Tainted Hearts

By Hannah James

Eddie Buck is a man who has been touring the continent for a decade, a man with a painful past he wants to forget. He has been searching for fulfillment and happiness until he meets Eleni.

Eleni was born in a Greek brothel in Thessaloniki, she left her home in search of her fortune. A damaged soul, she has been slowly traveling through Europe in a quest to get to America until she meets Eddie.
What happens when two hearts that only know pain and heart break try to make a future and life together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hannah James
• Release date: Jun 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463963135

Hannah James

I have stories that need to be told.

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and

incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Dedication

To my sister Carissa, who gave me unending support.

Prologue

London,  October 1734

The ticking of the grandfather clock in the  study is growing louder as the voice of the estate manager is getting lower and more distant.

There had been six children before him, six children who either died at birth or days after.

Four boys and two girls the first Duke of Buckingham had legitimately sired but only him Edmund Sheffield, second Duke of Buckingham made it past a week old and now at eighteen, barely a man, he held the most coveted estates in the kingdom even by the king himself.

Last year he was playing cricket with his friends and getting into the type of mischief synonymous with young men his age, now he is taking the reigns of one of the largest wealth in the empire.

If his Grace so desires we can break for a few hours then get back to estate matters later. The statement is said by the elderly Musgrove with his bushy grey eyebrows and severely receded hairline.

He had served the first Duke for over two score years. He lived in the Buckingham ostentatious townhouse with his granddaughter Sarah. The same granddaughter who saucily walked in Edmunds room last eve and gave him quite a memorable service with her mouth.

A very generous girl with her favours. At only sixteen if she continues on her path she might get the French pox.

Yes thank you Musgrove, it is such a beautiful day, the weather extremely pleasing, I think I'll take my horse out for a ride in Hyde park. Edmund quickly stands up to escape the mundane estate business.

The Ducal sit though since birth knew was his has always felt uncomfortable to him, like an ill fitting shoe that he was given to wear.

If luck had been on his side he would have been the fourth son of the Duke of Buckingham and happily touring the continent. Blowing his inheritance and finding company with humans of questionable morals.

After he escapes the study, he aims to make a straight bee line for the stable and saddle his horse. A large smile covering his face as the door leading to the stables is getting within reach to freedom.

The smile falls when he hears his mothers haughty voice beckon him Buckingham , is your business done with Musgrove? She asks while coming down the stairs at a slow pace.

The dowager duchess has not called him by his name since his fathers death, always holding him at a cold distance. Treating him with formality instead of love which he always craved from her but never received.

Edmund has a sister and brother who she made sure were kept away from him.

Catherine Sheffield is still a striking woman even at fifty-four, her hair though dark is streaked with grey and still holds a youthful radiance upon her. Her posture that of a queen and she could have been if only she was born on the right side of the blanket.

No mother, Musgrove and I will finish some other time, it is such a lovely day and it will be a complete waste to spend it indoors and besides I want to see Charles.

His mother flinches at the mention of his bastard brother Charles. He had always been a sour topic since his parents married, when she had her second miscarriage his father in rage and fear that he will pass without an heir threatened to dispose of his mother like he did with his previous wives and name Charles as his legitimate heir.

A year later Edmund was born. Four years after, his father died in his sleep. The morning before his father died, Edmund while taking up his hiding place in his mother's drawing room heard the old duke issue the duchess the same threat he had before Edmund was born.

The old duke was in doubt that Edmund might live to see his majority as he had been a feeble sickly child.

His father raved that if the duchess won't provide him with a healthier son he will get rid of her and her son, making the then fourteen year old strapping healthy son of a common woman, Charles his heir.

The Duke left in a huff after his threat. A healthy man even at seventy three years old.

That night Edmund was awoken by his mother from the nursery, a strange sight to Edmund as she has never stepped into the nursery. Catherine quietly took his hand and led him to his father's room who was loudly snoring.

The duchess grabbed a pillow and put it over the old duke holding it tightly in place while the man battled for breath and she looked directly at Edmund urging him not to avert his eyes.

I am doing this for you Edmund. she said, her eyes cold staring at the four year old boy who was in shock at what was happening.

The servants always joked that the duke might live until a hundred. He was found dead the following morning by his valet. No foul play was ever suspected. They whispered that he died of old age in his sleep, 'it happens to people of advanced age like the Duke' they murmured.

Edmund snaps back from his memory at the sound of his mother's voice But the estate comes first. Obviously I do not need to tell you that. You are the Duke Edmund, how you run this estate not only affects yourself but all the people who depend on you for a livelihood. This estate cannot continue to be run on default like it has been since your father died. Even though the people in our employ have done an alright job at keeping it afloat, this estate needs its Duke. She counsels him calmly, never raising her voice but the words still holding a harsh rebuke and reminder that she killed the old duke for him to have all this.

Her voice is always low, clear and lethal a complete opposite to what he could remember of his father's yelling, angry threats.

I understand your concern mother and as always you are right, I'll go back in the study to finish business with Musgrove. He answers in a equally low voice. It scared him how much he was becoming more and more like his mother. His emotions are raging and he could feel the slow tying noose of the dukedom.

The thing that scared him about the Duchy is not the responsibility, no he was taught to handle that since he was in his nursery. It was the fact that he was the son of two unfeeling selfish parents who shamelessly murdered their previous spouses. He could feel his compassion for others fading the more time he spent being groomed by his mother and the thought of maybe ending a spouses life if they did not amuse him anymore is something that will become normal with time.

Catherine Sheffield's first husband was gambling and drinking away his estate and at the rate he was going he was bound to bankrupt them.

As Edmund was walking away his mother decides to add her final words this duchy is yours Edmund, even if you despise it you are the second Duke of Buckingham from birth until death. I have worked so hard to give you all this. The undercurrent of her words clear, 'I murdered your father for you to have all this.'

Her words turning his blood cold as they always did when she reminded him, then an idea starts to form in Edmunds mind.

He stops and turns around mother on my eighteenth a few months back you said I could request for one thing in this world and you will happily grant it.

His blue stare holding hers and he could see the hesitation on her face.

However, she did promise him in front of all their closest friends yes of course. She answers with a tight smile.

I want to visit the continent. See the usual places, Paris, Rome, Greece. He says still looking at her straight in her eyes, seeing her calculating and trying to come up with reasons not to let him go.

Of course she says after what felt like an eternity but Buckingham what about your health? I know that you have grown stronger as you've become older but you can't blame me for having motherly concern about letting you go? Her excuse sounding as feeble as her son had been when he was a child.

But you did promise me anything. he reminds her.

She silently curses herself for the promise she made after too much champagne and company of people she enjoyed.

The truth is she didn't mind letting Edmund go, he looked more and more like his father every passing year. The ever rich and handsome first duke of Buckingham who even in his old age when she married him had been handsome and charming until the miscarriage of the first boy. Then the threats had started.

He made it a point to remind her after every coupling that her position as the duchess of Buckingham was hers only if she bore him a son. Catherine almost regretted killing her first empty headed husband. At least he never made her feel inadequate.

What she feared was the fact that if anything might happen to Edmund the duchy will go back to the crown. Everything she owns will go to the bastard Charles. She was in utter shock when the solicitor told her Edmund had named Charles heir,  if anything might happen to him and she will only receive a small estate and a mere forty thousand pounds.  A fortune to other people but not enough for a kings daughter.

Edmund raises his eyebrows, a trait which his mother despised too because it belonged to the old duke as well.

Yes I did. She answers.

Edmund sees an opening and quickly adds. Fantastic mother, I will ask Asher to begin the preparations for my journey. If we start now I will be able start off next week. He kisses his mother on the cheek and walks way quickly before she says anything, rushing to the study and shutting the door.

A week later Edmund stands in front of Buckingham palace and takes a look at it, knowing this is the last time he will possibly ever see it and breathes in the smell of the stinking Thames flowing behind it.

Some how Catherine the dowager duchess of Buckingham felt particularly melancholic. She shouldn't have because four days ago she had convinced her son to cut his continental tour to only five months instead of a year.

He is a healthy boy now though very thin, she convinced herself. He will be back in no time and take on his duty, maybe the continent may mature him and she might even miss him. Small chance of that happening as she always preferred her daughter.

She told his valet to pay particular close attention to his health and keep him out of trouble.

Take good care of yourself Buckingham and do not make this our final goodbye. her voice calm.

Edmund looks at his beautiful mother, regretting his plan and happy to carry it through nonetheless I do love you mother. I really do. Take care of yourself and please be kind to Charles. Then he steps into his phaeton and as it drove away he never looks back.

February 12th 1735

Catherine sat in her drawing room, she had just receive a letter from her son a week ago and he was due to be home next month.

When the valet suddenly turned up at Buckingham wearing a solemn look and requesting her audience when she was in the drawing room with her daughter, she knew immediately that Edmund will not be coming back.

Your grace, I am sorry but his Grace passed on earlier this month. He said, she tried to remember the valets name. Rotter she thought it was, no it was Asher.

There will be no tears for Edmund, he deserved it, that stubborn fool, she thought harshly. Why hadn’t he been more obedient and do everything she said. She could feel her favourite child’s hand on her, trying to comfort her but she pushes her away.

Edmund Sheffield, second Duke of Buckingham and Normandy had died on the fourth of February in Rome of consumption, is what was written in the news sheets the following day. With him died the line of Buckingham, the title was reverted to the crown.

Catherine walked to her room and laughed hysterically after they buried her son, laughed because she had tried very hard to keep the line alive, three sons now she had lost.

Maybe it was justice because