Page 6 of The Duke’s Ultimatum (Unrelenting Lords #1)

CHAPTER 6

D erek couldn’t have planned his entrance better. He was just about to leave to meet with William when he bumped into Charlotte coming in from the garden. He decided to take the long way to the front of the house by way of the garden. Ever since he arrived and the chit fainted at his feet, he couldn’t stop thinking of her. Last night did not help.

His thoughts weren’t romantic, of course; she was his charge. But there was something about her that she would sneak into his thoughts when he least expected it.

Eleanor was born and bred for the ton. Everything about her screamed privilege which normally would make his skin crawl. But there was something about her that drew him in.

His footsteps fell on deaf ears as he approached their table. It was just his luck Eleanor sat with her back facing him. The look on her face when she turned to see him was priceless. If he could paint, he would’ve sat down right there and painted her for a keepsake.

“Good afternoon, ladies. I hope everyone is recovered from last night’s festivities.”

Sarah and the younger one—Betty? Beverly? Whoever—nodded without a word. Eleanor sat stock still with her owlish eyes looking up at Derek.

He wondered if she recalled their meeting as much as he did within the last twelve hours.

Derek peered down into her green eyes that still hadn’t blinked.

“Are you well, Eleanor? I heard you felt under the weather last night.”

Her eyes flared. “I’m fine; thank you for your concern, Your Grace.”

The frigidness of her reply made him smirk. He took in her form for a moment. She sat with her back straight against the chair, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her dress was pressed and laid perfectly around her stiff body—so different than the soft curves he felt pressed against him last night.

“I’m glad to hear it.” He waited a beat, not wanting to drop eye contact with her.

Not being able to withstand the prolonged eye contact, Eleanor looked to her sisters and nervously smiled.

Derek didn’t hide his smile. “Well, ladies, I didn’t want to interrupt. I figured I’d take a nice walk in the garden on my way out.”

“You’re going out?” Beatrice asked.

Derek looked down at the young girl. “Yes. I’ll be meeting with my solicitor, William. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I fear I’m running late. But I’ll be back in time to have supper with you all tonight.”

Eleanor’s eyes flew to his. “You’re going to eat with us?” Her voice was shrill with surprise.

Derek cocked his head. “Yes, of course. I haven’t had the opportunity since arriving, something I plan to rectify starting tonight.”

He started to make his way out of the garden when he turned back to the table of stunned women.

“Oh, and Eleanor, remember what we talked about last night? I would like to continue that discussion tonight. Your sisters and your mother will join us. We’ll chat after dinner.”

Derek was wrong before. If he could paint Eleanor’s reaction to him, it would be the facial expression of complete horror she was giving him right now. Derek chuckled to himself as he heard the garden gate swing close behind him.

Perhaps living amongst polite society won’t be as boring and prudent as he once thought.

Eleanor was left staring at the retreating back of the most insufferable man she had ever met. Her ears began to ring as her heart started racing. What did he mean by that? He couldn’t possibly be suggesting he would tell her family about what she witnessed last night? Her mother would call for his ring on Eleanor’s hand immediately. No. It wouldn’t benefit either one of them.

He was a businessman. He’s probably used to manipulating people to get what he wants. Eleanor hoped he was just trying to get a rise out of her.

She scowled. She knew she didn’t like him.

Eleanor turned back in her seat to see her sister’s eyes on her.

“What did you discuss with the Duke last night?” Beatrice whispered across the table, her eyes alight with mischief.

“Nothing.” Eleanor provided.

“Didn’t sound like nothing,” Sarah added.

“I don’t know what to tell you. I only spoke to him right before we formally introduced him to everyone. And besides, it sounds like whatever it was, he’s going to share it with you tonight, so I guess you’ll just have to find out then.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Something isn’t right; you’re not telling us something.”

Eleanor nodded as she pushed away from the table. “There’s nothing to tell.” She needed to get away from this conversation before she said something she regretted. “But I do agree something isn’t right which was why I was suspicious when he first arrived. Mark my words, ladies, I fear he will bring nothing but chaos into our lives.”

“Finally,” cheered Sarah to Beatrice’s giggles.

Eleanor could only shake her head as she left her sisters to rush to her room. She had a bad feeling about tonight, and she needed to prepare for any possible outcome.

Eleanor sat opposite her mother with Sarah to Eleanor’s right and the Duke to her left. Being it was their first dinner together, her mother opted to have dinner in the smaller dining room, so they could get to know each other in a more intimate setting.

Eleanor winced when she heard “intimate setting.” She had already seen the Duke in an intimate setting; she didn’t need to see him in another one.

The dinner was going on as she expected. No one knew what to say or how to start a conversation with the Duke. The awkward silence was broken up with clinks of the silverware on the plates and self-conscious glances at each other.

Of course, Eleanor knew how to converse over dinner; it was what she was bred for. Polite dinner conversation and how to run a household were key education points during her education.

However, no one ever prepared her for what to say when you needed to entertain the man in charge of your welfare after catching him doing unspeakable things to a widow while you watched.

Eleanor’s cheeks heated, and she chastised herself. Stop thinking about what you saw.

Even though she felt uneasy around the Duke, the thought of this dinner dragging out any longer than it needed to was too much for her.

She set her fork down and patted her lips with her napkin. But before she opened her mouth, the Duke spoke.

“I saw the most beautiful landscape paintings in the library. Madden tells me one of you girls painted them.”

“That would be me, Your Grace,” Sarah smiled brightly.

The Duke took a sip of his drink before continuing, “They’re quite remarkable Sarah. Have you been painting long?”

Sarah sat taller, pride coloring her face. “Yes, Your Grace. My father taught me when I was younger. I spent many days outside with him, painting different areas of the gardens.”

The Duke tilted his face in consideration. “Ah, yes. I thought I recognized the small path in the picture. It’s just down the hill by the creek, is that correct?”

Sarah’s face reddened more. “Yes, Your Grace. I’m surprised you like that one. It’s one of my earlier works; I was younger than Beatrice is now when I painted it.” Her eyes dropped to her fork, pushing a pea around her plate. “I was surprised when Papa hung it in the library.”

“He was proud of all of his girls,” Charlotte said and pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.

While the love between her mother and father was never faked, her mother would never let the opportunity for sympathy or attention stop her from using his death to her advantage. Playing the poor widow card would not break her moral compass.

The Duke ignored Charlotte and focused his attention on Beatrice. “And what of your hobbies, Beatrice.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Nothing out of the ordinary. I do a little painting, nothing like Sarah but average. My needlepoint isn’t the best; I end up pricking my finger more than the canvas. I’m decent on the pianoforte though.”

“She likes to read,” Eleanor interrupted. “If there’s a book she hasn’t read, chances are she’ll have it read by the end of the week.”

Charlotte tutted. “Oh, Eleanor, you exaggerate. Beatrice reads the appropriate amount for a young woman to stay knowledgeable but not arrogant.” She looked over to her youngest. “Isn’t that right, Beatrice?”

Beatrice dropped the stare she was giving Eleanor to smile sweetly at her mother.

“That’s right, Mama.”

Charlotte patted Beatrice’s arm, “That’s my girl.”

The Duke sat, taking in the exchange between the women. Eleanor shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with how his eyes made her feel. She felt on display for his amusement, and the unknown of if, or when, he was going to bring up the night before weighed heavily on her.

Eleanor tapped her finger on the table. Her nervous energy needed to be released from her body. He said they would talk after dinner, but of what? And why would her sisters and mother have to be a part of it?

She picked up her water glass to aid her dry throat.

“So Sarah paints, Beatrice reads.” His eyes settled on Eleanor. “What do you do, Eleanor?”

His full attention threw her nerves into a frenzy.

Before Eleanor could answer, Charlotte chimed in. “What doesn’t she do, Your Grace? Eleanor is excellent on the pianoforte, her painting and needlework are regarded as the best amongst her friends, and she is quite the dancer,” she added with a slight nod in Eleanor’s direction.

Eleanor inwardly sighed. She felt as if she were being sold at auction, but that was her life. While her sisters were allowed hobbies and interests of their own making, Eleanor’s hobbies were assigned to her and always under the guise of using them to become the perfect wife.

Eleanor’s eyes met the Duke’s questioning ones. He was looking at Eleanor as Charlotte continued to list Eleanor’s many impressive, albeit deliberate, hobbies and personality traits.

“She really is an impressive young woman, don’t you think so, Your Grace? We’re hoping this is the year she finds her match.” Charlotte’s words were kind but had an edge of anxiety outlining them. Eleanor knew her mother grew tired of Eleanor turning down suitors who, by most accounts, would be the perfect match for her.

The Duke’s blue eyes were still on Eleanor, pinning her to her chair. She felt as if she were under a microscope, being picked apart. His stare turned curious. Eleanor just knew he was trying to reconcile the words Charlotte spoke with the woman who watched him and the widow the last night.

“Mmm, yes, she seems like quite the knowledgeable young woman.” His comment was laced with innuendo she hoped no one picked up on, especially her mother.

Charlotte chuckled. “Yes, Your Grace. Our Eleanor grew up with a healthy interest in all areas.”

The Duke regarded Charlotte for a moment before turning back to Eleanor. “If your mother’s description of you is true, it is quite curious that you haven’t been one of the lucky brides picked from the marriage mart.”

Eleanor swallowed her first thought. Calling the Duke an arrogant swine during their first dinner together most definitely did not fit the character portrait her mother just painted of her.

“It seems I am quite the prize, Your Grace. So far, no one has been deserving of me,” she said with a sly smile.

“Eleanor,” her mother warned.

The Duke sat back in his chair, amused. “No, no, Charlotte. It is fine. I don’t mind when a woman speaks her mind. I find it refreshing.”

“Well then you should really enjoy living here,” Beatrice muttered while leaning out of the way of her mother’s elbow.

The Duke once again smiled. He looked around at the now empty plates and pushed away from the table.

“Ladies, it was an enjoyable dinner, and I would love to continue our conversation. Will you all please join me in my study? There is something I would like to discuss with all of you.”

He stood up and walked out the room, leaving all four women looking at each other.

“What is this about?” Charlotte questioned her daughters.

Beatrice shrugged. “He said something about this to Eleanor this morning while we were having tea.”

Sarah nodded and added, “He said you two would continue your conversation from last night, and we would be present for it.”

Three sets of eyes landed on Eleanor. “I told you two, I only saw him for the briefest of moments last night.”

“And… ” Charlotte gestured widely with her hands. “… what did you talk about?”

“Nothing that would warrant a family meeting in his study.” Her knee started to bounce.

“She’s avoiding the question.” Sarah leaned in.

Eleanor slumped against the back of her chair. “I’m not avoiding anything.” Liar. “Mama asked me to find him, I found him, and I told him it was time for his introduction.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes. “That wouldn’t warrant a family conversation.”

Eleanor rubbed her temples. “Oh, he did ask me why I wasn’t married.”

Charlotte groaned. “Wonderful. He must think there’s something wrong with you.”

“Mama!” Sarah yelled. “What a horrible thing to say!”

Eleanor scowled. “Yes, especially since you spent all that time listing all my marriageable traits.”

“Please don’t fight,” Beatrice interjected. “Why don’t we just go in there to see what he wants?”

All four women stared at the door the Duke just walked through before their eyes found each other’s again.

Charlotte nodded her head. “Beatrice is right.” She reached across the table to gesture to Eleanor. “I’m sorry for my comment. It seems I’m on edge as well. He holds so much of our futures in his hand, I’m not even sure he understands how much he can affect us.”

“He’s a businessman, Mama. I’m sure he’s used to having people under his care.” Eleanor motioned to stand up.

“Not to this extent, Eleanor. Having the ability to sign a paycheck is vastly different than having the ability to sign someone’s life away.”

Charlotte’s eyes stayed on Eleanor’s. “Let’s hope he realizes that.”

Eleanor tried to smile at her mother. For all of her concern over who her daughters were going to marry, there was still a part of her that wanted them happy first.

Eleanor’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. She pushed away from the table to stand. Her knees wobbled underneath her.

She followed her mother and sisters out of the room, her steps growing heavier the closer she got to the study.

At the door, her mother turned towards her daughters. “Whatever this is about, we’ll get through it. We always do.”

The four women each looked at each other before Charlotte let out a breath and opened the door.