Page 1 of The Marquess of Secrets

Chapter 1

London, April 1882

Harrison Hornsby, the Marquess of Tennington and heir to the Duke of Gransford, lay prone on his mistress’s bed completely spent. A thin sheen of perspiration covered his body. The session had been a vigorous one and bittersweet, for this would be the last time he’d visit Francesca Whitten, his paramour of three years.

Having turned thirty-four two weeks past, Harrison believed that he was growing too old for such doings. It was better to end this association before commencing his search in society’s marriage mart. His unspoken obligation was to find a suitable bride amongst the aristocracy, a woman with the carriage and grace to one day become his duchess—and to be the mother to his children.

It was all well and good that his two younger brothers, Spencer and Tremain, married for love. He would not allow himself such a luxury.

A firm believer in duty and all it entails, Harrison alone stood as the future of his family name and title, and his choice of bride was of paramount importance. Harrison held out for as long as he could in the vain hope that he would fall in love as his brothers had. Yearning for a love match his parents enjoyed was always a gamble and rare amongst the aristocracy.

Francesca arched her foot and trailed it along the back of his leg and across his buttocks.

“I’ve always admired your muscular and very firm arse, Tennington,” she demurred. “You’re in fine fettle for a man who spends his time sitting on a bench in parliament. It is where you spend your time, is it not? You come here so rarely I’ve begun to fashion all sorts of scenarios.”

Her foot caressed him, stirring his arousal. Surprising, but there will be no acting on it.

“Pray tell, what scenarios?” Harrison murmured, struggling to stay awake regardless of his physical reaction.

“At first, I thought it might be another woman. But you’re not the sort of man to engage in sensual deceptions, even if I am your mistress. Then I thought you had a family secreted away in an isolated hamlet on the other side of the country. Again, it’s not in your personality. Regardless of the scandal, you would acknowledge any bastards.”

“Yes, I would.”

“I came to the conclusion that you are merely as eccentric as the rest of your family.” Her foot halted in its exploration. “Oh, I am sorry.”

That killed his arousal.

Tossing the silk sheet across his naked body, he turned and sat upright.

Eccentric. Well.

He was wide awake now. “What have you heard?”

Gossip and society machinations annoyed Harrison to no end.

No one dared to speak any whispers in front of the Hornsby family. Not while Harrison's father, the Duke of Gransford, remained a favorite of the queen. And a powerful force at court and in the House of Lords.

Francesca had the grace to blush. The crimson color of her cheeks matched the auburn shade of her hair. “I don’t wish to end this glorious afternoon with an argument,” she stated, her lower lip thrust out.

“I give you my word that I will keep a tight rein on my annoyance. Please, do tell.” He crossed his arms, watching her closely.

With a sigh, she met his gaze. “It’s said that your youngest brother, Lord Spencer Hornsby, is—mad. That he suffers fits and inappropriate emotional outbursts and hides away at a remote location in Wales so as not to be an embarrassment to his family.”

The fury growing inside Harrison was potent, but he struggled to hide it. However, there was no denying Spence was—different.

From earliest childhood, Harrison observed how Spence struggled with handling his emotions and other quirks of his personality.

Doctors were called in. All agreed that the boy must be carted off to an asylum. To the duke's credit, he would not brook any such suggestion.

Observing Spence’s travails firsthand sparked Harrison's interest in the study of medicine. He was a registered physician with the Royal College of Physicians, with degrees from Cambridge, but, alas, being a peer would not allow him the opportunity to open a public practice. According to society, it was not an accepted role for the heir to a duke. One must adhere to the blasted rules. But he kept up with the latest developments in medicine.

In fact, Harrison encouraged Spence to place a rigid routine in his life to keep the demons at bay. Doing chores or tasks a certain way, at the same time of day, placated Spence and lessened the outbursts. Also, focusing on one task—like his research into the ancient Byzantine Empire—calmed him.

His brows furrowed. All Harrison ever wanted was to protect his youngest brother, but no matter what he’d done to try and divert the gossip, Spence was laughed at and talked about regardless.

“My youngest brother is not mad, contrary to malicious chatter. As a matter of fact, he’s to be married in May.”

Francesca bit her lower lip.