The Dangerous Duke of Blackton Manor

He was the devil, mind tricks and all

Isabella left the reading of the will haven't not spoken a word, she was too shocked, absorbed in her thoughts.

The late Duke had left her an unimaginable amount of money, from what she could gather, it was most of what he had.

She felt...awful, she didn't want his money! Had never wanted his money.
Now that despicable Harrison Blackton would believe she really had been indulging the late Duke for his inheritance.

Not once in the almost two years or so she had known the Duke had she ever wanted anything from him.

Since she had no friends, being so welcome and so needed had been a gods send. She had felt utterly useless for so long.

Now she was quite possibly one of the wealthiest woman in England. Good God What was she going to do? Could she just give it back?

She would go back and talk to the Duke and Mr Palmer and ask, somehow it would be resolved.

At least she would have, had she not overheard just what Harrison Blackton thought of her. Oh of course she should not have stayed and listened to their conversation, but when he had been ranting and raving so loudly, she could not close her ears. Arrogant Duke, Because she, a mere woman, could only be good for one thing. Insufferable man.

So far in their brief acquaintance, he has insulted her intelligence, her sex and position in life, all in one day. What a disagreeable, dysfunctional man, Isabella didn't care if she never saw the scoundrel again.

Maybe she would Leave him penniless, it was perhaps the least he deserved.

'Isabella?' Jack Reynolds entered the parlour where she sat pondering her situation the next morning. 'Am I interrupting you?'

she smiled and pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind, for now.

'not at all'.

'May I join you?'

He walked over and took the seat next to her.

'Of course'

Jack was a handsome man, shorter than his cousin. The family resemblance was little between them. Jack taking after his father and Harrison taking after his mother, she had seen the beautiful portrait of her hanging with all the other family portraits. She had been more than beautiful.

Jack and herself had become friends over the past year, between them and his mother Margaret they had cared for the Duke.

They had kept the house running smoothly and Jack helped take care of the accounts and tenants when the Duke was indisposed.

She felt more at home here than her actual home, it's neighbouring property. She hated to be alone. Jack had been supportive through it all, to everyone and he was a kind man who was the opposite of his dastardly rake of a cousin.

'Is something troubling you?'

She shook her head. 'No...yes...well..I'm afraid I do not know what to do Jack. I find myself in a strange situation.'

He looked at her and urged her to continue

'what ever is the matter? How can I help ease your problems?'

She told him all about the reading and what his uncle had done, she expected he would be similarly angry since she had been left everything and he had received a much less amount of money from the will.

'Please do not be angry with me.'

He took her hand and squeezed it within his 'why would I be angry? My uncle cared about you, and was so thankful you showed up when you did, he obviously wanted to reward you for all you did for him.'