'And Then Came A Duke'
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.
A/N: Ahem. Yeah so this is my new story which is loosely based on Tessa Dare's story 'Any Duchess Will Do' from her Spindle Cove series. The novel is absolutely wonderful so do read it too. Don't forget to review, I'll be looking out for your feedback and criticisms.
"Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies."
― Dorothy Allison
Prologue:
England, 1814
'Noll,
I'm returning, I'd promised that I'd be coming back after all this is done. I'll keep it –'
The letter was worn by age, the edges were fraying and the small creases on it were becoming apparent as time passed – he had opened and closed it many times, sometimes consciously, sometimes in a haze that he couldn't remember.
The paleness of the letter could not undo the situation. Nothing could.
"How long do you think you can hide it?" It was a rhetorical statement made by his long-time friend but he did not want to talk on this. "From her, I mean."
The empty champagne flute glinted on his desk, sunlight filled his room; the black curtains finally parted after months of being shut but the room's occupant could care less.
He'd grown used to the darkness, he thrived in it.
"Oliver," The voice rang out again. "I'm talking to you and you damn well know it."
Still he refused to answer, he wasn't sure he could if he tried to even – it was still too early to broach this subject, too soon. So he broke down every dilemma into small, monotonous words.
"She'll break Lin." He continued writing in the ledgers, counting up numbers but his mind kept on straying to the letter. That note he'd despised, which made him despise himself. "If I tell her, she'll break."
Lin could only run a hand through his hair at the words, aggravated.
"Noll, listen." Lin began determinedly. "You'll have to tell her in the end. Her trauma is inevitable but don't torture her by prolonging the news."
He finally looked up at Lin, eyes narrowed.
"Lin, I won't, not yet and if Madoka is putting you to this stern lecturing do tell your Viscountess that probing into my matters will not end up favourably for her."
The protest rose in Lin's eyes but he subdued it, taming it into his usual icy countenance.
"Do you know what she's doing now?" Lin hissed, striding purposefully towards him, slamming a hand on the desk, upsetting the inkpot that seeped in the letter, flushing it with black. "Do you know Noll?!"
"Lin, calm down, there's no need to – "
"She's finding him a bride!" Lin burst out, outrage seeping from his being. "A goddamned wife do you hear me Noll?! She says it's her project for the summer, finding a bride for him when he returns!"
At this his head shot up, his eyes widening as the statement was doused over him like cold, icy water in January.
Luella was finding a bride for…for a person who wasn't even…a person whom she believed would –
"Lin." Oliver stood up almost upsetting the chair in the process. "Lin we have to stop her…now."
"Ah yes, of course." Lin's quiet sarcasm was biting. "Of course we do and the only way to accomplish such a feat would be to tell her the truth or else she'll do it. She is your mother after all and it has been four years already. Her patience is waning."
"She needs to be stopped."
The sentence wouldn't leave his head, she believed that he would return but what she didn't know could potentially hurt her…how was he supposed to tell her that…
He didn't know what to do but something had to be done.
Now.
"She is going to do something alarming. A bride?! Where does she get these ideas from!"
Lin muttered something under his breath which sound suspiciously like an answer to his question.
The two men exited the room but left behind the ink stained letter, burdened with the strain of the last four years.
Some things were better kept quiet, veiled by a basic lie and then more lies and more improvisations - amusing how naturally it came to one when you first started to shroud it with your fabrications.
But this load was his to carry - he would make sure it would no one would share it with him.
'Noll
I'm returning, I'd promised that I'd be coming back after all this is done. I'll keep it, next month if the winds are favourable. I am in your debt, though, I hope you might have done something more interesting than keeping accounts and being the landlord in my absence. If you haven't, I apologize. I hope you will answer this missive. Preferably through Mother if you please, it has been quite a while since I've heard from her.
Alas, the duties of a duke.
Eugene.
Dated 14 of April, 1810'
A/N: So *cough* umm…yeah. I just got into the habit of reading Regency Romances over the past year and I couldn't help but put it into a GH story. The prologue may have been slightly crappy but if you squint, you'll see the catch in the story :) Look out for new chapters!
Give in your feedback through reviews! Till next time.
Cookies,
-borntoflyhigh-