The Duke's Unusual Proposal

Chapter One

Stockton Ranch, Texas 1891

        Regina Stockton-Davenport paused in the doorway of her office taking off her gloves and tucking them into the waistband of her trousers she looked at the backs of the three men waiting for her.

        She knew only one of them.

        Diego had ridden out to find her in one of the pastures informing her they needed her at the ranch house right away. Telling her only that Mr. Moreland said to hurry, ridding in she wondered why David Moreland had not let her known in advance of his coming arrival.

        The men stood when she entered the room wearing her trousers, shirt, boots, leather vest and chaps along with her gun and holster with Stetson hat in hand. Standing at six feet, most people considered her a beautiful statuesque woman. The tallest man, who she didn't know, looked at her as if she were some sort of creature from a different planet.

        "What brings you to the ranch, David?" she asked the one she knew and he gave her a hug and a kiss but didn't answer her question. "What was so important I had to stop what I was doing to ride in?"

        "I'm here this time on business," David replied to her. "Where are Annabel and Sophia?"

        "They left yesterday to visit some friends but will return in a few days," she answered. "Did Helena take good care of you?"

        "Yes, she supplied us with enough food and coffee to hold me over for a week," he told her and Regina smiled at him remembering how big his appetite always was.

        David Moreland and Regina grew up together on neighboring ranches and he was now two or three men under the Secretary of State in Washington D.C. The other two men David introduced as Jordan Cavanaugh, Earl of Ravensly currently working for the British Government and the tall one was one Simon Trent, Duke of Sutherworth.

        After making introductions, she walked around the desk and sat in her chair facing the three men with David handing her a letter to read from George Blaine, Secretary of State as the three men resumed their seats. She opened the letter before she leaned back in her chair to read what was written on the paper. When she'd finished she looked at all three men and put the letter on the desk.

        "David I gather this has something to do with Davenport Limited in England for all of you to be here. He wants me to help the British Government but he doesn't say what help I am to give them or what your visit here is all about," Regina said looking puzzled as to what help she could possibly offer them and why.

        "Someone at Davenport Limited is suspected of murder," David replied. "We need your help to find out who killed the young man, a Lord Overton."

        Socked at the news, Regina remembered a letter coming from Nigel Weston, who ran Davenport Limited for her, about six months earlier telling her of the young man's death but not informing her that it was a murder. She was instantly angry with Nigel for withholding that information from her and wondered why he had done it.

        "The young man killed was my cousin," Simon Trent informed her.

        "I'm sorry, Your Grace," she replied. "Nigel never informed in his letter the young man was murdered. I think I have it here somewhere." Regina rose from behind the desk and walked over to some files lying on a table looking through them she found in a few seconds what she was looking for. She returned to her desk and sat down before handing the letter to David and then leaned back to watch while he read it before passing it along to Lord Ravensly and then on to the duke.