Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,57
was no matter. He could adapt.
He smiled. “Then that is one matter I don’t have to spell out. Between these walls—although, of course, I shall deny it elsewhere—of course, I was responsible for your daughter’s fall. And you should know, I am also prepared to lift her back up.”
The earl’s hand clenched on the arm of his chair until his knuckles whitened. “How?” he asked between his teeth.
“I am prepared to marry her.”
Barden had hinted as much in his letter, in order to be sure of his welcome to Hornby, so the earl did not look particularly surprised. Slowly, his hand unclenched.
“You have an old and respected name,” the earl allowed, just as if he still imagined he could negotiate. “But your fortune is…lacking.”
Barden’s eyes narrowed at the temerity. “Only because you took it from me.”
“You lost it to me, Barden, in two nights of foolishness neither of us is proud of. Which is why your offer surprises me. Why offer for her now? She has had two London seasons and only became engaged a month ago. Yet now, when you have made her damaged goods…”
“Why, I hoped to provoke you to greater generosity,” Barden replied. “The girl does not interest me.” Here, again, was where he had hoped to add the extra insult of his relationship with Hazel Curwen, but it didn’t matter. The point was still made. “Her dowry does.”
Cosland’s eye twitched. “If she were to accept your offer, you would not find me ungenerous. However, as you saw, Jeremy Catesby is also here.”
Barden smiled. “And neither he nor your daughter look very pleased about it. That bird has flown, Cosland, and we both know it. The Alfords are here in a futile attempt to salvage a little of Juliet’s reputation, in the hope of keeping any of your favor at all. They don’t want the marriage, and judging by Juliet’s face, neither does she. It’s insulting. I, however, have never insulted her.”
Cosland’s jaw dropped. “Never insulted… What do you call that damned newspaper piece?”
Barden examined his nails. “Do I control such a scandal rag? Or any other newspaper?”
“You may drop the act. Both she and I know you are responsible for the story. Her friend, another lady-in-waiting to that princess of questionable morals, has already written to her. From Brightoaks, where the girl appears to be under the protection of the Sayles.”
Barden was annoyed, for he hadn’t considered the girls would be on such terms of friendship that they would correspond with each other. But he managed a smile. “Indeed, she is. Sir Joseph appears besotted. However, he is not besotted with Juliet. And neither is Jeremy Catesby.”
“Nor you!”
“No. But I have terms.”
Through his inevitable shame and anger, Cosland tried hard not to look interested. “You had better tell me what they are.”
“I’ll take her for half of what you promised Catesby for her,” Barden said carelessly and waited for the relief to lower Cosland’s shoulders before he added, “plus the return of everything you took from me ten years ago.”
Cosland’s head snapped up. “You lost that fair and square. It was a debt of honor, and you cannot ask for it back.”
Barden smiled. “I can, and I do. I deserve it back, not for the ten years—ten years—of poverty, at the beck and call of that fat, petulant fool who will one day be king. I deserve it for taking your ruined daughter off your hands and saving her reputation. It’s possible I can even get the newspaper in question to retract Juliet’s name from the story.”
“I tried that,” Cosland snarled.
“As I said, it’s possible I will succeed where you failed. Either way, your daughter ends up a viscountess with a comfortable life. Society will forgive her in time. You may even get a better husband for your second daughter if you hold off.”
“Hold off what?”
“Palming her off on the first gently born bumpkin who came her way.”
“We are not speaking of Kitty,” the earl said firmly.
“No, we are not. Our men of business can meet as soon, but you could do worse than announce Juliet’s engagement along with your other daughter’s. I can still make the damage worse if you weasel out.”
The earl shot to his feet. “How dare you, sir?” he raged.
Barden laughed. “I dare because I finally have what I want. The return of my property, with a little extra. And a very cold but pleasurable revenge.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Have you seen the dining room?” Kitty asked in dismay, swirling into Juliet’s chamber in a