Page 2 of Her Duke to Tempt (Wayward Dukes’ Alliance #29)

One

Ten years later…

T he grand chandelier in the ballroom glittered above in the center of the ceiling and cast a soft, golden light over the guests gathered below.

The sound of laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the rustling of silk skirts filled the air.

The entire room was exactly as she had envisioned it.

The sense of refined gaiety had always been Enid St. John, the Countess of Winston’s goal.

She stood at the edge of the room as she shifted her sharp gaze across the room.

She had always been known for her composure and poise, traits she wielded with careful precision—especially tonight.

Nothing, and she meant nothing, could go wrong.

Her niece had to have a successful season.

Even if she never secured a proper match.

Tonight was her niece, Lady Felicity Hathaway’s debut.

She had spared no expense for this ball.

Felicity believed that Enid had done it so she could find a husband.

As if finding a husband was the only thing a lady should do.

She nearly scoffed at the idea. Yes, Enid had married well, and no, it had not been a love match.

But Enid and Felicity were entirely two different people.

She realized that Felicity would never make such a match.

She would want more from a marriage and Enid doubted she would ever find it.

She herself did not believe love existed.

At least not for everyone… Some did find love.

The lucky bastards… For her it was enough to have social standing and enough money to never worry about a damn thing.

On this night she only wanted one thing for Felicity.

To make connections… Felicity needed to have those connections if she decided to remain a spinster.

A lady without the benefit of a man’s name could only go so far or do so much.

Enid wanted to support her niece and her independence.

She was proud of her for not wanting to marry.

But Enid was also a realist, and she knew that it would not be that simple.

So, she had convinced her brother that Felicity needed this debut.

Even if Felicity hated he for it. So, the Invitations had been sent to the most esteemed families in London, and the ball was every bit the success she had hoped for—except for one very important detail.

Felicity...

Enid’s gaze flickered over the sea of gowns and formal attire, searching for Felicity, but the young woman was nowhere to be seen.

She could feel the tendrils of anxiety creeping up her spine, but she pushed them down with every ounce of her practiced calm.

Felicity had always been a difficult creature—headstrong and willful, never eager to please or follow convention.

She had not wanted to enter society, and Enid had thought her duty as her aunt was to ensure that she did.

But of course, the blasted chit would not make it easy.

Felicity was far to obstinate for her own good.

She cursed under her breath. Where the blazes was she?

Something was not right. She knew it deep down to the depths of her soul.

Felicity was scheming and they both might come to lament her impulsive foolhardy behavior.

Enid’s pulse quickened as she moved toward the grand staircase, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor.

Felicity’s need for independence might lead her down a path filled with nothing but regret, and Enid was beginning to fear she might have done something reckless, something that would ruin her debut, or worse, her reputation.

“That girl had better not have done something foolish…” Enid muttered under her breath as she ascended the stairs, her silk gown rustling around her.

She reached the top and peered into one of the private rooms—empty.

Another hallway, another room—still no sign of Felicity.

With each room she searched she became more and more anxious.

She had hoped the girl was just hiding and avoiding their guests.

But no, it was of course not what happened.

Felicity hadn’t merely hidden. She had disappeared entirely.

Enid paused and let out a slow, controlled breath.

She couldn’t allow herself to panic, not in front of all these people.

Her reputation as a lady of authority and grace had been carefully cultivated over the years, and she couldn’t afford for that to slip now, especially not when her niece’s future was at stake.

“Lady Winston,” a low, familiar voice came from behind her.

Enid turned quickly, her heart skipping a beat as her eyes locked on Logan Weston, the Duke of Templeton.

He stood in the doorway of the ballroom; his tall figure was imposing and yet impossibly calm.

He studied her with those impossibly golden-brown eyes of his with a quiet intensity, and for a moment, Enid felt a strange, inexplicable pull in the pit of her stomach.

It was a sensation she could never quite place when it came to him—this mixture of wariness and inexplicable attraction.

Logan had always been a mystery to her. Reserved and private, he rarely attended social functions.

So, his presence at her niece's debut ball was a surprise, to say the least. Why had he decided to attend this ball?

Was it merely because they were neighbors or was there something more?

Something she was unaware of that made him decide to accept the invitation?

His gaze softened when he noticed her tense posture. "You seem troubled, Lady Winston," he remarked, his voice low and rich, almost soothing.

Enid stiffened slightly. "I am fine, Your Grace," she said, forcing a smile.

She should not trouble him with her concerns.

Felicity would be found. She had to be… Even with that thought in her mind she could not help spilling her worries out at him.

"It’s just... my niece has gone missing.

Felicity, well, she is nowhere to be found.

" She did not want to give away too much, did not want him to see the true extent of her anxiety. “You need not worry,” she said. As if the Duke of Templeton would care that her niece had decided to make a grand escape. She nearly rolled her eyes at her foolish rambling. “I mean that is. I’m sure she is just in a retiring room.” She nibbled on her bottom lip as if it were her first season and she was uncertain how to talk to a gentleman.

What was it about this duke, this man , that made her all flustered?

“If you will pardon me. I must go find he.” and throttle her for such behavior…

Logan's brow furrowed, and for a fleeting moment, his usual composure seemed to crack. "I do not know your niece well," he said, his voice edged with concern. "But if you will allow me to, I can help you search. Have you searched the entire ballroom?"

"I have," Enid replied with a sigh. "But she’s vanished, and I am starting to fear she has done something foolish.

" Her thoughts raced, the worst possibilities clouding her mind, though she did not dare voice them.

"I know she is headstrong, but this is simply too much.

" She should not be saying these words aloud.

This was how rumors started and if someone were to overhear her telling the duke that Felicity had disappeared…

she closed her eyes and took a deep, fortifying breath. “I am sure I am overreacting.”

Logan tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving hers.

"I’ve been searching for my son, Aiden, the Marquess of Redding.

I suspect he may have wandered off with…

” He frowned. “Well, a woman he could easily seduce if I am being honest. I had hoped he would have come to meet your nice for the possibility of making a proper match.”

Enid's heart skipped, and her gaze sharpened.

"Redding?" she repeated, surprised by the connection.

"But you don’t think they are together, do you?

" The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them.

Redding was a rogue. Everyone knew it and even his own father had suspected that was what he intended.

Surely Felicity would not… But she would.

Enid knew her niece and she would be that asinine and give her virtue away.

And to think she thought Felicity had more sense than that…

Logan met her gaze with a steady, almost unreadable expression.

"I do not know," he replied with a touch of frustration, though his voice remained calm.

"I have no reason to believe they are involved, but I can’t help but wonder.

I am not even certain if they are acquainted with each other" His eyes narrowed slightly, as though he were contemplating something he had not yet shared.

“Aiden would know if he seduced her, I would expect him to offer for her.” He shook his head.

“I do not think he would seduce her. At least not without knowing what that would mean for them both.”

Enid’s thoughts spun. Redding and Felicity?

The idea was utterly unexpected, and it took her a moment to fully process the possibility.

Had her niece really gone off with the marquess, the son of the very man who had been her longtime neighbor and the one man she found breathtakingly handsome?

She nearly groaned at the thought. If Felicity married the marquess he would become part of Enid’s immediate family.

Then she would have to see the duke far more often. How would she handle that?

"What are we to do now?" Enid murmured, her anxiety rising once more. She had always been a woman of practical resolve, but the uncertainty of the moment seemed to chip away at her usual composure.

Logan regarded her carefully, the concern still evident in his eyes. “We search together,” he suggested, his voice steady. “You are not alone in this, Lady Winston.”

A small, grateful smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she nodded, relieved by his offer. "Thank you, Your Grace."

Together, they stepped into the hallway, ready to face whatever came next.

But Enid could not help but wonder what other truths lay hidden in the shadows of the night.

And whether, just perhaps, her growing connection with the Duke of Templeton might be something she could no longer ignore or resist. This was all Felicity’s fault.

She had done a fine job of pretending she was not attracted to the duke ever since he first introduced himself to her all those years ago.

Now she was forced to search for her wayward niece and his scoundrel of a son.

She prayed when she finally did locate Felicity she would not be in the company of that rogue.

Because if she was it wasn’t just Felicity’s life that would change forever. Enid would never be the same again.

She was drawn to him, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

He was everything she had never wanted, and yet everything she now realized she had craved.

The sharp wit, the knowing gaze, and the undeniable charisma that seemed to make the world bend to his will.

But it was more than that. It was the way he had cared for Felicity, the way he had stepped forward when she needed someone the most.

And that was what scared her the most.

“Enid?” The duke’s voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked up to see his brow furrowed in concern.

“I’m fine,” she said, shaking her head. “Just... distracted. We should continue.”

As they moved toward the stairs, Enid's mind returned to Felicity—her niece’s behavior, the choices that were leading her down a dangerous path.

She had been so focused on helping her find her way in society she had never considered what Felicity might do to avoid marriage.

Would she honestly court complete ruin to stay unwed?

If Felicity was indeed in the company of that scoundrel of a son, the duke’s son.

.. She would not just be confronting her niece’s mistakes; she would be forced to confront her own heart.

Could she face him, truly face him, and make the difficult choices that would follow? Would she be strong enough?