One Less Lonely Earl (A Duke of Danby Novella: Halliday Sisters Book 2) Read online

  One Less Lonely Earl

  Samantha Grace

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  Epilogue

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  Duke of Danby

  About the Author

  Also by Samantha Grace

  One Less Lonely Earl

  Copyright © 2016 by Samantha Grace

  Cover artwork - Lily Smith - Covers by Lily

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Samantha Grace Author

  PO Box 312

  Onalaska, WI 54650

  Email: [email protected]

  Created with Vellum

  For everyone searching for a place to belong

  One

  Colin MacBride, the Earl of Blackwood, folded his arms atop the massive oak desk in his study at Blackwood Castle, and wondered if his older brother’s widow was intentionally trying his patience, or if it was purely by accident.

  The petite blond sat in the chair across from him, her prominent chin lifted stubbornly. “I will not be put off. I demand resolution.”

  He glanced at his identical twin brother standing at the sideboard pouring scotch and silently appealed for help. James simply shrugged. Colin’s brother seemed as lost as he was when it came to dealing with Malcolm’s wife.

  Colin aimed an apologetic smile in her direction, hoping a show of sympathy would stave off an argument—and knowing it was likely a hopeless cause. “I am sorry, Audrey, but I will not increase your pin money. As we’ve discussed on several occasions, we must live frugally for the time being.”

  His sister-in-law sniffed, raising her aquiline nose in the air. “I am Lady Blackwood, and you have not been given leave to address me by my first name.”

  “My brothers call you Audrey,” he pointed out, slightly nonplussed to be caught in this contentious relationship with the lady of the house.

  Colin never expected to inherit the title from Malcolm, nor had he anticipated having any dealings with his sister-in-law beyond the requisite visits to Blackwood Castle around the holidays. His oldest brother had begun filling his nursery when Colin, James, and Gavin were still at Oxford. As luck would have it, Malcolm had fathered only girls—five clever little minxes that had wormed their ways into Colin’s heart with their first smiles. He didn’t mind admitting, he was smitten with his nieces. Their mother was another story.

  “James and Gavin may address me however they like,” Audrey said. “They have not limited my accounts at the milliner and dress shop, and neither did Malcolm.”

  Perhaps if his older brother had not indulged his wife’s every whim, their situation might be less grim. Colin practiced restraint, forcing a tight smile rather than speaking ill of his brother. He suspected Audrey missed Malcolm a great deal, and he attributed her frequent tantrums to grief. James and Gavin said he was being too generous. From all reports, she was ill tempered long before their eldest brother was thrown from his horse earlier that spring.

  Colin cleared his throat, not wishing to recall the tragedy that had taken Malcolm’s life. “I take no pleasure in placing limits on you, Lady Blackwood. Yet, it appears I must, since you have placed none on yourself, despite my requests. Your pin money will not be increased again, and the shopkeepers in Danby will no longer extend you credit.”

  “You deplorable cur!” She burst from the chair and planted her palms against the desk, leaning forward as if she might vault over it to attack him. A scarlet blush flooded her ivory face. “Am I to be treated no better than a prisoner? What about necessities?”

  Colin’s brother approached with two tumblers half filled with scotch and slid one across the desk’s lacquered surface. Colin left the drink untouched as he met his sister-in-law’s challenging stare. James perched on the edge of the desk to watch their heated exchanged like a spectator at a boxing match.

  “You may present me with a list of necessities,” Colin said reasonably, “and if your request is indeed a need rather than a luxury, I will insure you have it.”

  Colin’s twin brushed a lock of dark hair from his own forehead. His steel-blue gaze flickered toward Audrey.

  She slapped the desktop before straightening her spine and plopping her hands on her hips. “What about a governess for Malcolm’s daughters? Your nieces’ education has been neglected long enough. But perhaps you consider it a luxury.”

  “Gads. She always resorts to guilt.” James shook his head before sipping his drink.

  Surely, she didn’t hold Colin responsible for the two governesses they had lost over the summer. With Audrey’s tendency to look over the young women’s shoulders and offer criticism, was it any wonder they had trouble keeping one longer than a month?

  “You know I placed an advertisement as soon as the last governess gave notice.” Colin thought he responded to her accusation of neglect with an impressive amount of calmness, considering his knuckles were white from gripping the edge of the desk. “Now, if you will excuse us, we were in the middle of discussing estate business before you barged into the study and demanded an audience.”

  She hadn’t even removed her hat and gloves upon returning from the village before marching into the study to berate him for the restraints he’d placed upon her spending. His sister-in-law glowered a moment longer, then snatched the glass of scotch and defiantly took a gulp. Tears sprang to her eyes as she fought to keep from coughing.

  Colin remained silent, refusing to engage in her childish game. When she realized she would not get a rise out of him, she stormed from the room with the tumbler clutched in her hand. The slam of the door echoed off the stone walls.

  “Are you going to allow her to steal your drink?” James asked.

  Colin sank against the back of the leather chair. “It is hard to determine who needs it more: her or me.”

  “I concede your point.” Colin’s twin pushed from the desk to claim the chair their sister-in-law had vacated. His gaze bore into Colin. When they were younger, it seemed speaking hadn’t been required to know what the other was thinking. A slight prickle at Colin’s nape suggested now was one of those times.

  “You were in here a long time with Mr. Patel,” James said. “I sense a storm approaching.”

  The new land steward’s report had been dire. Colin wished he had that drink now so he could stall. He trusted James to keep his head about him once he learned the nature of their situation. Simply, Colin wasn’t eager to admit the truth—even to himself.

  He exhaled, believing it best not to waste time trying to soften the blow. “The condition of the flock is worse than I was led to believe when I arrived at Blackwood Castle. We had an alarming decline in the flock numbers this spring. Too many stillbirths, and far too many ewes were lost in the process.”

  James grunted softly and swirled the amber liquid in the cut crystal glass. Colin suspected they were thinking the sam
e thing. Malcolm had mismanaged the flock, and the problem had been brewing for at least a year. Possibly longer. As usual, Malcolm hadn’t confided in his siblings. Colin’s eldest brother had been thirteen years old when he and James were born, and Malcolm had never treated them as his equals. And he’d treated Gavin as if he was still a boy, even though the youngest MacBride brother had turned three and twenty on his last birthday—only two years younger than Colin and James.

  “Mr. Patel is guarded with his predictions,” Colin said. “There are a few healthy rams for breeding as well as mature ewes, but the fields are poor. We are destined to lose more of the flock over winter unless we can procure decent pasture.”

  His brother’s thick brows dropped low on his forehead. “Is that all? Well, we have nothing to fret about then, do we?”

  Colin did not miss the sarcasm lacing his brother’s words. He rested his head in his hands and glanced at the solid walnut surface of the desk. That morning he’d shoved a summons from their meddlesome neighbor in the drawer with every intention of forgetting about it, but now it called to him. “I could go to Danby.”

  James drew back in horror. “You cannot be serious. Have you forgotten how that old curmudgeon tried to manipulate Malcolm into marrying one of his granddaughters?”

  “Of course I haven’t, but this is a chance to discuss the pastureland to the east. I might be able to convince the duke we can be of assistance to each other.

  “Do you truly expect Danby to listen to a word you have to say? He wants you for one reason only—to saddle you with a wife.” James scoffed. “If anything, he will dangle the land in front of you to insure your cooperation.”

  “I will not allow the duke to catch me in the parson’s noose. We will discus the land. Nothing more. Despite rumors to the contrary, I believe him to be a reasonable man.”

  “Reasonable?” James barked with laughter. “You are dicked in the nob if you believe you will fare any better with our neighbor than Father or Malcolm did. Danby knows his great-grandfather stole that land from our family, but he will never surrender it—not without stipulations.”

  James had good cause to believe as he did. Their grandfather had been promised a return of the land in question upon marriage to Danby’s sister, but Lady Margaret had eloped with another man two weeks before the wedding. Grandfather’s pride had suffered, and he had never forgiven her for putting him through a yearlong courtship only to leave him empty-handed in the end. The broken betrothal had only intensified the feud between the two families.

  Some years ago, the current Duke of Danby had tried to entice Malcolm to marry one of his granddaughters in exchange for the same land, but Colin’s eldest brother had already set his heart on Audrey.

  Colin snagged his coat from the back of the chair and shrugged into it. “I will not ask him to surrender the land. As you have pointed out, it did not work for Father or Malcolm.” He headed toward a set of polished oak doors more suited for a race of giants than any member of the MacBride clan, and he and his brothers would never be described as short.

  “Wait! Are you calling on the duke now?”

  “It does seem best to put the matter behind me.”

  His brother surged to his feet to follow Colin from the study; their equally long strides reached the curved staircase in no time. “What do you propose to do?” James’s voice echoed off the stone ceiling.

  Blackwood was solid like a cave, but bright with massive windows every two feet to bathe the marble in a golden glow. The castle was home to Colin, even though he hadn’t resided there since he and James were sent to boarding school at age nine. He couldn’t fathom Blackwood falling into ruin.

  “I am going to save our home,” Colin said.

  “But how?” His brother grabbed his arm as they reached the ground floor, detaining him. “Tell me what you will say to Danby.”

  Colin sighed impatiently. “I will ask the duke to allow our sheep to graze on the land, and I will offer him a percentage of the profits when the sheep are sheared in the spring. He makes no use of the pasture, but I am to understand it is well maintained. Sheep to keep the terrain tended and payment for his good deed; what more could he want?”

  “You are a fool to even ask. Danby probably knew about the condition of our flock and fields before you did. He anticipated you would come to him asking for help.”

  “The duke asked to see me, not the other way around. You give him too much credit.” Colin scowled at his brother’s fingers locked around his forearm. James released him.

  “You don’t give him enough,” his brother countered. “Are you aware his grandson is staying at Danby Castle?”

  “I hardly see the need to be worried. Our nieces are too young for the marriage mart.”

  Malcolm’s oldest daughter was only twelve-years-old. Colin expected to support his sister-in-law and nieces for many more years, and he wished to do right by the girls.

  James crossed his arms. “Julian Beckford is already married. He arrived with his pregnant wife and her family.”

  “And this should concern me because...”

  “Mrs. Beckford has a sister of marriageable age. I expect the duke wants to help his grandson foist her onto another man.”

  “Danby will be disappointed then.”

  Colin stalked across the stone foyer en route to the massive door leading outside. He wasn’t in any position to take on another dependent, which the duke likely knew already. The question remained if the man cared that he would be sentencing Mrs. Beckford’s sister to an uncertain future.

  Two

  Meredith Halliday glanced sideways at the duke as they strolled through the Danby Castle gardens, praying her tongue would work properly when she was expected to speak. Her brother-in-law’s grandfather hadn’t said a word after ordering her to join him for his afternoon constitutional. She was quite on pins and needles dreading the lecture she expected to receive now that she’d been separated from her sister.

  The Duke of Danby was no direct relation to her, but that didn’t stop the patriarch from treating her as any other family member under his protection. He held expectations for his grandchildren—duties that must be fulfilled. Every one of them was expected to marry and fill a nursery.

  In that order.

  Nonsense was not to be tolerated.

  And Meredith had failed to live up to his demands. Her first time on the marriage mart had been a disaster, and she dreaded the thought of ever stepping foot in a London ballroom again.

  “I am told a young lady’s first time in Society can be overwhelming.” The duke’s voice startled her. “However, Julian said you met the challenge with an impressive amount of mettle.”

  Meredith’s brother-in-law had a tendency to overlook her faults because he was smitten with her sister and would do or say anything to avoid upsetting Felicity. She wet her suddenly dry lips and felt herself grasping for control of her words. “Y-your grandson is t-too k-kind.” Inwardly, she cringed at the shakiness of her voice. Before she continued, she silently reminded herself to slow down. “I was fortunate to have a Season, Your Grace. I am grateful to Julian for making it possible.”

  Not only had her brother-in-law financed her Season, he had settled a dowry on her that should have secured her future. Unfortunately, the promise of a small fortune hadn’t been enough to overcome her bumbling.

  Every time an eligible gentleman had asked for her dance card, she’d stuttered. Meredith thought she had outgrown her childhood affliction, but it had merely been in slumber, waiting to make her look like a fool.

  One evening at the theatre, she had gulped when trying to speak and nearly coughed herself into unconsciousness. Startled, the gentleman had made a quick escape, leaving her to lean on her sister while she’d tried to catch her breath. She could still picture the sneers from the onlookers after she had recovered.

  After embarrassing herself on too many occasions, Meredith had become fearful of stumbling over her tongue, so she’d simply smiled wh
en anyone had spoken to her. It hadn’t taken long for her to earn the reputation of being a halfwit. Toward the end, her humiliation had become unbearable, and she’d taken to hiding in the retiring room.

  She didn’t believe for one moment the powerful Duke of Danby knew nothing about her foibles. He seemed to have eyes everywhere.

  “If I may speak frankly, Your Grace, it is a relief to be at Danby Castle.” Which was pleasingly far from London.

  The duke patted her hand where it was resting on his arm as they continued along the wide, grassy path. “The Season is not suited for everyone, Meri.”

  And Meredith was not suited for the Season. Furthermore, why should she or anyone expect her to be? She was not a real lady. Her father had been a doctor, and after his death, her mother had taken in sewing while her sister worked as a midwife to support them. Meredith’s lifestyle changed dramatically when Felicity married Julian, but a giraffe in a ball gown was still a giraffe.

  “I do so enjoy an afternoon stroll through the gardens,” Danby murmured. “The duchess was especially fond of this section. I think of her every time I pass this way.”

  Meredith inhaled the beguiling scent of pink phlox that lined both sides of the pathway. Everywhere she looked, islands of brilliant color dotted the landscape. The delicate lavender petals of the spotted crane’s bill, the striking green feather-like foliage of dog fennel, and white clumps of marsh mallows on the bush created a soothing balm for the soul. “It is a lovely garden, Your Grace.”

  The duke’s serene smile eased her fears that he wanted to revisit her blunders in Town, but she couldn’t relax fully until he revealed his true purpose in insisting she walk with him. Danby’s actions were rarely undertaken without calculation, not that she believed he intended any maliciousness. It simply didn’t seem to occur to him that he was not in control of everything and everyone around him.