“Rake.”
Wait a moment... Did he say Foxdrey? Oh, no…
As the carriage rolled away, the wheels clicking over the cobblestones, the truth of his identity hit her.
That was Andrew Pasley—the Duke of Foxdrey, and a notorious rake… better known as theMayfair Fox.
“The Mayfair Fox has decided to visit us in Stormglen?” Eleanor smirked, leaning against the doorframe. “And he brought a dog. How quaint.”
“You’re too innocent to know the nature of my business, dear cousin,” Andrew said, patting Darling. “Now, where is my niece?”
Penelope came flying out of the house from behind Eleanor, her smile wide. “Uncle Andrew!”
“Penelope!” Andrew crouched down in front of his niece, holding out Darling. “I’ve brought you a present.”
“A dog?” Penelope’s eyes grew wide as she took Darling and cradled her close, kissing the top of her head. “I love her!”
“Her name is Darling, and if you train her well, you will never have a more loyal companion.”
Penelope nodded, her smile glowing bright before she turned and disappeared back into the estate. Eleanor straightened up and pushed the door open wider, motioning for Andrew to follow her.
He entered the house behind her, shutting the door and following her into the parlor.
“You came to Stormglen with a dog. Why? What do you want?” Eleanor smiled as she perched on the chair in the corner, her hands folding in her lap.
Andrew sat down on the couch opposite her, leaning back against the cushion and stretching his legs in front of him, crossing his feet at the ankles. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Be honest.” Eleanor laughed, nodding to the maid who brought in a tray with tea and little cakes. “I’ve known you too long to fall for the innocent act, Andrew.”
“I have a need for a duchess, and I thought you might know someone who would be good enough.”
“Good enough?” Eleanor scoffed as the maid poured them both cups of tea, handing them off once they were poured and sweeping out of the room.
“Yes, that is what I said.” He sipped his tea before setting it back down on the table and reaching for one of the little yellow cakes. “I need a wife who is good enough. A match that’s going to earn me respect and keep men from wanting to kill me because their wives choose to look at me a little too long.”
“I can hardly believe this. You want to settle down. I never thought I would see the day when you wanted to find a wife. I thought you would be a bachelor forever. Lonely. Miserable. Lost in that horrid Mayfair Fox gambling business of yours.”
“The Mayfair Fox is hardly horrid. I will admit that it could be a bit unsavory at times, but the gambling house has done well for the Foxdrey estate after Father ruined it.”
“You have done well indeed. I mean it, Andrew.”
Andrew shrugged, glancing out the window and looking at the sun shining on the front gardens, melting some of the snow that resided there. Soon, early spring would take hold and the Season would begin. Andrew needed to be prepared. He needed Eleanor to help him navigate the horde of women looking for a family, even if he didn’t want to admit it to her.
Over the years, he had more than enough women looking to him for marriage. But now that he was thirty-two and had made a name for himself that damsels dared not even whisper, the ladies fathers shuffled them into other rooms the moment they knew Andrew was in the same one.
Hopefully, Eleanor would be able to find some woman whose father might be willing to tie her to him permanently.
“Why would you need help finding a wife?” Eleanor smirked around the lip of her teacup. “Haven’t you already bedded half theton? You are more familiar with debutantes than I will ever be.”
He rolled his eyes, knowing that his reputation was one of the reasons his business was struggling. Why the fortune he worked so hard to make was going to disappear if he didn’t do something about it.
“Hardly half. A third. And Inevereven touched a debutante. I have my own moral code, you see. I only ruin those who are beyond saving.” Andrew smirked, but the teasing smile fell quickly as he shook his head. He hadn’t thought about the ramifications of his actions until they came back to bite him. “I need a wife. Are you going to help me?”
“I will, but I don’t know what you hope to gain from this. You always said that you were never going to settle down, and I think that’s a well-known fact around theton.”
“The third of thetonI’ve bedded is the reason I need to marry, though this is far from settling down. This is a simple necessity that I’ve finally come to the conclusion I need.”
“Practical as ever.” Eleanor shook her head, taking a little cake for herself.
