The Duke's Beloved

1. The Lady of the Night

Lady Evelyn sat at her writing desk, hunched over a sketchpad as she attempted to capture the delicate beauty of a blooming rose. Her mother, Lady Beatrice, stormed into the room, her frilly pink dress flouncing behind her."Evelyn, what are you doing?" Lady Beatrice demanded, eyeing her daughter's sketchpad with disdain."I'm sketching, Mother," Evelyn replied, not looking up from her work."Sketching? What good will that do you?" Lady Beatrice scoffed. "You're two years on the shelf, Evelyn, and still as plain as ever. You need to start thinking about snagging a husband, and fast."Evelyn sighed inwardly. She knew her mother meant well, but her constant nagging about finding a husband was wearing on her nerves."I'll be attending the ball at the Duke of Ashford's estate in London tonight," Lady Beatrice continued. "I expect you to look your best and make a good impression on any eligible bachelors in attendance."Evelyn groaned inwardly. She knew that her plain looks were unlikely to catch any man's eye, let alone a duke's."Well, don't just sit there, girl!" Lady Beatrice snapped. "Get yourself ready. We don't want to be late."Evelyn set down her sketchpad with a resigned sigh and made her way to her dressing room, dreading the long evening ahead. As she began to dress, she couldn't help but think that maybe she should have stuck to sketching roses after all.

Lady Evelyn stood before the mirror in her dressing room, studying her reflection with a critical eye. She had fine, thin brown hair that hung limply around her face, and her small, dark eyes seemed to make her look angry all the time. Her thin lips and large nose only added to her plainness. Compared to her friend Charlotte, oh Charlotte, fair maiden of the ball, a vision of golden-haired, blue-eyes beauty, poised and tall. Her locks of gold often felt like a cascade of light when they hit the light of the chandelier, as they often did for eligible men lined up left and right to compete for the honor of having a twirl with Charlotte on the dance floor. And when Charlotte beamed at them, men had described her smile as a halo of radiance, a beacon in the night.

She tugged at her dress, a modest gown in a soft shade of lavender that did nothing to flatter her curvy figure. She had always been a little on the plump side, and she couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her body. As she tried to adjust her dress, Evelyn caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror once more, and a wave of self-doubt washed over her. Would any man ever find her attractive? Would she be forever destined to be passed over for more beautiful women like Charlotte?

Lady Evelyn stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her gown as she prepared for the ball at the Duke of Ashford's estate. As she stared at her reflection, she was suddenly transported back in time to her coming-out ball, four years ago.

She had been just eighteen, full of hope and excitement for her debut into society. But that night had quickly turned into a nightmare when she had overheard a group of men talking about the young maidens in attendance. They had all been singing Charlotte's praises, leaving Evelyn feeling like nothing more than a wallflower.

But then someone had asked the Duke of Ashford what he thought of her, and Evelyn's ears had perked up with hope. Maybe, just maybe, she would catch the eye of the handsome and eligible Duke.

But his response had crushed her hopes and shattered her confidence. 

" That chit, She is wholly unspoilt. Unspoilt by intelligence, I'm afraid."

Someone else chimed in, " Unfortunate for her that she got her mother's smarts and her father's looks." 

The words and the ringing of the laughter that followed from the group echoed in her mind like a cruel refrain.

~

Lady Evelyn took a deep breath as she stepped out of her carriage and onto the cobblestone drive leading up to the Duke of Ashford's estate. She had made up her mind to let go of the hurtful memories from her coming-out ball and to enjoy the evening ahead.