A Duke in Shining Armor (5 page)

She couldn’t help but notice the looks Clint’s friends were giving her.  Tom’s was a look of knowing and Jon’s was one of astonishment she had cleaned up so well.  Clint was silent as they took off from the shop and remained that way and until they were moving at a brisk pace.

  “You are beautiful.” He told her.  A blush ran up her neck and face.  She was not used to getting compliments from handsome noble men.

“Thank you.” She said shyly.  He patted the seat next to him.

“Sit with me?” he asked.  She moved and sat beside him.   “I can’t wait for you to meet my sisters, Juliet is coming out on the ton this year for her first season and I know she would love to have you accompany her.”

  She looked down at the floor and gathered her nerve up to tell him about what she had discovered about her birth.  “Clint, I need to tell you I overheard my aunt and uncle talking. They revealed I may not be my father’s daughter.  I want you to be aware of this fact as it will surely lead me to not be accepted into society. It will not be suitable for you to court me.”

The silence was deafening followed her confession.  “I realize you do not know me that well Emily, but please give me more credit than to think I would not want you based on something you heard those horrible people discussing.”  She searched his face for clues as to his feelings on the matter.  “I am sorry if I offended you, but I felt like you should know who it is you are getting involved with and allowing to be around your family, especially since your family may not approve of me anyway.”    He chuckled and made himself for comfortable for the journey.  “My family’s opinion of who I should court has never weighed on my personal decisions; let us cross that bridge when we get there.”

             
Emily leaned back and peered out the window.  She knew her future was uncertain and was scared to believe that anything good could come her way.

Chapter 5

The journey was over too quickly for her liking.  Emily was weary and nervous when they pulled up to the Duke’s impressive townhouse by nightfall.  They had stopped to take lunch in a small restaurant and Clint sent his footman out to inquire whether or not any local women would be interested in being a ladies maid.  A shy red headed girl named Alice sat across from her with eyes that shone bright with excitement.

  She tried to convince Clint she would have no need of a maid, but he had politely reminded her she would need to secure a maid before they made it to his home to protect her reputation.  With her stomach tied in knots she allowed Clint to help her down from the carriage and lead her to the door of his home.  He greeted his butler jovially and inquired as to his mother’s whereabouts.  The butler informed him the ladies were in the parlor.

 
             
She heard Clint mumble something under his breath as he led her down the hall.  “Is something wrong?” she asked.  He paused and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. 

“I forgot my mother has guests and these guests in particular she wants me to be interested in, although we have only sibling affection for one another.”

Emily felt sick.  “Oh, well maybe I should just go to an Inn for the night.” She suggested hopefully.

“No, please do not worry yourself about the Mrs. Ellenburg or her daughter Elisabeth. Much to my mother’s dismay I will not wed her. My mother can sometimes be a little overbearing, I will handle everything.” 

Emily looked around in wonder at the home that the Duke and his family only spent half the year in.  It was richly furnished and reminded her of her family’s home.  He continued to lead her down the hallway and tapped lightly upon a door they stopped in front of.  “Mother, I am only dropping in to tell you our plans have changed and we are home for the moment.”  Clint said as he stuck his head through the door.

“Clint, darling you must have received my letter, please join us and reacquaint yourself with Mrs. Ellenburg and her daughter Elisabeth, surely you remember them.”  Emily heard soft footsteps on the carpet as his mother approached the door and opened it to prevent Clint from only peeking in.  Emily’s heart sank as she saw a young woman with pale yellow hair and perfect skin sitting next to an older woman.  Mrs. Ellenburg and Elisabeth she presumed.  This girl was breathtakingly beautiful.  Her skin was like porcelain, she could not compete with such a beauty for Clint’s affection.

“Oh!” his mother gasped when she caught sight of Emily.  “Clint, you should have informed me you had brought a guest to our home so I could be better prepared.” She chided.  She reached for Emily’s hand. “And who might you be child?”

Clint walked Emily into the parlor away from his mother and bid her to sit upon a sofa.  “Mother, this is Lady Emily Moncrief, I am sure you remember her father the Earl of Blue Anchor, who is now deceased.” 

The Duchess of Norchess put her hand over her mouth in horror.  “Yes, dear I do remember her father and her lovely mother, such tragedy bestowed upon two good people.”  Emily swallowed over the lump that had formed in her throat.  After years of hearing only negative things about her parents to hear something good about them was almost too much to bear.

             
His mother quickly made introductions to Mrs. Ellenburg and her lovely daughter Elisabeth and confirmed Emily’s fear that this was the woman that Clint’s mother wanted him to marry.  Elisabeth smiled brightly at Emily.  Emily found herself smiling back in spite of herself.  Clint led her over to a chair and bid her to sit and sat down in the chair beside her.  She gave him a small smile of thanks for not leaving her to deal with the ladies alone.

             
She listened politely as his mother made arrangements with the upstairs maid for a room to be readied for her stay.  As Clint’s mother made her way back to her seat across from where Emily and Clint sat, Emily could feel her eyes upon her person taking in her attire and manners.  Her hands started to shake in nervousness so she clenched them tightly together in her lap to conceal them.

  “Clint darling, please do not keep us in suspense, tell us how you have come to meet Lady Moncrief.”  Clint explained to his mother that he had stayed at her families club whom of which had taken her in after her parent’s demise and how Emily’s aunt had approached him and asked him to allow Emily and her maid to accompany him and his party to London.  He also added that her aunt had graciously made him the guardian over her and her funds.

             
“Well, this is just splendid!” his mother said in delight.  Mrs. Ellenburg looked less than pleased.  The Duchess of Norchess prattled on about the upcoming season and how she was more than happy to sponsor Emily along with Juliette and Elisabeth.  Emily’s nerves were wound tight and about to snap when Clint interrupted his mother.

“Mother, Emily does not want to be presented formally.”  Clint almost smiled at the horrific look upon his mother’s face.  “I have asked that I may court her and she has graciously accepted.”  Mrs. Ellenburg gasped and almost dropped her tea cup.

Elisabeth squealed in delight and clapped her hands.  “This is wonderful, is it not Mother?” Elisabeth stood and crossed over to Emily and leaned down to give her a hug.  Not the reaction that Emily had expected out of the beautiful girl but she would take it.

“Yes, how lovely.” His mother said in a less than happy tone. 

Clint gave Emily a reassuring look, but it did not make her feel any better.  “Mother, if you don’t mind may I walk Emily up to her room so that we may get better acquainted?”  Elisabeth asked.  At her mother’s slight nod she grabbed Emily’s hand and they all but fled the room.

 
             
When they reached the stairwell, Elisabeth turned and said “I hope we become good friends, because you just saved me from being forced into a marriage that I did not want and I am sure Clint did not want as well.”  Emily breathed a small sigh of relief she was not going to have to compete with the beauty and was thankful to have made a friend so quickly.

  
             
As she followed Elisabeth upstairs she told her of Clint’s sister Juliet who had locked herself in her room claiming illness for the last three days because the Duchess kept trying to force her into dress fittings and tea parties.  Emily was confused.  “She does not want to have a debut either?”  Elisabeth scoffed.  “The only thing Juliet wants arrived with your Duke tonight and does not give her the time of day and hasn’t since we were children.”

Before she could inquire as to whom that may be Elisabeth stopped in front of a door and gave it three short knocks and when the knocks were answered back she pushed open the door and dragged Emily in behind her.  She did not know what to say as she looked upon a girl about her own age that favored Clint.

  The girl was obviously not sick however.  She had on a riding skirt and her hair was windblown in long pigtails as if she only moments ago came in from riding.

             
“Jules, you are going to fall and break your neck one day climbing in and out of the window at night.” Elisabeth chastised.  An unladylike snort came back as a reply.

“Who are you?” she asked Emily bluntly. 

“Why Jules, your brother and his friends arrived back about an hour ago, and may I present to you the Lady Moncrief of whom your brother is now courting.”

Juliet’s face turned red. Emily thought she was unhappy with the news concerning herself and the Duke. Juliet clarified her anger in a hurry.  “They have been here for an hour and that cad Jon has not even tried to look for me?” she seethed.  “I haven’t seen him in weeks!”

             
Emily understood now, Jon was the object of Juliet’s affections.  “Jules how many times have I told you until you quit acting like a tomboy and nipping after his heels Jon will not pay you any mind?” Elisabeth said.  She walked over to Juliet and tugged on a pigtail braid.  “These have got to go; you are not ten years old anymore.”

             
An unladylike snort came from Juliet as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.  She turned to face Emily, “Well apparently you know how it’s done if you have already stolen my brother’s heart, tell me how on earth do you get a man to notice you?”

Emily was dumbfounded.  “I do not know why your brother has taken such an interest in me.”

She turned a little red before adding “He cannot seem to keep his hands off my person either.” 

Elisabeth burst into laughter.  “What did I tell you Jules?  That is going to be your key to getting Jon to notice you as woman and not a child, make him desire you.”

             
The young ladies continued to argue playfully about the conquest of Jon and Emily felt herself relax more around them.  She took in the lovely furnished room and the beauty of Clint’s sister as she laughed with Elisabeth who soon grabbed Emily by the hand to sit upon the bed with them.

             
She laughed gleefully as she chased Olivia along with Juliet and Elisabeth after they caught her eavesdropping at the door.  She took a liking to the freckled face minx almost immediately and knew she would grow to love the child.  She began to have the hope that maybe she would be accepted into Clint’s family after all.

Chapter 6

Emily felt as if she was living in a dream over the next couple of weeks.  Before she knew it they had been invited to numerous functions and balls.  Clint escorted her to every function and danced with her as many times as propriety would allow. 

His mother seemed to accept the fact she and Clint was an item. She spent her free time with Elisabeth and Juliet giggling about their love interests.  Elisabeth had taken one look at Tom and had been smitten.  She felt as if she was living the life of the girl she should have been before her parent’s death. Clint and Emily shared stolen kisses in the hallway, which seemed to get more and more passionate every time.

             
Her maid had just brought her a letter from Clint that said “Meet me in thirty minutes behind the woodshed.”  She giggled nervously as she pinched her cheeks for color and sprayed on some lilac perfume.  Clint was leaned up against the wall looking so handsome he took her breath away.  She ran to him and he scooped her into a hug and kissed her.

             
He broke off their kiss, “I have some exciting news for you.”  He breathed in her essences and groaned as he felt his manhood swell.  He was unsure how many more times he was going to be able to be around her without making love to her.  He wanted her so badly.

  “I have found a living relative of your father.” He told her as he ran his hands down the small of her back to cup her buttocks and press her intimately against his throbbing member.  “I have made arrangements for us to travel to her home tomorrow so you may talk to her about your parents.” Tears welled into her eyes as she realized she loved this man.  He was her knight in shining armor.

“I can’t believe you took the time to track down someone in my family for me.” 

Clint held her close.  “Don’t get too excited yet, she is a cousin of your father’s and I am unsure as to what she knows about your parents, or if she knows if Matthew Moncrief was indeed your father.”

Emily reached up and kissed him with all the feeling she felt in her heart.  She opened her mouth to him and met him stroke for stroke with her tongue.  He massaged her breast through her shirt and sent tremors throughout her body.