Page 1 of The Guardian Duke (Wayward Dukes’ Alliance #21)

London, May 31, 1817

His father, the Duke of Eldridge, had been thwarted again. Unfortunately, his sister, Jillian, would be the one to suffer.

With a sigh, Henry Simpson, Marquess of Broadridge lifted a glass of wine from the tray then stepped outside to enjoy the coolness of the garden.

Today the Duke of Roxburg had married Miss Bianca Valentine and now they celebrated. His father had demanded that Jillian secure Roxburg in marriage, and she had failed. Henry also had not assisted, though it had been expected of him. Not that Henry obeyed his father all that often. He had stopped doing so two and a half years ago when he learned how truly cruel the man could be and what lengths he went to to manipulate the lives of those he believed beneath him.

When he looked back, Henry nearly loathed himself for his ignorance, selfish…he had been a pompous arse of entitlement because he was the son of a duke. Arrogant and only interested in his own pleasure.

However, his eyes were opened to those less fortunate than himself when his sister attempted to blackmail the Marquess of Felding into marriage. It had not worked, and it was for the best as the two would not have suited, but it was from that incident that Henry had begun to pay attention to what his father wanted to keep hidden and the reason why and witnessed how he treated everyone. Shame had been a constant companion once he realized that he not only had no idea about his father, but that Henry hadn’t cared for anyone but himself. It was then that he had vowed to be a much better man, a better brother, and he would certainly be a much better duke than his father when the time came.

“Why are you here?”

He turned to find the beautiful and remarkable Miss Penelope Johansen standing in front of him.

“I received an invitation,” he answered.

“You should have declined.”

“Perhaps.” He took a sip of his wine.

“I do not like you very much.”

Henry chuckled, not at all surprised but wished she felt differently. “I understand why you would not, though I am sorry for that.”

Lady Penelope was Felding’s younger sister and likely saw him as just as guilty of his sister’s wrongdoing.

“You do know why, do you not?”

The corner of his mouth quirked. “December of 1814?” He couldn’t exactly voice what his sister had done wrong where others might hear.

“You behaved dishonorably toward my now sister-in-law.”

Henry frowned. It wasn’t the blackmail that Lady Penelope had found offensive but the fact that he had kissed Felding’s wife, who at the time had been unattached while Felding, by all appearances, was pursuing Henry’s sister. How very odd. “I did not use my best judgment and did apologize to her and your brother. However, I assure you that my intentions were honorable.”

Lady Penelope snorted. “You toyed with her affections.”

“Ah, but I did not.” He chuckled.

Penelope gaped at him. “You pretended to have an interest in her.”

“My sister asked me to feign an interest,” Henry explained. “As for me, nothing was false.”

Lady Penelope frowned. “You truly wished to court her?”

“She intrigued me.” He shrugged. “We had not met prior to my arrival and she charmed me. So, when my sister asked me to keep her occupied so that Jillian could land your brother, I was more than willing to do so simply so that I could come to know her better.”

Lady Penelope tilted her chin, her frown deepening, perplexity in her green eyes. “I am not certain that I can trust you.” She sniffed. “You are a rake with a tarnished reputation.”

“That I am,” Henry chuckled, but he was no worse than any other bachelor in that he enjoyed gambling, liquor and most definitely willing women to warm his bed. “However, I do apologize for what happened then,” he offered. “I was not aware that my father was the one who had chosen your brother for my sister, or that she had been ordered to land him, even if she had to trap him to do so, and I certainly had no knowledge of how she was going to go about making Felding do her bidding.” he explained. “None of it was told to me until Jillian confessed all after we had left your home.” It was the same apology that he had issued to Lord Felding and his now wife.

Penelope studied him. “Did she tell you everything?”

“I would assume so.”

“Well, I am certainly not going to clarify what may have been said.”

“Nor would I expect you to,” he offered with humor. “Is there a chance that there could be peace between us, Lady Penelope?”

She stepped back and frowned. “Why?”

That was a very good question for which he did not have an answer except that she was beautiful, spirited, intelligent and nicely designed with mahogany hair, green eyes that were more emerald than jade, and full, kissable lips. Yes, Lady Penelope Johansen was an enticing woman, even if she clung to independence as if her life would end if she let go. It was also clear by her words and her reaction to him each time they encountered the other that she did not care for him, which truly was a shame.

“It would be nice not to have you glaring at me each time we attend the same entertainment.”

“I do not glare,” she insisted.

“You do and once gave me the cut direct.”

She pursed her lips in a frown. “Did you really know nothing?” she asked quietly.

Henry put a hand over his heart. “I was oblivious. I was only there to chaperone and encourage Felding, and I would have been happier to be somewhere else, if you must know. I was forced to that party, that is all.”

Lady Penelope blew out a sigh. “I suppose I believe you.”

“Does that mean you will stop glaring?”

“Perhaps.”

With that, she turned and marched away from him and Henry watched the gentle sway of her backside.

Lady Penelope did what she wanted and became bolder each year. Not only that, but she was opinionated, determined and always watching. Soon she would be a spinster carefully skating the line between respectability and ruin.

It was truly a shame that she did not care for him because she was one of the few women in London who Henry would like to know better and if that included kissing those full, pink lips, all the better.

She was also the type of woman who would drive a man to madness in her independence and impudence so it was probably best that she wanted nothing to do with him. Henry would be wise to avoid her.