Page 1 of No Duke of Mine

CHAPTER ONE

“Now, Jasper. Here is a list of everything I want done while I’m away,” Algernon Sweet murmured. “If the weather permits, get them all done as quickly as possible. Otherwise, some of the more complicated matters can wait until my return.”

Jasper flicked through the three pages. “Are you sure this is enough for the two weeks you’ll be away?”

“Well, there are four more pages in my desk drawer if you have too much free time,” he complained.

Jasper glanced over at his wife, Sophie, who was waiting to bid Algernon goodbye as well, and grinned. “No chance of that happening, now I’m a married man.”

Algernon laughed at him. Jasper was smitten, and it showed. He had liked his brother’s wife before their marriage, and now even more so.

Now that his brothers were all together at Ravenswood, it was easy to see that all his siblings were happy in their marriages, albeit in different ways. They hadn’t been in such good spirits since their childhood. But now that his brothers were settled, he had things to do without their involvement.

He had a woman to woo and marry, expenses to be repaid that were pressing on his conscience, and somewhere in there, he fervently hoped he could find some joy in his endeavors.

Making a marriage because you are forced to it for the money was quite different from choosing to do so of your own free will. His brothers had been very lucky not to have shared his burden.

“Your Grace,” Nash called as he ran into the entrance hall. “One quick question. Do you mind if I borrow the globe for the children’s lessons?”

He sighed in relief that his request was nothing serious. “No, I do not mind.”

“Good, good. It’ll be back in its place by the time you return, I promise.”

Algernon highly doubted that. Everything that went through his brother’s new apartment seemed to never come back immediately. There was always some excuse for taking a book from the library again, and some reason for the delay in its return.

Nash was determined that all of his children were properly educated on every matter under the sun, but thankfully, his wife was prone to ferrying the children outside when something did not come naturally to one of them. The young family played a great deal, for which he was grateful and proud. Algernon had a hand in making Nash and Laura get along again, and much better than before.

“Your Grace, you are late leaving,” Laura Sweet, his sister-in-law, complained with a smile on her lips and an hourglass in her hand. “Your carriage has been standing outside for the last fifteen minutes, and your men and horses are growing restless out there.”

Lady Laura Sweet often commented about his tardy behavior, which he probably deserved. He’d harassed her to sit and fix her marriage to Nash, and now she felt justified in bossing him about.

But she was right. He’d dragged his feet more in the last six months making this decision since inheriting the title than he had in his entire life. He held up his hands in mock surrender rather than admit that out loud. “I’m going, I’m going.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That is what you said yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. I’m starting to think you can’t bear to be parted from us.”

“The London season could arrive before he does, at this rate,” Jasper teased. “Do you want the carriage put away again?”

“No.”

“Do you think we should travel with him? Make sure he doesn’t get lost or waylaid,” Stratford asked, adding his voice to the harassment.

“Yes, all right, I am going today. I’ll be back in exactly two weeks.”

Laura drew close and gently laid her hand on his sleeve. “We’d come with you for moral support if you want us to, you know.”

“I know.” If his family came with him to London now, though, he might as well ring every bell in London to announce that the Duke of Ravenswood was in pursuit of a bride. “I can do this alone.”

“As you wish, but remember we’re only a letter and a fast horse away,” Laura promised, patting his arm. “We’ll prepare the duchess’ chambers discreetly while you are gone as well, so don’t worry about that.”

Algernon may be a duke, but in a house full of women, he had discovered that he rarely had to worry about the running of his home. This was, perhaps, a kind of preparation for the day when he was a married man. His wife would rule the roost, and he would not even be told of what she might do. His duchess would make all the decisions for the household in the future.

Nash returned, baby Isabelle in his arms and his sons hard on his heels. “Aunt Violet wishes to speak with you before you leave.”

“Again? Damn her. What now?”

“It’s your own fault for trying to keep this trip a secret from her,” Nash explained.

“Seymour probably told her. There will be no secrets left in this household soon,” he complained. But Algernon squared his shoulders. “Best see what the old dragon wants before I go.”