Page 1 of Captured By the Cold Duke
One
“I’m assuming there’s a very good reason you’ve invited us to your house, in disguise, at such an odd hour of the day?”
Samantha Canford certainly knows how to make an entrance,Lady Cherie Norton thought to herself, as her friend strode into her bedroom, hands on her hips, and asked the question she’d no doubt been longing to ever since she’d received Cherie’s message.
Lady Minerva Berrymoore, Cherie’s closest and oldest friend in the world, followed just behind Samantha. She also looked curious as she peered at Cherie, who was sitting on her bed, too paralyzed to move.
“I’m assuming there is at least a dead body here,” Samantha said, her gaze flitting to the dark corners of the room. “Surely you wouldn’t send such a frantic note if we weren’t going to have to help you hide a body.”
“Don’t sound so excited, Samantha,” Minerva chided. “Or else Cherie will think you actuallywishthere was a dead body.”
“Please, both of you lower your voices,” Cherie said, finally unsticking her throat.No one can hear us.
“Ahh, so she speaks.” Samantha folded her arms and looked Cherie up and down. “Although you also look rather pale. Did you miss luncheon?”
Only then did Samantha finally notice the stricken look on Cherie’s face. The amused glint in her eyes faded, and she crossed to the bed quickly and took Cherie’s hand.
“What’s happened, Cherie?” she murmured. “I’m sorry to jest if it’s something dreadful.”
Minerva also walked over to the bed, where she hovered behind Samantha, looking worried. “Tell us what’s happened, Cherie, and we can fix it,” she said, in her matter-of-fact way.
Cherie licked her lips and nodded. Itwassomething dreadful. But she barely knew how to say the words. She was still in shock. The only thing she’d been able to do after learning the news was pen two quick notes and send them with her lady’s maid to the homes of her two best friends. It couldn’t have been easy for them to sneak out of their homes in the early evening when calling hours were over.
This was the time of day when ladies might be expected to work on their needlework or the pianoforte, not jump in carriages and ride with haste to their friend’s townhouse. But somehow, Samantha and Minerva had managed to do just that, and it left Cherie with an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards them both.
“Oh gosh, something dreadful hasn’t happened, has it?” Samantha suddenly became very pale, and she gripped Cherie’s hand harder. “Is it Cassandra? Have she and the duke been hurt?”
“No! Goodness, no! Nothing like that! Our friend and my brother are still on their honeymoon!”
“Then what is it?” Minerva prodded. “What has happened?”
At last, Cherie found the words. “My cousin has sold me in marriage.”
Minerva and Samantha both started.
“What are you talking about?!” Samantha cried, her voice suddenly so loud that it seemed to shake the walls of the room. “He can’tsellyou in marriage! He isn’t your legal guardian!”
“What do you mean by ‘sell’?” Minerva inquired at the same time. “And to whom?”
“To the Earl of Rochford,” Cherie whispered.
“But he is almost five and forty!” Samantha exclaimed, tossing her head. “It cannot be!”
Minerva, of course, took a more practical approach. “Cherie, I think you need to tell us what happened. The whole story.”
Cherie took a deep breath. “I barely know myself what happened. It all happened so suddenly.”
“Perhaps it would help us figure out what to do if we could get all the facts straight,” said Minerva encouragingly.
“Well, as you know, my brother is away, and wanted to have a carefree stay in Italy,” she began. “So, while he is gone, he left our cousin Charles in charge of the estate.”
“Yes, your foolish cousin,” Samantha said with a snort. “How His Grace could think that was a good idea is anybody’s guess.”
“Yes,” Cherie said distractedly. “Anyway, my cousin came to me today and announced to me that he had betrothed me to the Earl of Rochford and that I had to go pick a dress because he was coming over later in the evening to marry me!.”
“Oh, the audacity! Men think that a special license solves everything! You sweet dear!” Samantha rubbed her back.
“I was taken aback, of course, and told him he had no right to arrange a betrothal for me without my brother’s permission. Hegot angry and said that my brother gave him full power over his property, including me, and that he can do whatever he wants.”
