Chapter Two
Eleanor collapsed into her favorite chair wanting nothing more than to watch the raindrops disappear into the puddles on the street and forget all the events of the day. It appeared as if Felicity had other plans for her. Following her into the room her sister spread herself elegantly along the chaise, a dreamy look in her eyes.
“Oh Elly, he was the most handsome gentleman I have ever seen. Do you think he is a duke? I think he must be a duke. Do you agree? And oh, did you see his eyes? Were they not the most fascinating color?”
All Eleanor wanted to do was forget those wonderful eyes. Closing her own, she took a deep breath and prayed her sister would not think anything was out of sorts.
“Yes dearest, he was quite handsome.”
“Oh, yes, he was. Do you think we will ever see him again?”
Lord take pity on her, she prayed, and do not let us ever see him again. It was just far too much for her to handle. Men such as lovely as he was had no right entering her life, even if only briefly.
“It is highly unlikely, Felicity, as he is clearly above us in station. There does not appear to be much chance of us gaining an introduction. Now, really, you must stop such daydreaming. Perhaps we should have some tea.”
With a sigh, her sister rose moved toward the tea tray. The rain had been pouring down for nearly an hour and it was making Felicity miserable.
“Oh, I shall simply die if we do not see him again. I want to be able to sketch him in my book. I really did not get to study him enough.”
Eleanor refrained from rolling her eyes. She loved her sister, but the girl had been gawking at the man long enough to draw a hundred pictures of him. As she watched her sister prepare their tea the image of a dark haired, gray eyed man came to view. She could remember everything about his face. There were tiny lines forming near the sides of his eyes proving that he laughed more often than most. And Eleanor knew that he had the tiniest scar at the corner of his left eyebrow and wondered how it came to be. Such thoughts were dangerous and Eleanor forced her mind to respond to her sister.
“I am sure you will not die. There will be plenty of other men who you may sketch once the season truly starts. In the meanwhile, you may practice your talents by drawing your beloved sister.”
Felicity approached, laying a soft kiss on her cheek and handing her a cup of tea.
“Oh, I do love you Elly, but I have spent my whole life sketching you. I think I know your face better than you do.”
As Felicity settled on the floor, her hands coming to rest on Eleanor's lap, the elder woman brushed a golden lock from her sister’s face. It was during these moments that Eleanor realized that she would do anything to keep her sister happy. That it was her sister that deserved such admiration, for Felicity had the capacity to love with her whole heart, and the innocence to see all the beauty and wonder that the world had to offer.
“You will have a husband soon enough to draw, and children also. I am anxious to be an aunt, you know.”
Her sister lay her head down and sighed into Eleanor's skirts. It always amazed Eleanor how free her sister was with her affection. Stroking her sister’s hair, Eleanor felt Felicity relax.
“Oh, but what if no one likes me.”
Laughing, Eleanor settled back into the chair and closed her eyes again. The rain really was quite soothing.
“There has not been one person yet who has not liked you, darling. I wager that by the end of your second week dancing in the ballrooms, you are going to fall madly in love with a perfectly elegant man.”
Felicity smiled and raised her head, her blue eyes twinkling. Rising, she kissed Eleanor's cheek again and headed for the door.
“Oh, I do hope he looks like the man in the park. I am going to try to sketch him anyway. I can at least work on his eyes. He had the most spectacular eyes....”
Her sister’s words trailed away and Eleanor was grateful for the quiet. It was going to a long while before she would be able to find solitude in the afternoons. Soon enough, she was going to have to speak to Marcus about just how rough things were getting. Just had desperately they needed to see her sister to make a fortunate match.
“Storm, we need to talk.”
His sister rarely waited for permission to enter his study, nor did she now. Storm watched her settle into the chair across from him. Her chestnut locks bobbed around her head, the curls settling to frame her face and for a moment he felt a rush of gratitude. The bond he shared with his eldest sister had always been the one thing that grounded him. She knew him better than anyone, and if anything was amiss she would help him sort the matter out logically until any problem was solved. From the firm set of her lips he knew she was about to broach a subject that would not please him. Taking a sip of his brandy, he raised a brow.
“What seems to be the issue, my wise sister?”
She gave him a stern glare at the remark, but she was not going to let it distract her.
“I want to discuss your marriage prospects.”
With a shudder, an image popped into his mind of a brunette crashing into him, chestnuts tumbling around her head. Since their meeting in the park, he could hardly get Miss Pinecrest and her lovely sister out of his thoughts. They were just so different. The brunette seemed so clumsy, and a bit eccentric in some way, she perplexed him. He had never really cared for brunettes, even if her eyes were unusually lovely. But Felicity… she was the picture of perfection. Storm suspected that he should somehow learn more about her before the season was in full force.
With a sigh, he pulled his focus back to his sister, clearly bracing for battle. This was the one subject on which they would never truly agree. Storm remained silent; an action that he knew would irritate his sister.
“I know that it must be hard for you. You are afraid of giving your heart to someone like father did....”
Storm had to interrupt her.
“Bonnet, I am not afraid of falling in love. I am afraid of not falling in love. Can you honestly imagine me with a wife of convenience?”
Bonnet sighed.
“Storm, you need an heir.”
Taking another sip of wine, he had to agree with her. They had discussed this to no end before they returned to London for the season. Neither of them noted that Storm was only a few days away from being nine and twenty. Still very young and still very much alive. But they both knew how easily death could sneak up on someone. It was time to face the fate that awaited him. Softly, his sister whispered.
“I do not wish to see you unhappy, but, honestly, Storm, you did promise to try to find someone this season. I just think it would benefit you to have an idea who would suit the best.”
Storm stared into the plea in her blue eyes and sighed.
“Bonnet, I promised to keep an open mind but I will draw the line of letting you pick out my future bride. If I must give up love, it will be for a woman I choose.”
A blonde, preferably, he thought. Slender and elegant. And biddable. He loved Bonnet, but a lifetime of a woman who could manage him so easily was not something he wanted in the future. He allowed his sister the control simply because of she had helped him and he owned her the respect. Besides, he was not foolish enough to believe that anyone would come close to running the day to day household tasks as she did. After their parent’s death, they both fell into their assigned roles and worked well keeping the family running smoothly. They had no option. The thought of being separated from their family was unacceptable. Storm took his father’s place at the head of the family and Bonnet took over all their mothers day-to-day tasks. Neither was able to mourn their loss at they should have been allowed. All the knew was that if they did not take on their roles, their family would never have managed to remain together.
But, both had discussed, painfully and with a frankness that they could only show each other, his need of a wife. It had been nearly five years since their death. Storm was not the man he was now. Before his parents passed, he was everything the eldest son of a powerful duke usually was. Arrogant, entitled and living as if he had nothing to lose. There was still kindness in him back then, his mother saw to it. And an unwavering devotion to family that kept him from becoming one of the truly reprehensible men of the ton. His parents had loved deeply and with their whole soul. They insisted that none of their children would settle for less than that when it came to for them to wed. But then, one day, everything changed.
“I am sorry, Storm. I am trying to make this as painless for you as possible.”
He saw the pain in her eyes. Bonnet was always honest with him. Brutal at points. But always, honest. Reach out to him, she placed her hand on his arm and gently squeezed it.
“It has been five years Storm. It is time. If we do not try to move on none of the others will.”
Pouring himself another brandy, Storm raised it to his sister and drank it all in one swift motion.
“We do not need to have this discussion again, it was quite miserable the first time. I have made you a promise, Bonnet. I will due my duty. I will marry, even without love, but I am going to be the one who choose my bride.”
Two days before heading to London to prepare for the season ahead, Bonnet had approached him with the idea of his marrying. He had completely disregarded her request, but she pressed on and suddenly, Storm faced the truth. She was right. It was time for him to marry. His brother, Hunter, he would not do well if he had to inherit the title. Since they had been very young it was clear that his brother was ill suited to take on the role of Duke. Hunter was happiest when he was in the country, tending to his stud, preferring horses to gaming rooms and the quiet nights at home over dancing through the prominent ballrooms of London. His brother would never be happy inheriting.
When he had spoken with his father, Hunter had never been a concern. Although he was a second son, his father was a strong, healthy, vibrant man. With Storms devotion to family, no one believed that Hunter would ever be in a position to inherit. Then, one dreadful day, their father was gone and everything thing had changed. He could recall many late-night conversations with Bonnet about the uncertainly of life and death. Who was to say that Storm could not, just as easily, come to an untimely death? Their family would not survive such an event. Hunter would not survive it.
So, with the sound of thunder and lightning crashing around outside, on a day not that much different than today, it had been decided. Storm needed an heir. And if he needed an heir, he needed a wife. Apparently, Bonnet felt that five years of tempting fate ad been enough. He would marry for the sake of his brother. For the sake of his title, and he would do it whether he was in love or not.
“I did not come here to tell you who to marry. I merely came here to let you know who you may wish to consider.”
The image of the Felicity Pinecrest came to his mind. She was new to London. He had yet to hear anything about the family. Her smile was charming, and her hair was as golden as the sun. She was young and sweet and just the kind of biddable woman that might suit. He would certainly pay close attention to her this season. Trapped in his thoughts, he did not notice his sister cross to him. Bonnet’s hand came to his cheek.
“You truly are a wonderful brother, Storm. You know I only want the best things for you.”
An uncharacteristic tear came to her eye and he brushed it away.
“No tears precious. We promised each other we had shed enough. I have been blessed to have you as a sister. I could have never raised this family without you. These past few years have been hard, on us both, but I will do my duty this season.”
It was the truth. He and Bonnet had struggled and fought some amazing battles to raise the younger ones when their parents had died. All Storm could do was brace for the next sacrifice he would have to make. Collecting herself, his sister broke the melancholy mood that had settled over them.
“Very well, you have given me your word to look for a bride and I will hold you to it. Chance mentioned that you met someone in the park?”
A smile came to his lips. Bonnet would make a fine match making mother one day.
“Sisters actually. Chance accidently collided into the one woman, and I fear I tread on her bonnet.”
“What was her name?”
Storm thought very hard.
“Um… I do not know that I remember. Her sister, Felicity had mentioned it, but she never formally introduced herself to me. Pinecrest is the last name. Felicity Pinecrest is quite amiable and lovely. I was quite taken with her. Do you know of the family?”
Bonnet shook her head.
“They must be new to London. If you would like me to I am sure I can find out where they reside. I am sure someone must know them.”
Storm nodded.
“I already have sent a footman out to track them down. I thought I should replace the woman’s bonnet.”
His sister looked at him suspiciously
“So, let me understand this. You are going to send a new bonnet to the sister of the woman you are actually thinking of pursuing?”
Storm nodded. Bonnet shook her head.
“Oh Storm, that is a terrible idea.”
“Why? I ruined the poor woman’s bonnet. It is the right thing to do.”
“Yes, it is, but you are not doing it because it is the right thing to do. You are doing it to impress the woman’s sister and that is why it is a terrible idea.”
Storm looked at his sister perplexed.
“I think it is brilliant. What better way to impress a woman than to show kindness to her sister?”
His sister snickered.
“I can think of at least twenty better ways without a moment’s thought. I can assure you, that sending a new bonnet to a woman whose name you do not even remember, just to impress her sister, is not going to turn out well.”
“I think Felicity called her Elly. Is that short for something?”
Bonnet sighed.
“Most likely Eleanor or Ellen.”
“Eleanor. She seemed like an Eleanor. That is a brunettes name if ever I heard one.”
His sister rolled her eyes.
“You are impossible.”
“It is one of my charms.”
Snorting with laugher, his sister head toward the door.
“At least you are going to make the start of the season very interesting. Although, if this is how you think you should court a woman, I may have to choose a wife for you after all. You will, no doubt, ruin your own chances.”
Storm called after her.
“I assure you that my ability to fetch myself a wife is not in the dire state you feel it is. I am a blasted duke after all. With a blasted fortune. And I will go about it as I seem fit. You will not line up a string of single young ladies at my feet this season Bonnet.”
Bonnet just smiled.
“I would not dream of it dear brother. You are a blasted duke, with a blasted fortune after all. Once it becomes obvious that you are seeking a wife the string of single young ladies at your feet will not be my doing at all.”
She looked to him in such innocence that he knew she was already scheming. With a sigh, he watched her exit the room. Storm doubted that even the Lord could prevent Bonnet from interfering, although he found himself praying just in case. He wanted a biddable woman. A quiet, meek, and pretty woman, who would adore him and who he would adore without having to worry about what her next scheme would be.
The reality of it all, Storm thought sadly, was simply that they could not continue as they were forever. He needed a wife and an heir. This season, it was time to turn from his rakish ways and face his duty. This season, he would find the right blonde for himself and tuck her away in his arms forever.
The blonde in the park was exactly what he was looking for. Convinced it would only benefit him to get a head start on the other gentleman, Storm rose and grabbed his coat. He had a bonnet to go purchase. He was right about the gift. What better way to make a good impression than to offer a gift to her sister? Besides, the eldest Pinecrest woman could certainly use a new garment. Even he knew that bonnet he had crushed was in poor condition even before his boot met it.