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A rchibald Chamberlain had arrived at Netherfield Park during the final week of March, a few days before Good Friday and then the holy day of Easter Sunday.

For some reason his nephew had been desirous of spending the time with his uncle rather than with the Barringtons, which included his two married sisters and their families, at Rivington.

It did not take a soothsayer to divine the reasoning behind his nephew’s desire to spend time in Hertfordshire. He was enamoured with Miss Charlotte Lucas, who happened to be the best friend of the lady who had managed to worm her way into his own heart.

Miss Bennet would be sixteen now, still almost a thirty-year age difference, and Hertfordshire had no inkling as to whether she would be interested in him romantically.

One thing he did know; she would never accept him for his rank and wealth.

She was a very forthright lady and did not hide behind platitudes and inanities to speak in code. No, she spoke rather plainly.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Summer past, while the Bennet sisters, Miss Lucas, and the two Gardiner children had been in Lambton, the Duke and Anthony had seen them and been in company with them several times.

If he had not been interested in her before, the fact that she would debate vigorously with him attracted his interest like no other woman ever had.

During these times, she gave no quarter when she believed she was right but not so dogmatic as to not be able to admit when she was wrong.

There was no fawning over him; she never agreed with him just because he said it, and she took great pleasure in proving her point.

Hertfordshire had quickly learnt that he needed to be absolutely certain in his positions, and he must have all the facts at his fingertips to have a chance at beating Miss Bennet in a debate.

He did not have her advantage of being able to read something once and then being able to recall every word, but not just parrot what she read.

With her vast intelligence, she could take what she had studied and apply it logically to the subject they happened to be discussing, although some would say they were arguing.

She would pull obscure facts from her memory to support a point she was making, and even at the times when he was sure he had been correct, she was able to carry the debate.

When she asked about his estates, she never referred to the income, how fancy the houses were, or anything of the sort. She asked about the agriculture, the tenants, the vistas—in short all of the things which were important to him.

Even though he had not been in her company many times, she was the first lady to excite his interest, something he had never thought would happen to him.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

As his thoughts returned to the present, the Duke admitted to himself that he would have never felt an attraction to one younger than twenty, other than to this lady.

In knowledge and maturity she was much closer to his age than the physical years.

It brought a grin to his face when he remembered that according to his knowledge, Miss Bennet, Miss Mary, and the Gardiners would arrive on Wednesday coming, the first day of April.

Among other things, he would love to have the privilege of protecting her.

He had investigated the situation which had led to the Bennet sisters not living at home.

As much as he respected what the Gardiners and Phillipses had done to protect and love the sisters, the bluff Gardiner used on Mr Bennet notwithstanding, if that selfish, indolent man ever pushed, he would be able to reclaim his daughters.

No court would deny him regardless of how terrible a father he had been.

That was not true if the father ever went up against the Duke.

With his close connection to the royals and his many allies in the Lords and even the Commons, if he stepped in, Mr Bennet would lose.

If it ever came to that, he would offer an incentive first; if that failed, then he would exercise his power.

The father was, in his opinion, not the biggest threat to them.

It was the woman who bore them and, to a lesser extent, her firstborn daughter.

From what he had learnt, the former blamed all of her self-inflicted problems on her Bennet daughters, especially Miss Bennet, and was determined to get a measure of revenge.

The daughter, Miss Jane Millar, had supposedly reformed, but that remained to be seen. All of this was the reason he had ordered Biggs, Johns, and their men to watch over Miss Bennet as soon as she and the others arrived in the area.

He wondered how Anthony was progressing with his request for a courtship from Miss Lucas. Sir William and Lady Lucas were among the few locals who actually knew who he was. He had requested they not speak of his rank to one and all, and so far his request was being honoured.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Charlotte Lucas had believed that lightning would not strike the same heart twice, but here she was, just having accepted an offer to be courted by a wonderful man.

She was not in love with Mr Barrington yet, but her feelings were tender in the extreme, and she knew that she was on the precipice of love and was going to tumble over at any time.

She stood at the door until after her official suitor mounted his horse and disappeared from view.

Mr Barrington’s—Anthony’s—parents were at their estate in Surrey with their grandchildren.

They would be arriving at Netherfield Park in another sennight or so, and then she would meet them.

He had assured her that his mother, Lady Leticia, may be a duke’s daughter and sister to another one, but she was not one to stand on ceremony with airs and graces.

When her parents had been beside themselves with excitement at Charlotte having a suitor who was a future duke, she had tamped down their expectations, explaining that if Lord Hertfordshire married and fathered a son, Mr Barrington would no longer be in line for the dukedom.

She had not felt it was her place to mention that she suspected that the duke’s eye had fallen on her best friend.

When and if that came to pass, her parents would be informed along with all others who read the announcements in the papers.

Mother and Father had been a little disappointed when Charlotte had raised the possibility her suitor would not be the duke one day until they realised they would be related to the powerful Duke of Hertfordshire if Charlotte became his niece.

If Mr Barrington did not become a duke, they were aware that his family owned a large and very high-earning estate.

Charlotte was as yet unaware that Netherfield Park may belong to Anthony as well.

Charlotte knew that down deep, they only cared that she would find happiness once again.

She knew Mama had been very worried for her after the news of Mr Sykes falling in the war had reached Lucas Lodge, and Charlotte had entered a period of deep melancholy.

The only brightness in her darkness had been letters from Eliza and when her friend had come to visit.

Yes, there was six years between them, but as far as Charlotte was concerned, mentally Eliza was older than herself.

She smiled to herself when she imagined Mrs Bennet’s reaction to the plain Charlotte Lucas being courted by the nephew of a duke.

She was sure if His Grace made an offer to Eliza, her birth mother would have an apoplexy.

If either thing came to pass, it would be a severe test of Miss Millar’s sincerity.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“Well, Nephew, are congratulations in order?” Hertfordshire asked as he stood when Anthony entered his study. He had been dictating letters to his personal secretary but dismissed the man.

“Indeed, Uncle, they are. Miss Lucas accepted my request for a courtship,” Anthony related happily. “She happened to mention that the Gardiners would be arriving at Purvis Lodge in two days and how a certain Miss will be flying across the fields on her Arabian as soon as she is able.”

Hertfordshire looked at his nephew contemplatively.

“Are you sure you are sanguine with my pursuing Miss Bennet?” He asked.

“I know I need not your blessing, but you have spent the last years learning all you need to for the eventuality you would ascend to the title. Nothing is set yet, but I would understand if you felt disappointed. I know your character, and you would never be resentful.”

“No, Uncle, you have no reason to be concerned. The day I came to you to begin to learn about the dukedom, I was fully aware that one day in the future you may marry and sire a son,” Anthony assured his uncle.

“Even if you marry, you know not if He will grant you a son. Until that occurs, nothing has changed.” Anthony cogitated for some moments.

“The knowledge I gained could be put to use one day if you father an heir; I will be able to assist in his training. My hope is whether you have a son or not, you will be in the mortal world for decades to come, so if I am called to serve, it will be many, many years from now.”

“I second your prayer,” Hertfordshire said as he looked off into the distance, at nothing in particular.

If he was able to convince Miss Bennet to accept him, it was certain—given the fact he was eight and twenty years older than her—he would predecease her.

In the natural order of things, all things being equal, the chances were she would still be a woman of not much more than thirty when he was called home to God.

He also knew he could not think like that.

He needed to worry about that which he could control and leave the rest in God’s hands.

“Are the men ready to act as protectors if needed?” Anthony enquired.