1 Prologue

Duke Edwin Mathew Hillshire sat in his big overstuffed chair reading his paper. The door across the room opens and his butler, Grayson steps into the doorway. "Earl George Aaron Oakbrook is here to see you, Your Highness." Bowing slightly as he finishes his announcement.

"Let him in!" the Duke bellows, setting down his paper on the settee beside his chair. The door closes again for a few minutes, opening again as the butler announces his guest.

As the tall plump man with brown hair balding at the top of his head and sight graying at his temple, and crow's feet wrinkles touching the sides of his muddy green eyes entered the room, Edwin dismissed his butler with a slight nod.

"Thank you, Grayson." the butler bows slightly and leaves, closing the door behind him. Edwin turns his attention to the man who has entered and is slowly making his way across the lange sitting room.

Slightly stumbling, the man scarcely bows as the Duke puts his attention on him. "Hello, Your Highness." he said as he finishes crossing the room and takes a seat in a high straight back chair across from the Duke.

"And what can I do for you Earl Oakwood?" asked the Duke as he sat up straightening his jacket. "I am here to discuss a proposal." The Earl replied.

"And what proposal could you possibly have for me?" Asked the Duke sitting forward slightly as his interest began to deepen.

"My silk business is going quite well and I want to expand into the spice enterprise, I can give a compromise." As the Earl spoke the Duke put his hands together tapping his pointer fingers together. Bringing his hands back down to rest on the armrests.

Leaning a little further forward he spoke in a demanding voice. "I have heard that your silk is the best in the land and I have heard news of how well you are doing in that enterprise, but what is this compromise you speak of?"

"It is my daughter, Your Highness."

"Your daughter?" The Duke sits back with a somewhat surprised look on his face, but he quickly changes it to one of question, sitting forward again and in a gruff authoritative voice he booms his question at his guest. "Do you possibly think that your daughter would be worthy of a Duke's son?" What does she look like? What is her age? Does she possess the etiquettes required to be a Duke's wife?"

Slightly taken aback by the booming voice of the Duke, the Earl stuttered slightly as he began his reply. "She, uh. She is actually quite lovely and fair to look upon. She has been schooled in the atticates becoming a lady. I think she would compliment your son very well and be a welcome addition to your family."

The description peaked the Duke's interest more. "Her character must be quite exquisite for you to compliment her as such. And her age?" he asked with interest in his voice.

"She is 17, Your Highness, just turned such this past summer."

The Duke's eyes light up with more interest. "Yes, the perfect age for marriage, your description of her is so unique." pausing, he takes a moment to look into the eyes of his guest. Satisfied he continues.

"Let's get Terrance in here to make up an arrangement and contract." he quickly pulled a rope that hung beside his chair. Soon the door opens and Grayson steps inside the room.

"You rang? Your Highness?" he says, bowing slightly. "Summon Terrance for me as quickly as possible. Make sure he brings his quail and paper, as well as my stamps of approval and my seal."

Again Grayson bows slightly and leaves the room. Silence engulfed the room for a few moments before rushing footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway, then the sound of scattering and sliding of papers as they hit the floor suddenly the door is flung open and Terrence steps inside in a flourish with his arms full of the asked for items, minus the paper.

Terrance pauses just inside the door and attempts to straighten his disheveled attire as they hear papers shuffling as Grayson picks them up and straightens them.

In his haste to straighten his attire Terrance nearly drops the quail and ink, then reaches for the papers as Grayson hands them to him. "Thank you, Grayson." He quickly says then turns his attention to the men in the room, he quickly scurry's across the room and sits in the lounge beside the Duke.

He quickly organizes the items he has with him and addresses the Duke of Hillshire. "Yes, Your Highness. I am ready." He shifts in his seat a little then continues. "What would you like?"

With a small hint of hesitation in his voice he addresses Terrance.

"I need you to write up a contract between Earl George Aaron of Oakwood and I. Stipulations shall include that the marriage of his daughter and my son will take place within 2 months from this date, which will allow me to give him the money he needs to begin his spice business. And if his daughter fails to marry my oldest son within 2 months, I will take his entire business he now owns."

He then turns back to the Earl. "Does that meet your needs? Is there anything you wish to add or have any questions about?"

"It sounds agreeable to me." The Earl answers with a nod.

"Very good, come with me to the drawing room for tea, while Terrance finishes up the Drafting of the contract. You can catch me up on how you and your family are doing, it's been 15 years since I have seen you."

The man stands and leaves the room as Terrance continues his writing. A while later Terrance enters the drawing room to hand a stack of papers to the Duke. "Your signature, here." Terrance pointed, handing him a quail.

After the Duke scrolls on the paper, Terrance hands the quail to the Earl. "Here." Earl George hesitates only a second before signing his name at the bottom.