Page 203

L YING IN HER bed, Maddie retouched one of the many drawings of Hector, adding more layers of shadows and light to make his striking features stand out. Not an easy task since her fingers couldn’t trace all the nuances she wanted, and the more they stiffened, the angrier she became.

Some lines looked barbaric to say the least. She frowned so hard her brow muscles ached.

The more she tried to be precise, the less she succeeded.

How frustrating. She wanted to toss the pencil across the room.

Bother. She sat upright. Another unfinished sketch.

Verity always said it was a matter of practice and exercise.

Maddie wasn’t sure. She’d practised and exercised until her fingers had cramped, and nothing had changed.

She’d given up the exercises after a few weeks instead of practising for months as the physician had suggested.

Whatever. Her hand would never be the same.

“Miss?” the maid asked from the other side of the door.

“Come in.” She closed the sketchbook, utterly unsatisfied with the result.

The maid inched the door open. “There’s a gentleman who wishes to meet you.”

Maddie shot to her feet, her pulse racing. “Lord Hector?”

They’d been separated for a couple of days, but she was eager to see him. In fact, she should visit him. She hadn’t wanted to intrude into his life while he tried to get accustomed again to London, but she needed to know how he was faring.

“No, Miss. It’s Mr. Merriweather. He’s waiting for you in the drawing room.”

Ernest wanting to see her? “Are you sure he asked for me and not Verity?”

“Yes, miss. Besides, Miss Verity is out at the moment. Her piano concert.”

Oh, right. “I’ll see him in a moment.”

After she fixed a wayward strand of hair in her chignon, she straightened her dress and went downstairs to the drawing room.

As a solicitor, Ernest’s impeccable dark suit and neatly styled, bronzed hair marked him as a gentleman.

A nervous one, judging by how he paced on the Oriental carpet that had cost a pretty penny. Mother would be horrified.

“Ernest.” She curtsied, hoping to hide her blushing.

Since she’d read his letters to Verity, she found it hard to meet his gaze without flushing. Who would have guessed Ernest, so serious and practical, hid a passionate soul under his stiff suits?

“Maddie.” He bowed, snapping his heels together. “I appreciate you receiving me immensely, even though I didn’t have time to announce myself.”

“You’re part of the family.”

“Not in this instance.” He flashed a sad grin. “I’m here for business, not as your future brother but as the late duke’s solicitor.”

She wrung her hands together. “What is the reason for your visit?” She sat in the armchair.

“I won’t take a lot of your time. I’ll be gone in a minute, and I can’t wait for Verity.

” His expression didn’t soften when he mentioned his betrothed.

He took the armchair in front of Maddie but remained perched on the edge.

“I’ll go straight to the point. Robert wasn’t only my employer, but a friend.

Before leaving for his fatal trip to the Americas, he left me with precise instructions should something happen that I help Lord Hector with the dukedom. ”

So far, nothing new. Maddie nodded, failing to understand what she had to do with the Wentworth family’s legal problems.

“Quentin has no intention of surrendering the dukedom to his cousin.” Ernest’s voice acquired a sharp tone.

“He invoked the Righteous Bill, an act approved decades ago when King George III showed signs of mental instability. Before gaining a title, the person must be deemed mentally sane by a physician.”

That caught her full attention. “Mental instability? But King George III was indeed troubled. Hector isn’t.”

“Quentin demands I prove that Lord Hector is perfectly sane and has the mental capabilities to become the duke. The process of being reinstated as a duke requires two things.” His voice sounded strained.

“The first is proving Lord Hector is sane and in full possession of his mental capabilities, which implies a certificate signed by a trusted doctor. The second is finding a peer who’s willing to champion Lord Wentworth before the queen. ”

“It sounds rather complicated.” The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. “Forgive me, but I fail to understand how I can help you. I can assure you Lord Wentworth isn’t insane. He’s traumatised by his experience, but who wouldn’t be?”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I saw Lord Hector this morning, and I couldn’t help but notice he has acquired some peculiar habits during his stay on the island. He doesn’t wear many clothes, for example.”

“Peculiar habits?” She straightened. “He was stranded on an island for eight years, relying only on his resilience and strength to survive. It makes sense that he doesn’t behave normally.” Whatever normally meant.

“He considers a bird a person.” He tilted his head.

Oh, Thomas. “I’m not a physician, Ernest, but I don’t find it hard to believe that a person, who is completely alone, might find solace in talking to himself, or in Hector.

..Lord Wentworth’s case, to a bird. People talk to their pets all the time.

Pets are considered family. It seems perfectly normal to me. ”

“He also became quite aggressive when Quentin tried to take a worn, stained, book from him.” Exasperation edged his voice.

“I think the book is Lord Wentworth’s personal diary. It’s precious to him because he recorded his whole ordeal in those pages.”

“Yes but…” He exhaled. “I mean no offense. I understand Lord Hector’s situation, but unless he, ahem, behaves less wildly, he’ll never be considered sane enough to inherit the dukedom. I’ll never find a lord who will want to be his champion, or a doctor who will certify he’s sane.”

Which would be a shame because she was sure Hector would make a great duke. But then again, he’d told her he didn’t want to become a duke. “And?”

Ernest joined his hands as if in prayer. “Lord Hector seems particularly fond of you. I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to help him become the duke he’s destined to be.”

Maddie took a moment before answering. “Me? What should I do exactly?”

“Well, to put it bluntly, teach him how to behave properly, common courtesies. I can instruct him, but I’m sure he’ll learn faster if you’re involved.

We can’t expect him to find a champion if he goes around half naked or growls in that animalistic fashion.

He gave me such a fright. No peer will ever agree to address the queen on his behalf.

Lord Hector needs a little encouragement and someone who understands his situation to be steered in the right direction. ”

She worried at her bottom lip. “I believe he doesn’t want to assume the title.”

Ernest fixed the knot of his cravat, although it didn’t need any adjustment. “He must.”

“You can’t force him to petition to have the title restored to him. It’s his choice.”

“There are things I probably should disclose to Lord Hector first behind the reasons why I think he should petition for the Duke of Blackburn. Suffice to say the dukedom is in great need of a duke who cares about his tenants and employees. Someone who’s honest and with a good heart.

Someone who doesn’t take advantage of his position to abuse others.

If Lord Hector is even slightly like his late brother, then he’d be a great duke. ”

The urge to defend Hector burned her from the inside out. “He is. Hector is an admirable man.”

“That’s what the Blackburn tenants need.”

Drat. She’d never paid attention to Duke Quentin. He was often the subject of gossip, being still a bachelor. But she had no idea whether he was a trustworthy landlord or not.

“Hasn’t Duke Quentin been taking care of the Hastings estate?”

Ernest rose. “As I said, I should talk with Lord Hector first. I hope you will come to the right conclusion to help his lordship adjust his return to society.” He bowed, radiating sadness. “Thank you for your time. Please think about what I have told you.”

“I will.” She stood up as well. “But I agreed to become Lady Babineaux’s companion.”

Ernest shot her a pointed look as if to say, ‘you’re joking.’ They didn’t talk as she led him to the hallway, both lost in their thoughts.

She opened the door. “Pardon my curiosity, but you seem to have taken to heart the fate of the dukedom at heart.”

He put his hat on. “I do, Maddie. I do. At Duke Robert’s request, but he showed me great kindness when no one else did.

His employees, now Duke Quentin’s employees, are people in need.

Had Robert been lived, he would have never allowed…

” He cleared his throat. “I’ve talked too much.

Please don’t hesitate to send me a message should you convince Lord Hector to see me again.

I’d like to show him something that might prompt him to make a decision.

Good day. Please tell Verity I’ll see her soon. ” He bowed again before walking away.

She shut the door and leant against it. She was more than happy to help Hector so long as he wanted to take his brother’s place. But it had to be his choice.

She’d barely started to go upstairs when her mother sauntered into the hallway with a folded copy of The Times .

“That’s an amazing opportunity for you.” Her mother had the same expression as that time when Verity announced her engagement with Ernest. Mother hadn’t objected only because he made nearly eight thousand pounds per year.

“I thought you were out.” She couldn’t completely remove the frustration from her voice.

“I returned a few moments before dear Ernest arrived.”

“What opportunity?” Maddie asked, not really interested in the answer. “Have you eavesdropped on my conversation with dear Ernest?”

“I have.” The fact Mother didn’t scold her for her sauciness didn’t bode well. “To make sure he behaves like a gentleman. Look.” She opened the newspaper and showed it to her.

Maddie leant closer to read it. The castaway duke: Lord Hector Wentworth returns. The future of Quentin Wentworth, Duke of Blackburn is in question . Is Lord Hector Wentworth capable of managing the dukedom of Blackburn?

“What opportunity, Mother?” Maddie asked again.

“To be a duchess!” A crease appeared between Mother’s eyebrows.

“What about Lady Babineaux?”

“Forget that old crow. When we met Lord Wentworth years ago, I didn’t take him seriously.

He was a young gentleman with an obsession for vegetables and about to leave for the Americas.

Pff . Yes, he was the brother of a duke but I hoped the duke would have proposed, but then he had the brilliant idea of chasing after his brother and ended up dying. ”

“Mother!” She stomped a foot on the step. “The duke tried to save his brother.”

“But now Hector is going to be the Duke of Blackburn. That’s a different matter. One can put up with a lot of odd behaviours when dealing with more than hundreds of thousands of pounds.” She pronounced the last words clearly.

The sum stunned Maddie for a moment. Not that she cared how wealthy the Duke of Blackburn was, but Lord, hundreds of thousands of pounds?

“He likes you,” Mother said, folding the newspaper. “If you spend some time with him, in a matter of months, I might call you Your Grace.”

“What about what I want? What makes you think I’m ready to marry him or become a duchess?”

“He’s a duke,” Mother said with the tone of someone talking with a particularly slow-witted child. Even her arrogant smile vanished. She didn’t add anything else. Hector’s title seemed to be a good enough reason to marry him.

Maddie gripped the bannister, refusing to consider marrying Hector only for his title and money. “He isn’t a just a potential duke. He’s a man who needs time to recover from a seriously harrowing experience.”

Mother hooked her arm through hers. “And you’re going to help him as you promised.”