Ditching The Duke

PROLOGUE

It was a beautiful bright shinning day. But even the warmth of the rays from the late August sun couldn't melt the frost forming around her heart as she stood stiffly among the crowd surrounding her fathers coffin. She couldn't bring herself to mourn the stranger whom her mother claimed to love. A man who she, his own daughter, had only met a handful of times in her thirteen years of life. And if she was not mistaken, the woman, whom she had never seen before, must have been her dearest daddy's London mistress. She could scarcely hear the reverend speak, as they lowered the casket of Harold Sinclair, Earle of Meadowgrove, into the ground over the woman's whaling.

It was anger that hardened her young and once tender heart. The only thing that stopped lady Clarissa Sinclair from jumping over the casket and pushing the whaling wench into the hole with her lost lover was the strong fingers that gripped her hand tightly. The thumb rubbing softly about the top of her hand. She could feel Its warmth even through her kid leather gloves.

Squinting her eyes so she could see through the rays of sunshine, she looked into the brown orbs of the one person who has always been there for her. Dustin, one day, to be the next Duke of Starborough. Her best friend. He stood next to her, no taller than she, only two years her senior ,but, he looked ready to take on the world for her. He made her feel safe. As if he alone could battle and shelter her from lifes many cruelties. But death was one thing even he could not prevent.

And it wasn't so much the death of her father, a stranger really, that hurt her so much. It was the aftermath. Not even twenty four hours after discovering the Earle of Meadowgrove was kicked off his horse and died, did those creditors start knocking on their door. Turns out they are now broke and soon to be homeless. Mother will have to sell off all of the estates to cover the Earle's gambling debts.

And instead of going off to her first year at school in a few weeks, they will be packing their bags to go live with Clarissa's aunt Madeline, on her mothers side, far, far away from this countryside in Starsborough she had grown up in and loved. But what hurt the most, was having to stand here, right this moment, and watch while reality smacked Clarissa's mother in the face. Her mother believed the Earl to be an honorable, faithful husband, who stayed so long in London because his work and duty called for it. It made Clarissa sick to her stomach. And her illness was a young, willowy blonde with pouty lips. 

Long after the funeral, Clarissa sat up in the big oak tree that had grown so large over the years it started to grow over onto the neighboring land. Dustin's family land. A frown creased her face as she thought about all she would have to leave behind. Even just this one tree alone held so many cherished memories.

 When she was six years of age, she snuck away from her governess and hid up in this tree. She also fell out of it and broke her arm. And that's how she met Dustin for the first time. She cried so loud he heard her from his yard and came to her rescue. They have been inseparable ever since. She let her legs dangle down over the branch she was perched upon. Then Clarissa ran her finger tips along the jaggedly carved letters scrolled along one plank of the latter Dustin nailed to the tree so she wouldn't break any more bones. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the trees rough bark. She knew without having to look at the words that it read 'friends forever and always'.

When they were younger her and Dustin would swing from this tree, in the autumn jump into piles of leaves, winter string it with popping corn. And when Dustin grew of age to leave for school, this very same branch is where Clarissa would sit and wait for him everyday until he returned to tell her all about his new adventures.

Completely startled when she felt something tug at her kid leather boot, Clarissa lost her balance and tumbled out of the tree and on to Dustin.

"00f" the wind was knocked out of Dustin. She landed with her elbow to his gut. Clarissa got up quickly and reached down with both hands to help him up. Dustin really was an awkward looking fifteen year old. Short and scrawny. But he had the most beautiful eyes the color of liquid honey that matched his tawny hair, and a charming, well more goofy than charming smile that dimpled at his left cheek. She couldn't imagine how he would someday rule these lands as the Duke of Starsborough.

"Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?" she asked as he grabbed her hand and pulled  himself up to his feet.

"No, no. I'm quite alright." Dustin answered as he rubbed his hand across his tender belly. "Its my fault really. Knowing how accident prone you are I should have let you know I was here before grabbing your foot. Its just that I have such great news to tell you I could hardly wait."

This caught Clarissa's attention. After such a depressing few days she could use some good news. When he just stood there staring at her with that goofy dimpled smile of his she burst out with "Well what is it? You cant just leave me with the suspense Dustin!"

"Well, my very best friend, right now the Duchess of Starborough, is in your home, telling your mother, that she would be more than happy to send you to school with my sister Grace next week. She will also sponsor you in five years time when your schooling is finished for your coming out season."

Clarissa continued to stare at him blank faced. He was starting to wonder if she had heard a single word he said. So he continued on. "I waited long enough to hear your mother agree to the offer before I ran out here to find you."

All of a sudden the brightest smile lit up Clarissa's face. Without hessitation, she jumped into Dustin, wrapped her arms as tight as she could around his neck, and hugged him with all she had. "Oh, you are the very best friend a girl could ever ask for."

With such excitement bubbling through her, she did something she never would have normally done. But she was so happy she just couldn't contain herself. She leaned forward and kissed Dustin on the lips. It was a very chaste kiss. A quick press and release of lips. But the shock of Clarissa's petal soft lips shook Dustin to the core.

Stunned, he dropped his arms from around her waist and staggered back a step. His eyes grew wide and his jaw hung open. His heart fluttered as if it grew wings and was about to take flight right out of his chest.

Clarissa's innocent face reddened with embarrassment as she stuttered. Trying to release an apology but she couldn't seem to spit anything coherent out of her mouth. They just stood in shocked silence. And for the first time in their many years of friendship, neither one of them knew what to say.

The awkwardness was broken when they heard each of their mothers calling for them. And neither one of them needed to be called twice before they each ran in separate directions. Clarissa to her house to start packing her bags for school. And Dustin towards his house to thank his mother for allowing him to dip into his Ducal inheritance funds to pay for Clarissa's way. He smiled as he thought about how he would throw away his entire inheritance just for one more kiss.