Page 30 of His Graceful Duchess (A Lady’s Vow #3)

“ Let go of me.”

Violet thrashed wildly against the strange grip that had just been placed upon her. She screamed as loud as she could, using all her might to push back against his intruder. But before she could bellow out another shriek, the same hands clamped against her mouth.

“What the devil—!” the voice barked, and Violet bit him. He retracted his hand with a yelp. “Can you stop? I am not here to cause you harm.”

The voice was equal parts irritated and confused. Now that she had some distance, Violet began to make out the face under the dim moonlight. Her breath caught as she recognized him. “Your Grace?”

The Duke of Bernight stood before her, his tall frame rigid with indignation. His hand, the very one she had just bitten, was cradled against his chest. A deep scowl marred his otherwise striking features.

It was that moment that Violet realized that her day had quickly gotten even worse. Not only had she just been rejected by Lord Kembert, but she had just bitten a duke. She straightened her back, fingers hastening to slick back the stray hair on her face.

“I… my apologies, Your Grace. I did not mean to…” She scrambled for the right words.

“Bite me?” He narrowed his eyes, still holding onto his injured hand. “What might your name be? Clearly you are not the one I came here looking for.”

Violet felt her cheeks warm. Of course. With his reputation, it was not a surprise that he must have snuck into the garden to meet some paramour of his. “Lady Violet. And I would not have bitten you if you did not grab me in the dark.”

It irked her that he made it seem like it was entirely her fault.

The Duke took a step back and looked at her properly for the first time. “Might I ask what a lady like yourself is doing out here all alone? If that is not an invitation for trouble, then I do not know what is.”

“I was…” Violet scrambled to explain herself, her fists tightening at her sides. “I came here to get some air. That is allowed, is it not? Or is the garden only reserved for your… assignations ?”

It was quite unlike her to speak in such a rude manner, especially to a duke, but Violet was not really feeling much like herself. She was flustered by the way he had come so close to her—closer than any other man had in her entire life.

The Duke brought one of his hands to rub the side of his face, and she immediately found herself recalling how warm they had felt around her waist. How big they were in comparison to her little waist and how they could easily wrap around her.

What? Violet had never had thoughts like this before. The Duke, however, seemed oblivious to whatever crisis she had unfolding inside of her.

“My assignations?” The corners of the Duke’s mouth curved into an amused smile. Violet knew better than to accuse a duke like this, but the words had slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I have to say, Lady Violet, you have quite the mouth on you. First you bite me then you make assumptions about my character.”

Are they assumptions when they are subject of every gossip weekly? “I did not mean to bite you,” she said instead.

“Good. Please ponder as well about traversing in the gardens at this hour next time the thought appears to you.” His face grew stormier. “An unwise decision. You’re fortunate it was me and not someone with less honorable intentions.”

“Honorable?” Violet scoffed, barely able to believe her own ears. “Your Grace… you just accosted me and called me a rabbit. It appears that we both view the situation quite differently.”

The Duke’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, Violet thought she saw the corner of his mouth twitch—though whether in amusement or irritation, she couldn’t tell.

“You should be thanking me for pointing out the danger of your situation,” he said, his voice heavy with condescension. “Instead, you choose to berate me.”

“I am not berating you, Your Grace. I could never do such a thing.” Violet folded her arms, her chin lifting defiantly. “You barged into my solitude, scared me half to death, and now presume to lecture me? All I did was point out what happened.”

“You make it seem as though I barged into your private chambers.” He rolled his eyes, and she blushed wildly at the suggestion. “I only came here to the garden.”

“Then you should have been more careful before assuming that I was someone else,” she argued back.

“Why are you insistent on proving that finding you here is my fault alone?” he said. Violet wondered if she was going too far with defending herself, but then again, she had more to lose than he did.

She had every right to defend herself— even if the Duke was not used to meeting people who spoke back to him like this.

“It is your fault,” he shrugged, making it seem as though it was the most obvious thing. “Do you like to shirk responsibility or are you someone who only sees their version of reality?”

The audacity. How could he already assume such things about her when he had only met her only mere moments ago?

“And your opinion on the matter is fact?” she said, bitterly.

“Usually, I would say so, yes,” he said, smirking now.

Perfect. Of all the people that could have run into her in the garden tonight, it had to be a duke whose arrogance preceded him.

“Then, I must tell you that you are in the wrong here. And if there were any witnesses to the act, then they would agree with me.”

“For your sake, Lady Violet, let’s hope there weren’t any witnesses,” he muttered dryly.

Violet knew that he had a point, but he had riled her up so that she could not help herself and bickered back.

“And for yours! ” Was she right? Likely not. A man’s reputation—especially one who possessed a title—was difficult to spoil. Society had a knack for overlooking the flaws in men.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if she were a particularly bothersome child. “You should not be wandering out here alone. When you accept that as your mistake, perhaps you will see who is in the wrong here.”

Violet knew better than to argue with a duke. And yet here she was, doing exactly that. If she had not been so frazzled from her earlier interaction with Lord Kembert, perhaps she would have had more control of what she was saying.

“Is that clear, Lady Violet ?” The Duke moved closed to her. It occurred to her then just how much taller he was than her—he must have been more than six feet as he easily towered over her small frame.

Except instead of feeling intimidated, she found herself gravitating towards him. She could not explain why of course. Their gazes locked together, and just for a moment, she felt a pang of something in her chest and her heart began to race with nervousness.

But their little moment—if you could call it that—was short lived. Before either could do anything about it, the sound of approaching voices reached their ears. Both froze, their gazes snapping toward the path leading back to the ballroom.

“ Oh no, ” they both spoke in unison, exchanging a final look of panic. But not much more could be done, for the voices were close enough for their owners to see them—together. A maiden with a duke. Alone in the garden.

“Is that… Someone is there… Your Grace? ” The onlooker’s voice turned from curious to gleeful, as though they had just discovered an exciting thing. Gossip was what the members of ton thrived on. It was their most beloved source of entertainment. “Lady Violet?”

A group of people were soon to follow, and then there was no more hiding. Violet knew that she had landed herself in big trouble. Whispers began to fill the air, horrified glances shot in not the Duke’s direction but hers.

For she was the one who stood to lose the most from this scandal. Society was often too forgiving for the sins of a man. But women—especially young unmarried ones—were rarely awarded the same grace.

“I…” Violet said, blushing. “I must go find my brothers.”

Without looking back, she sped away back to the inside of the mansion. It would not take long for the gossip to travel. Her otherwise spotless reputation would be forever tarnished. What have I just done?

Arabella Kingsman paced the floor at Nightingale Manor. Her three children had arrived back only a few hours ago. Jasper had been the one to break the news to their mother. He only knew himself because Violet had tearfully confided in him on the way back home. Arabella had not said anything to her daughter yet directly—Violet had only heard a faint shriek coming from downstairs, and then she had been summoned to where she was seated now with the rest of her siblings.

“Mother, can you please stop pacing like this?” Violet said, unable to take it anymore. The silence was almost as agonizing as any scolding that she ought to receive. “You have not said a word.”

“What is there to say, Violet?” Arabella finally stopped her pacing. “A scandal of this magnitude—how will you ever recover? How could you let this happen?”

Violet felt her stomach drop. She was the youngest born and rarely the subject of her mothers’ ire like this.

A flush of humiliation on her cheeks betrayed her otherwise calm expression. “I didn’t let anything happen, Mother,” she said defensively. “It was an unfortunate misunderstanding.”

“Violet, you were caught alone in the garden with the Duke of Bernight. I would not call that a misunderstanding but an act of extreme recklessness,” Jasper said, disappointed.

Violet’s eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Leopold spoke up from where he lounged against the doorframe, a smug grin tugging at his lips. “Well, I must say, Violet,” he drawled, “I’m impressed. All this time, I thought you had your sights set on that dreary Lord Kembert, but no—clever girl. You went straight for a duke. A much wiser choice, truly. You have Kingsman blood after all.”

Arabella spun to face him, “My daughter’s reputation hangs by a thread, and you think this is the time for jokes ?” she snapped.

“Mother is right,” Jasper nodded. “This is a serious matter.”

All the while, Violet felt as though she wanted to climb inside the wood of the flooring.

Leopold shrugged, undeterred. “Will it really help berating the poor girl like this? I am sure that she knows better than anyone how serious a smear this could be on her reputation. I propose that we approach the situation strategically.”

“Strategically?” Jasper narrowed his eyes at his brother.

“Yes. The scandal sheets haven’t published anything yet, so perhaps we can ensure they don’t.”

“Impossible,” Jasper retorted immediately with his lips pressed together. “They will not miss a chance to write about a duke.”

“Then perhaps we can send Violet away for a bit,” Leopold suggested. “Mother, would Aunt Margeret be willing to take her in? A year at most. Just until everyone forgets about the scandal.”

“I fear that sending her away for a year will still not be enough. After all, what decent man will be willing to marry her now?” Arabella shook her head, and Violet felt her heart sink even more. “Maybe one of you can speak to the Duke—he might be willing to correct his wrongs.”

Leopold scoffed, and Jasper did not look too convinced either.

“He has a reputation of being a notorious rake, Mother. Expecting a proposal from him would be foolish,” Leopold said.

“Leopold is right. The Duke must be used to ruining innocent ladies,” Jasper frowned, glancing at his sister’s direction.

Violet felt as though she was suffocating. When did this become her reality? She had never expected herself to be the diamond of the season, but deep down, she had always known that she would find a decent match for herself. Now, her only two choices were an unlikely marriage with a rake or a lifetime of spinsterhood.

Arabella looked as though she would faint at any moment. She looked away from her daughter, her expression pinched. “What will become of my daughter now? I have seen this play out dozens of times before. Even if we act most prudently, the whispers will persist. We cannot simply wish this away.”

Jasper slammed his fist against the side table, the sound reverberating through the room. Seeing their mother like this was his final straw. “If the Duke does not come here to take responsibility, I’ll challenge him to a duel. A man like him must be taught a lesson, and I’ll gladly deliver it.”

“Jasper!” Arabella’s voice wavered with alarm. “You must not think emotionally. There is a lot at stake.”

“And what of it? I can best him in a duel, Mother. You must not think any less of me because he is higher than me in rank,” Jasper sneered.

Violet clutched the fabric of her dress tighter. Her nervousness had reached its peak, and her pale green eyes shimmered with embarrassment at having landed in a situation like this to begin with.

“This isn’t necessary,” she said softly though her voice was barely audible. A part of her had already resolved herself to her fate. “The Duke will not come.”

Men like him rarely bothered themselves with the consequences of their actions.

Leopold shook his head. “Violet, I understand that you feel disheartened, but we will find a way to get out of this mess. He might?—”

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the conversation, and everyone froze. Who could that be? They had not been expecting any visitors, especially not after what had happened. Everyone in the room appeared to be thinking the same thing as Violet.

But their curiosity would be resolved as only a moment later, the butler appeared at the threshold.

“The Duke of Bernight has arrived,” he announced.

“The Duke is here?” Arabella nearly jumped up, looking towards her children with nervousness. Violet’s own heart twisted with disbelief. This was the last thing she had expected him to do.

“Show him in,” Jasper commanded, balling his fists.

“Jasper, do not fight him,” Violet pleaded with her oldest brother. She knew that he could have a temper on occasion, but she did not want the situation to worsen any further.

“I will handle him,” he assured her as calmly as he was able to with his anger still simmering below the surface.

The butler disappeared, and moments later, Nicholas Havenford, Duke of Bernight, stepped into the room. His piercing blue eyes swept across the room, landing briefly on Violet before shifting to Jasper.

Nicholas inclined his head in greeting.

“Your Grace,” Jasper said tersely, “I believe there is a great deal for us to discuss.”

The Duke stepped further into the room. Despite the air of hostility, he managed to maintain a sense of authority. He must be used to getting into trouble like this, Violet thought to herself.

“I am aware of the circumstances.” His tone was perfectly even as he responded. “And I have come to resolve the matter.”

Jasper crossed his arms over his chest. “And how, precisely, do you intend to do that? You have tarnished my sister’s reputation.”

“I have not.” The Duke’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he maintained his composure. “I have never, and will never, ruin a lady’s reputation. What happened was an unfortunate accident, but I take full responsibility. I am here to propose a solution.”

Violet’s breath hitched, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her skirt. She didn’t dare look at him.

Arabella stepped forward, her voice trembling. “Your Grace, with all due respect, my daughter’s future hangs in the balance. We cannot afford half-measures.”

“I understand that, and I assure you that I am not going to take the matter lightly. That is why….” He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over hers. It made her cheeks heat up. “… I intend to marry Lady Violet.”

Violet’s head snapped up, her wide eyes meeting his for the first time. “M-marry me?” she blurted out. Her reaction was extreme but far from the worst one.

Like a cascading cacophony, the room soon erupted into voices. Jasper was the loudest.

“Your Grace, while your intention to marry my sister is noble, you must not blame me for being suspicious,” Jasper said. “What assurances do we have that you will treat Violet with the respect she deserves?”

The Duke pressed his lips together in a thin line. “You have my word.”

Leopold crossed his arms and fixed the duke with a hard stare. “My brother’s right, Your Grace. Forgive me for being…crass, but you’re a rake of the first order. How can we trust you to take care of her?”

“I have never once soiled a lady’s reputation,” the Duke repeated with gritted teeth. It was clear that his patience was wearing thin from the ceaseless questioning. “However, at this moment, there is nothing I can substantiate my claim with. All you have is my word.”

“We are only worried, of course,” Arabella jumped in. “We hope that you are the morally upright gentleman that you are claiming to be, but we live in this society, and it is only natural for my sons to have their doubts.”

Moral uprightness. Honor. Reputation. It occurred to Violet at the moment that no one had bothered to ask her what she thought about the matter.

“I have made my intentions clear.” The Duke cleared his throat. “Besides, you know better than anyone else how this is not a request. It is more of a necessity.”

His voice held so much authority that it overshadowed everyone else in the room. Even Jasper—who was never one to get intimidated—stood back.

“A special license will be obtained, and the marriage will be arranged promptly. I will ensure that the rumors are managed, and Lady Violet’s reputation is preserved,” the Duke continued. “Now, if you will allow me, I wish to the speak to the lady alone for a moment.”

“You will do no such thing.” Jasper stepped forward. “It is enough that our sister has been embroiled in such a scandal. It would be unwise for you to speak to her alone again.”

“Yes, whatever you wish to say, you may say here with all of us present,” Leopold agreed.

Nicholas’ eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, everything else fell away.

It would be better if we could speak in private, Violet found herself thinking against her own better judgment.

The Duke opened his mouth to speak—to defend himself, perhaps—and her brothers shifted uncomfortably beside her, but Arabella took a stand. “We should let them speak.”

“Mother—” the two brothers protested.

“It is for the best,” she concluded, her voice ringing with an air of authority.

“Thank you,” the Duke nodded.

Slowly, her mother and her two brothers slinked out of the room. Violet felt her heart start to beat faster now that they were alone, but she did not want him to see that he was having any sort of impact on her.

“Lady Violet?—”

“Your Grace?—”

They broke the silence at the same time.

Blushing, Violet pulled herself back, but he only seemed to strengthen in his resolve, taking a step towards her.

“Please, say what you need to. Our communication must be clear at this point and moving forward.”

Violet tried hard to keep her voice from wavering. “Your Grace, this is moving entirely too fast. I only met you for the first time the other day, and now you are here asking for?—”

“Lady Violet,” he cut her off, firmly, “let me make one thing clear here which it should already be to you. There is only one sane choice here. Marry me and secure your family’s honor, or refuse and face complete ruin. I will not force you, but you must understand the consequences.”

He was looking at her with an intensity that made her insides turn.

“I…”

Her lips parted, but no words came. She felt the weight of his gaze. For a moment, the room seemed to tilt.

Never had she imagined that she would be proposed to in this manner. Far from romantic, it felt like a negotiation. Not even that. It was a command. It was not like she could turn down a Duke’s proposal. It would not only just destroy her but cast a questioning shadow over her entire family.

Nicholas held her gaze, his expression inscrutable. And then, for reasons she couldn’t fathom, she found herself unable to look away. Could I see myself spending my entire life together with this man?

Did she have a choice?

“I would advise you to be swift in your decision,” he prompted softly. “I imagine your brothers already do not think too well of me, and they might break down the door if I was to keep you in here a second longer.”

He took another step closer to her. It made her heart jump again.

“I….” Her voice trembled. She swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. “I… I accept.”

A faint flicker of relief passed over his features, so brief she almost doubted she’d seen it. He inclined his head. “Wise choice. The arrangements will be made immediately.”

Violet felt a strange sense of emptiness at his response. There was no triumph, nor was there any excitement. From either of them. Surely, this was not how things were meant to work.

He turned to leave, but before he reached the door, he paused and glanced back at her. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was tinged with something that almost sounded like regret.

“And one last thing,” he said. Violet’s ears perked up immediately. “This will be a marriage of convenience, Lady Violet. Nothing more.”

“Yes, of course. What else could it be?” she replied hurriedly. But inside, there was a pang in her chest. His words rang with an air of finality. Like he wanted to make it absolutely clear that he lacked all interest in her.

It stung much more than she would have liked to admit out loud.

And as he disappeared toward the doorway—where she heard her brothers crowd him, likely to discuss the details of their wedding—she knew that her life had forever changed.

She was to no longer be Violet Kingsman, maiden, free-spirited. She was to become the new Duchess of Bernight.