Eloisa James - Duchess by Night

Eloisa James

Duchess By Night

This book is dedicated to Georgette Heyer. Though a few writers before her did dress women in male clothing (Shakespeare comes to mind), Ms. Heyers bril iantly funny cross-dressed heroines set the standard for al modern romance novelists.

I couldnt get my characters into clothing at al without the help of three fabulous people: my editor, Carrie Feron; my assistant, Kim Castil o; and my research assistant, Franzeca Drouin. I am enormously grateful to each of you.

Final y, the readers on my online bul etin board (www.eloisajames.com) are a constant delight, provocation, and source for ideas. Please stop by and join us!

Contents

Chapter One

In Which Cinderel a Dresses for the Bal and Her Fairy Godmother Brings a Goose Instead of a Pumpkin

Another chapter in Which Breasts Play a Not-insignificant Role

In Which the Geography of Pleasure is Dissected

In Which Sin & Silver Boxes are Itemized and Explained

In Which Masculinity is Described and Detailed

Justice By Duchess, Part Two

In Which Strange Guests Arrive at Lord Stranges House

The Definition of Marital Success

Of Mathematical Angles and Men in Flesh-colored Silk

In Which Plans are Made for Lord Stranges Enticement

Yet Stil She Lies, and to Him Cries, Once More!

In Which Manhood is AchievedAlbeit With Some Discomfort

A Chapter in Which the Delights of Swordplay and Manhood are Confused

Friendship in an Unexpected Place

The Tahitian Feast of Venus

The Leaning Brothel of Fonthil

In Which Harriet Finds Herself Shocked

Harriets Shock, Part Two

In the Company of Angels

Chapter Twenty-One

Of Rats and Their Ability to Change Their Spots

Lay Me Down and Rol Me to a Whore. Or Not.

Of Ladies, Amazons, Whoremongers, and Prickles

The Scandal! A Woman in Breeches

The Intoxicating Air of Fonthil

In Which Harriet Joins The Game. Final y.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Marriage Proposals are So RomanticSometimes

Chapter Thirty

An Unexpected Marriage

In Which Lord Stranges Reputation Takes a Strange Turn

Chapter Thirty-Three

Fear

Yet Leave a Kiss But in the Cup

Chapter Thirty-Seven

To Be Better Than a Game

The Definition of Manhood, Under Discussion Again

Chapter Forty

Duchess By Day

A Chapter of Revelationsof Fathers and Brothels

A Note About Card Games, Fashionable Vices, and Family Courts

About the Author

Praise

Other Books by Eloisa James

Copyright

About the Publisher

December 15, 1783

Shire Court

The Duchy of Berrow

Honorable Reginald Truder, presiding

I didnt mean to marry both of them!

The problem, said the duchess, leaning forward, is not marrying twice, but marrying a second husband while the first is stil alive.

Wel , I didnt want Avery to die, Loveday Bil ing explained. I just wanted to marry John, thats al . I couldnt stop myself. I was that tired, and lonely, and hehe sat with me of an evening.

The judge snorted and Loveday thought he might have woken up, but then he started snoring again.

The Duchess of Berrow had very kind eyes, but she shook her head at Loveday. You were already married to Avery, that is, Mr.

Mosley, when you married John.

Loveday hung her head. Avery left me three years ago, she said. I didnt know as how he wanted me anymore, because he said I was stupider than a sow in springtime.

The duchess had a quiet sort of prettiness about her, like a preachers wife. Her gown was black, but it had a shine to it. Her hair was lovely too, looped and fril ed and ruffed over her head, the way fine ladies did those things. And her eyes were so forgiving that Loveday suddenly felt like tel ing the truth. It was as if she were a youngster back in her mothers kitchen, having stolen a cake.

I aint real y married to Avery Mosley, she said. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Avery swing up his head. I was already married before I married Avery. And I didnt real y marry him because it were an Irish minister named Usher and he told me privately that it werent a real marriage.

Avery probably fel off his chair at that news, but Loveday was focused on the duchess. My da married me off the first time, when I was twelve.

Twelve!

The duchess looked a bit stricken, so she tried to explain. It wasnt so bad. I had developed, you see, and I was worth something, and it wasnt so bad.

What is his name?

That was Mr. Buckley. But he died, so after Mr. Buckley passed on, I married Harold Eccles.

I dont suppose that Mr. Eccles is dead? The duchess sounded hopeful.

Hes about as alive as anyone could be in debtors prison. I always visits him when Im in London. Two hatbands and a coat, they got him for. Hes been there almost eleven years now.

So I married she paused for a moment, just to get it right Monsieur Giovanni Battista. He was an Italian man, and he said hed take me away. But he gave me a pair of gloves, and then he went away instead.

And then Mr. Mosley came along? the duchess asked.

Loveday nodded. I shouldnt have done it, she said. I knows as I shouldnt have. But I didnt know what to do, and he asked me.

But he left.

You were in a difficult position, the duchess said. If I have this right, your first husband died, the second is in prison, the third went to Italy, the fourth was not a real marriage, and the fifth

I had no one to care for myself and the babes because my dad doesnt speak to me after the Italian man.

Children? The duchess looked through the long pieces of paper that were floating around the table. Theres no mention of children in these pleadings.

The fancy London man standing next to John answered. It was not considered relevant to the matter at hand, Your Grace. My client married her in good faith as the certificates indicate. And may I point out that these court proceedings are highly irregular? Surely the Honorable Judge Truder should be roused?

The duchess ignored him. Loveday could have told the London man that in Berrow, this was the way of it. Truder was a drunk, but it didnt real y matter as he and the duchess did the business together, just as it was in the old days, and that was good enough for the town of Berrow.

Whose children are they? the duchess said, turning back to Loveday.

Al of them, real y, Loveday said hopelessly. I gave them each one. Except for John, of course, because we only married a bit ago.

You have four children? the duchess asked.

Five. Harold, him as is in prison, has two.

There was silence in the courtroom. Loveday could hear John moving his feet. If onlybut it was too late.

You are real y Mrs. Eccles, the duchess observed.

Loveday nodded. I know as how youre right, Mrs. Duchess.

Your Grace, a man next to her hissed.

Your Grace, she said obediently. But Harold is in debtors prison.

The duchess looked over at the box, so Loveday looked too. There was John, with his blue eyes. And Avery with his angry smal mouth, just like always.

Why did you pursue this indictment, Mr. Mosley? the duchess asked.

Avery burst into words, but the gist of it was that he wanted her back, even after the things he said about her.

The duchess looked at him steadily. Then she turned back to Loveday. Have you any money? she asked.

Oh, no, Loveday said. Ive no money but what my husbands give me.

There was quiet for a moment, and then the duchess said, even more gently, Is your father stil alive, Mrs. Eccles?

Yes, but he and she stopped.

The duchess folded her hands and looked so sweet. Hes il , isnt he?

I heard so, Loveday whispered.

And your father has some money that he might leave you?

Loveday looked back at Johns blue eyes, and she felt like a fool. Thats why Avery wants me back. Because of the mil . And JohnI suppose thats why John courted me. For the mil .

John got up and left, so that sort of spoke for itself.

Avery left too, so Loveday cried for a little bit, and then the duchess said, You were very wrong to marry so many men, Loveday.

I know, Loveday said, sniffling.

Im going to advise the judge to acquit you. But you mustnt marry again. I want you to bail out Mr. Eccles. And then live with him.

I wil , Loveday promised.

The duchess reached over and poked the judge. He snorted once or twice and woke up. She said something to him and he snorted again and said, Case dismissed! Then he slumped back down in his chair.

Loveday stood there for a moment before she realized she was free to go. Except the duchess wanted to see her. So she went to the front, and the duchess took her hand. She told her a fairy tale, about how Mr. Ecclesthat would be Harold, in prisonshould treat her like a princess, because she was to be a mil owner.

Loveday just smiled and smiled. That duchess was the most lovely, best-smel ing woman in the world. She had a funny way of talking, and daft ideas, but you couldnt help liking her. Especial y when she sat right there, holding Lovedays handLoveday, who everyone said was as stupid as a sow though she wasnt.

And final y the duchess gave her five pounds, which she could use to get Harold out of prison right away. Harold didnt owe more than a pound or two, even counting charges for board, so Loveday tried to give some back, but the duchess wouldnt take it.

Then the judge woke up again and he seemed to have a terrible problem with gas, so the duchess smiled at Loveday just as if she were a normal person, and they both left the room.

Loveday Bil ing had never been so happy in her life.

A duchess liked her, and had quitted her, whatever that meant, and told her what to do.

And she did just that.

In Which Cinderella Dresses for the Ball and Her Fairy Godmother Brings a
Goose Instead of a Pumpkin

January 6 (Twelfth Night), 1784

A Costume Bal

The Country Seat of the Duke of Beaumont

N ursery tales are ful of fascinating widows, although they arent always the nicest characters. Cinderel as stepmother likely put on a dazzling gown for the princes bal , even if her daughters did inherit her big feet and sharp tongue.

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, realized soon after her husband died that there are glamorous widows, and then there are widows who live in shoes with too many children, like poor Loveday Bil ing. There are widows who dance al night with younger men, and then there are dowdy widows who are offered only pinched smiles.

Harriet had no il usions about what kind of widow she was. She was the kind who lived in a shoe, and never mind the fact that she had no children and her estate was much larger than a shoe.