Destined For A Duke (Completed)

Chapter 1

Max was tired of riding and longed for a long warm bath, then to sleep in a soft bed. He was still disturbed by the turn of events, his best friend had been shot and Lady Malcolm was kidnapped. His thoughts kept on returning to a single fact, Lord Malcolm was dead.

Lord Maximillian Crawford, Duke of Lancester, had a very unhappy childhood. His father was a bitter unhappy man, who tortured his own flesh and blood. For strangers he was a nice man but for his household, he was a nightmare. Max would never forget what his father was capable of or what he had done.

Lord Malcolm was more like a father for Max, he was always there, encouraging, loving and caring. Max would forever be grateful for all those fishing trips, where he would forget all his troubles and just live in the moment with George and her father. He would visit them often and when his father was absent, invite them as well. They were more than neighbours.

Max just wished that someday he would return the favor by marrying George off to a true gentleman, making sure that Lord Malcolm's beloved daughter was well cared for was the only way he could return the favor. He wanted Lady Malcolm to be safe as well, he knew the old man adored his wife.

Lady Malcolm was a kind creature who liked to think that she was smarter than everyone else. He knew that she wanted George to marry Max but he was still welcomed in the household after the two of them made it clear that they would never marry. She loved spoiling Max like a mother would, even now that he was a grown man.

His time passed quickly when thinking about his extended family, he was eager to see how George was coping. He left London after hiring some investigators. No one from the ton knew anything about the kidnapping, it was time to search the gutters. The Duke was too well known to search them himself so he hired a private detective. He left the address of Earl of Cambridge's country seat with the detective.

He decided to sleep by the side of road, it was easier this way. No patrons who wanted his time, no owner who wanted a large sum of money as tip, just the clear sky and fresh wind. Soon after he learned of the debt his father had accumulated, he had spend so many nights sleeping on the road sides.

The next morning he woke up early because of sunshine. Eating a simple breakfast of bread and cheese, he continued his journey. He was near his destination when he decided to take a bath in nearby lake before changing, he was covered in dust from his night.

Max remember how the lake had been the only place where he found peace when he would stayed at William Delton's place. He felt guilt and shame everytime he was near his friend and he needed some place where he could run away from his past mistakes, the lake had been a perfect spot.

As he drew near, he could hear splashing. Some young man must have found his spot. Max smiled when he thought of sharing his spot with a spotty young man as he pushed the vegetation that was in his way.

The vision before Max was not something that he could have dreamed of, before him was such an ethereal creature that Max was left speechless. With darker spotless skin, long dark brown hair and a perfect figure, the woman before him seemed to have it all. Max stared as the vision floated on the surface of lake in only her chemise.

The little minx wax so unaware of her surroundings that she was almost out of the water when she noticed Max standing at the edge of the lake, she quickly ran back inside the water to hide her almost see through chemise underwater. Max was so amused by this that he started laughing

"You are trespassing, this is a private property. Leave before I have you thrown in the gallows for improper conduct and trespassing." She said heatedly.

"My dear, this is a village, there are no gallows here or bow street runners and this improper conduct allegation might not end well, we might have to get married after that." Max said with a mischievous smile. It was obvious that she was a Lady and a virgin, but she was bathing in the lake, in the open, without an escort. He found her highly amusing and decided to play a little game with her.

"I will never marry someone like you! Ahhh! Go!" She screamed at Max, which only encouraged him.

"But what if I want us to be caught? What if I want to marry?" Max said playfully. He expected her to start screaming profanities at him but instead she turned white as a sheet. Her unexpected behaviour touched something deep inside Max, a protective instinct that had been dormant for so many years.

"Did someone try to trap you in a marriage? Tell me." Max asked softly, hoping to help the young girl.

Instead of answering him, she got out of the lake slowly. He could see her perfect curves and physique but for some reason all he could concentrate on was the haunted look in her eyes. He cursed his bad luck, he wanted to see the anger in her eyes. It was so powerful and all consuming that her empty eyes had an even more profound affect.

She picked her clothes from the ground and silently started putting them on. Max wanted to say something that would save the situation and stop her from leaving

"You do not have to leave, you came here first. I am sorry for being rude, I would never force you to marry me because I will never get married, I do not want to marry. I was just being an idiot when I said that." Max stopped himself before he could start explaining why he would never marry.

All the while, the Lady dressed herself and left with out looking at him or without speaking another word.

Vote and comment. This is from before Max arrived at Earl of Cambridge's country seat in the first book (Part 14).