‘Please---I would like to talk to him,’ Madison appealed to Carlton, as her eyes followed Chadwick slipping away from her presence and possibly her life. Carlton looked at the striking lady sympathetically. Sadly she was not the first to lose her heart to the debonair and rather strapping duke. He had seen the dozens of females both of polite society and others who had attempted to attain the impossible with the elusive, relationship shy duke. What silently bemused Carlton was the duke’s unconventional dismissal of this charming lady. Carlton had always witnessed the duke at pains to be ever so polite to everybody. Friends and foe alike received the same cordial reception. None knew his true feelings. Even the ladies, who persistently clamoured for his attention, after his interest had waned, were treated with the utmost tolerance. Carlton wondered now at the duke’s rare display of emotion. Could it be because he had just heard of his father’s passing? Or perhaps finally one has captured the heart of His Grace, Addinell Chadwick Busquent d’Angers, the ninth Duke of d’Angerville.

‘You may try, my lady,’ Carlton smiled sympathetically.

Madison rushed up the stairs in a manner so undignified of a polite lady it would make her mother gasp in horror. Whatever would her mother say if she knew her supposed to be respectable daughter was running unchaperoned to a gentleman’s chamber, even if that gentleman was a duke?

Madison pushed the door opened and found Chadwick with his back to the door looking out the window. Had she noticed previously how broad his sturdy shoulders were? Or how they tapered into a breathtaking V down his pelvic girdle? He must have sensed her presence for he swung around, an angry scowl on his face, dark eyes narrowed like fiery darts ready to spear her.

‘You should not be up here Lady Madison,’ he flung at her.

‘Chadwick,’ she rushed to him. ‘I want to marry you,’ she gripped his wrists.

‘It is not me you want to marry!’ he shoved her away. ‘I am certain it is the title that impresses you.’

‘I have ended my betrothal to Earl Swain,’ she reached for him, trying to convince him.

‘Sure, now that you set your sights on being a duchess!’ he spat. ‘Do not bank on the title my Lady Madison. I do not intent to claim it. I have no need of it.’

‘You do not want it! Surely you have no choice?’ she questioned.

Do I not? My father disowned me three years ago.

‘It can lay buried with the eighth Duke,’ Chadwick hissed. ‘Actually, you and he have a lot in common,’ a cruel smile flashed across his face. It made Madison feel cold to her bones. ‘Prestige meant a lot to my father.' He looked at her disgustedly. Clearly he had had issues with his father, but what has that to do with him and her?

‘I love you,’ her eyes filled with moisture.

‘Strange how you will risk social censure today,’ he mocked. ‘You presume the ton will be forgiving if you discard an earl for a duke?’

‘I do not care about your title,’ tears rushed down her cheeks.

‘Spin me another yarn my lady,’ he laughed cruelly. ‘Might I remind you,’ he dragged out painfully, ‘when I lay in your arms, how you rejected my offer? I was not worthy enough when you thought I was a commoner,’ he spat.

‘Chad---your grace, I did not know of your title when I walked in this morning---‘

‘Leave,’ he shoved her away in disgust. ‘I need to go and bury my father.’

‘Please---,’ Madison fell at Chadwick’s feet. She gripped his ankles pleadingly. ‘Take me with you,’ she sobbed. ‘I cannot live without you.’

‘You will survive,’ he jerked his leg out of her grip. ‘I am sure the Swine awaits you and you deserve him.’

Devastated and defeated, Madison walked out of Chadwick’s home with her head bowed.

‘My lady, shall I take you home?’ Buttons asked in a sympathetic tone.

She barely nodded. Quite frankly she did not care where Buttons rode to. If he kept on riding into eternity, that would also be fine.

Madison braced herself when they arrived home. Rankin’s carriage was parked outside. She inhaled deeply and walked into the fiery furnace. She did not know why Buttons followed her in, but his presence was a comfort.

‘Madison---thank the good lord you have returned?’ her mother spoke with trepidation. ‘The earl has told us the most bizarre thing,’ she laughed nervously. ‘I told him he must be mistaken.’

He is not mistaken.

Madison’s eyes shifted to her father’s.

‘Madison where have you been?’ her father demanded furiously.

‘My lady here is the books from the lending library?’ Buttons mumbled, with his head lowered. Madison’s eyes widened.

Where on earth did he pick the books up from?

‘I guess that answers my question,’ Baron Sanford smiled with relief. ‘You see Earl Swain, Madison was just at the library.’ The Sanfords were at pains to reassure Rankin that his betrothal to their daughter was still in place.

‘Hello dear,’ Rankin took the few steps to Madison. Smiling broadly, he attempted to place a kiss on her cheek. She moved away sharply.

‘Earl Swain,’ she was at pains to be polite.

‘Shall we take a walk dear?’ Rankin’s patronizing tone was riling her to no end. His unwelcome arm around her waist wanted to make her scream in a most unladylike fashion.

‘I do not see the need,’ Madison refused to meet Rankin’s eyes.

‘Darling the earl is your fiancé. You need some time together,’ he mother urged desperately.

‘I am not marrying the earl,’ Madison’s eyes met her father’s defiantly.

‘What?’ her mother exclaimed, almost choking on her saliva.

‘Thank you Buttons,’ Baron Sanford dismissed the groom.

‘Yes sir,’ he bowed and left in a hurry. Madison felt cold without his presence for some reason.

‘What is this nonsense?’ her father snarled.

‘I---do not wish to marry the earl any longer.’

‘Have you taken leave of your senses Madison? Your wedding is in a week’s time.’ Her father’s raised voice deflected against the walls and echoed in Madison’s eardrums with deafening effect.

No they have just returned to me.

‘I am sorry,’ she looked at Rankin. ‘But there is going to be no wedding,’ she met her father’s livid glare boldly.

‘Earl Rankin,’ the baron smiled uncomfortably. ‘Perhaps Madison needs some time. Why don’t you return tomorrow evening?’ he proposed.

Yet something told the baron, his daughter’s mind was made up. She was a determined one. When she challenged her father, she did not often yield to his way.

‘Don’t---.’ Madison directed that word at Rankin. ‘Do not return. I shall not change my mind. I am sorry,’ she murmured. ‘I have no desire to marry you anymore.’

‘Desire?’ Her mother exclaimed. ‘Darling you will grow to love the earl. He will make you happy. He will take care of you. Your father is giving him a very large dowry.’

And that is all that interest Earl Rankin Swain---the swine.

Madison smiled inwardly.

‘Perhaps there is somebody else?’ Rankin challenged Madison.

She looked up at him sharply.

How dare he?

‘There is nobody else---that wants me,’ she answered in a deflated tone. ‘Excuse me.’

Madison rushed up to her chamber. She locked the door and slid to the floor. Madison sat there unabashedly balling her eyes out. Her palms covered her face as she sobbed for her loss. Sobbed for the man that was riding away out of her life. Pain engulfed her like a giant ball of steel crushing her with excruciating pain. She cried until her eyes were sore and until no more tears would come.

‘My lady open the door please,’ from the recesses of sleep Madison heard Beth’s voice. She looked around and found she was lying on the cold floor. Her body was stiff, aching with pains. Her feet were numb under her knees. Her head was pounding. With much effort, she lifted her hand and turned the key in the door. She shifted slightly to allow Beth in.

‘Lady Madison,’ what on earth are you doing on the floor?’

Wishing I was dead.

‘The baroness wishes you to come to supper.’

It is already night?

‘I do not want supper.’

‘Whatever is the matter my lady,’ Beth knelt down next to Madison.

‘I do not wish to talk right now please Beth. Can you send a message to Lady Sarah please? Tell her I will be visiting her tomorrow morning.’

‘Yes, I will send Buttons, right away,’ Beth left the room.

'Madison, how lovely of you to visit,’ Sarah hugged her cousin, but when she felt Madison’s weight sagged against her, she knew something was wrong. She took a step back and gave Madison an enquiring look.

‘I have broken my betrothal to Rankin,’ she murmured.

‘I am really not surprised,’ Sarah hooked Madison’s arm into hers. They walked out into the garden. ‘My question is, what off you and Mr. Rochester?’

‘Oh Sarah,’ she sobbed. ‘I have been a fool, an utter fool. He said he loved me. He wanted to marry me, but I threw him away.’

‘I thought you did not want to marry Rankin!’

‘I don’t. I’m talking about Chadwick.’

‘What! Mr. Rochester ---loves you---want to marry you?’

‘You are not going to believe this, he is a duke!’

‘What!’ Sarah dropped to the bench in the garden. ‘He can’t be. There are no dukes by the name of Rochester.’

‘Does the name Duke of d’Angerville ring a bell?’

“d’ Angervile?” Sarah repeated. ‘That is like near the north pole. No wonder we never knew of it.

‘Chadwick,’ Madison murmured is, ‘Addinell Chadwick Busquent d’Angers, the ninth Duke of d’Angerville.’

‘So if you know he was a duke, why did you decline his offer?’

‘I did not know of his title,’ Madison groaned. ‘He hid it from me. I foolishly wanted to marry a man with a title. When Chadwick offered, whilst I was betrothed to Rankin, I declined his offer. He never let on, off his title, and now he won’t have me,’ she sobbed hysterically. ‘I do not know what to do.’

‘Hush,’ Sarah put her arms around her cousin. ‘Give him time, he will come around.’

‘He won’t,’ Madison wailed. ‘You should have seen that fierce look of hate in his eyes when he rejected me.’

‘I wish you didn’t play with fire Madison, but you have always been headstrong, even when we were little girls.’

‘Now is not the time to chastise me,’ Madison cried. ‘I feel so helpless and empty.’

‘I do not know what to say darling,’ Sarah dabbed at Madison’s eyes. ‘Maybe don’t give up. If he loves you, he will come back for you.’

‘Will he? Are you sure? Oh, I want nothing else,’ Madison exclaimed.

‘I pray he will,’ Sarah whispered.

‘I must return home. Father is most furious with me.’

‘Stay,’ Sarah pleaded. ‘I will ask mamma to send a note to tell Uncle Stanton you’re staying over.’

‘No. I am in enough trouble as it is. Let me go back,’ Madison stood up.

‘Take care my dearest cousin. I do hope for a happy ending for you.’

‘Good bye Sarah,’ Madison kissed her cousin fondly.

Carlton watched his master with gloom. It has been three weeks since he had buried his father, but the current duke seemed to have switched off emotionally. He did not receive any visitors. He never went out. He did not speak much, unless it had to do with matters of the estate or if tenants required his help about matters. He hardly ate his meals. His only comfort seemed to be the unending supply of whisky from the cellar. He often spent the entire day in his library, just gazing into space. It was like he was mentally and physically switched off, except when he used his hand, to take his glass to his mouth. Carlton wished he could remedy what ailed the duke, but what could he do? He was a mere servant.

When two weeks had passed and she still had not received any word from Chadwick, Madison decided she needed to get away from Cricklewoods. The news had already spread like wild fire around Cricklewoods and the ton of the end of her betrothal to Rankin. Where ever she walked there were whispered conversations, or the conversations stopped all together. Beyond caring what anybody thought anymore, least of all her concerned parents, Madison decided to visit her father’s aunt in Bath. She had always loved their visits to the coast when they were still young. She and Beth had arrived here a week ago, chaperoned by three of her father’s grooms. Once Madison and Beth were safely accommodated in Bath, with Granny Jean, the grooms returned to Cricklewoods. Every day Madison spent many hours sitting on the beach watching the tides come and go.

It was no surprise that Granny Jean Famworth and Madison had a special bond for both were alike in personality. Granny Jean herself, a free spirited girl, just like Madison, had fallen in love with a romantic shepherd boy. They had been married for forty two blissful years, until her doting husband had pass on from ill health. Madison spent her days alone on the beach and at night listened attentively as Granny Jean reminisced with endearing tales about her shepherd boy husband.

The howling wind pierced the air, making loose strands of hair fly across her face. Pebbles of dry sand hit against her baby soft feet, but Madison was oblivious of the weather or the high tide coming in. She did not even flinch when the cold salty water slapped against her legs. As usual every day this last month, her mind was consumed by thoughts of Chadwick.

Why did the Duke’s family live like hermits?

Why had she not known of his family?

Why was Chadwick not known by his title in the ton?

Why did he labour like a commoner, surely a Duke did not soil his hands?

Madison’s head was spinning like a wheel, frustrated at the lack of answers. When a furious wave slapped against her body, Madison gasped and woke up. She picked up her sandals and headed back on the short walk to Granny Jean’s cottage.

‘You are back early today, I am glad to see,’ Granny Jean smiled.

‘The winds were rather fierce,’ Madison spoke softly.

‘I have prepared some quail soup.’

‘I’m not hungry right now Granny Jean, thank you,’ Madison turned away from her scrutinizing eyes. ‘Perhaps I shall have some tonight. I‘ll just rest a while,’ Madison murmured.

Granny Jean gripped her hand before she could escape. ‘One cannot live on fresh air and regret,’ the old lady spoke kindly. ‘You need nourishment. You are wasting away.’

Tears welled in Madison’s eyes. Though she had not said a word to Granny Jean as to why she was hiding in Bath; she suspected the wise old lady knew exactly what Madison’s illness was. Bless her dear heart for not interrogating Madison.

‘I shall take supper with you, I promise,’ Madison smiled and excused herself.