A Tale of Two Dukes, page 1
PURCHASED BY THE DUKE
SEVEN OMEGAS FOR SEVEN ALPHAS DARK HISTROMVERSE ROMANCE
BOOK THREE
VIVIAN MURDOCH
Copyright © 2023 Vivian Murdoch
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Edited by: Jessica Goodman
Cover by: Get Covers
Formatted by: Format the Forbidden
Internal Graphics by: Format the Forbidden
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.
For all the bishes that demand a fast burn and have made do with my slow burn. Yes, I’m looking at you. Sometimes plot is necessary… plot that doesn’t involve sex. No judgement, but don’t get use to the fast burn.
Husdom
I’m not sure what else I can say that hasn’t already been said. I love you to the moon and back, and couldn’t be where I’m at without you.
My Awesome Alphas
Just want to tell Bianca officially that I’m sorry I kept interrupting the sex with plot. But seriously, thank you all for your love and support!
Shout out to Ashley, Alexis, Bianca, Rita!
Bestie Beta
Stella, I am so glad to have you in my corner. And thank you for believing in me even when I can’t believe in myself. One day, I’ll stop using that when I mean who… but this book was not that book. lol
Shout Out
Golden Angel, I will always have a heart of gratitude for your ability to give me info I can’t seem to find or remember. You’re my fount of knowledge and an awesome friend to have.
THANK YOU!
This list isn’t complete without a big thank you to Jessica Goodman. Thank you for not only catching my weird errors but also for cheering me on when I was at my lowest!
LIST OF DUKES
House Barrington
— Lewis Barrington, Duke of Whiteport
— Charles Barrington, Duke of Norhaven - Previously Earl of Glendale
House Harding
— Joseph Harding, Duke of Foxford
House Dowding
— Robert Dowding, Duke of Blackport
— William Dowding, Duke of Birchleigh - Adopted Son - Previously Earl of Hazelwick
House Fitzwilliam
— Edward Fitzwilliam, Duke of Redleigh
House Fortescue
— Benedict Fortescue, Duke of Portswell
CONTENTS
Trigger Warnings
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
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Epilogue
About the Author
Omegaverse Romance
Omegaverse Romance Cont.
Contemporary Romance
PNR Romance
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Warning!!!
This book is intended for adult audiences and contains adult themes. The acts in this book are not meant to depict an actual dynamic and can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Please play responsibly. Author is not held responsible for readers’ actions.
Kinks, Fetishes, Triggers:
Includes not limited to…
Dubcon, Anal Play, Sensation Play, Breath Play, Wax Play, Knife Play, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, ABO Dynamics, Biting, Marking, Nesting, Hurt/Comfort, SA (not by H)
CHAPTER 1
Kitty
Terror.
It’s a nameless dread hovering on my lips. It’s in every ragged breath that seeps from my mouth in a silent, fervent prayer. However, there is no God here. There is no one able to hear the silent cries as they leak from my body, dissipating into the hot water surrounding me.
I claw and scratch at my skin, desperate to remove the trembling from my limbs. But it never goes away. It settles low in my gut where it takes on a life of its own, twisting and writhing deep inside, until I’m sure I’ll either pass out or upend the contents of my stomach from the intensity.
It’s not supposed to be like this. I was supposed to find a respectable place to hide out—a lady’s maid at best, a scullery maid at worst. My mind couldn’t even fathom something worse than a lowly maid meant to scrub pots and pans until their hands were cracked and bleeding.
But no.
By some sheer twist of fate, I dare not call it luck, I happened upon the one establishment a good, pure girl should never step foot into. I shouldn’t even so much as pass by, let alone dare to enter here. A brothel, a house of ill-repute, spoken about in hushed whispers but never brought out to the light of day.
Sinking lower into the water, I gather my arms about my waist, a paltry means of protection. Not that it really matters. In truth, it seems as if the women milling about have no care of who I am. They seem to ignore the obvious innocent in their midst, carrying on conversations that no lady should ever hear.
Though truth be told, I’m grateful for their prattling. It gives me an idea of just what I should say and how I should act if I’m going to stay here. Glancing back over at the pile of clothes left pitifully off to the side, the tremors start again. But this time, for a far different reason.
Closing my eyes, I dip under the hot water, allowing the warm waves to cover me, hide me. The letter that resides in the folds of my dress is the only thing I took with me when I fled. It’s that note which spells out my doom.
Not just mine, however. If it were only my life on the line, I could see fit to stand my ground, to fight the nameless threat head-on. But no. Whoever decided to threaten my life also threatened those of my mother and sister.
I have no earthly idea who it was that sent that note. The handwriting looked thick, masculine, and sinister, but gave me no clue as to the owner of the quill. In my gut, however, I worry it’s someone connected with the man I was destined to marry.
Before he swung for his crimes, Birchleigh never spoke much of his family. To my knowledge, his parents were dead, and he was the only child. No doubt his desperation to marry me, to keep to the arrangement forged before I even knew of this man, was borne from his need for an heir.
Whatever his reasons, I did not care. He seemed like a kind man; one I could be content with. However, the moment he was executed, all of that became smoke drifting about on the wind.
Life carried on until the fateful day I found the letter. It wasn’t even delivered to me by the butler. No. It was outside, perched on the tree stump, where I enjoyed my moments of solitude.
This person knew me. He or she knew my habits, and that alone was enough to terrify me. But when they threatened my sister and my mother…
It’s for their sake that I ran. It’s for them I currently find myself in this den of iniquity. It’s for them I will play the role of a soiled dove, selling my soul so that theirs remain untarnished.
I lie there at the base of the tub, holding my breath as I beg for clarity to reign over my mind. But all too soon, strong hands grasp my arms, hauling me out. Sputtering, I flail about, my heart leaping into my throat. Though they feel far more feminine, there’s that constant dread that chokes me until I’m unable to breathe. Has my assailant found me so soon?
Part of me wishes to slip back into the water, to allow it to swallow me up, drowning my problems. It would be the easiest path, the one that would allow me to drift into oblivion. That is, if my pursuer chooses to not announce just where they found me.
But there’s no guarantee they will remain silent. If I’m dead, I cannot control the narrative. It leaves my family vulnerable to scandal. At that thought, I find I can no longer stay still.
As air fills my lungs in erratic gasps, I struggle, the water splashing about. But I no longer care if I mess up the room or not. Though I thought the water would be a buffer, a way to slip free, I find the hands hold on even tighter.
Flailing about, I strike out as best as I can, fingers curled as my nails rake through the air. But it’s all for nothing. Soon, a stronger set, most definitely belonging to a large male, engulfs my wrists, holding them aloft. It’s then I realize not only am I naked, but two sets of eyes devour me hungrily.
“It is enough!” The low, feminine voice invades my mind, the barked command forcing my body to still.
An Alph
Until now, my father was the only one who could stop time with just a single command. His voice held some magical quality—an Alpha’s command I learned later on. No one else had ever dared to order me in such a way, but I never forgot the forced helplessness I felt in those moments.
It’s the same powerlessness that swamps my senses, threatening to overwhelm me. And in that span of time, I almost revert to that repentant girl who would do anything to garner her father’s love and respect again. Only now, he’s nowhere in sight. It’s just a stern-looking woman and a fierce man who occupies the room.
Taking in a deep breath, I force my heart to settle. No doubt they can still hear the rapid staccato as it pulses out into the room, a beacon of my terror. If I am to stay here under the mercy of this strange female Alpha, I need to show myself competent, a worker of the night.
Though I have no direct form of reference, I conjure the girls and their prattling to mind. If I can just play a farce, act the part well enough, perhaps she’ll let me stay. Besides, whoever wrote that note was certainly one of the educated Ton and not someone who would frequent a place such as this.
At least, that’s the lie I tell myself as I relax in the firm grip, pretending not to notice how the water drips down my breasts while he holds me taut. History tells me my delusions are just that. However, the comfort it gives me far surpasses any truth that threatens to turn my insides into water.
Hanging my head low, I give them a grand show of my submission. “Forgive me. I was startled.”
With a snap of the woman’s fingers, the man lets me go. As my body splashes back into the water, I long to curl into myself, to hide my body from their questing gazes. Although, based on what the others were saying, a whore wouldn’t care who saw what.
Besides, the way all of them paraded around, naked as you please, confirmed the lack of care in which they guarded their bodies. I have to be one of them. I have to act as if the sanctity of my body no longer rests in the hands of my husband… One I’ll never have after this.
But there’s no time to mourn what will or won’t be. My family is safe through my actions, and that’s all that matters. Again, I hazard a glance at my clothes, my heart clenching as I recount the secrets lying within the folds of fabric.
The woman follows my glance and snaps her fingers at the man again. Without even a word, he knows her command. It’s as if they’re in sync in some way that I cannot even understand or fathom. He takes the dress, now ripped and soiled from my nighttime excursion, and tosses it into the fire.
My heart stops for a moment as the last possession I own goes up in flames. The dress itself holds no real meaning or even tender memories, but it’s the sense of finality as embers take hold of the fabric. Everything feels real now, inescapable.
Although, as painful as it is, I cannot help but feel a modicum of relief as the dress and contents catch flame and begin disintegrating into ash. It’s as if the threat in the letter no longer holds weight now that its destruction has begun. This woman has no clue what she’s done, but in my heart, I hold a modicum of gratitude for separating me from that vile missive.
“You didn’t think I’d employ you with such meager rags, did you? That is, if I decide to keep you. You may fail me yet, and then what will you do? Tramp about London Square in just your skin? I think not. You better impress me, my dear.”
Impress her? But how? Again, that creeping sense of helplessness slithers through my body. I cannot help the panic that causes my heart to flail behind my breastbone. Surely, she hears it. The slight hint of a smile convinces me it must be true.
“While you’re under my roof, such rags will not be tolerated. You will, of course, be dressed in the finest silks, ones meant to show off your body. The patrons will expect nothing less of you. Come, step out of the tub so that I may see the body I wish to purchase. Entice me, girl, or I shall cast you back out into the elements with nary on your body except that which God has endowed you.”
Again, the terror I kept at bay by a tenuous thread comes back, infusing me with desperation. I can’t mess this up. I can’t have her toss me out. Willing myself to step out of the tub, I cast a haughty eye on the man in the room.
“Is he the one to determine if I’m fit or not?”
Lips sliding into an easy smile, the woman looks me up and down. “He is not the madame of this house. I am.”
Coldness fills my body as I stare at the formidable woman, the name from earlier flitting through my mind. “Madame Douler? That is, Madame… Pain?” I whisper the last word, the question slipping out in a reverent breath.
“That’s right. Jeremy said you spoke French.” Her lips thin for a moment before she barks an order at me, the words foreign to my ear for a moment before my brain translates them.
Breath stills in my chest as I hold up my arms, waiting for her to dry me off. Good thing I applied myself to my studies. Granted, it’s the owner of a brothel enjoying my hard work instead of the Ton as I’m flitted about from ball to ball.
She glances at me, pausing as she holds the linens up. There’s a twinkle in her eyes, one of knowing. Could she possibly recognize me? But that’s a ridiculous notion.
Since I never had a coming out, there’s only the slightest possibility that she recognizes me. But then, perhaps I smell enough like my family? I resist the urge to slide my hand up to my throat, settling for a slight twitching before I get myself back under control.
My mother made it no secret that my father slipped away most nights, bemoaning the fact that she never bore him sons. Perhaps he found his way here. It’s no far stretch of the imagination that this madame met his acquaintance and now knows I’m from an upper-class family.
My heart pounds behind my breastbone as we stare each other down. The letter made it perfectly clear I was to tell no one who I was or why I ran. My family would suffer from any lapse of judgment or loosening of my tongue.
And so I stand there, water sluicing down my body as I wait for this Madame Pain to pass judgment. To think that she holds my future in her hands and could end me with just a word.
But she remains silent. If she does indeed recognize me, she makes no mention of it. Grateful, I nearly sag in relief. It’s by sheer will that I stand there and allow her to towel me down.
Not even my lady’s maid accosted me in such a manner. She would merely hold out the linens and help me wrap them before leaving. But Madame Douler holds no such propriety.
Her hands skim my body as she runs the fabric over my skin. Hardly any place is left untouched. My cheeks grow warm as she pulls back, leaving me naked once more in front of them.
“Go have Jeremy fetch the crimson and gold gown. I do believe this little strumpet will look most fetching in it.” She waits for him to leave before casting her watchful eye on me once more. “If you are going to work as one of my girls, I will know everything about you. Where was your place of employment before this?”
“I-” Faltering, I look at the ground, unsure of what to say.
