A Most Inglorious Duke: Regency Novel

Von Liz Levoy

A Most Inglorious Duke

Regency Novel 

The news of the death of the Duke of Rockley means to young Emma that her life will change. Since her childhood, she has been promised as a wife to Edgar, son of the Duke. Now the courtship begins, and the young duke asks her to become his wife.

Emma is overjoyed. Unfortunately, she does not know anything about Edgar's hidden side. Edgar is a gambler and has already lost most of his parental assets. He urgently needs new sources of income, and the promised marriage to Lady Emma is a welcome opportunity, especially as the fortune of Emma's family is considerable.

After the wedding, Emma does not suspect anything yet. However, by and by, the signs are multiplying that something in the Rockley house cannot be right. When the truth finally becomes known, it is already too late, because Edgar was arrested for his gambling debts and sentenced to prison.

Will Emma be able to settle Edgar's gambling debts and free him from prison? Is her love for her husband so strong that despite all adversity she stands by him, even though they have all dropped him?

 

About the Author

Liz Levoy is a bestselling author who has been writing romantic stories since her senior year in high school. Levoy is a truly passionate romance writer that loves to entice her avid readers, using her experience from her travels around the world.

Feelings of love, desire and chemistry dominate her books and the characters that she creates come alive, striving for love.

 

• Sprache: Deutsch
• Herausgeber: DAO Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 17. Apr. 2019

Buchvorschau

Imprint

Chapter 1

Greenland Acres Estate, England 1804

Emma placed the book she had been reading back on the wooden shelf, her mind suddenly too tired to read any further. Her mind was preoccupied as well by the earlier arrival of a footman at the Greenland Acres Estate and she wondered what news the man could have brought. A soft knock at her door startled her from her musings and she answered for the person to come inside.

Pardon me Lady Emma but their Grace the Duke and the Duchess would like you to join them in the drawing room, her maidservant Cassie said.

Very well Cassie. I will be joining them shortly, Emma answered as the young maid curtseyed and quickly walked out of the room.

The drawing room door was open and Emma walked into the room to find her parents seated on their armchairs, their faces sombre. It was obvious that something terrible had happened for her parents to look that troubled. Slowly, she walked over to another armchair, sat down and as she did so she heard her father clear his throat a second time.

My dear, we have received the most awful news this morning, her father began and then took a long pause. The Duke of Rockley died in his sleep this morning, the Duke said as he took another pause as if to give Emma some time to digest the sad news.

This is very sad indeed. I thought he would pull through, Emma finally said.

That’s what we all thought but sadly it wasn’t to be, her father replied and they fell into a prolonged silence once more, each lost in their own thoughts.

Emma was betrothed to the Duke’s eldest son Edgar since childhood and as they grew older, she had fallen deeply in love with him. She would dream of being his wife and felt that Edgar felt the same way. The two families used to visit each other when the Duke was in good health and Emma often saw Edgar then but from a distance. Now, they would have to officially begin their courtship and hopefully be married in a few months’ time.

That night, Emma hardly slept as she thought of how her life was suddenly about to change for the best. She wondered how her courtship with Edgar would be like and whether he would ask her to marry him as soon as possible. The thought of being the Duchess of Rockley excited her and she could picture her wedding as if it were happening the following day. It was not long before she drifted off to sleep still swooning over her love.

The following day, Emma spent the day thinking about Edgar and how he was coping after his father’s death. She would have given anything to be by his side at that moment but she knew that would not be possible. The servants walked around with their heads bowed as they spoke in hush tones. It was no secret that they were all discussing the death of the Duke and since it was common knowledge that Emma was betrothed to Edgar, they all knew what that meant for the two families. The young lady was soon going to become the Duchess of Rockley. After breakfast, Emma’s mother, the Duchess of Woodville, told Emma that she and her husband wished to speak with her.

We know that this is sudden but since the inevitable has happened, it’s paramount that we get on with it, Emma’s mother said as the Duke nodded in agreement.

You realise that Edgar is now the Duke of Rockley and as such, your courtship will commence, the Duchess went on and Emma nodded in the affirmative.

Of course, this will take place after his father’s burial and he has to come and ask us officially, Emma’s father said, stressing that due process has to be followed.

I can only hope that the Duke will keep up his end of the bargain, the Duchess said and the tone of her voice indicated that she was not as convinced as was Emma and her father.

Why do you think that he wouldn’t? the Duke asked shocked by his wife’s offhand comment.

"Well, we will just have to wait and see won’t we? The Duchess shrugged and Emma thought that was so unlike her mother.

I know he will do as is expected of him, Emma said and she thought she heard her mother smirk. Emma was now more confused about her mother’s reaction but since the Duchess was not forthcoming with whatever was on her mind; Emma decided to let it pass.

After their talk, the Duchess’s heart was in turmoil. She could see how excited Emma was at the prospect of marrying Edgar and did not wish to break her daughter’s heart. For the longest time, the Duchess had heard rumours doing rounds that the Duke of Rockley’s deteriorating health was caused by his eldest son Edgar’s ill conduct. She worried whether her daughter would be happy with a husband like that but since she had no evidence, she had kept everything she heard to herself never mentioning anything not even to her husband.

Emma’s mother hoped that all her worrying would be for nothing and possibly the rumours were not true. All she could do was to wish her daughter the best and always be there for her if ever she needed her help. Emma was their sole heiress and that made her a possible target for someone who only wanted to get his hands on her wealth. The Duchess could not understand why but try as she did, she could not shake the bad feeling from her chest. After a while, she chided herself for harbouring such ill thoughts while the late Duke was yet to be buried.

Emma found herself thinking about her mother’s odd reaction to her impending courtship but she was too excited to let it dampen her spirits. Edgar had always given her a warm smile whenever their families met and she had no reason to think that he did not love her as much as she did him. Her mother’s reaction had unsettled her somewhat but her father’s support made her feel that nothing could go wrong.

Chapter 2

River Heights Estate, England 1804

Edgar William mingled with the guests who continued to flock the River Heights Estate for the burial of his father, bored out of his wits. They would softly pat him on the shoulder and occasionally say a word of consolation and he played along. He wished more than anything to be far from this place and to be at his favourite gambling den. Now that he was a Duke, he felt that luck was on his side and he would be winning big that evening. It was difficult being among all these people, feigning grief that he truly did not feel. Luckily, this was the final day and after this, he would never have to see them ever again.

So very sorry for your loss Your Grace, Lord Jameson of Westerly said to Edgar, placing his hand on Edgar’s shoulder in consolation.

Thank you Lord Jameson. You are very kind, Edgar replied as he watched the older man walking away and wondered how long he would be keeping up this farce. Edgar was aware that Lord Jameson had always wished Edgar would have married his gangly daughter Marjorie. It was a pity that Emma held much more promise than Marjorie did, Edgar thought smugly.

Earls, Lords, Barons and their wives continued to pass their condolences and Edgar could not wait for the ceremony to be finally over. Looking around, he could not spot his younger brother George and wondered where he could be. Probably in his room crying his eyes out, Edgar thought with a scornful smirk on his face. He could never understand why his brother was such an upright, weakling of a person.

We are here should you ever be in need of anything, the Earl of Mooreland said to Edgar in a concerned voice and Edgar wanted to spit in his face. What could he possibly think he would need from him? All Edgar wanted was for the ceremony to be over and for everyone to go back to their homes.

I appreciate that very much and will keep it in mind, Edgar replied instead as he shook the man’s hand. He could not picture himself ever going to the Earl’s home to ask for anything. After all, he was soon coming into wealth and it would be much more than what the Earl owned.

The burial was over within an hour and the guests started leaving the Estate. Edgar thought he saw the Duke and the Duchess of Woodville, together with their daughter Emma getting into their carriage. He had not had time to speak with them at the burial but not to worry. He would soon be visiting the Greenland Acres Estate to officiate his courtship to Emma. Edgar thought Emma had blossomed into a quite beautiful young lady but that was not the reason why he needed to be married to her.

Emma was an only child and the sole heiress. Her wealth would come in