from her brother's schemes. By offering Sophie Pettigrew marriage, he was solving two problems. As his wife, he would be able to protect her from her brother and assuage his guilt in the hand he played in her brother's downfall, and Sophie being from a prominent aristocratic family, would be able to help him navigate the ton in ways he had previously been unable to do. It was the perfect solution, except that the more time he spent with the beautiful young Sophie, the more he realized it would be impossible to let her go and give her the freedom he had promised her. Just when Benedict realizes the futility of revisiting the charms of his beautiful wife, an unknown assailant fueled by jealousy and revenge tried to take it all away. Would Benedict be able to stop the culprit before Sophie was hurt or would his actions cause him to lose her forever?
Chapter Two
The Next Day
Kingston sat in his office on the second floor of the gaming house, going over the numbers from the night before. Prinny and his entourage of admirers and followers had decided to spend a good portion of their evening at The Lair. The friendship he had developed with the future monarch was advantageous, to say the least but could at times be tedious. One advantage was that the prince’s visits to his establishment tended to be quite lucrative. His profits seemed to increase considerably anytime the prince and his close circle of friends decided to gamble the night away. It seemed that the gentlemen of the ton were even more anxious to lose money when the future king was in attendance. He paused when there was a knock on the door. It had to be Sam, no one else would disturb him at this time of day.
“Come in.”
But it wasn’t Sam that opened the door. Instead, it was his friend and confidant Charles Newberg, the Duke of Avanley. “Prinny had mentioned that he was here last night. I imagine you are rather happy with the result of his visit.”
Kingston leaned back in his chair and motioned for his friend to take a seat. While society dictated that he should have stood and bowed in reference to Avanley’s title, their relationship was much more casual. Of course, when in public he would show the respect that was due his friend, in private they could be more informal.
“The money others lose while trying to boost their standing in the prince’s eyes does help make up for his losses that I have to pay back as a measure of friendship.”
Charles’ laughter was deep and low as he took a seat in front of his friend’s desk. “Yes, it can be tiresome at times being in Prinny’s favor.”
Kingston shrugged his shoulders in resignation agreeing with his friend. “I thought you and the ever lovely, Isobel would have already quit London and retired to Avanley Hall for the summer.”
Charles’ eyebrows rose slightly higher. “Since you broke the news to us that we had been summoned to Brighton for two weeks to entertain his majesty, we decided there was no need to leave London in a rush. The house party we had planned to host at Avanley Hall will have to wait till next year.”
“It’s only two weeks, surely you can find the time to still host your party.”
Charles’ lips lifted on one side in a lop-sided grin. “Time we may have, my willingness to lose any more of it where my wife is concerned is limited, however.”
Kingston grinned mischievously at his friend’s comment. Charles had been one of the biggest rakes, if not the biggest in London, before he was forced into a marriage he did not want with the beautiful Isobel. Their relationship may not have begun on the best terms, but it did not take long for Charles to fall in love with his lovely bride, and he has been reluctant to leave her side ever since.
“You know I have other reasons for joining the prince when he retires to Brighton at the end of the season.”
Charles leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You want to expand your empire and open another gaming house in Brighton.”
Kingston reached for a bottle of brandy on his desk. “Would you like a drink?”
Charles shook his head. “No, thank you.”
“Very well, you truly have become domesticated.”
“I wouldn’t say that, but when you do have a wife and children your priorities tend to shift more in that direction.”
Kingston wouldn’t know anything about that. His father’s main priority was making money and teaching him the necessary skills to do the same and after losing his mother at the young age of seven, he knew little else.
“I want you as well as Hawksford and Leicester to invest with me. Davenport is even thinking of throwing his hat in the ring, so to speak. As the new Duke of Stafford, he has the funds to invest and thinks a fortune could be made there.”
Charles sat back and regarded his friend from across the desk. “Who will run the new establishment? I know you aren’t willing to leave London or The Devil’s Liar, and if Sam takes over the new place, that doesn’t leave anyone here to watch the gaming and allow you to chase your more… pleasurable pursuits.”
Kingston grinned wryly thinking of Annabella and how he had refused her charms the night before. “All the details have not been worked out yet, but I’m sure we could come up with a solution.”
“Perhaps while we are all in Brighton, we can help you come up with an idea.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
This time it was Sam standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but James has returned from the errand you sent him on last night, and I thought you might wish to speak with him.”
Charles stood from his seat. “I suppose I will see you in Brighton.”
Kingston rose in one fluid motion to shake his friend’s hand. “If not before.”
He watched as Charles left the room before turning to Sam. “Send him in.”
He resumed his seat as James, another of his employees, came in, hat in hand.
“Did you follow her?”
The man nodded. “I did, sir. She took a hack to a small townhouse far from the fashionable side of London. It belongs to an older lady, a widow. Miss Pettigrew was staying with her while in London. Apparently, she is friends with the lady’s granddaughter.”
Kingston folded his hands together, the tips of his fingers resting under his chin. “I commend you on discovering so much in such a short time, James. What else do you know?”
“Her given name is Sophie. I learned that from the gentleman who lives next door. He seems to have developed an interest in the girl, but she spurned his advances.” James grinned just a bit. “The man selling bread on the street told me that part.”
Kingston frowned wondering if the man had been a nuisance to Miss Pettigrew. “I want you to keep an eye on her and find out as much as you can about her situation.”
“That’s going to be difficult, sir. She took the mail coach this morning to Abingdon in Berkshire. She is returning to her home there.”
Kingston stood abruptly. “Surely she isn’t traveling alone!”
“That she is. The gentleman we spoke of earlier was right upset about it, calling her a foolish chit for refusing his offer and leaving to return to an empty home where she has no protection. If you ask me, she needed protection from him.”
“Bloody hell!” He began pacing the floor behind his desk. “I knew she was lying to me.” He spun around to face James. “Pack your things. I want you to leave for Abingdon right away. Find out where she lives and report back to me. I want to know everything.”
James looked at him in surprise. “Everything, boss?”
“Damn it, yes! But don’t let her know. Keep quiet and be discreet.” He stalked to the door and jerked it open. “Sam!”
His second-in-command jumped slightly before rushing over. “James is leaving today for Berkshire. See that he has what he needs.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll see to it that he is gone within the hour.”
Sam’s sense of urgency didn’t appease his foul mood. “And Sam, find her goddamn brother!”
Both James and Sam rushed from the room to do as they were instructed, and Kingston went back into his office slamming the door behind him. He walked over to his desk and poured himself a hefty glass of brandy. He paused with the glass just at his lips. He never should have agreed to meet Miss Pettigrew. She had played upon his sympathies and now he couldn’t get the blasted woman out of his head. Damn her brother for being a foolish and reckless arse. He turned the glass up and drank the entire contents before slamming the empty glass back down on his desk.
He moved around to retake his seat behind his desk. He had work to do and thinking about the lovely and misfortunate Miss Pettigrew wasn’t getting it done. “Could this day get any worse?” he mumbled to himself as he resumed going over his ledgers. His words were prophetic, because in a few hours, he would realize just how much worse it could be.
Two Hours Later
The day had not gone as expected, but Sam had assured him that James was well on his way to Abingdon to find Miss Pettigrew and would probably make it there before her since she was traveling by a much slower method of transportation. Once he discovered the circumstances surrounding the young lady, he could do what he needed to appease his conscience and then he could put her out of his mind forever.
Papers and ledgers were spread across his desk. He was looking over the contract for a building he was interested in leasing in Brighton when he was once again disturbed by a sharp tapping on the door. Sam opened the door just enough for...
| Erscheint lt. Verlag | 23.4.2024 |
|---|---|
| Sprache | englisch |
| Themenwelt | Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen |
| ISBN-13 | 979-8-3509-4246-0 / 9798350942460 |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
| Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt? |
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