Designs on the Duke

Designs on the Duke Suddenly a Duke SeriesBook Four Alexa Aston © Copyright 2023 by Alexa Aston Text by Alexa Aston Cover by Dar Albert Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. is an imprint of Kathryn Le Veque Novels, Inc. P.O. Box 23 Moreno Valley, CA 92556 [email protected] Produced in the United States of America First Edition June 2023 Kindle Edition Reproduction of any kind except where it pertains to short quotes in relation to advertising or promotion is strictly prohibited. All Rights Reserved. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. License Notes: This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook, once purchased, may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. 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CEO, Dragonblade Publishing Additional Dragonblade books by Author Alexa Aston Suddenly a Duke Series Portrait of the Duke Music for the Duke Polishing the Duke Designs on the Duke Second Sons of London Series Educated By The Earl Debating With The Duke Empowered By The Earl Made for the Marquess Dubious about the Duke Valued by the Viscount Meant for the Marquess Dukes Done Wrong Series Discouraging the Duke Deflecting the Duke Disrupting the Duke Delighting the Duke Destiny with a Duke Dukes of Distinction Series Duke of Renown Duke of Charm Duke of Disrepute Duke of Arrogance Duke of Honor The Duke That I Want The St. Clairs Series Devoted to the Duke Midnight with the Marquess Embracing the Earl Defending the Duke Suddenly a St. Clair Starlight Night (Novella) The Twelve Days of Love (Novella) Soldiers & Soulmates Series To Heal an Earl To Tame a Rogue To Trust a Duke To Save a Love To Win a Widow Yuletide at Gillingham (Novella) The Lyon’s Den Series The Lyon’s Lady Love King’s Cousins Series The Pawn The Heir The Bastard Medieval Runaway Wives Song of the Heart A Promise of Tomorrow Destined for Love Knights of Honor Series Word of Honor Marked by Honor Code of Honor Journey to Honor Heart of Honor Bold in Honor Love and Honor Gift of Honor Path to Honor Return to Honor Pirates of Britannia Series God of the Seas De Wolfe Pack: The Series Rise of de Wolfe The de Wolfes of Esterley Castle Diana Derek Thea Also from Alexa Aston The Bridge to Love One Magic Night Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Publisher’s Note Additional Dragonblade books by Author Alexa Aston Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Epilogue About the Author Prologue Morville—1801 Abigail Trent awoke and despair immediately filled her. This might be the day Papa left this earth. Her throat thickened with unshed tears as she worried not only about her beloved father, but what would happen to her when he passed. She was an only child who had lost her mother when she was only two and had been raised by her carefree, loving father. He was charming but certainly had his faults. Managing money and his estate had been his downfall. His charm had won him the hand of the daughter of an earl. The couple had impulsively eloped to Gretna Green when her grandfather had denied her father’s suit. Even back then, the viscount’s coffers were fairly empty. Because of that impulsive elopement, there had been no marriage settlements drawn up. Her grandfather had refused to award the dowry her mother would have brought into the marriage since he did not approve of their union. Abby barely remembered Mama, only a shadowy figure with a voice that used to sing to her as she rocked Abby to sleep. Mama had died in childbirth, along with an infant son, and Abby’s father had raised her. She had never had a governess. Papa had taught her himself. She was talented at maths and knew much about history, while being able to translate any passage she was given into Latin or French. But what good would those skills do her when her father was gone? She supposed she would follow the path of many impoverished gentlewomen before her and become a governess. How she was to do that, however, was unknown, especially since she was only four and ten. Once Papa passed, the title and estate would revert to the crown since no male heirs existed. She wondered how long she would have before a representative of the king arrived and booted her from the place. Not that there was much here