Page 6 of The Scarred Duchess Deal
More than anything he was hurt to have to endure the same arguments with his grandfather repetitiously. His tone was low and resigned as he spoke. He had threatened to leave, and now he must carry through. “I suppose that I will be leaving then, as we cannot see eye to eye anymore. I will have the servants pack my belongings and I will be gone before dinner.”
ChapterFour
“It is just as terrible as I remember it.”
Leo stood outside Huxton Manor as servants bustled around him. They had gone to great lengths to ensure that the Manor was as ready for his return as possible, but he had been absent from this place for a very, very long time. He had left his grandfather’s home in too much of a rush to allow his servants enough time to be wholly ready. In truth, he had hoped that he would never return here. Inside, these walls held nothing but bad memories.
His childhood had been anything but happy. Even more perverse to him was the knowledge that he would be taking over the master bedroom – the same room his mother had died in. It did not seem right. It felt as if that were the very last thing that he would ever wish to do – the furthest thing from sanity.
Perhaps he could delay that particular move for a little while. There were more than enough bedrooms to choose from. For a long time, he stood there debating while seated on his horse. So much of him wished to ride away from this place. He could buy another property somewhere else. He had the title and the means – he could build whatever he wished. Perhaps a house of his own out in the countryside. Anything would be better than being forced to stay here… but those things would all take time. That was the one thing he did not have.
As he did not fancy sleeping out of doors – he dismounted heavily and finally allowed his groom to take his horse to the stables.
“Your Grace! You have made it here so quickly! We have readied the Manor as much as possible in the short amount of time and are confident that by the time dinner is prepared, everything will be ready for you to resume occupation.” Delvin, his steward, informed him confidently.
“Thank you very much,” Leo began while pulling his gloves from his hands. “However, I do not wish my things to be placed in the master bedroom. Please place them in one of the guest rooms. I care not which one, just be certain to guide me there this evening. I will dwell there until I say otherwise.”
“Yes, Your Grace, of course. We will make all of the arrangements.” Delvin assured him and turned to start making the Duke’s wishes come true.
Leo’s feet felt heavy, as if they were filled with stones as he moved up the stairs to the front door. It was already open for the people who had come in and out of there. Not only was this a place that he had never wished to return to – it was also his first time living on his own. He had been very careful not to have any real sort of responsibility since he had inherited the title of Duke Huxton officially. He had lived with his mother and then spent years traveling around the world and burning through money before he returned home with the intention of living in his grandfather’s home for a handful of years. He had hoped he could remain there until he knew what he wished to do with his life
Now everything was to change again.
Of course, he knew how to run a household. He had been the one in control of everything while his mother was still alive, but he had not missed the burden of responsibility while traveling. It was a primary benefit of living with his grandfather. Were the choice still available, he would have gone on continuing to avoid it; served him right for allowing his temper to get the better of himself.
Enough was enough.
Leo sighed and slowly strolled inside with reluctant steps. It felt so much smaller than he remembered. Since it was a fine, grand property, it likely only appeared that way because he had been gone for as long as he had been. He dropped his riding gloves and coat on the side table. Each room that he passed was nearly opened, some with piles of folded dustsheets in the corners. It took no time at all to reacclimatize himself to his surroundings. He paused only when he reached his father’s old study.
Well, he supposed that, as he had been the one to occupy it last, it was technically his own study.
Perhaps a thorough redecorating would be ideal. He hoped that, if things looked different, that would help to get rid of a few bad memories. New wallpaper and carpeting… perhaps redo a few rooms he never used entirely. He could think of a dozen women off the top of his head who would only be too happy to assist him with such a task. Though, perhaps allowing the housekeeper to refurnish a few of the rooms under his direction would be ideal. He did not wish to have any more miscommunication. At least, not for a couple more days.
Leo lowered himself heavily into his desk chair. The worn leather creaked and protested at the sudden movement as he scrubbed his hands down his face. There was so much to consider. Going into town even for the purpose of redecorating would only invite gossip. There was no way to avoid thetonfrom finding out that there was a presumably eligible duke in their midst. If he could delay it then he would.
He had left in more of a hurry than he remembered. There were still piles of letters littered across the desk, mostly opened but some still with the wax seal intact. Leo started to push through them one at a time to see if he could remember the mindset that he had been in when he had left them. He had not been able to stay here more than a few days after his mother had died; it had simply been too painful.
One letter, in particular, caught his eye. He smiled in spite of himself as he reached across the desk for it. He pulled the parchment toward himself with a single finger, remembering most of the contents of the letter. Leo tilted his head sideways to read the thing without picking it up.
Attested on this day, the seventeenth of March. Placement of bet on horse seven of twelve in the amount of–
Betting records. He had been the fortunate recipient of a healthy dose of beginner's luck the first time he had taken to the races. It had been where he met Mortimer Windrop, who was a friendly, chipper sort of fellow. The sort of fellow that did not know how to frown, no matter how poorly his monetary choices were doing. He had been thrilled to teach Leo everything he knew about betting and the bookies of theton– who was honest and who to avoid.
It was not Leo’s fault that he learned so quickly. It did not take long at all before Mortimer started subtly asking Leo for money. Small amounts at first for little things: a carriage ride home, a shoe shine, a meal, or an opera ticket – then it quickly became much larger sums of money. In the beginning, Leo had thought nothing of it, simply helping out a friend. What was a small friendly wager among friends?
Over time the wagers were larger and more outlandish… Mortimer had not been able to stop himself. He would bet on anything and everything from the boxing matches to whether or not it would rain on a given day. It was like a sickness for him.
Mortimer lost a great deal of money. It would be most interesting to see what that man was up to these days. If Leo were to be subjected to thetongoing forward, it would not be a bad thing to have another person whose company he could at least tolerate.
Leo folded up the letter of promise and tucked it into the pocket of his waistcoat. No doubt the man would have assumed that Leo had forgiven the debt or, at the very least, forgotten about it. Leo certainly hoped so. It would make their reunion just that much more interesting. Four years was a very long time to wait before attempting to catch up on something like that.
Pulling the ball invitation from his other pocket, Leo tossed it onto the desk in front of him. Perhaps he would have to attend after all. It might not be his choice but if he remembered things correctly, there was not a force known to man that could keep Mortimer away from a ball – much less the first ball of the Season. Mortimer was a terrible dancer but it was also one of his life’s greatest passions.
“What is the worst that can happen? He says no?” Leo asked himself rhetorically. It was not a small amount of money that Mortimer owed him either – it would be very nice to have. Spending money like that would ease the transition from country life to city life by affording him plenty of entertainment.
Very well. It was decided. He would have to attend the ball that his grandfather had asked him to – but it was certainly not with the intention of finding a wife. He could already feel his grandfather’s voice in the back of his mind, gloating over his perceived victory. Perhaps if he played things right, they could believe him just another member of theton.
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