The Theft of a Dukedom Read online

  Kitty and Aunt Agatha had arrived at Mickleton during the last week of June and this was her first chance to get out on her own. It took Agatha a little time to settle and relax the rules. To live in London and go abroad on your own a young lady would be exposing herself to enormous danger and gossip. But here in Durham, there was hardly anybeau mondeto speak of and certainly no commoner would touch her. They knew too well the consequences and nobody was ever in a hurry to go to the gallows.

  She had left the Hall early, the cook, Mrs. Hardy, had packed a lunch for her in a saddle bag. Kitty had thrown it over the rump of her black locally bred mare, Greta, named for the hamlet where she was born. She was thicker in the fetlocks than the thoroughbred Kitty rode in Hyde Park, but the fells are no place for delicate fetlocks. The ground was rough and hard and Kitty had every intention of galloping. She launched herself into the saddle, adjusted the skirt to give her a little decency and clicked her tongue to start the horse moving.

  The drive way to Mickleton Hall was almost a quarter of a mile long and by the time Kitty reached the main road for the village, she was already galloping. She burst out onto the road, forcing the horse to turn abruptly and galloped down to the village. She slowed to a canter through the village and was greeted affably by the populace. She nodded and waved to everyone she saw and pushed the horse back up to a gallop the other side. She laid her face alongside the horse’s neck and drove the animal along at a break neck pace, until they arrived at Romaldkirk, where she stopped in the centre of the village and let the horse rest. Kitty slid off her back and led her to the trough for a good drink. While she waited for the horse to have its fill, she was approached by the local priest.

  ‘Good morning, Lady Amelia.’ He greeted her amiably.

  ‘Good morning Father. How is your flock?’ She asked brightly and was patient enough to listen to the priest tell her about poor Mrs. Green’s feet and how Old Man Talbot had passed away during the winter freeze.

  ‘And how is the Duke?’ he finished.

  ‘My Father is fine. He should be arriving in a week with his new wife.’

  ‘He has remarried?’ he asked indignantly.

  ‘How long is a man supposed to be alone and mourn his dead wife?’ she asked firmly. ‘My mother died over ten years ago. I think he has mourned her enough. Anyway you will like the new Duchess of Durham, Lady Victoria is very nice.’

  ‘I suppose the fact that you can praise her means she undoubtedly is a fine person.’

  Greta tossed her head as she finished drinking and Kitty sorted her reins. ‘You’ll see when she gets here. The last I heard they were stopping off at Bawtry to visit one of her relatives for a week.’ Kitty put her foot in the stirrup and launched herself into the saddle.

  ‘Where are you going today, My Lady?’ the priest asked. ‘Just in case someone from the Hall should ask.’

  ‘I’m going to Deepdale.’ She turned the horse. ‘I’ll perhaps see you another day, Father.’ She said in farewell and kicked the horse into a trot. She turned left at the cross roads and cantered down to the next village of Hunderthwaite and then it was across country.

  Kitty had taken her time and walked the horse through some of the more dangerous patches, but after fording three rivers she arrived at Deepdale.

  The view was breathtaking and she just stood there letting the wind fret at her skirt and beat a tattoo on her boots. She walked the horse along the ridge until she found the grassy plateau. She let the horse graze as she took down the lunch and sat on the grass watching the swallows soar, as she stripped off her gloves and listening to them screech and chatter as she opened the bag.

  ‘What have we got here?’ she asked and the horse came to have a sniff. There was a small stone bottle, with a cork in it, full of wine; there was buttered bread, cold meat, cheese and pork pie. To follow were a couple of apples, some sugar for dipping and some pastry tarts filled with jam. Out from her boot, Kitty slipped the long knife that Charles had gifted her one summer and she deftly cut an apple into segments. As she was eating she gave Greta a segment every so often, so that the apple lasted as long as her food.

  With a full stomach, she sighed in bliss, lay on her back and just dozed.

  Greta whinnied, loudly and Kitty sat up with a jerk. ‘You shouldn’t sleep out of doors, Kitty. It’s not good for your chest!’ Charles said and she whirled about to see him sitting on a rocky ledge.

  ‘Charles!’ burst from her and she threw herself at her brother. ‘When did you get here?’

  ‘I arrive an hour after you left.’ He said and squeezed her tightly against his chest. ‘I saw the good Father in Romaldkirk and he told me where you were going.’

  ‘How did the wedding go?’ she demanded and Charles sighed and resumed his seat. She sat on the grass, crossed legged, in front of him, as if he was telling a story.

  ‘The wedding went fine.’ He said proudly. ‘Half of thetonturned up, as you’d expect, to fill the Cathedral. The new Earl of Rutland even attended, although Richard hadn’t come back to London at that time.’

  ‘How is Richard?’ she asked softly and Charles grinned.

  ‘Waiting at Mickleton Hall!’

  ‘He’s here?’ she demanded and lurched to her feet. ‘Then we should go home!’

  ‘He can wait another half an hour, while my poor horse has a rest.’ Charles said jovially. ‘Anyway he’s got enough company with Louise and her parents, Anne and Lord Brooks, Millicent and her husband have arrived too and we’re all waiting for the happy couple.’

  ‘A house full, then.’ She said distantly.

  ‘Aren’t you looking forward to visitors?’ he asked.

  ‘Not really, Aunt Agatha only let me out for the first time today.’ She grumbled. ‘I’ve been riding the park for a week.’ She walked to the edge of the plateau and looked out over Deepdale again. ‘I forget how wild this place is. London is so tame in comparison and yet I feel safer here than I would in Hyde Park.'

  ‘It reminds me of Portugal.’ Charles said softly from beside her. ‘Rugged and wild.’

  ‘How’s your romance going with Lady Louise?’

  ‘It’s going fine!’ he said indignantly.

  ‘I think I shall ban the use of the word “fine”!’ She looked at him sharply. ‘Have you asked?’

  ‘Have I asked what?’ he asked deliberately obtuse.

  ‘For her hand, stupid!’

  ‘I asked the morning before we left London. He’s thinking about it.’

  Kitty laughed, delightedly. ‘That means he’ll say yes, and announce it while they’re here.’

  ‘How can you know that he’ll say yes?’ he asked piqued.

  ‘I know he will say yes. If Daddy hadn’t been stubborn about arranged marriages, Louise would have been engaged to Robin while she was still in swaddling!’ She smiled wickedly. ‘Lord Trenchard wants his eldest daughter to be a Duchess.’

  ‘Well, I shall be happy to oblige her.’ Charles said and smiled wickedly.

  ‘What happened about the Rochdale’s?’ she asked cautiously.

  ‘I gave Connie the brush off the night you left. Father and I discussed it and we decided not to do anything until you left.’

  ‘How did she react?’ Kitty asked coolly.

  ‘She was not best pleased. Apparently I must have impressed her and she was looking forward to another tryst.’ Charles explained. ‘But I made it clear that her husband was being a nuisance and she has stayed away from me.’

  ‘What about Louise, does she know you slept with Connie?’

  ‘Yes. I told her almost straight away, so that Rochdale couldn’t unsettle my plans to marry. I didn’t want either of them to be able to cause more trouble.’ He pulled his watch and checked the time. ‘Well, I’ve been here half an hour. I think we should start back.’

  She gathered up the reins of her horse and walked it off the plateau. They chatted amicably on the way back, until they reached Hunderthwaite and that’s where Kitty and Charles started racin
g.

  ‘I can’t do this for long!’ he shouted in the slipstream. ‘My thigh won’t permit it!’

  ‘Only until Romaldkirk!’ she said and kicked her mount firmly. The horse leapt forward spiritedly and Kitty again laid over it’s neck to drive it on. ‘Good girl!’ she murmured and watched the horse’s ears flicker. ‘Don’t let them win!’ She could feel the power in the horse as they pelted along the road with the dust flying up from their hooves. They were neck and neck as they barrelled into the village and they pulled up laughing at the trough.

  ‘I saw the pair of you.’ A harsh voice said and Kitty threw herself off her horse and into her father’s arms.

  ‘Daddy!’

  ‘I wish you wouldn’t dress like that.’ He remonstrated immediately.

  ‘It’s more comfortable when I’m going somewhere like Deepdale.’ She said. ‘Did you enjoy your honeymoon?’

  ‘Yes, the week at Cambridge was nice and the fortnight at Bawtry flew past. We stopped because I could see you racing, so you can follow the coach more slowly.’

  ‘Oh! Daddy! We were only racing to the trough. Once the horses have had water we’ll continue on at a more sedate pace.’

  ‘Why don’t I believe you.’ he said shaking his head as he walked back to the ducal carriage.

  Kitty watched the coach jerk into motion and waved at Victoria and her young son. ‘I hope I don’t get saddled with entertaining Edward.’

  ‘I shouldn’t think so. Victoria will have brought his governess and nanny.’

  When the horses had finished they mounted and cantered sedately back to Mickleton and that’s where Kitty really engendered her father’s ire.

  As they got close to the boundary of Mickleton Hall, Kitty looked at Charles impishly. ‘Don’t you dare!’ he said forcefully, but Kitty ignored him and forced her horse into a tight turn and jumped the boundary fence.

  ‘Kitty! You’re mad!’ he bellowed, but that didn’t stop him from following and then they were racing across the park. Kitty could see the ducal carriage on the drive and she urged her horse on.

  Thomas sat in a sweat in the coach. He knew exactly what Kitty was going to do. ‘Hang on my love. This will be close.’ He said and swept young Edward into his arms.

  ‘Oh! My Lord! What is she going to do?’ Victoria almost screamed, but it was obvious Kitty was racing to go across the front of the horses.

  Greta was so fleet of foot, the gap between her and the coach horses was enough not to even make them falter in their step. But Thomas still closed his eyes and waited for disaster. Charles galloped past behind the carriage as they headed for the stables.

  ‘You realise Father will not let you go off the park for a week now?’ Charles yelled as they approached the stables.

  ‘I won’t be able to with guests anyway!’ she shouted back as she slowed for the stable lane. She trotted Greta back to the paddock and walked her around for a few minutes, before she climbed down and removed her saddle. The groom arrived and took the tack away to the tackroom. Kitty continued to walk her horse until she heard her father’s voice calling her. Charles was still sitting on his horse.

  ‘Told you!’ he said arrogantly and continued to walk around the paddock. She ran out to greet her father again, knowing what was coming.

  ‘How dare you!’ he shouted at her. ‘You scared Victoria to death. You are now on notice. If I see anymore reckless behaviour I will restrict you to your rooms!’ and he turned on his heel and stalked away.

  She walked back to her horse and picked up the reins. The groom came back and helped Charles with his saddle, taking it away. ‘Here, give me your horse. You should go in.’ Kitty said softly. ‘I’ll be in when I’ve seen to Greta and Thor.’ She said naming his stallion as she led them away to the stable block.

  ‘Don’t be too long. You know Agatha is planning tea!’ he shouted after her.

  ‘I’ll be there!’ she shouted back and vanished into the stable yard.

  Charles shook his head, recognising that she sometimes had the same wildness as Robin and it was only her sex that kept it under control.If she’d been a boy, she would probably have been just as bad as Robin. He thought as he approached the terrace at the back of the Hall.I suppose the only reason I’m not like that is because I went into the army and learned self discipline!

  He looked up at the back of the Hall. Nobody could ever say it was a modest Hall. It was the size of the Palace at Versailles and had the same size gardens. Even standing on the terrace he could see the ornate fountain in the middle of the formal lawn. All the windows, and there were seventy two of them, were leaded. It was a sixty room Ducal Residence. Every suite had a sitting room, bedroom, dressing room and even a separate room for bathing. Downstairs was a dining room of medieval proportions, with a thirty seater dining table made of good old English oak. The formal drawing room was the size of the complete downstairs of the London residence with pockets of seating scattered throughout the vast room and in between the two, were his father’s study, the library, numerous sitting rooms and parlours, the breakfast room, the music room, a conservatory and that didn’t include any of the ten rooms set aside for the staff. As usual there was an army of footmen and maids that were housed in the attics. As children, the three of them could be in the Hall and not see another soul all day. Sometimes not even the staff.

  Charles walked through the doors into the drawing room and couldn’t see another person. He decided to go and change.I think I’ll need my stick again, before the end of the day!He thought as he felt his thigh twinge from the riding.Still! It’s a lot better than it was.By the time he was in his room, he looked out of the window to see Kitty running from the stables.

  Kitty ran through the back door, into the staff working area and yelled. ‘Mary!’ Her maid scurried out of the kitchen. ‘Mary, good! I need a bath, so could you send up some water for me, please?’ Kitty said brightly.

  ‘Yes, My Lady.’ Mary said and curtsied, but Kitty was already running through the corridors to the main hall.

  She took the stairs two at a time and ran down the landing to the family rooms. She was surprised to see Robin’s door open so she went and looked to see who was in there. She found a governess and a nanny fussing over one small Duke.

  ‘Good afternoon, Your Grace.’ She said formally. ‘I’m Lady Amelia, but you can call me Kitty, like everybody else does.’

  ‘Edward Bertrand.’ He said proudly and held out his hand.

  Kitty walked forward and took his hand in a firm grip, shaking it like a man. ‘I’m pleased to meet you.’

  ‘Uncle Thomas said I would be alright in this room, but I’m not sure.’ Kitty smiled kindly.

  ‘You’ll be fine in this room. Nobody uses it anymore, so it’ll now be called Edward’s room.’ He smiled for the first time.

  ‘You were the lady on the horse!’ he said and giggled. ‘Uncle Thomas was spitting nails!’

  ‘I would never have endangered any of you, Edward. My father is too precious to me and now so will your mother be.’ She laughed, ‘but that doesn’t mean I won’t give him a scare now and then!’

  ‘I’ve never had a sister before. Can I call you just Kitty?’ he asked innocently.

  ‘Of course, so long as I can call you Edward.’ Kitty said. ‘Your Grace is so long winded!’

  ‘What’s your proper title?’ he asked curiously as he sat on the bed.

  ‘The Countess of Stainmore.’ She said and pointed out of the window, towards the south. ‘Stainmore Forest is south of here, almost on the border with North Yorkshire. Charles is the Marquis of Pikeston,’ she turned in the other direction and pointed, ‘and that’s over there on the other side of the Tees.’

  ‘What’s the Tees?’ he asked as he came to stand next to her.

  ‘It’s a river. If father will let us, I’ll show you Cauldron Snout and the falls at High Force while your here, but it will be a massive outing and we’ll probably have to take everyone.’

  ‘What are th
ose places?’ he asked excitedly.

  ‘Waterfalls, for want of a better word.’ She said and smiled. ‘But nothing like Niagara Falls in America.’

  ‘Have you been to America?’ he asked

  ‘No. But I hope to one day. I did see a very good painting of the falls in London a couple of years ago.’ She stroked the head of the boy beside her. ‘Well, I have to go and bathe. My father has already told me off for my apparel, so now I must be the Countess.’ She smiled at the boy. ‘I’ll see you at tea.’

  ‘I shall look forward to it.’ He said formally and bowed his head. She gave him the proper curtsey and quickly went to her room as she could see an army of footmen bringing her bathwater.

  Charles arrived in the drawing room just in time to hear Abigail Trenchard say to Aunt Agatha, ‘She looked positively wild! Her hair was loose for goodness sake! And the britches!’

  Margaret Bonham just looked amused. ‘She’s like Thomas!’ she said. ‘They all are, that’s why Robin was so wild. If Kitty had been a boy and a ducal heir, she would probably have been just as bad!’

  Charles looked at Lady Abigail quite coldly. ‘Have you ever tried riding in the fells in a riding habit, Lady Trenchard?’ He asked pointedly as he helped himself to tea. ‘I can assure you, you would change to britches for that kind of outing. The ground is rough and she had to ford three rivers to get to her destination.’ He shook his head and smiled. ‘Not conducive territory for a skirt, but the scenery is stunning.’ He laughed. ‘When she gets downstairs you’ll see the epitome of a Lady, I can assure you.’ and he turned away.

  ‘I hope you’re as protective of Louise?’ Abigail Trenchard said curtly and Charles stopped dead, span on his heel and speared her with his coldest expression.

  ‘If I should be fortunate enough to receive your husband’s permission to marry her, she will have every form of protection I can give her!’ He walked quickly away, biting his tongue so as not to make matters worse. ‘Insufferable woman!’ he muttered.