A Nightingale for the Lonely Duke, page 1
A Nightingale for the Lonely Duke
A REGENCY ROMANCE NOVEL
ABIGAIL AGAR
Copyright © 2021 by Abigail Agar
All Rights Reserved.
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Table of Contents
A Nightingale for the Lonely Duke
Table of Contents
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A Nightingale for the Lonely Duke
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
A Duke's Secret Romance
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
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A Nightingale for the Lonely Duke
Introduction
Miss Alina Goodwin has always enjoyed a comfortable and happy life, until her father’s untimely passing leaves her and her mother with an unbearable debt. Alina will inevitably have to be employed by the wealthy Duke of Griffinstead, to assist his younger sister in deportment, etiquette and music. Within a short space of time, she finds herself mesmerised by him and whatsmore, those feelings seem to be mutual. Her world, however, turns upside down once again by an infuriating accusation of deceit...
Will she disappear forever, ignoring the signs that a genuine love was about to bloom?
Frederick Tomlinson has returned from war with a heavy duty to carry. As well as the title of the Duke of Griffinstead, he is also now responsible for his younger sister and her future. His prayers for a suitable companion for her are answered by the arrival of Miss Alina Goodwin, whose angelic voice and striking beauty stir his heart for the very first time. Yet, he is already betrothed to Lady Honoria Richardson, a pious woman who will try her best to drive Alina away from the manor. Her success however will not dissolve Alina’s divine figure from his mind...
Will he eventually comply with society’s rules and let his heart down?
As two different worlds become entwined, Alina’s and Frederick’s true love grows, and yet, a divisive and jealous presence drives them apart. In the end, will they break all the barriers that stand between them, or will internal battles and outside forces overpower them? After the truth is finally revealed, will they dare to give love a second chance?
Chapter 1
It was a complete mess. A dreadful, awful, disastrous mess. Alina Goodwin sat at the desk in her father’s study, dropped her head into her hands and sighed with a feeling of heavy overwhelm. Loosened strands of long, brown locks fell forward, tugged out from the pins in her hair after all the stress and her growing anxiety of what she had encountered and discovered.
Splayed before her lay bill after bill—papers piled on top of each other, there were so many of them. Having begun with a determination to go through her father’s things, to organise his accounts, tend to his affairs and discover what she and her mother may owe to any debtors, Alina could not have imagined what she would find. Nor could she now think of how they would meet her father’s agreements and pay them.
Their London residence had always been her mother’s pride and joy, and with her proud and self-indulgent ways, Bette Goodwin was determined not to be left behind when it came to the latest fashions or the extravagant décor of their home. Her father had always appeased his wife, for as far as Alina witnessed, it was easier for him to give in to her mother, rather than listen to her constant bleating.
Yet, her father was now gone. Having buried him less than a month ago, Alina and her mother had not expected to discover what they would find, tucked away in his study. Indulging his wife’s tastes may well have given her father a little peace, but what he had not disclosed to the family, was the cost of such indulgence, and the fact that many of the beautiful things they currently owned, were not yet paid for.
Bought with promissory notes that her father had evidently intended to fulfil at a later date, his need to please his wife had now put Alina and her mother in a rather precarious position.
Alina could hardly blame her father. He could not have known that his untimely death was on the horizon. Hard-working and determined to give the best life to his family, he had expanded his wine and spirit business over the years. Distributing to some of the wealthiest families in London and often being away from home on his visits to France to source new products a meet his suppliers, he had always ensured that she and her mother were cared for. Having been given the privilege of a rather comprehensive education, Alina could only be grateful for how hard her father had worked. And yet now, after paying for his funeral and the many other legal expenses, there was little left of his business to help them.
The study door opened and lifting her head slowly, Alina turned to see her mother approaching her and the mess that still lay before her.
‘Oh, my good heavens, Alina,’ she breathed in distress. ‘Are they all bills?’
‘Yes mother, they are.’ Alina sighed heavily, her head now aching from the time spent attempting to read through them all and come to a conclusion of some solution.
‘Well, what are we to do?’ her mother cried shrilly. ‘How will we survive? What are we to live off? There is no possible way we can fulfil that many notes, for neither of us bring in any other income. Alina, are we to be doomed?’
Bette Goodwin flurried back and forth in her near hysterics, which did nothing to help the thumping that appeared to be gaining strength in Alina’s head. A plump, but good-looking woman, her mother always ensured she looked her absolute best even when she had no intention of leaving the house.
Today was no exception as her skirts swished around about her as she flurried back and forth in her distress. She had always instructed Alina to remain presentable at all times. ‘For you never know who may call upon you,’ she had said.
The only people that may be calling upon them now, would be debtors demanding to be paid and in that thought, it may be better if they stopped answering the door at all. Yet, that would hardly be the solution. Alina needed time to think, yet with the ache in her head and her mother’s agitated state, she was finding it difficult to concentrate on any solution.
‘What about father’s family?’ Alina asked, attempting to remain calm. ‘Perhaps Uncle James could assist us.’
‘Uncle James!’ her mother balked, stopping in her tracks and glaring over at Alina. ‘Your father’s brother was near the ruin of us on many occasions. It is almost ironic that your father became a wine merchant and his brother far too fond of the drink. If your father bailed that man out once, he bailed him out a thousand times. No, Alina, I am afraid there will be no assistance from that vagabond. Besides, I would not even know where to look to find him. The man has moved that many times, or perhaps he has been evicted for non-payment, who knows. And now, that may be our plight too!’ she cried.
‘Mother, please. You are hardly helping our situation with your hysterics.’
‘And how would you prefer me to react, Alina? We have debts beyond our ability to pay and we could lose our home entirely. I think I have every right to be in hysterics.’
Alina had to bite her tongue, for she was close to telling her mother that it had been her own extravagance that had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Yet, it would hardly help the current situation and no matter how frustrated Alina felt, her mother had not long lost her husband. It would be cruel and uncalled for. One of them needed to keep a cool head, and, evidently, it was not going to be her mother.
There was little point in wishing on what could have been and yet, Alina could not help herself. If only her father had told them of the debt they currently carried. Perhaps, if her mother had known how much her indulgences were costing the family, she could have been reasoned with to curtail her need to keep up with the rest of the neighbours in their fashionable London neighbourhood.
They did have a very beautiful home, and her father’s business had brought in a sizable income, and yet, they were not of any noble lineage, whereas many of the people who lived around them, were. Not wanting to be seen as lower than they, in wealth at least, her moth
There were only two real solutions and Alina knew well that her mother would not be pleased with either of them. Yet, she simply could not see any other way out. They could move out of their extravagant home and rent somewhere farther out of town. A smaller house in a less fashionable area would be much for affordable. The house they lived in was rented, yet the items and articles within it belonged to them. They could be sold at auction to pay off their debts.
Her mother would be mortified, but it would be better than being put out on the streets. Or Alina could source employment, perhaps in a shop or in a noble’s home. Her education would be more than enough to secure work, for she was well-read and could write. Educated in mathematics too, she could be an asset to any shopkeeper.
Perhaps that solution would be easier for her mother to hear, rather than having to give up the home she had spent years perfecting, only to perfect it some more when the fashions changed. With wages coming in, Alina could make payment arrangements with their debtors and agree to pay the bills in instalments. It may take a little longer, but at least the bills would be getting paid.
‘I think I have a solution, Mother, but I must warn you. You are not going to be pleased with it.’
‘You do not know that for certain, Alina. Tell me please,’ her mother near begged. ‘What solution have you come up with? You were always a smart and intelligent girl, and I am open to quite anything rather than being put from our home.’
‘I think it will be in our best interests, if I find a source of income. It is the best solution. There are always nobles who need governesses and shopkeepers who need assistance to run their businesses. The wages can pay off the bills, admittedly perhaps a little slowly, yet at least we will not lose our home. We will be able to remain living here, only now, mother, we must be careful with our purchases.’
‘Absolutely not!’ her mother barked in reply. ‘No daughter of mine is going to go and work in a shop for all of our neighbours to witness. Can you imagine the gossip? I would be the laughingstock of the neighbourhood. No, I simply will not allow it.’
‘Mother, we do not have any choice. Can you not see how dire the situation is?’ Alina gestured to the pile of promissory notes on the desk before her.
‘I do not care. There is bound to be another way. I will not hear of you going and getting a job, Alina.’
‘Why, Mother? Because of your pride? Father did not mind working hard to provide for us,’ Alina defended.
‘That is what a man is supposed to do, Alina. Do not act as though you do not know the ways of the world. Your father worked hard, and I furnished him a good home and repaid him with my loyalty and integrity. Not to mention, giving him a beautiful daughter.’ Her mother gestured toward her. ‘Your father wanted for nothing. If he were still here now, he would agree with me.’
If he were still here now, we would not be in this mess.
‘Mother, please,’ Alina pleaded.
Her mother must surely see reason given the position they now found themselves in. ‘We are in serious danger of losing our home, do you not see? We could lose everything if I do not try and find a way to bring in some sort of income.’
‘We will find a way, Alina. We always found a way.’
‘No, Mother. Father always found a way. He found a way by working very hard to provide for us.’
‘And look where that got him,’ her mother retorted.
‘Mother!’ Alina glared at her. ‘How could you say such a thing?’
Suddenly, her mother burst into tears standing right there in front of her. Her emotion pouring from her, no doubt exacerbated by all the stress, piled on top of the grief she was suffering from the sudden loss of her beloved husband.
‘Oh, Mother. I am so sorry.’
Alina jumped up from her seat at the desk and moved swiftly across the study toward her. Taking her in a warm embrace, she held her mother tightly as her shoulders shook with the spasms that jolted through her body as she sobbed.
They had suffered enough. Losing her beloved father and her mother losing her husband and having to suffer the draining ordeal of a funeral and burial, they now had to face another trying obstacle. It was hardly fair and yet, life was not always fair. Alina, whilst comforting her mother, could at least be grateful that their life and how they had lived up to now had been far better than others in the town.
She had never taken her luxury’s for granted and had always been thankful for all of their blessings. But it did almost appear as though they had had their run of fortune—that now, their luck had run dry. Left to face whatever their future held, a sense of insecurity enveloped Alina and she could not help but wonder what would become of them.
After some time, Bette calmed a little, and plucking a handkerchief free that had been tucked discreetly up her sleep, she dabbed at her eyes. Taking a step back, she turned away from Alina, suddenly embarrassed at her open display of emotion. Alina remained where she was, allowing her mother a moment to clear her throat and gather herself, before her mother once more turned to address her.
‘I apologise, Alina. I do not know what came over me.’
‘It is called grief, Mother. And I do not need your apology. I would not expect anything else than your sadness. I know you miss father, for I miss him dearly too. This situation we now find ourselves in, is hardly helping given our current circumstances. Yet, I must press once more mother, that I think it would be a good idea for me to find work. It is either that, or we will have to move.’
‘No, Alina. It will be neither. I refuse to believe that there is not another way. Something will come to us, for fortune has always shone upon this family. I will not consider my daughter serving my neighbours in a shop, nor can I consider my home being taken from me.’
Alina had little chance to reply, for her mother once more, turned her back on her and left the room without another word. It was her mother’s way. Not able to tolerate conflict, she could not stay and have a discussion with another who may see things differently from her. Yet, she had been wrong on one thing.
Fortune had not always shone upon them. It had been her father’s hard work that had blessed them with a lifestyle that her mother had become accustomed to, and now he was no longer here. Sooner or later, her mother would have to accept that things would need to be different. Alina could only hope it would be sooner rather than later, for whilst they hesitated in their actions, the bills still needed to be attended to.
Staff needed paying and the house costed money to run. Every coal delivery and grocery order and all the necessities that they were used to still needed to be paid for. Perhaps her mother needed to take some time to allow the idea of Alina looking for work, to ruminate in her mind before she was able to accept it. And if that were the case, Alina would not mention it again. That did not mean, however, that she would not start actively looking for opportunities that may be open to her.
