Page 1 of To Dare a Duke

Chapter 1

My dear Alice,

The fateful day of departure is approaching like a dark cloud on the horizon, blowing lace and frills and inanity in our direction. Are you as miserable as I at the prospect? Oh, Lord, how will I tolerate it? Thank heavens for you and the girls. We will endure and survive another season. The ton will not crush us. We will overcome! Together.

―Excerpt of a letter from Miss Prunella Chuffington-Smythe to Miss Alice Dowding.

***

1st April. Otford, Kent. 1814

The duke crossed the ballroom, tall and handsome, dark, wicked eyes flashing fury as everyone around held their breath…

Prue stared down at her inky fingers, her brow furrowing. There was something lacking, something…. She tapped the end of her quill against her chin, her lips pursed.

Ah, yes.

The duke crossed prowled the ballroom, tall and handsome, dark, wicked eyes flashing fury as everyone around held their breath…

She smiled, pleased by the addition. A depraved, cold-hearted man like her duke would certainly prowl. It recalled night creatures stalking their prey, teeth bared for the kill. The frisson that ran over her at the idea was pleasing, her readers would surely agree.

Prue jolted as a sharp rapping upon her bedroom door forced the wicked duke from her mind and dragged her back to reality.

“Prue! Mama wants to know if you’re getting ready.” Her cousin Minerva’s sharp tone concealed none of her irritation at being sent to fetch Prue. No doubt she’d been preparing for this evening since the moment she got out of bed this morning.

Damnation.

“Er… yes,” Prue replied, lying through her teeth. She glanced up, realising with a sinking heart that the skies had darkened into evening and she’d not even noticed.

“Well, you’d better be. We leave in fifteen minutes.”

Prue cursed a bit more and hurried to put her writing away. A loose floorboard in her room had proven a useful hidey-hole for things she needed to keep private and away from Minerva’s prying eyes. The young woman did not enjoy Prunella’s company and found a good deal of enjoyment in causing her aggravation. Prue endured Minerva’s presence with the fortitude of one who had no option, but did not hold her tongue as often as she ought. In her less prudent moments, the two of them fought like cat and dog.

With a great deal of haste and very little skill, Prue dragged a comb through her hair and pinned it up in a style more haphazard than fashionable, before attempting to wrestle herself into her dress. She looked around as their maid of all works hurried through the door and rolled her eyes.

“I knew it,” the woman muttered, tsking and setting herself to fastening the back of the dress.

Prue sighed and gave the woman a fond smile over her shoulder. “Thank you, Sally. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d cop a deal more nagging from Mrs Butler than you already do, as if you ain’t got enough to be going on with,” Sally replied tartly as she shook her head over the state of Prue’s coiffure. “She’ll not like that, I can tell you.”

“Oh, what does it matter?” Prue replied with a shrug. “The worse I look, the more her lovely Minerva can shine.”

Sally pulled a face. Prue snorted before leaning in to give the older lady a fond kiss on the cheek. She was a ruddy faced woman, of generous proportions and an equally warm heart, and she had quickly become Prue’s saviour. Sally was an ally in the battle for her sanity.

Prue looked around the room for her gloves and cursed under her breath. She seemed to have a problem with gloves; they were never where she thought she’d left them. The maid sighed.

“I found them on the path by the front gate; lucky for you I washed them. They’re downstairs in the hallway.”

Prue bit her lip and tried to look contrite for her sins. She knew she failed. “You’re an angel. You know that, don’t you?”

With a roll of her eyes, Sally ushered her out the door.

“Have a nice quiet evening without us, Sally,” Prue said as she headed for the stairs, adding in an undertone: “You have no idea how much I envy you.”

“Oh, aye? You can polish the silver then, miss. I’ll leave it out for you.”

Prue gave a snort of laughter, knowing Sally wouldn’t believe her if she protested it was better than the evening ahead of her, even if Prue really thought it was.