A Beastly Duke’s Delicate Love (Preview)

Chapter One

Isabella Harcourt had dreamed of her wedding day ever since she was a little girl.

As the daughter of the Earl of Westbridge, it was expected that her match would be decent enough. She, personally, could not hope for too much when she became a debutante, but enough. Finding a husband would mean safety, a life away from all that she had ever known. It would have been quite welcome, as far as she was concerned.

And yet, with her mother’s wedding gown clinging to her skin as she sat in the carriage on the way to the ceremony, she wondered if she had longed for the right thing after all.

“This is what is best for you,” her brother Alexander said gently. “You may not like it now, but you will see it for yourself in time.”

“Alexander,” their father said in a strangely quiet voice, “should that girl ever come to understand anything, it will be nothing short of a miracle.”

Her father had seemed different ever since he had told her of the engagement. It was the moment he had longed for: being rid of the thorn in his side that had been his daughter. Isabella was not a fool, and she knew that her father did not carry even a small amount of the affection for her that he had for his son.

A stray light brown curl fell in front of her face. She did not care to move it, as she knew that soon enough, it would be covered by her veil regardless. It was decidedly not the wedding she had dreamed of as a child; that much was certain. It was a rushed affair, one that she hadn’t even known about until it was too late to do anything about it.

She took a deep breath, willing her hazel eyes not to tear up. She wouldn’t have been able to change her situation even if she had been made aware of it, and so there was hardly any use in being upset over it.

She did not know the first thing about her husband-to-be. Aside from the fact that he was a duke, of course. The Duke of Ashworth, Edward Granville. It was a pleasant name, Isabella thought, and she was quite content that she would soon be known as a Granville rather than a Harcourt. That had nothing to do with his title and everything to do with being someone else entirely. Her wedding would be a transformation and allow her to become more than … whatever she was.

But beyond his name, she knew nothing. As far as she was concerned, he was merely a shadowy figure in a shadowy manor house. That was the only way that she could imagine him, and she wanted to know something, anything, to change that.

“When is the Duke’s birthday?” she asked quietly, looking directly at her brother, for he was far more likely to tell her than her father was.

“The eleventh of March, I believe,” was his response, though Alexander’s blue eyes were looking out of the carriage window rather than at her.

She had never seen her brother’s blond hair so neatly styled. It had always been rather messy, even though their father did not like it. He wanted both of them to be perfect at all times, and she admired her brother for rebelling. Her wedding day, however, was clearly another matter entirely. She looked at her father and brother, and for the first time, she realized just how similar they looked. The characteristic blond hair and blue eyes, with tanned skin.

She was nothing like them. She was not made of sunlight like they were; she was pale and eager to hide away. Then again, that was not something that a duchess could do, and so she would have to reconsider her position on that matter.

“Oh, how wonderful,” she replied, looking at her hands that she had neatly folded in her lap.

The duke was a Pisces, a gentle and creative type. It was a good sign.

“I do hope that you are not thinking of those silly symbols again,” her father warned. “I have told you time and again that we have moved past that now. We are to use logic and reason, not stars.”

Isabella knew better than to protest their use. She could not help noting, however, that her father was an Aries and was, indeed, the embodiment of one. Bold, impulsive, aggressive, competitive– there was no better way of describing her father than that.

“Are you– are you excited, Isabella?” Alexander asked in a vain attempt to break the tension.

He was trying to diffuse it all, for Isabella knew perfectly well that her brother had about as much interest in listening to yet another one of their father’s tirades as she did.

“I have certainly felt worse,” she replied dutifully. “After all, how can one feel anything but joy at the prospect of becoming a duchess?”

“There. Is that so difficult?” her father asked. “Now, when we arrive, you are to stand tall. I will not tolerate any slouching in your husband’s presence nor the presence of all your guests. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Father.”

“As for the wedding, I do not care how you feel. You will smile, you will thank anyone warranting it, and you will do everything in your power to be a good bride.”

Isabella had not once considered being anything but good, but it was not unusual for her father to expect differently of her. It did not matter how perfect she was; he wanted more.

“I cannot stand this,” he muttered to Alexander after a while. “The sooner we can leave this blasted estate, the better.”

“Is that to say that we have almost arrived?” Alexander asked.

“Indeed. Thankfully, my little plan worked, and we shall be rid of her along with everything else.”

She hated it when he spoke about her as if she were not there at all.

“I do, however, fear that she will ruin everything,” he continued, “but I am becoming more confident about it. Once this wedding is done, we can leave and prepare for your own future, just as long as she does her part and isn’t a disgrace to the Harcourt name as I expect she will be.”

“Why do you think that I will be a bad wife?” she dared to ask, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Because I do not expect the duke to be a good husband. Nobody does. That is why he agreed to marry someone such as yourself.”

“Such as myself?”

“You know how I feel about having to repeat myself, Isabella. Do not make me do it.”

“Of course, Father. What I mean is, well, I hardly know a thing about him.”

“And for good reason. I would never have got you into this carriage had I told you the truth. Worry not, though, for your brother is in much the same situation.”

“Not exactly,” Alexander interjected. “I am quite aware of the Duke of Ashworth. He is, after all, a duke.”

“I know that, but you are not to know of the sort of man he truly is. At nine-and-twenty, one would expect him to be married by now, but he is not. No self-respecting young lady would even speak to him, but fortunately for us, we do not have a young lady such as that.”

“Father,” Alexander said carefully, “just who are we marrying my sister off to?”

“Never you mind. What is important for you to know is that this man will secure your livelihood. That is why she must do so happily.”

Isabella was decidedly not happy, but it was not as though she had any real choice. She knew better than to disrespect her father, and with her brother’s future depending on it, it only made her feel more compelled to do as she was told. Even so, she knew that her father was only trying to frighten her into submission. The marriage had been arranged since they were children, and that was the reason the duke was unmarried. They needed Isabella to be of marrying age first, and now that she was, the plans could be put firmly in place.

But she was angry, furious even. She had never met the man, and her father was suddenly making it very clear indeed that he was the last man a young lady should consider marrying, but he did not care. He had never cared about her, but then she only had herself to blame for that. Her entire life had been miserable, and it was her own fault.

A new start, even one shared with a monster, would be alright. It had to be, for it was not as though she had any other choice. If she were to disobey her father and refuse the duke’s hand … Well, she already knew what her father would do to her when he felt disrespected.

“Just think of it, Alexander,” her father continued, “at last, you and I will be granted the power we have always deserved, not to mention the boost in finances that this match will provide us with.”

“Did you not have to give the duke a dowry?”

“No. It is what is typically done when agreed upon, but I cannot say I have any intention of doing that. You know as well as I do that we need all the help we can get right now.”

Once again, he spoke of his own daughter as if she were not there. However, Isabella was happier to listen this time. She was aware of their financial situation, but she had not been told anything more than it was her fault. She wondered how it could have been the case; no gowns had been purchased for her unless the others had grown too small for her and physically worn out, and she had never asked for anything out of the ordinary as she already knew what the response would be to such a request. Then again, everything was labelled as her fault, and so she never questioned it.

“Even so,” Alexander said gently, “Perhaps we ought to–”

“Perhaps you ought to remember your position?” their father interrupted. “You know perfectly well that this is necessary. Sometimes, as the head of a household, difficult decisions must be made. I have made one, and that is that. When you are the earl, you shall understand. Until then, I suggest that you leave this sort of thing to me.”

Alexander did not protest any further. Isabella was hurt, as she so often was, when her brother did not defend her, but she understood. Her brother had seen what happened to those who did not please their father, and it was no surprise to her that he did not wish to be treated in the same manner. She envied Alexander and how he had been born into a life where he would inevitably be favoured. He was the heir, the son, and there was simply no besting that.

Would the duke see their own children that way?

She shuddered. She did not wish to think about children, especially when she could not even picture the man she was supposed to have said children with. The best that she could do was imagine some sort of beast, a monster, just as her father had said the duke was, and that did not bode well for her.

The carriage came to a stop. She had one last chance, which was leaving the carriage and running, but she did not allow herself to consider it as an option. She did not know where to go even if she did dare to try, and even then she was very much aware that her father and brother were faster than her. They would undoubtedly catch her, and then … She did not want to think about what would come from that.

“Father,” Alexander tried again, “I will have to learn these things eventually. You are right; our situation is precarious, and I do not wish to jeopardize it further by not knowing what to do when it comes to my turn.”

“Our situation shall be drastically different by then. I am ensuring that now. As of right now, however, you know as well as I do that the estate shall be in ruins if we do not have the money to fix it. That money, Alexander, relies on Isabella making a good showing of herself. Now, come along.”

They left the carriage, and the earl strode ahead, not looking back. Isabella gingerly took her brother’s arm, and they followed, falling back slightly. The estate was undeniably green and well taken care of, and she tried to see the good in that. The duke cared for it, and so perhaps he would care for her? Then again, he had money and a good deal of it. Perhaps he simply paid his gardener well to keep up appearances.

Perhaps he was like her father but with even more power.

“Oh, Alexander, is he truly that beastly?”

“The duke? No, not as far as I remember. Then again, Father had always spoken highly of the Granvilles, so I am not entirely certain why he has changed his mind now.”

“He has always hoped for our families to unite, hasn’t he? I suppose, in that respect, he might actually be happy with me, given that I shall be that connection now.”

“Indeed.”

Her brother looked different, upset. Alexander had always been the happier child, which was no surprise given that he had always been the favoured one., and so seeing him so unhappy was strange, and it made her feel a great deal of unease.

“You need not worry for me.” She smiled, nudging him gently. “I am certain that Father is simply trying to frighten me. I will be happy, even if this is not what I had envisioned for my wedding day.”

“It shouldn’t have been your wedding,” he confessed. “It should have been mine.”

Isabella furrowed her brow at her older brother. She remembered a lady that Alexander was promised to, and that he had been overjoyed at such a prospect, but then one day that had all changed, and he was a bachelor once more, swearing off ladies altogether. It had been the one and only time she had seen their father show any aggression towards Alexander, and it had always stayed with her.

“Do not look at me like that,” he sighed. “Isabella, did you ever meet the late Duke of Ashworth?”

“No, I do not believe so. Father always kept me away from others.”

“Well, the two of them were friends. For years, that is. They were not friends in the way that you and Miss Charlotte are, but there was a mutual understanding between them. That is why our father had suggested that I marry the duke’s daughter Penelope.”

“Penelope …” she echoed, trying to picture the lady in her mind.

“That is why I suppose I am feeling … out of sorts. I have been here before, and now every good memory I ever made here has been destroyed. I do not know how to be happy, and even if I did, I do not think I could be that way.”

“I suppose you should be the same way that is expected of me. We shall smile, even if we feel nothing short of betrayal.”

“Betrayal?”

“Of course. For me, Father has betrayed me by promising me to a man that I do not know, and your betrayal comes from the duke’s sister abandoning you.”

She saw the pain in her brother’s eyes, even if he dared not look directly at her.

“Sister, that is not–”

He raked a hand through his hair.

“Isabella, Penelope did not abandon me. That is not what happened. The wedding plans simply changed, and she was unable to marry.”

She froze, but her brother pulled her along regardless. They would be late if they did not keep at a brisk pace.

“What happened?”

“To this day, I do not know. I never had the nerve to ask. I only know that she is gone, and our father saw it as an opportunity. You are of age now, and the contract stands. Two of their children would wed, and our families would be united. As I can no longer marry Penelope, you must marry the duke. I wish there was more I could do, but you and I both know that this is how it must be.”

“And so we know nothing of the duke at all, and I am supposed to marry him without question?”

“Yes. You know how our father is.”

She did, and that was what frightened her. He would gladly throw her into a marriage where she was unloved and unwanted if it meant he could further himself. It did not matter who her husband was. As far as she was concerned, she would simply be leaving one prison only to enter another.

“Are the two of you making me wait deliberately?” their father asked sharply.

Isabella looked slightly past him to see the chapel. It loomed over her, impressive yet imposing, and she felt as though it was a walk to the gallows. It was a beautiful place to be sentenced, at least. She steadied herself. After a long journey, they had arrived, and now …

Now, she would be married.

Chapter Two

Edward could only hope that his wife would be hideous.

He watched her walking towards him, her face obscured by her veil. He had never met her, even when they were children, and their fathers were adamant about them all being friendly with one another. He wondered if that was because her father had refused to let her be seen by a potential suitor for fear that her looks would scare him away, and that was precisely what he had wanted.

It was strange, he noted, for him to want an unattractive wife, but as he fixed his mask that morning, he decided that was what was best for him. If she was unappealing to look at like him, then at least she might understand him. It was all that he could hope for, given the circumstances. She reached him, and they both knelt side by side at the altar. He was pleased that the masked side of his face could remain hidden for a few more minutes.

She was a short lady and slim; there was no hiding that. He eyed her father and brother carefully, looking for a sign that she was imperfect. Alas, there was nothing but anticipation in their eyes. Edward was quite aware that his face would reflect such displeasure, but he was certain that the lady before him would not notice, given that her veil would obstruct her view of him just as much as it did his view of her.

He looked at the guests, none of whom he recognized. They were simply people his friend Nathaniel had suggested he invite, as well as some that the earl had selected. To his knowledge, they were not family members or close friends of anyone. His wedding was a social event and nothing more, which, given how unsocial he had been of late, he had to find some humour in that.

The priest cleared his throat, and it snapped Edward back to attention. They were, after all, there to be wed, and he could no longer put that off.

“Edward Granville,” the vicar began, “wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

“I-I will,” Edward replied, hoping that his wife did not hear his hesitation.

“And Isabella Harcourt, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”

“I will,” she said softly.

Edward took her right hand and took his turn to say his vows. He noted how gentle and quiet her voice was. She seemed almost frightened, and he could hardly blame her for that. Perhaps, after all, she could see him?

“I, Edward Granville,” he said slowly, “take thee Isabella Harcourt to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”

She said nothing for a moment, and Edward prepared for her to turn on her heel and run out of the chapel. She did not, however. Instead, she took a breath to compose herself. He was all too aware of the leathery skin that covered half of his face, and even though it was covered and healed, he swore he could feel it burning. The chapel was cold, and it was a welcome feeling to have against his skin.

“I, Isabella Harcourt,” she said quietly, “take thee, Edward Granville, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.”

She had said her vows quickly, in a measured and rehearsed tone. Edward wondered if that was simply because she had been nervous about it, as most are at their wedding, or if it was because she truly did not wish to be there.

At last, it was over, and they had to turn fully to one another. Edward’s breath caught in his throat. This was the moment of truth, not that it made a difference. She was bound to him now, whether she changed her mind or not.

He tried to decipher her expression, but it was too obscured by the veil. She was not screaming, at least. That had to count for something, did it not? Except it was far worse than that, for she did not make a sound at all.

Instead, she took a sharp breath and then promptly collapsed.

Edward didn’t move for a moment, as he was in shock about it all. The priest, however, sprang into action and knelt beside her, removing her veil to reveal …

Quite possibly the most beautiful lady he had ever seen. Light brown hair, milky white skin, and the biggest hazel eyes. She was, simply put, the very definition of lovely.

She was quite a lot younger than he had expected, barely out of leading strings and innocent, and now the wife of a hideous brute such as himself. It killed him inside to know that such a pure beauty as herself was now tied to him for the rest of their lives.

Suddenly, in came Reginald, the girl’s father. Edward tried to maintain his composure, but if he were honest, he had to admit that he loathed the man. He wondered if the earl would be helping his daughter, but instead, he came to Edward, placing a hand on his shoulder in support.

“My apologies, Your Grace. Do forgive my daughter for this.”

“Is she alright?” he asked, not wanting to hear of any apologies when it had been his fault to begin with.

“Do not worry about that. She has simply been … so excited to spend the rest of her life with you that she has not been eating well. She has also been quite nervous to meet you for the first time, which I understand you suggested we did sooner, but–”

“That is quite enough,” he replied dismissively. “I asked how she is now, not how she has been of late. If you’ll excuse me.”

He did not go too far away, only to the outskirts of the room, but he wanted his now father-in-law to leave him be. He also hoped that, by removing himself, the earl might actually go to his daughter. He did not, of course.

It was true that he had wanted to meet his bride much sooner. He had wanted to give her the chance to run from him, but her father had refused, not that he ever dared explain his reasons for that. He hadn’t needed to, as Edward knew precisely why. He was unworthy of her, and her father did not want to give her a single chance to leave.

Frankly, Edward could not understand why his father ever associated himself with the man, let alone considered him a friend. It was one of the mysteries he had never explained to Edward before he passed, and he was certain that he would never know the truth.

After all, the two fathers had made the deal before they knew there would be difficulty in finding Edward a wife. He was desirable then, and there was no doubt that he would find a match with ease when the time came. And then …

His new wife coming around made him look at her once more. She looked up at the vicar, her eyes big and confused. Did she even know where she was? He couldn’t be certain, but one thing was evident. She was unhappy, and he had to admit some fault in that. He did not know what to do.

“Edward,” Nathaniel said suddenly, pulling him away, “give her a moment. It must have been a terribly long day for her.”

Nathaniel Carter had become a fixture in the Ashworth estate many years ago. He had been Edward’s greatest (if only) friend through the years, but it was more than that. He was practically family, the only family he had left. He was also unmarried, given that he was the third son of a viscount and, therefore, was without title. They were as unappealing as each other, and Edward liked that a lot.

“Is she well?”

“It would appear so. You may ask her yourself later. For now, my concern is you. Is it a bad time to congratulate you?”

“I would say so, yes.”

“Then it can wait. In the meantime, I have brought Agatha with me.”

Edward looked to the short older lady beside Nathaniel, her small brown eyes full of concern for her new mistress.

“What shall I do, Your Grace?” Agatha asked.

She was to be the duchess’ lady’s maid, and so Edward had thought it best that she came to the ceremony so that his bride would have someone other than himself to travel with after the fact. He was grateful for this now because it meant he could hand the more difficult tasks to someone else while he decided what to do.

“Have her sent to the manor,” Edward said quickly, and Agatha nodded and rushed to find a footman.

He turned to see his new wife’s father and brother leaving, and he could see how hastily they were doing so. They quite clearly did not want to be there, even if their daughter and sister were unwell. That struck him as odd, but he did not have much time to dwell on it as Nathaniel was already leading him away.

“I cannot stand that man,” Edward sighed.

“The earl? Believe me, you are not alone in that,” Nathaniel sighed as they wandered the hallway. “He is not exactly well-liked among the ton.”

“I shall never understand why you associate with those people– if you can even call them that.”

“Some of us need to climb a little. We cannot all be dukes, after all.”

“I suppose, but you are nothing like them. I cannot imagine you around the likes of the earl and his strange son.”

“His son is not nearly as bad as him,” Nathaniel protested. “You simply do not like him because he was promised to your sister, which was your right as her brother, of course.”

“It wasn’t that he was to marry my sister; it was that she did not like him at all. Penelope was good at knowing people, and if she did not trust the man, then I am well aware that I cannot either.”

“But surely even you can see that his father is worse?”

“Of course. I despise Reginald and his persistence to unite our families, and I always have. Even though Penelope is gone, this contract between Reginald and my father has resulted in me marrying a young lady that I have never met, forcing her into a life with a wretch.”

Nathaniel paused, and Edward did so too and eyed him carefully. His friend had his arms folded, and Edward knew precisely what this meant: a lecture was coming.

“You are not a wretch, Edward.”

“You know perfectly well that I am. I actually thought that I would never have to see the two of them again once my father passed. I hate everything about this. I hate that I’m being forced to marry this poor girl and that I have to continue with this sham of a marriage that I never wanted. But I could not get any real legal help to find a way out of the contract, which I will add that I didn’t even know existed until Reginald showed me it two months ago.”

“We are in agreement that he is terrible, believe me,” Nathaniel said gently, “but that does not change what has happened. For better or for worse, you are a husband now, and you are to dedicate your life to that lady. Who knows? Perhaps you might come to understand one another.”

“You and I both know that that is impossible. You saw her when the priest removed her veil. She is beautiful, and I am very much the opposite.”

“Yes, Edward, I know you have scarring. You are also alive, which is a miracle in and of itself, and you ought to remember that more often.”

Had it been anyone else speaking to him in that manner, there would have been pistols at dawn, but it was different when it was Nathaniel. He knew when to say it and when to keep such thoughts to himself, and even though Edward did not wish to hear it, he knew that it was necessary.

“I know that I am a husband now,” he sighed, “but that doesn’t stop me from regretting this. I have married her out of duty and because I was told it was all perfectly legal and not doing so would destroy her reputation, but surely she does not want this either?”

Nathaniel was silent for a moment, and then he laughed softly.

“Do you remember when Penelope was told about her marriage to Alexander?” Nathaniel asked him.

“Yes, she locked herself away in her bedchambers and refused to leave for three days.”

“Yes, but after that, do you remember what she said?”

Edward tried to think back to it, but he couldn’t remember it at all. He shook his head, and Nathaniel smirked at him.

“She was furious, there is no doubt there, but she said that, above all, she simply had to be grateful for it. It would save her from entering the marriage mart. That was what she said once she left her room. There would be no need to meekly stand on the outskirts of a ballroom and simper for gentlemen, nor to hold herself to an impossible standard at all times lest she be seen as a wanton.”

Edward laughed. That certainly did sound a lot like his sister.

“Perhaps,” Nathaniel continued, “your wife sees it the same way? She may well be grateful to you for saving her from doing that. In any case, she has found herself a wonderful husband, and I can attest to that. However, if you do not go near her, she will never know just how good a man you are. Are you truly going to deprive her of that?”

“I do not know yet. I shall have to ask her. For all I know, she may simply prefer a quiet life alone, perhaps with a few friends. She certainly does not seem like the social sort.”

“In that case …” Nathaniel nodded, smiling with a finger pressed to his lips in a most pensive fashion, “this is shaping up to be an excellent match, indeed.”

“Excellent may be pushing it, don’t you think?”

“Not at all. In fact, the only thing that I could consider better was the fact that you and I remained in a room with those two gentlemen and maintained our composure.”

“Do you truly hate them that much?”

“Why shouldn’t I? You do.”

“Yes, but that is because of what they did to myself and my sister. I do not understand your vendetta, not that I disagree with it at all.”

Nathaniel shifted slightly.

“You are family to me,” he replied at last, “and if you say that we are to hate them, then hate we shall.”

“I must say …” Edward laughed, “… it is good to have a friend through all of this.”

“I am happy to be of assistance. You know, Edward, you have the right to find happiness yourself.”

“I am happy enough, and I can hardly want more than that.”

“But you may find it, perhaps with your wife. Now, I shall take my leave, return to the others, and try to calm any tensions, and you shall have a good long think about how you are going to be as a husband. Please, I pray, do not be a negligent one. You are correct, and she is a beautiful lady. Do not take her for granted.”

Nathaniel left, and Edward tried to do anything but think of his wife. He did not want to take her for granted– he hadn’t wanted to take her at all. He considered trying to find some common ground with her, but he could not let the fantasy run away with him. They would not find any happiness together; her fainting at the sight of him made that perfectly clear.

Even so, he did not wish to be negligent. If there was one thing that losing Penelope had taught him, it was that he was lonely. He had his friend, to be sure, but there had to be more to life than one friend. When he had his sister, he had a confidante who lived with him all the time, but now he was in his stately home, and he had nobody to share it with, even if Nathaniel was there at least once a week.

But losing Penelope had taught him something else, too. He had to make the most of everything given to him, even if it was not something he wanted at first. He laughed at himself for that, for he knew that when all was said and done, he had got the better end of the deal.

He had got a beautiful wife, and she had got … him. Then again, he had pulled her away from her family, and for all he knew, she might have been quite excited about such a prospect. He decided that he would ask her about that, should she be able to keep herself together on their second meeting.

And, despite himself, he dared to hope that she would.