ALL Chapters & Episodes of The Duke And His Four Wards by Zetar086 - Page 8

All Chapters of The Duke And His Four Wards : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

91 Chapters

Henry scanned the room again, searching through the sea of people for Maribella. But the pink domino was nowhere in sight. He was as thoroughly disgruntled as only someone of a generally placid nature could become. Maribella had flirted outrageously with an unknown man. Admittedly him, but she had not known that. Here he had been worrying himself into a state over her getting herself stuck in a loveless marriage for no reason and underneath she was just a heartless flirt. A jade. Where the hell was she? A small hand in his arm made him jump. But, contrary to the conviction of his senses, it was not Maribella but a lady in a brown domino with a brown mask fixed firmly in place. “Ello, kind sir. You seem strangely lonely.” Henry blinked. The lady’s accent was h

Chapter 11.1

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

After returning to the ballroom with Margaret, Felix found his temper unconducive to remaining at the ball. In short, he had a headache. His wards seemed to be behaving themselves, despite his premonitions, so there was little reason to remain at Penhurst House. But the night was young and his interlude with Margaret had made it unlikely that sleep would come easily, so he excused himself to his eldest ward and his aunt, and left to seek entertainment of a different sort. He had never got around to replacing Lolita. There hardly seemed much point now. He doubted he would have much use for such women in future. He grinned to himself, then winced. Just at that moment, he regretted not having a replacement available. He would try his clubs—perhaps a little hazard might distract him. The carriage had almost reached Delmere House when, on the spur of the moment, he redirected his coachman to a discreet

Chapter 11.2 (Part 1)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

Francis Cambridge paused, his hand on the handle of his bedroom door. It was past seven in the morning. He had sat up all night since returning from the ball, with his brother's brandy decanter to keep him company, going over his relationship with Emma Fleming. And still he could find only one solution. He shook his head and opened the door. The sounds of a commotion in the hall drifted up the stairwell. He heard his brother's voice, uplifted in a series of orders to Rickshaw, and then to Gibson. The tone of his voice was one he had rarely heard from Felix. It brought him instantly alert. Sleep forgotten, he strode back to the stairs. In the library, Felix was pacing back and forth before the hearth, a savage look on his face. Daniel Hammington stood silently by the window, his face showing the effects of the past weeks, overlaid by the stress of the moment. Felix paused to glance at the clock on the mantelshelf. "Seven-thirty," he mutt

Chapter 11.2 (Part 2)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

As it transpired, Henry already knew. As he strode into the library, he was scowling furiously. He barely waited to shake Felix's hand and exchange nods with the other two men before asking, "Have you discovered which road they've taken?" Felix blinked and waved him to the armchair he had vacated, moving to take the chair behind the desk. "How did you know?" "It's all over town," said Henry, easing his large frame into the chair. "I was at Brown's when I heard it. And if it's reached that far, by later this morning your ward is going to be featuring in the very latest on-dit all over London. I'm going to wring her neck!" This last statement brought a tired smile to relics face. "You'll have to wait in line for that privilege," was all he said. The brandy decanter, replenished after Francis's inroads, had twice made the rounds before Gib

Chapter 11.2 (Part 3)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

From the library door, Felix strolled forward to take the had. Margaret held out to him. Her eyes widened as she took in the pistols he still held in his other hand. “Thank God I’m in time!” she said, in such heartfelt accents that Felix frowned. “It’s all right. We’ve found out which road they took. Byron and I were about to set out after them. Don’t worry, we’ll bring her back.” Far from reassuring her as he had intended, his matter-of-fact tone seemed to set her more on edge. Margaret clasped both her small hands on his arm. “No! You don’t understand.” Felix’s frown deepened. He decided she was right. He could not fathom

Chapter 11.2 (Part 4)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

After a pause to marshal her thoughts, Margaret began. “It’s really Mrs. Norwood’s fault. She decided she wanted Sir Jack for a son-in-law. Sir Jack had come to town because he took fright at the thought of the marriage he had almost contracted with Miss Fletcher in Gloucestershire.” She glanced up, but none of the audience seemed to have difficulty understanding events thus far. “Mrs. Norwood kept throwing Antonia in Sir Jack’s way. Antonia did not like Sir Jack and so, to help out, and especially because Mr. Wolfinger has almost come to the point with Antonia and she favoured his suit, Maribella started flirting with Sir Jack, to draw him away from Antonia.” She paused, but no questions came. “Well, you, Felix, made that a bit difficult when you told Maribella to behave herself with respect to Sir Jack. But they got around that by sharing the work, as it were. It was still Marib

Chapter 11.2 (Part 5)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

Felix crossed to where she sat and drew her to her feet and into his arms. His lips found hers in a reassuring kiss. Then, he held her, her head on his shoulder, and laughed wearily. “Sweetheart, if I thought your sisters would be in my hands for much longer, I’d have Bailey around here this morning to instruct him to break that guardianship clause.” “I’m sorry,” mumbled Margaret, her hands engrossed in smoothing the folds of his cravat. “I did come as soon as I found out.” “I know you did,” acknowledged Felix. “And I’m very thankful you did, what’s more! Can you imagine how Henry and I would looked if we had succeeded in overtaking Finley’s carriage and demanded he return the lady to us? God!&

Chapter 12.1 (Part 1)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

Sophia wrinkled her nose at the piece of cold toast lying on her plate. Pushing it away, she leaned back in her chair and surveyed her elder sister. With her copper curls framing her expressive face, Margaret sat at the other end of the small table in the breakfast-room, a vision of palest cerulean blue. A clearly distracted vision. A slight frown had settled in the greeny eyes, banishing the lively twinkle normally lurking there. She sighed, apparently unconsciously, as she stared at her piece of toast, as cold and untouched as Sophia’s, as if concealed in its surface were the answers to all unfathomable questions. Sophia was aware of s guilty twinge. Had Felix cut up stiff and Margaret not told them? They had all risen early, being robust creatures and never having got into the habit of lying abed, and had gathered in the breakfast parlour to e

Chapter 12.1 (Part 2)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

Their relief had been quite real. Despite his reputation, their acquaintance with the Duke of Twyford had left his younger wards with the definite impression that he would not condone any breach of conduct and was perfectly capable of implementing sufficiently draconian measures in response to any transgression. In years past, they would have ignored the potential threat and relied on Margaret to make all right in the event of any trouble. But, given that the man in question was Felix Cambridge, June was sure how successful Margaret would be in turning him up sweet. Reassured that their guardian was not intending to descend, in ire, upon them, Emma and Maribella after hugging Margaret and avowing their deepest thanks for her endeavours on their behalf, had left the room. Sophia suspected they would both be found in some particular nook, puzzling out the uncomfortable feeling in their hearts.

Chapter 12.2 (Part 1)

The Duke And His Four Wards /Zetar086

Francis Cambridge kicked a stone out of his path. He had been walking for nearly twenty minutes in an effort to rid himself of a lingering nervousness over the act he was about to perform. He would rather have raced a charge of Chasseurs than do what he must that day. But there was nothing else for it—the events of the morning had convinced him of that. That dreadful instant when he had thought, for one incredulous and heart-stopping moment, that Emma had gone away with Finley was never to be repeated. And the only way of ensuring that was to marry the chit. It had certainly not been his intention, and doubtless Felix would laugh himself into hysterics, but there it was. Facts had to be faced. Despite his being at her side for much of the time, Emma had managed to embroil herself very thoroughly in a madcap plan which, even now, if. It ever became known, would see her ostracized by those who mattered in the ton. She was a damned s

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