Page 2 of The Duke’s Sworn Spinster (A Duel and a Wedding #1)

Chapter Two

“ I suppose you are going to tell me how much of a mess I have made of things. How father would be disappointed in me.” Landon flopped into a nearby chair as they entered his study, the frown on his face highlighting his youth. “Or how you could have done it better.”

Lydia closed the door behind them, and glanced at the dwindling fire in the hearth, deciding that it would be best to save the wood and not bother rekindling it.

Their journey home from Hyde Park had been silent, but she had known it would not last. She swept a lock of dark hair from her face, taking a seat in the armchair across from her brother.

“You have just saved me the trouble.” Lydia gave him a hard look and sighed. “I just do not understand how it has gotten this bad. The estate was turning a tidy profit before Father died. Tell me you did not gamble it all away.”

“What? Of course not!” Landon scowled. “I have been trying to run the estate—there was this really promising venture that a friend at Eton told me about. With the war in France, well, vineyards are cheap, and French wine sells for a premium?—”

“For good reason, Land! French wine is so expensive because getting it is so unpredictable.” Lydia looked at her brother, his boyish face, and wrestled with an urge to shake him.

“But I thought that would be an advantage! We could get it cheap and sell it for a tidy profit. It would solve all of our problems and solve them quickly,” Landon shot back, folding his arms across his chest.

“For goodness’ sake, how many times have I told you that a quick fix will often cause a bigger problem later?

It is like you did not even read any of the notes I had!

I had everything planned out for the next ten years.

I have been running this estate for nearly half a decade, ever since Father first became unwell.

” Lydia could not keep the bitterness from her voice as she gestured to the shelves of books behind the desk.

The books that had been meticulously organized when she had been running the estate for their father and that were now strewn about the desk with abandon. It is a wonder he can find anything in here.

“I will be eighteen in a few days.” Landon swallowed as his shoulders slumped. “I just wanted to prove that I could do this. That I did not need any help. I am the man of the house now; I am supposed to look after you.”

In her mind, the gangly figure of her brother shrunk. His face became rounder, his hazel eyes—so like hers—full of a delighted joy and laughter. She put a hand gently on his shoulder. Even though he inherited adult responsibilities, Lydia could hardly see her little brother as an adult.

“Oh, Baby Brother, you do not have to do it all alone. You were only thirteen when Father died.” Lydia made her voice soft with an effort, seeing the despondence in Landon’s body.

“I tried to help you; I wanted you to have a chance to grow into your responsibilities. If you had only told me what was going on, I would have helped you.”

“And how was I supposed to look you in the eye knowing that I destroyed everything you worked so hard to build?” Landon’s lip quivered. “How could I bear to disappoint you like that? You are the only family I have left. I just wanted to make you proud.”

Lydia did not know what to say. Her heart ached at the pain on her brother’s face, just as it ached for the estate he had broken.

“I cannot let you marry the Duke. I will think of some other way to pay him,” Landon said into the silence.

“There is no other way.”

“I can talk to one of the men at the club; Danbury is always full of?—”

“Brother, the last thing we need is a half-baked plan concocted over several bottles of merlot,” she cut him off.

The flush in her brother’s cheeks told her that this was exactly what had happened before. “The Duke is a dangerous man, Lydia. The rumors about him… What kind of brother would I be if I let you marry him?”

“What rumors?” She thought of the careful control the Duke had shown, the coldness on his face.

The scent of spices and pine filled her nose, and she ran a hand across her arm unconsciously.

“I… I would rather not say.” Landon tugged his collar and looked away from her.

“Tell me, Land. You cannot beg me not to marry him and then hide the truth from me. You have already hidden so much from me, and it has cost us dearly.” Lydia knew this was a low blow, but it had the intended effect.

“He is cold. Calculating.” Landon shivered.

“I got that impression tonight.” Lydia’s heart fluttered as she remembered the Duke’s piercing gaze. Some mad part of her wondered what color his eyes were. As though that even matters. “Though that is hardly the worst thing in the world.”

“He is ruthless, Lydia. He will do anything to get what he wants.” Landon’s hazel eyes were full of concern. “He never takes ‘no’ for an answer.”

“That just means he is ambitious.” She waved away his concerns, remembering the intensity of the Duke’s gaze. “Perhaps it will turn out to be a good thing. He may be more open to my ideas.”

Lydia forced herself not to add ‘unlike you’. She did not need to rub things in Landon’s face.

“I doubt it. And his ambition, it is not like yours. He is powerful, his duchy is one of the oldest around. He bankrupted a baron simply because the man offended him at a ball!” Landon got to his feet and began to pace.

She arched an eyebrow at her brother. “That sounds a little far-fetched. Perhaps it was a rather grave insult. The man does seem to place rather a lot of stock in honor and etiquette after all.”

“That is only a facade. It is not the truth of him.” Landon swallowed and leaned against his desk, a dark look on his face.

“What do you mean?” Lydia straightened in her chair, leaning forwards.

“Perhaps we should have a drink?” Landon was reaching towards the decanter of whiskey.

“I think a drink is the last thing we need.” She stood up and moved his hand away from the decanter. “Clear heads are necessary.”

“You may change your mind when you hear what I have to say.” Landon’s cheeks flushed. “It is… well it is not fit for gentle company.”

“I think we are past worrying about that sort of thing, don’t you?” Lydia rolled her eyes at him. “I am marrying the man; I may as well learn of his flaws now and not after the deed is done.”

“It is not… It is… He is not exactly um… lacking in female companionship. He is considered rather charismatic by the women of the ton. Brooding, but apparently that changes when he is at the club. Then he is all charm and easy grace. And that proves… quite alluring.”

“It sounds almost as though there are two versions of him.” Lydia laughed. “One charming rake and another dark, dangerous man.”

“You know how dangerous rakes can be, Lydia. How easy it is for them to seduce a woman into ruin.” Landon gave her a meaningful look.

“I will not make the same mistakes that mother did,” Lydia replied, trying to hide the fluttering of her heart. “Besides, I will be marrying a rake, not falling in love with one.”

“You do not know that.” Landon chewed on his lip, and Lydia resisted the urge to smooth down his rumpled hair.

“Brother, the Duke of Dashings is the last person I would fall in love with, trust me.” She thought of the moonlight dancing in his eyes and suppressed a shiver. “No matter how charming he is or how striking the line of his jaw is.”

“You are already starting to fall under his spell!” Landon exclaimed.

“I am not,” Lydia snapped, trying to ignore the prickle of unease spreading through her.

“You would not be the first to fall for his charms.” Landon clenched his jaw.

She made a dismissive motion. “Well, you know what they say. Forewarned is forearmed.”

“He will not be loyal to you.”

“Perhaps he will be discreet.”

“He has not been thus far. Can you really live with that shame?”

“And how will it be different than the shame I must already live with? At least this will not be a surprise.” Lydia’s temper flared, getting the better of her. “I will go into this with my eyes wide-open.”

Landon’s eyes widened, and he hung his head. Lydia ran a hand through her hair as her heart raced. She was marrying a rake. A man who played with women’s hearts for pleasure and then discarded them as though they were little more than a used handkerchief.

And he dared talk of honour. Lydia sat on the edge of the desk, her legs trembling as the reality of her situation hit her. “I have already agreed, Land. It is too late to get out of this. You heard him.”

I do not tolerate betrayal. She swallowed, thinking of the way the Duke’s eyes had held her in place, pinning her there like a bug.

“I am sorry, Lydia.” Landon buried his face in his hands. “I have ruined everything, and you are paying for my mistakes.”

“That is what big sisters are for, Land. And at least now, I know what I am getting myself into.” Even if I do not like it. Lydia felt as though everything had fled from her, a chill settling over her that had nothing to do with the dying fire.

“What are we going to do?” Landon asked. “How can I keep you safe?”

“I don’t think you can, Land.” Her voice was small, and the words felt like a promise. “I am entirely at his mercy.”