Page 26 of The Duke’s Ultimatum (Unrelenting Lords #1)

CHAPTER 26

“ J effries!” Derek’s own yell made his head pound more. “Where is the Rothrock report? William said he was going to pick it up.” Derek picked up a stack of files and threw them to the ground. He could have sworn the ledger was here a moment ago.

“Jeffries!” he bellowed again. He was going to talk to the maids about being in here, touching things.

Derek looked towards the door. Where was that blasted man? He stomped over to the door and threw it open. A startled William jumped back.

“Good God man, do you always welcome your guests like a wild beast?” William pushed the spectacles back up the bridge of his nose.

Derek pushed past him to look down the hallway. “Have you seen Jeffries?” he barked.

“No. But a dangerously frail old man named Madden let me in. I told him, he didn’t need to show me to your office. I figured I’d get here faster if I didn’t have him showing me in.”

Derek’s head snapped back to William. “Well, why did you do that? Where the hell is Jeffries?”

William’s eyes widened. “Have I come at a bad time?”

Derek ran a hand over his face. “No, no. Come in.” Derek stood to the side, so William could enter the study.

“I’m not sure I want to. You don’t seem fit for company this evening.” William stopped shortly after walking into the study. “And looking at the state of this study, I would say it isn’t fit for company as well.”

“What do you mean it’s—” Derek started before he looked up into his study. He had been running on fumes and whisky these past few days, and he hadn’t realized what an absolute disaster his study had become.

Leftover dinner plates were piled on his desk. Loose papers littered every exposed surface of tables, furniture, and even the floor. No wonder, he couldn’t find the Rothrock report.

“I’ve been, uh, very busy these past few days.”

William turned to his friend with a skeptical look. “I see bathing hasn’t been a priority of yours.”

Derek looked down at his untucked crumpled shirt with a stain on the front. Not only was he embarrassed he had a stain, but he couldn’t remember the last time he changed his shirt or even slept in his own bed for that matter. He had holed himself up in his study to lower the chances of running into Eleanor.

He couldn’t stop thinking of their night together and the look on her face the morning after hurt more than he cared to admit. How fast she moved to leave the breakfast room afterward didn’t do much for his confidence either.

Derek knew Eleanor was right, that their dalliance would be just that, a dalliance, but he was certain she would have been affected as much as he was. Alas, after her departure that morning, he tried to come to terms with her reaction. By the state of his study, trying was more like failing.

“So, am I to assume it is the state of the Rothrock report that caused this disaster, or is something else troubling you?” William asked while gesturing to the room around him.

Normally he wouldn’t share his true feelings with anyone, but he was so tired of this whole Eleanor mess, he might as well confess to someone. Maybe it would even help ease his mind.

“I’ve messed up.”

William looked around the room. “I see that.”

Derek huffed. “Not that. Well, not only that. I messed up with… Eleanor.”

William took off his glasses and wiped them with a handkerchief before placing them back on his face. “Nope. Still you.”

Derek gave his friend a questioning look. “What?”

William moved a pile of papers from a chair and sat down. “Oh, I was making sure I was talking to you and not someone else. You know when my eyes get tired or my spectacles get dirty, I mistake people for others. But, sure enough, it is the intimidating and renowned businessman Derek Fletcher, the Duke of Graynor, that just said he messed up with a woman.”

Derek clenched his jaw. “Well now that we’ve tested your eyesight, do I look like someone who is the mood for your sarcasm?”

William laughed. “My, aren’t we testy today.”

Derek stalked over to his bar cart. “Whisky?”

“Depends if the conversation calls for it.”

Derek brought out two tumblers and poured.

“Oh. This ought to be good,” William jested.

Derek threw his back before handing William one.

“What did you do?” William inquired before taking a sip of his whisky.

Derek rolled his lips. “I think you may have been right,” he grumbled as he sat at his desk.

William sat up. “Well, now I have to check my ears.”

“Don’t start,” Derek said while rubbing his temples.

“I’ve been known to be right about a lot of things, Your Grace. Care to narrow it down for me?”

Derek held up one finger. “One, I hate that you’re enjoying this. And two,” he held up another finger, “I think I care more for Eleanor than I originally admitted.”

When William didn’t say anything, Derek looked up from the desk. “Aren’t you going to gloat or boast? Say ‘I told you so’?”

“It’s no fun when you seem miserable about it. I don’t take pleasure when you’re in a foul mood. You get no work done when you’re in this state. So, while I enjoy you admitting I was right, I take no pride in your downfall for it.”

“What you’re saying is you only feel bad for me because it may affect our bottom line.”

William shrugged. “I, too, am a businessman.”

“Luckily not a businessman in love,” Derek muttered.

William sat up and put his empty tumbler on the desk. “What did you just say?”

Derek stopped himself. What did he just say? Did he just admit he loved Eleanor?

“Nothing.” Derek sat straighter and started collecting papers in front of him.

“No, no, no.” William reached out and covered the papers Derek was reaching for. “You said I was lucky not to be a businessman in love. Are you in love with Eleanor?”

Derek just sat there staring at the pile of papers under his hand.

“My God, you are.”

“I am not.” Derek spit out, but the words felt wrong. “At least, I don’t think I am.”

“I told you so.”

Derek looked up. “Ha! I knew you couldn’t help yourself.”

William shook his head in disbelief. “Can you blame me? I saw it happening, but you assured me it was all in good fun.” William looked up to the ceiling, pondering. “How did you say it? You were just passing the time until she was married? As if you couldn’t have any other woman out there to pass the time with.” William sat back in his chair, taking in his friend. “I can’t believe how the mighty have fallen.”

Derek did not appreciate his friend thinking of him as such. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure this feeling, whatever it is, will pass. She is still getting married tomorrow, and that is that.”

William reared back. “What? She’s still getting married? Why?”

“What do you mean why? That was our goal to get the girls married. One down, two to go.”

William shook his head. “You’re letting her get married when you have feelings for her. Did you tell her how you feel?”

Derek solemnly shook his head. “No.”

William leaned in, hoping for more information. “And why is that?”

Derek rubbed the bridge of his nose. He never should have said anything. “Because she is not for me.”

William raised an eyebrow. “Says who?”

“Me.”

William barked out another laugh. “For second there, I thought you were going to tell me someone of authority told you no.”

“I am someone of authority!” Derek pounded his fist on his desk.

William put up his hands. “Calm down. I have never seen you this upset over a woman. Why can’t you have her? Does she not want you?”

Derek sat back. “I can’t have her because she’s not mine to have and…” He squeezed his eyes shut; he did not like admitting this next part. “… I do not think she wants me.”

William tried to hide his smile. “Stop. There’s a woman out there that doesn’t want the great Derek Fletcher? I don’t believe it.”

“Well believe it,” Derek snapped.

“Did she tell you this.”

“She didn’t say the exact words, no, but she made it clear.”

“How so?”

Derek sighed. He usually admired his friend’s attention to details, it was what made him a great solicitor and businessman. Unfortunately, when it came to him squeezing out details of Derek’s personal life, Derek was not a fan.

“It’s complicated.”

William looked at his time piece. “I don’t have anywhere to be for a while. Why don’t you uncomplicate it for me.”

Derek pushed William’s empty tumbler closer to William. “I slept with her.”

William stared for a moment with wide eyes before taking his empty tumbler over to the bar cart, filling it, and taking it all in one gulp. “That is complicated,” he wheezed through the burn of the whisky.

“Told you. Mind filling mine up?”

William filled both tumblers up and returned to the desk.

“You slept with her?”

Derek nodded. “Last week.” Memories of that night were etched into his mind. No matter how much he threw himself into his work, he couldn’t stop thinking of the way her skin felt under his touch, the way her lips molded around his. Her sighs and moans were playing on repeat in his mind.

“What has happened since?”

Derek took a sip of the whisky, finding comfort in the burn. Any feeling was better than the dread he was feeling thinking about Eleanor’s upcoming nuptials.

“We parted in the most awkward of ways then the next morning at breakfast, she all but dismissed me. Rightfully so. I was a cad to agree to her proposition; I should have known better but?—”

William waved his hand. “Wait. She propositioned you, and you believe that she doesn’t reciprocate your feelings? Derek, tell me you’re a smarter man than that. Eleanor does not seem like a frivolous loose skirt. If she came to you, she has to have some sort of feelings for you. And trust me, when I came to you earlier about your behavior with her, know that I saw it coming from both sides, not just yours. To me, she was just involved as you were. You must be mistaken.”

Derek stood and began to pick up papers. He needed to do something with the nervous energy cursing through his veins. “I came to breakfast the next morning. Charlotte asked why I looked miserable; I couldn’t tell them it was because I had the most amazing night of my life with Eleanor, but I can’t have her, so I made up an excuse that it had to do with business.”

William nodded. “Seems reasonable.”

“Well, Eleanor asked what had happened with this made-up business deal, and I basically said it was a pleasant surprise, one I would’ve entertained sooner if I knew the rewards, but it fell through because it was not mine to have.”

William smiled. “Ah, code for Eleanor was the business deal. Nicely done. Did she get the message?”

Derek grimaced. “I think so. Then she promptly jumped up, said she was too excited to go to the modiste to look for a new dress for the wedding and wanted to leave immediately after breakfast, then left.”

William grabbed at his heart. “Ouch.”

Derek shook his head. “Mhmm.” He couldn’t say more. The wound was still fresh. He was hoping she would somehow acknowledge she understood his code. The look of understanding flashed on her face before it morphed into something else that had her practically leaping out of her chair.

“Perhaps she didn’t like being compared to a business deal?” William deadpanned.

Derek narrowed his eyes at his friend.

“It no longer matters what she thinks or feels about it. If it was something she needed to discuss further, she would’ve found me. I haven’t seen her since, so she must be absolutely fine with our one night and is ready to marry Hountshire.”

“And you’re happy staying in here, rotting away with your ledgers?”

“It’s about all I have right now.”

William shook his head. “You know, Derek, I’ve seen you broker some of the toughest and riskiest deals out there. I find it hard to believe that if you actually want this girl, you’re not finding a way to make it a reality. It’s what you do best.”

Derek took another sip of his whisky. “Her marrying Simon is for the best.”

“Unless you have an endless supply of whisky lying around somewhere, I’ll need further explanation.”

“Have I ever told you your humor is hilarious,” Derek deadpanned.

“All the time. Now explain.”

Derek finished his drink and held his head in his hands. “I’m not cut out for married life. I’m afraid it’ll bore me, or I’ll get caught up in a deal and not pay her enough attention or something of the sort, and she’ll end up hating me. I couldn’t bear to lose her loyalty. It would kill me.”

William furrowed his brows. “Wait, you’re afraid you’ll mess it up, and that’s why you never considered marriage?”

Derek nodded his head. “I’ve never considered marriage before Eleanor. But if I were to marry someone, it would be to someone like Eleanor.”

“Someone like Eleanor?” William raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. It would be Eleanor. But I couldn’t do that to her. She was raised with the idea that her husband would the perfect society man, and I am not that man.”

William considered his friend. “Don’t you think you should let her decide that?”

Derek shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t be able to see how it would turn out.”

“And you can?”

Derek rubbed his temples again. He was finding it hard to remember a conversation with William that didn’t leave him with a headache. “You know as well as I do that I am not one for balls, events, operas, and all the other nonsense the ton insists high society partake in. I would lose my mind.”

“Perhaps she wouldn’t mind the change of pace. You could be a welcome change to her stifled upbringing.”

Derek dropped his hands with a thud on his desk. “All of this moot. She hasn’t come to me, I haven’t seen her, and as far as I know, the wedding will go on without a hitch tomorrow as expected, and that will be that.

William nodded. “Well, if tomorrow is the wedding, you might want to consider a bath. You may not be the groom, but the Duke should not show up in three-day-old clothing.”

Derek said nothing as he stared at his now empty tumbler.

William stood up. “I see no work will be done today, so I will leave you, and I’ll stop over at the beginning of next week to go over the Rothrock report. Like I said earlier, you’re no good to me when you’re in a foul mood.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Thanks, friend.”

William smiled widely. “Anytime.” William stood and walked to the door. “Oh, and one more thing. I don’t know Eleanor well, but I can guarantee you, you are missing part of the story. There is no doubt in my mind if Eleanor knew she had a chance with you that she would pick you over Hountshire.”

The door clicked behind William.

Derek shook his head. That was the problem, she picked Hountshire over him, and now, he would have to find a way to continue on, knowing she didn’t choose him.