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Jack did not sleep well that night, which left him irritable and out of sorts, so he dispensed with breakfast, where he was sure to run into persons hoht be expected to converse, and instead went directly outside for his now custos about horses - they never expected conversation

He had no idea what he wasyou Wish we’d done more

It was the truth, even if he’d been the one to cut theht

He ht have to marry this one

Jack stopped cold Where had that co little voice - probably his conscience - told hiht’s sleep His conscience was never this loud

But could he? Marry her? It was certainly the only way he’d ever be able to bed her Grace was not the sort of woman one dallied with It wasn’t a question of her birth, although that certainly was a factor It was just her The way she was Her uncoe What a curious notion

It wasn’t that he’d been avoiding it It was just that he’d never considered it He was rarely in one place for long enough to for attachment And his income was, by nature of his profession, sporadic

He wouldn’t have dreahwayhwayer had seen to that

"Lovely Lucy," Jackat the stables He supposed he ought to give the poor thing a h It’d be hard toattachment," Jack murmured to himself as he walked back to the house "Now that’s pathetic" Lucy was a prince, as far as horses went, but still, he was a horse

What did he have to offer Grace? He looked up at Belgrave, loohed A dukedo It was too much

And what if he wasn’t the duke? He knew that he was, of course His parents had been married; he was quite certain of that But what if there was no proof? What if there had been a church fire? Or a flood? Or mice? Didn’t mice nibble at paper? What if a h the vicarage register?

It could happen

But what did he have to offer her if he was not the duke?

Nothing Nothing at all A horse naly convinced, was the spawn of Satan He had no skills to speak of - it was difficult to ihway thievery into any sort of honest eo back into the army Even if it was respectable, it would take him away from his wife, and wasn’t that the entire point?

He supposed that Wyndham would pension him off with sorave as possible He would take it, of course; he’d never been one for misplaced pride But what did he know about cozy little rural properties? He’d grown up in one but never bothered to pay attention to hoas run He kne to muck out a stall and flirt with the maids, but he was quite certain there was o of it

And then there was Belgrave, still loo out the sun Good Lord, if he did not think he could properly e a small rural property, what the devil would he do with this? Not to s in the Wyndhaht at supper He couldn’t begin to iine the paperwork he’d be required to review Mounds of contracts, and ledgers, and proposals, and letters - his brain hurt just thinking of it

And yet, if he did not take the dukedoulfed him - ould he have to offer Grace?

His sto his skipped breakfast, so he made haste up the steps to the castle’s entrance and went inside The hall was quite busy, with servantsout their myriad tasks, and his entrance went loves and was rubbing his hands together to warlimpsed Grace at the other end of the hall

He did not think she’d seen hio to her, but as he passed one of the drawing rooms, he heard an odd collection of voices and could not contain his curiosity Pausing, he peeked in

"Lady A rather stiffly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her He could not blame her He was sure he’d feel tense and pinched if he were engaged to reet her "I did not realize you had graced us with your lovely presence"

It was then that he noticed Wyndha a rathernext to hiht and paunch He looked every inch the aristocrat, but his co at tihed and sed, looking rather queasy "Er, Father," she said to the older uest at Belgrave IGrace"

"Where is Grace?" Wyndha about his tone struck Jack as off, but nonetheless he said, "Just down the hall, actually I alking - "

"I’ at hiht You wished to know my intentions"

Intentions? Jack stepped farther into the roo

"This ht not be the best time," Lady Amelia said

"No," said Wyndhaht be our only ti what to race?"

For a moment Wyndham was nonplussed "Was I that loud?"

Graced motioned back toward the hall "The footman heard you"

Ah yes, footer thought she ht actually be able to keep the journey to Ireland a secret

But if Wyndhah," he said, sweeping his arht as well have a seat at this farce"

Jack began to feel uneasy He did not know his newfound cousin well, nor did he wish to, but this was not his custorand He was a nized the signs He had been there himself

Should he intercede? He could ht help, and it would certainly affirht of him - rootless joker, not to be taken seriously

Jack decided to hold his tongue

He watched as Grace entered the roo a spot near theHe was able to catch her eye, but only briefly She looked just as puzzled as he, and a good dealon," Lord Crowland said

"Of course," Wyndham said "How rude of me Where are my manners?"

Jack looked over at Grace She had her hand over herweek at Belgrave," Wyndhas"

"Your ?" Lord Crowland said curtly

"Ah, yes You probably should know - this ht here" - Thoht even be the duke" He looked at Lord Crowland and shrugged "We’re not sure"

Silence And then:

"Oh dear God"

Jack looked sharply over to Lady Aine what she

"The trip to Ireland" her father was saying

"Is to deteritimacy," Wyndham confirmed And then, with ato be quite a party Even ht to keep the shock off his face, then looked over at Grace She, too, was staring at the duke in horror

Lord Crowland’s countenance, on the other hand, was nothing but grim "We will join you," he said

Lady Amelia lurched forward "Father?"

Her father didn’t even turn around "Stay out of this, Amelia"

"But - "

"I assure you," Wyndham cut in, "ill make our determinations with all possible haste and report back to you is in the balance," Crowland returned hotly "I will be there to exarew lethal, and his voice dangerously low "Do you think we try to deceive you?"

"I only look out for hts"

"Father, please" Amelia had come up to Crowland and placed her hand on his sleeve "Please, just a moment"

"I said stay out of this!" her father yelled, and he shook her froh force to cause her to stumble

Jack stepped forward to aid her, but Wyndhahter," Wyndham said

Crowland sputtered in confusion "What the devil are you talking about?"

"Apologize to her!" Wyndha to insinuate herself between the two e my father too harshly These are exceptional circumstances"

"No one knows thatat her as he said it, nor did he remove his eyes froize to Amelia or I will have you removed from the estate"

And for the first time, Jack admired him He had already realized that he respected hi Wyndha he did, every last decision and action - they were for others It was all for Wyndhae, not the person It was impossible not to respect such a man

But this was different The duke wasn’t standing up for his people, he was standing up for one person It was a farat Wyndha

"I’ as if he was not quite certain what had just happened

"A him off

And then finally Jack found hie

"Who is thisan arm in his direction

Jack turned to Wyndha him to answer

"He is the son of my father’s elder brother," Wyndham told Lord Crowland

"Charles?" Amelia asked

"John"

Lord Crowland nodded, still directing his questions to Wyndhaed "You may look at the portrait yourself"

"But his name - "

"Was Cavendish at birth," Jack cut in If he was going to be the subject of the discussion, he would bloody well be given a place in it "I went by Cavendish-Audley at school You may check the records, should you wish"

"Here?" Crowland asked

"In Enniskillen I only ca in the army"

"I am satisfied that he is a blood relation," Wyndham said quietly "All that remains is to determine whether he is also one by law"

Jack looked to him in surprise It was the first tied him aloud as a relative

The earl did not comment Not directly, at least He just muttered, "This is a disaster," and walked over to the

And said nothing

Nor did anyone else

And then, in a voice low and furious, caood faith," he said, still staring out over the lawn "Twenty years ago, I signed the contract"

Still no one spoke

Abruptly, he turned around "Do you understand?" he de at Wyndhareed to thehtful heir to the dukedom

She was to be a duchess A duchess! Do you think I would have signed awaybutbut"