Next morning, back at our hotel, I asked Nicholas how his love life was coming along. He told me not bad, he was seeing the duchess that afternoon. I, of course, was seeing Princess Chevalier, and every day after that. Next, I went to meet her parents. During the visit, I asked Josephine if she would like to come and spend a few weeks at my place. She was overjoyed and her parents gave their consent. Anyway, to make a long story short, during the remainder of our stay in Paris we went out on foursomes together and it was obvious Duchess Anne was absolutely nuts about Nicholas. She hung around him like a buck around a doe during mating season. He was romantic, but she was certainly not fighting him off. The most eligible bachelors in Paris would give their eye tooth to have this opportunity, and I could not believe my eyes. Well, the four of us did the rounds of Paris including sailing up and down the River Seine until Saturday. The next day, the three of us were heading back home, and it was obvious to me Duchess Anne was really upset that Nicholas had not invited her back too. Here we were, hanging over the guard rail of a ship heading back to England with this creme de la creme of Parisian beauty in absentia. The world was ill-divided.
Within the month, Josephine and I were married. It seemed half of Paris was there. This was a happy union and we were blessed with three children, two beautiful daughters, and a son. This, of course, was met with disdain from Nicholas who thought I was squandering my life. But it was wonderful, as we spent half the year in England and the other half in Paris.
Chapter Two.
This is where our story takes a turn for the worse. Upon returning to England, Nicholas learned his grandfather had died and left him his entire estate. If he was wealthy before, he was filthy rich now. The estate was on the outskirts of Cambridge in northern England. After much soul-searching, Nicholas decided to take up permanent residence at the vast estate. Being of a wayward disposition, forever unable to settle on anything, he certainly did not want the responsibility of running this enormous estate. Anyway, he moved in and found the surroundings more than satisfying. He knew he had a responsibility to visit his neighbours, especially the ones to his left, of whom he had heard great things, so off he went.
He knocked on the door and a servant opened. He introduced himself as Duke Nicholas Montaque. The servant curtsied and ushered him in. The whole household went into a frenzy, as his reputation had preceded him. He was ushered into a sumptuous parlour lounge, and eventually the lady of the house appeared with her three daughters. Nicholas rose and curtsied low.
“I’m your new neighbour, Duke Nicholas Montaque, at your service, Madam.”
“I’m Lady Buckingham, and these are my three daughters. The eldest is Rebecca, the middle is Charlotte and the youngest is Sophia. My eldest is engaged to be married to Marquess Abraham Kingsley. Are you going to be taking residence at your grandfather’s estate?”
