Page 1 of Duchess By Accident
Chapter One
“My life is over!” Lady Natalie Rokesby wailed as she stared at the horrible gossip rag in her hands. “I am completely and utterly ruined!”
Natalie was standing in the drawing room of her brother’s Castle, with her sister-in-law, Rose, Duchess of Emberly. Her hands shook as she stared at the tawdry article before her.
“What has happened?” Rose’s eyes widened, her voice full of concern.
“I think I am going to be sick.” Natalie began to slump.
Rose darted forwards, catching her by the arm and guiding her with some difficulty to the sofa. Natalie’s feet were unsteady beneath her, and her sister-in-law was considerably shorter than her. The height difference made her attempts at helping rather difficult.
Stilll, Natalie allowed herself to be gently placed on the sofa, and glanced numbly at the article in her hands. Rose peered over her shoulder.
“Announcing the engagement of Lady Natalie Rokesby, youngest sister of Alexander Rokesby, Duke of Emberly and Lord Henry Lindon, Marquess of Bolton.” Natalie heard the shock in Rose’s voice. “How can this be?”
Before Natalie could respond, the doors to the drawing room burst open and a tall man with shaggy black hair rushed into the room. It was Peter, Natalie’s twin brother.
“What is going on? I heard a scream.” He looked around, fists raised as if prepared to fight off the intruder.
His amber eyes met hers, and she could see his fear in them. They were the same height, and shared the same sharp, angular features. Though Peter had a more masculine face, and Natalie’s edges were softened by femininity.Not that pretty looks will do me any good now.
“I have been a complete and utter fool.” Natalie waved the scandal sheet in the air.
“Well, that is hardly anything new. I thought something serious had happened.” Peter grinned at her, though his smile faltered as he caught sight of the depth of emotion on her face.
Natalie was thoroughly tempted to thump her brother in that moment, though a more reasonable part of her knew she was being unfair.
“Something serious has happened.” Rose interjected, and Natalie suspected she had sensed the danger brewing. “Your twin is in the latest Morning Post.”
“What?” Peter gaped at her. “Surely there is no need for this depth of despair, everyone knows the Morning Post is full of complete and utter drivel.”
“Do not be so naïve. People have had their lives destroyed by this drivel.” Natalie shook her head at her brother. “And now I shall join their number.”
“But it is ridiculous to pay any attention to anything that this rag publishes! Let alone give it credence. It is barely fit to line a bed pan.” Peter took the Morning Post from Rose and gestured to the headline. “Like this: ‘Devilish Duke strikes again. Lives ruined by the masterful machinations of the marionette master of the Ton.’”
“Awful writing aside, peopledopay attention to it Peter. And unfortunately the more tawdry the better.” Rose’s face darkened. “How long were your brother and I in the dratted scandal sheets? It has taken years to repair the damage these sheets have done.”
“The Devilish Duke is a perfect example, brother, of just how much attention people pay to these rags. You can scarcelyhear of someone’s bad fortune without people pointing to him, assuming he must have something to do with it. Apparently he has a network of informants all too happy to feed him information he can use.” Natalie shook her head.
Peter frowned. “But they do not even name him! He could be anyone.”
“They do not need to name him. At this point, simply saying the Duke of B lets us know exactly who it is. The Duke of Blackwood cultivates his reputation, and the gossip rags feed it.” Rose wrapped her arms around herself. “The rags exist for scandal, they care nothing for the truth of matters.”
“What they print will be seen as the truth, and they have proclaimed that I am engaged.” Natalie said, unable to keep the bitterness and anger from her voice. “And more to the point, apparently we were found alone and unchaperoned in Baroness Whitley’s library.”
She stood up, needing to move, to do something as the coil of rage and impotence twisted within her. She ignored Peter’s gasp as he turned to the page in question.
Peter’s brow furrowed as he looked at her. “I thought you had turned down Lord Bolton’s proposal?”
“I did.” Natalie replied. “I thought he took the second rejection rather well—why, we even drank to a healthy friendship. That was my first mistake.”
“What do you mean?” Peter canted his head towards them.
“He put something in my drink. I thought the champagne tasted odd, but did not wish to be rude. So, I drank it.” Natalie clenched her hands into fists.
“That is why you were so unsteady! That villain!” Peter swore loudly and thumped his fist into his hand.
“I had no idea just how much he had orchestrated.” Natalie shook her head.How could I have been so foolish? So trusting?“I thought he would be content with… with what happened at the ball, but apparently…”
