A Deal with a Duke (The Daring Drake Sisters 2)

“You knew!” Emma exclaimed. “And you didn’t tell me! And how did you know he planned to attend the Season?”

Louisa shrugged. “As I said, I wasn’t certain he would attend the Season.” Which was still two months away. Perhaps he thought to find her a husband and retreat to Northwood Park before the Season began. Not that doing so would be easy with the country in mourning for the King. Or perhaps his arrival had nothing to do with her or her attempt at intimidation.

“Why is he here?” Emma asked, still excited about the news. “Do you think he will marry again?”

“He is a duke now, Emma,” Tessa explained as she slid a glance at Louisa. “He must have an heir.”

The thought that he might be here to marry touched a painful spot in Louisa’s heart. He needed a mother for Charlotte. An heir. A wife.

It was what she wanted for him. Or least that was what she told herself.

“There is more.” Emma’s light blue eyes sparkled with excitement. “Someone thought they saw him enter the house with a little girl in tow. Whose child could that be?”

Louisa smiled wistfully. “He brought Charlotte with him.”

Both sisters turned their heads and stared at Louisa. “Charlotte?” they asked in unison.

Now they wouldn’t stop until she told them the truth. “His daughter.”

“When did he have a daughter?” Tessa questioned. “We dined with him and his wife at the late Duke’s home the night she died. No one mentioned a baby then.”

“Harry hadn’t told anyone because of the duke’s reaction to his wife. He went up to Northwood Park to mourn and took Charlotte with him. Oh, you should see her. She is beautiful.”

“How do you know what she looks like?” Emma inquired innocently.

“Yes, Louisa, how would you know that?” Tessa arched a brow in question.

“He sent a sketch of her.”

“Louisa! You were not corresponding with an unmarried man, were you? That would be scandalous, indeed.” Emma stood and then retied her bonnet. “I must go to tell Susan about this news.”

“Please don’t mention his daughter, Emma. He is a private man.” Louisa hoped her younger sister would listen to her for once.

“Louisa, everyone will know by tomorrow anyway.” Emma raced from the room with a slam of the door.

“So, where is this drawing? I would love to see his daughter,” Tessa said as she rubbed her belly. “Feel this.”

Louisa placed her hand on her sister’s belly and laughed as what felt like a tiny foot kicked her. “Oh Tessa, that is the most amazing thing. Does it hurt?”

“No.” Tessa smiled. “It’s quite lovely. Now, where is that sketch?”

“I don’t have a drawing, Tessa,” she slowly admitted as heat crossed her cheeks.

“You went to him, didn’t you?”

Louisa nodded.

Tessa clapped her hand over her mouth. “Does Mamma know?”

“Yes, and please don’t look at me that way. Nothing happened.” Except for one moment when she thought she might kiss him, or he might kiss her. Why would he kiss her when he was so furious with her for being there? Instead of kissing her, he had demanded that she leave.

“I...I cannot believe you did something so scandalous.”

She glossed over the details of what happened at Northwood Park, by only saying she went to ask him to find her a husband. She wasn’t about to admit to her sister that she’d thought about kissing Harry. “I tried to convince him to return to town. Then he would find that no one blames him for what happened.”

A light rapped sounded on the door. “Miss Drake, you have a letter.”

After the footman gave her the note, Louisa glanced and noticed the strong, neat script. She broke the seal and scanned the letter as she worried her lip.