The Duke's Deception: Clean Regency Romance (The Peers of Eton) Read online

  The Duke’s Deception

  Catherine Windsor

  Contents

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Bonus: An Excerpt from The Earl’s Desire

  About the Author

  Also by Catherine Windsor

  Copyright © 2016 by Catherine Windsor

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Chapter 1

  Sarah Godwin shoved her long blond hair under a cap. She slipped into brown leather breeches, intent on heading to the stable to be with the horses. Her father didn’t approve of her mucking out stalls when the grooms could do it. She didn’t mind. Spirit was her thoroughbred and she wanted to be the one responsible for him. She’d raised him from a foal, trained him, and she would be the one to exercise him, brush him and feed him. She loved the fresh air and closeness to nature when she was riding. It was the only time when she wasn’t Lady Sarah. She was herself.

  Her father, Philip Godwin, the Baron of Carlisle, was a military hero whose lands were strategically placed near the border of Scotland, an advantage that was not lost on the King and Prince Regent. It was a wise decision to have a military man in place on the border, just in case there should be a future invasion. Although the most common treacherous event these days involved young men and women racing through the land on route to Gretna Green to elope, angry fathers or jealous jilted suitors in hot pursuit to stop them.

  Sarah always enjoyed hearing about the latest chase and secretly cheered for the young couple to win the race. Not that she was keen on the idea of marriage, but rather liked the idea of the young people making their own decisions about their lives rather than having their fate dictated to them by their parents.

  No, Sarah was not anxious for marriage. Her father was forever parading her in front of the few suitable single men who came to visit, hoping one of them would make an offer of marriage that she would find acceptable. Offers had been made, but she’d yet to entertain a single one.

  What interested Sarah were her books, her horse and the vast area of fertile land her family owned. She’d never found the idea of getting married appealing. While her father had loved her mother dearly, she’d seen how their traditional roles had left her mother dependent. She wanted freedom to make her own decisions. A husband would interfere with that more than her father did.

  “Godwin, my offer is more than fair.” The Earl of Barton could see the deal slipping through his fingers and was not amused. “You and Sarah could be settled in London already for the new season, living in luxury on the amount I’m willing to pay.”

  “No doubt, my lord.” Philip Godwin, Baron of Carlisle, crossed his arms and rubbed his chin with his right hand. “But I must think of what is best for Sarah, what will make her happy.”

  “What is best for her and what will make her happy are most likely two different things,” said the Earl. He and Lord Godwin had known each other their entire lives, allowing the Earl to speak so boldly about the Baron’s headstrong daughter.

  Godwin smiled and nodded his head. “Too true, my friend, too true.”

  “Then let us draw up the papers and complete the sale today.” The Earl could hardly contain his composure, he was so close to achieving his goal.

  “Not … quite … yet.” Lord Godwin was hesitant, never one to make important decisions in haste, he spoke with deliberation. “A new option may present itself this week that will give me what I have always wanted for Sarah and make her happy as well. I owe it to us both at least to consider it.”

  “You’re making a mistake,” said the Earl, shaking his head in disappointment. “My next offer may not be as generous.”

  Sarah tucked the last stray curl under the cap and looked at herself in the mirror. With the loose shirt and tight breeches, she looked like a young groom as long as she kept her head down. She knew she was far too pretty, and her features too delicate, to be mistaken for a boy. The staff knew she did it, and so far, no one had betrayed her by telling her father. She appreciated that and made sure she acknowledged birthdays and special occasions for all the servants. She brought them food if they or their family grew ill, and because of her kindness, they adored her. Protecting her secret was the only way she’d been allowed any freedom.

  If her father found out, he would never tolerate this behavior from his only daughter. She rode side saddle when she joined him to call on the tenants throughout the property, but when she was alone, she rode astride and allowed her horse to break into a gallop.

  Recalling that her father was expecting visitors this afternoon, and had demanded she be on her best behavior, Sarah’s brow furrowed. Lord Godwin’s closest friend from his years at Eton was sending his son to confer with her father about some potential business activities. She wasn’t privy to the information — to her dismay, her father did not find it appropriate to share such things with her because she was a woman — so she did not know what the meeting was about. Just that her father had told her he expected her to be a cordial hostess.

  He frequently hosted members of parliament, peers and military generals who would visit the estate where they spent their days hunting and shooting, their evenings strategizing, eating and drinking, and talking about the business of the land.

  Today’s arriving visitor was the eldest son of the Duke of Rockford, Lord Noah Blackmore. Lord Noah, an Eton man like his father, had a reputation for being a lady’s man amongst the ton. She hadn’t seen Noah since she was a child but she remembered him being a black haired, blue eyed devil, five years older than her. When he was thirteen he had broken the head off her favorite doll. That was the last summer she’d seen him. She was sure he’d grown into a good-looking young man as rumored since he’d been a handsome youth. Sarah had even had a bit of a childhood crush on him until he’d broken her doll, Petunia. He had refused to apologize and had teased her about her spindly legs and thin arms. He’d called her a twig and mocked her for crying over the doll. She found she was strangely discomforted by the thought that he now had business with her father.

  Sarah finished tying her riding boots and quietly tip-toed out of the house to the stable. She had named her stallion Spirit for his lively demeanor even as a colt when he’d first been brought to the estate. Her father wanted her to select one of the fillies as her own horse, thinking the colt would be too much for her to handle.

  “He’s far too spirited, Sarah,” Lord Godwin had said. And that was that. She had found her horse and his name. And since it had been the first time he’d seen his daughter truly happy following her mother’s death, he couldn’t deny her and capitulated to her choice.

  When she arrived at the stable, she gave Spirit a carrot which he took eagerly from her outstretched, flattened hand and reached for the pitchfork to begin mucking the stall. Afterwards, she would saddle him for a ride and brush h
im before returning to the house to play hostess to her father’s guests.

  As if on cue, the men who would be dining with her and her father approached the stable, walking their horses. Sarah recognized Noah immediately. His dark hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and he was dressed in tailored riding clothes with a jacket that accentuated his lithe physique. His blue eyes hadn’t changed a bit. His aristocratic nose and chin had become more defined over the years, and he had a slight tan to his cheeks, showing he spent a good amount of time outdoors.

  If she didn’t remember what a rascal he’d been as a teenager, she might have swooned. The rumors of his good looks had not been exaggerated. He was joined by another less handsome man who appeared to be about the same age, and by his posture, was also of the peerage.

  "The land here is quite stunning, so green, and the rolling hills are quite a contrast to the land in the south of England." Lord Noah Blackmore gestured with his hand in a 180 degree sweep to signal to his traveling companion the area he was referring to.

  "I see why you agreed to your father's proposal," his traveling companion responded.

  Proposal? Could it be …? No, she could not think of it. Of late, Lord Godwin had been speaking of selling some of his property to the neighboring Earl of Barton and buying a townhouse in Mayfair where they would move and seek a suitable husband for her in London. He had been stalling the Earl recently though, a good sign, or so she had thought, assuming her protests were having the desired effect on him.

  As a woman, she could not inherit her father’s title or entailed property, but she could legally inherit the unentailed lands which she had counted on, convinced she could be self-supporting, whether or not she ever married. She had begged her father not to sell any of it and yet here he was, making arrangements to do so to the Duke of Rockford and his son, against her wishes.

  The men were walking directly towards Sarah as they entered the stable so she lowered her head and turned back to Spirit’s stall.

  With a toss of the reigns in her direction, Noah instructed, “Take care of Excalibur. He’ll need watering, feeding and brushing.”

  Noah barely gave her a second glance, leaving Sarah standing there stunned, with his horse’s reigns in her hands. She looked up at the tall horse towering over her, his eyes dark chocolate and his coat shiny and as black as a velvety night sky. When the horse looked down at her, he snarled his lips in a grimace, and she had to jump back to keep him from biting her.

  She heard Noah chuckle and jerked her gaze over to where he stood at the exit to the barn. “Oh, and be careful, sometimes he bites.” Noah’s dismissive comment as he left the barn had her seething. He could have warned her before she almost lost a chunk of flesh. She could hear the two men chortling as they headed toward the estate.

  Apparently, Noah hadn’t changed a bit. Imagine, an ungrateful rogue like him taking over her land.

  “You better be nice to me, Excalibur, because I bite back,” she told the horse as she took his saddle off and brushed him. When he turned his head quickly to nip at her, she smacked him on the nose and gave him a stern look.

  Excalibur snorted but behaved himself once he realized he wasn’t going to be able to push her around.

  “Seems like you take after your master,” she muttered as she put him in a stall and gave him some hay to eat.

  Sighing, she realized that taking care of Excalibur had used up any free time she might have had with her own horse, and she put Spirit back in his stall. She had little time now to clean up and dress for dinner and find out exactly why Noah Blackmore was here.

  “I promise that as soon as I can, we’ll go for a nice long ride.” Sarah rubbed his nose and then pulled the second carrot out of her pocket that he’d been patiently waiting for and fed it to him.

  Heading back to the house, she knew she’d have to dress the part and go meet Noah formally. He hadn’t realized who she was and took her for a stable boy, so for now, her secret was still safe.

  Chapter 2

  Sarah slipped downstairs for the afternoon meal. She was wearing a light blue day dress, and it felt scratchy on her skin. She much preferred the breeches and loose shirt she’d been wearing earlier. She walked into the dining hall as Noah was responding to a comment from her father. He stopped mid-sentence when he saw her, his lips curled slightly upward before catching himself and returning to an impassive expression.

  “Ah, Sarah, you remember Lord Noah,” her father said by way of introduction.

  Sarah curtsied, “My lord.”

  Noah half-bowed in response. “Lady Sarah, how you’ve matured since last we met.”

  “As have you, my lord,” she said. “At least physically.”

  “Sarah!” Lord Godwin could not believe his ears.

  Noah laughed heartily as he eyed Sarah from head to toe. What a breathtaking creature. He had last seen her when he was a teen and she still a child, but his recollection of her was vague. When his father, the Duke of Rockford, suggested he consider making her acquaintance during this trip to consider her as a future bride, he could barely remember her, so unnoticeable was she all those years earlier.

  “Gentlemen, daughter, let us enjoy our meal and we shall resume our business discussions later.” Lord Godwin led his guests to their seats at the long, polished wooden dining table. With his hand under her elbow, he placed Sarah directly across from Noah so it would be difficult to avoid eye contact during the meal. She worried that he may recognize her from earlier in the stable and planned to remain quiet and inattentive while they dined. Her father preferred a woman to be demure so her behavior would have the added bonus of pleasing him for once.

  Why couldn’t her father continue the business discussions over their meal and let her listen to what they had to say? Surely they would talk about the property and she could raise her objections about her father selling any of it. She would tell them about the state of the crops and farming in the area. She knew all the numbers related to the rental income they earned and each of the tenants and families. Her father would have to realize that she was capable of inheriting the land and managing it herself.

  “Lady Sarah, might the ton be graced with your presence in London this season?” Lord Duncan, the Baron of Waring, who had accompanied Noah on the trip north asked her.

  “I think not, sir,” she replied. “I have no interest in wasting time in frivolous activities when there is much here to hold my attention.”

  Sarah was one-and-twenty, nearly a spinster by society’s standards which was the very reason her father was talking about relocating to London. Her mother had passed away shortly before Sarah was to be introduced to society during the season, and she’d gone into mourning along with her father and that had been that. Before she knew it, she was past the age of most young ladies who would be introduced.

  Lord Duncan smiled at her reply and shot a glance at his friend whose intentions he was aware of.

  “And what activities hold your attention, my lady?” Noah looked directly into her eyes.

  His eyes really are a unique shade of blue.

  “I enjoy reading books and poetry, my lord,” she replied. “I’m sure that is quite boring to someone accustomed to London, but it exercises my mind and I do enjoy learning history, particularly related to other cultures in the empire.” Sarah was not about to mention her fondness for riding lest Noah make the connection between her and the groom he had intimidated in the stable earlier in the day.

  “We do know how to read in London,” Noah said. “In fact, my father’s library is quite extensive. If you find yourself in London, I would be most happy to invite you to use it as often as you like.”

  “What a generous invitation, Lord Noah,” Philip Godwin said a little too enthusiastically. He spoke swiftly before his daughter could insult the future Duke again. “I do believe Sarah and I may find the time to visit London later this year.”

  “I am quite occupied around the grounds with the tenants, father,” Sar
ah said. “I have the ledgers to keep current.”

  “That is a rather unusual activity for a lady, is it not?” Noah asked.

  “You rather believe I should be spending my days with needle and thread, embroidering pillows on which his lordship can rest his head following a day of shooting?” The retort was swift and completely unexpected, eliciting a loud guffaw from Duncan as Noah was silenced. So much for being demure, Sarah thought with an imperceptible curl to her lips.

  Lord Godwin shot a warning glance at his daughter, clearly unhappy with her impertinence, and sputtered a weak apology on behalf of his offspring. Sarah quickly forced the smirk from her lips.

  “It appears we shall have clear skies for tomorrow’s shoot.” Although an obvious and awkward change of subjects by Lord Duncan, it was welcome nonetheless. The men agreed on an early morning rendezvous in the stables where they would collect their horses, ride out to the open fields and shoot until it was time for the afternoon dinner.

  Brandy, coffee and cigars were served to the men in the drawing room as Noah and Lord Godwin discussed the purpose of Noah’s trip.

  “With all due respect, your daughter does not seem the least bit interested in making my acquaintance,” Noah said.

  “Give her time, my lord,” Godwin said. “She suffered greatly when her mother died. I fear I have indulged her since then and have not handled her upbringing well or guided her as I should. She will come around.”

  Noah was hardly in need of coaxing a woman to welcome his attentions. If it weren’t for his father’s ultimatum, he would not waste another moment trying to woo the indifferent Lady Sarah. “You are my father’s oldest and dearest friend, Lord Philip, and our family holds you in the highest regard.”

  “Of course, I would prefer that Sarah grow a fondness for his lordship of her own accord. But I am prepared to persuade her to accept a proposal if it is extended.” As stubborn as she could be, Lord Godwin knew that his daughter would have no choice in the matter if he insisted she marry Noah Blackmore.