Chapter Two #3
I ought to feel insulted. I raised a brow.
“If you’ve actually read the papers, then you would know I have no need of nice dresses, Your Grace.
Nor of your money. Nor do I care if you slander my name so thoroughly that every household in England speaks it ill.
Your Grace can have no understanding of what it is to be forgotten, rejected, and utterly withdrawn.
” I leaned forward in my seat. “I would welcome the attention.”
His piercing blue eyes trailed my face, and I itched for a mirror to see what he was seeing. Dust and dirt. Strands of hay. Freckles from too much sun.
The corner of his mouth twitched ever so slightly. As though he was amused.
“I actually believe you,” he said, half lost in his own thoughts. “But I will not leave without that ring. I cannot return to London without it.”
Again, I pressed my lips together, unyielding. His offer would have to be good. Unbelievable, even to someone of means. Something to keep me occupied and happy for a long while.
He looked at me. “Shall I appeal to your compassionate heart? Do you have one?”
I almost laughed but refused to give him the satisfaction. “If you can thaw it out first.”
He hesitated, then seemed to try his hand anyway. “The ring was my late grandmother’s.”
Ah. Dare I believe him? “You should not have told me that. A duchess’s ring? Now I know it is worth a fortune.”
He scrunched his nose and frowned, muttering a curse under his breath. “A hit, ma’am.”
I’d missed this—verbal sparring, stretching my mind, connecting with another person.
I missed Society. I missed having an intelligent conversation with someone other than Peter or Amelia or the vicar.
It had been so long. I had taken for granted the endless nights of before, where every day had purpose, and I wanted that life back.
I wished I could step back in time, undo what I had done wrong, but I could not.
I did not have the power to rebrand myself within the circles of Society, nor to alter the opinions of the ton.
I looked to the duke. But he did.
My calloused, frozen heart stuttered awake. He did. “I know what I want,” I breathed. The Season was just beginning. Indeed, everyone would already be gathered in London.
The duke looked up, brows furrowed. “Speak.”
“You mean to return to London for the Season?” I asked, hesitant. Would he agree?
“I do.”
“I want the advantage of your companionship amongst the ton.”
He drew back, confused, watching what I hoped was more confidence and less desperation on my face. And then his eyes grew wise with understanding.
“You want me to sponsor you? Absolutely not. We are strangers. I would rather give you the money outright.”
His words were bruising, as blistering as the icy cold in his eyes.
“I want nothing more from you than to be seen with you,” I said.
Perhaps it was not a fair trade, for it wasn’t quite that simple.
I’d need him to pretend to be my friend, at the very least a happy acquaintance.
And I knew exactly who I wanted to be seen by.
A few names came to mind. Lady Diana. Lady Jersey.
. . . Mrs. Johns? Would the duke agree? I had a feeling he was just as desperate as I.
His attention toward me would be enough to incite interest. His approval would give me back my life.
I added, “I want Society’s good opinion again.”
At this, he chuckled mirthlessly. It was enough to make me want to throttle him. “You think they will truly welcome you?”
I thought about it in silence for a moment. Could I go back to before? As though nothing had happened?
No.
But could I make them overlook that one mistake? “I think they will be intrigued enough to make my presence tolerable.”
He seemed annoyed. “And then, what? Shall I keep you until a suitable husband comes to call?”
I scowled at him. “Heavens, no. I do not want a husband.”
“Then, what, pray tell, is the point?” His lips were twitching upward. “You realize what you have in your possession is a rare and valuable jewel worth a magnificent sum, and instead of money or substance you ask for approval. Are you quite serious?”
He could not understand. A man such as he would be constantly surrounded by people, friends, family, even servants who worshipped him.
Peter had always been my dearest friend, but now he had Amelia.
I’d never had a bosom friend, certainly no one close enough to care after I’d fallen in the eyes of the whole.
I could not live out my days like this. I could not wait for Society to forget.
I only needed a few friends to keep me company.
A friend to write to, who would actually write me back. Enough acceptance to be invited in.
“Will you agree, or not?”
He actually considered for a moment. “I have business of my own in London.”
I waited, chin raised. He meant to intimidate me into offering another option, or worse, forfeiting the fight. But I would not relent.
“My time is extremely valuable,” he said through his teeth. “I am wasting it now, and I have no interest in wasting it further.”
“I am aware,” I said. “Which is why I do not ask for much of it. An equal sum of your time to what this ring might otherwise cost you to buy back.”
The duke’s jaw tensed. His knee started to bounce as he drew in a deep, heavy breath, then huffed it out with evident annoyance.
Through the silence, I waited, until at last, he said, “Three outings. No more than a month. You will find your own accommodations, and I want that ring in my possession from this moment on.”
His eyes stared daggers into mine, and I realized I’d been holding my breath. My lungs, pained from it, finally inhaled, and I nodded my understanding.
Had I just—was I going to London? Could I finally be redeemed?
It could not be so easy. One moment I’d been reading with Mercutio, and the next, I had the Duke of Marlow practically eating out of my hands.
My heart beat furiously in my chest. I could hear it pounding in my ears, feel it pulsing in my temples. This was real. My second chance.
I had no doubt the duke would be a nightmare of a man to manage. That he’d do anything and everything in his power to make this difficult for me. I would have to tread very carefully. Meet him mark for mark. Keeping control would be key.
“The ring will be returned only after your end of the bargain is fulfilled.”
“No.” His hands fisted. “I will not allow that ring out of my sight from this moment on. I must ensure its safekeeping.”
“If I give you this ring now, how can I know you will follow through with your promises? No, that I cannot do.” But I supposed I could give him something. “Now that I know its significance, I’ll place it safely back in its box and guard it with my life.”
He shook his head and crossed his arms over his wide chest. “Give it to me now. You have my word that I will keep my end of the bargain.”
Demanding, wasn’t he? His title alone might be enough for many people to trust him. But I trusted only one man: my brother. “I am afraid I must insist on keeping it.” Hiding it, more like. Lest he hire some private service to come searching through my things.
He stared hard at me, and I wondered how many people had cowered under that stare and given in to his demands.
Not me. Not today. Not with so much at stake.
He uncrossed his arms, jaw tight, and leaned forward with those blue eyes unyielding and cold upon mine.
His tone was critically short. “If you insist on being difficult, then I suppose we ought to draw up a contract.”
I frowned at his tone. “Contract?”
“If you wish to bargain like a man, Miss Wood, we shall make it all perfectly legal. A contract is absolutely reasonable.”
I hesitated. Was he trying to trick me? Though I supposed a contract would not be unreasonable.
“Yes, of course,” I said with another false smile. I could read, and I was certain he thought me far less intelligent than I actually was.
Scowling, he nodded back, glancing me once over.
“I assume you’ll be escorted by your brother.
” Drat. I had bargained without even asking Peter’s permission.
The whole point had been to relieve Peter of my presence, and here I was asking him for a favor, and a rather large one at that.
He’d never said outright that I was an inconvenience in his newly married life, but I could easily imagine that he often wished he and Amelia were alone.
The apartment in London would be painfully smaller.
But temporary. Especially if I could form the right friendships, meet the right people.
With the duke in my corner, I’d only need a few weeks. Or . . .
Mama currently resided with friends in France, information I’d gleaned from our solicitor. I’d written to her about Peter’s wedding, but her response must have gotten lost. I hadn’t seen her since she moved away. Would she return for me now if I asked?
“I will speak to my brother.” I stood, silent and reeling. I needed new gowns, but I hadn’t any time. More, I needed a thorough washing like I hadn’t had in months. And Jane, I’d need Jane with me, and my face creams. And I had to know what on earth happened next in Udolpho—
The duke stood, regarded me a moment, then called, “Mr. Wood, I think we are finished here. A moment, please.”
A moment, indeed.