Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington

Chapter Nine

"Whoa, Tristan," Pierce called as he pulled back on the reins of his beloved black stallion, bringing them to a halt. Elliot galloped up behind them, slowing his own mare as well. They sat atop their horses in silence as they looked out over the vast lands beyond Ridgecrest Manor. Rolling green hills stretched for miles. A slight breeze wafted the scent of fresh rain and foliage up to their noses, and Pierce inhaled deeply.

"Do you ever regret not doing things you always dreamed of doing?"

"Of course, we all do." Elliot tried to reassure him, hoping his friend would snap out of the pensive mood he'd been in as of late.

"Right now I am regretting the fact that I never went to America." Pierce turned in his saddle to look at his friend. "What say we book passage and leave all of this behind?"

Elliot laughed. "You can't be serious. Did all your travels throughout Europe not sate your appetite for such an adventure?"

Pierce shrugged, "I thought so...until recent developments."

"I know that being leg shackled has gotten you feeling caged, but running away will not solve anything. What would you do once you were in America and had to forge a living for yourself? And what would become of your mother and the Kerrington estates and wealth? Oh, that's right, your weasel of a cousin Bartholomew would inherit. That would surely please your tenants, not to mention your mother."

"You're right, of course, I guess I am just mourning the loss of love never known."

Elliot snorted in disgust, "Do not speak of love. Few there be that find it, and the rest of mankind, who so foolishly search for something so rare and near impossible to find, will only end up miserable when they don't find the elusive prize. You're making the right choice man. Marry for convenience and to produce an heir, nothing more. If your expectations are low, you can't possibly be disappointed."

Pierce knew Elliot was speaking from experience and his own bitterness, but he couldn't resist asking, "Then why haven't you conveniently found yourself a wife? I presume you need an heir as much as I do."

"Eventually I suppose I will have to. Lucky for me, I don't have any parents breathing down my back about the matter, thank heavens." Pierce felt a pang of sadness in his breast at the thought of his dear friend being an orphan. At least his parents hadn't both died at the same time like Elliot's had, so he was still left with a mother to tie him to someone. And though he knew Elliot had tried to sound indifferent about it all, he couldn't help but feel that part of his detached air had something to do with his parents' loss.

They sat in silence for some time, enjoying the view Mother Nature had created for them before Pierce said, "Tell me what you remember about this Lady Noelle." Though he had asked before, he kept hoping that Elliot would somehow be able to remember something that would reassure him that he was not marrying a complete ogre.

"Like I told you before, I don't know her well, and I don't remember ever being privy to any juicy gossip about the girl, so that is good, though I suppose that depends on how you look at it."

"What does she look like?"

"Oh, you mean is she ugly?"

Pierce hadn't wanted to sound shallow, but he couldn't help admitting to his own curiosity on the subject. "Well I suppose it would be too much to expect her to be beautiful, but is she even remotely handsome?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to claim she's exquisite, but I dare venture to say that you will not have to put a bag over her head before attempting to produce an heir." Pierce let out a loud laugh before Elliot shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and continued, "But from what I remember, she's very nondescript, but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder."