and left the room without a by-your-leave glance at her daughter. Maryann supposed she could be grateful the door was left ajar. The heavy press of her heart was unbearable. Her wishes simply did not matter.
The earl waited a few beats, and when his gaze leveled on her, she took an involuntary step back. There was a hardness about his mouth and the lines of his eyes which bespoke his displeasure.
“Last night, why did you depart so suddenly from Lady Vidal’s ball?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I will only ask this once, and your reply will be honest, Lady Maryann. I saw you leave the conservatory in a manner I deemed suspicious. You will name the bounder you were with.”
“Sir, you go too far! You have no right to question or make demands of me,” she breathed, truly shocked at the man’s audacity. “Your behavior is not advancing you in my graces.”
His eyes went so cold, she took another step back. Not liking the discomfort curling through her, she whirled around and hurried to the door. Maryann gasped when a hand reached around her and closed it. She hadn’t heard his movements. Ducking underneath his arm, she made her way toward the windows.
“You are acting very improperly, my lord. Are you fully aware that we are under my parents’ roof?”
His hands snaked out and grabbed her, halting her retreat. His hold felt like she was bound in iron. She tried to withdraw her hand and he twisted his clasp. Maryann cried out as pain burned down her arms. She faltered, staring up at him in ill-concealed shock.
“It is best you understand now what I will not tolerate from you,” he said calmly.
“You are hurting me,” she choked out, noting her hands grew numb in his relentless clasp.
“I know,” he said dispassionately.
“You are reprehensible,” she said. “You will release me at once.”
“Do not act the fragile flower,” he replied bitingly. “What were you doing with Lord Rothbury in Lady Vidal’s conservatory last night?”
Dear God! Had he seen their interlude? She closed her eyes, thrusting aside the panic. Of course he had not seen, or he would not be asking. “You may be certain my father will hear of this.”
He chuckled. “Your father owes me thirty thousand pounds, Lady Maryann. I am sure it was understood with perfect clarity to be a part of your bride price.”
Her throat felt thick, and there was a tightness across her chest that made it difficult to breathe. She hadn’t known her family suffered any financial hardship.
Just then, the door sprang open and her mother framed the doorway. She glanced away as if she had interrupted a tender moment, a small smile about her mouth. The earl released her arms and stepped back slowly.
“I would be very remiss in my duties if I allowed this door to remain closed another minute,” Lady Musgrove said lightly. “I should perceive no reason Maryann would not happily take an outing with you to Hyde Park later in the week. One can only hope this dreadfully disobliging rain will cease soon.”
She glanced from her mother to the self-satisfied air about the earl. He had given her father thirty thousand pounds. It hurt, somewhere deep inside, that her family sought to use her but had not confided in her their circumstances. She remained silent when Lord Stamford bid his farewell, his departure taking the air of menace with him.
“Well,” the countess said with a bright smile. “The earl certainly was most handsome today. He makes a truly dashing gentleman.”
“He is the most odious creature imaginable,” replied Maryann with a calmness which belied the disturbance in her heart.
Her mother’s eyes flashed with anger. “You must perceive the advantages of an eligible marriage! And you cannot do better than Lord Stamford.”
“I do understand such advantages, Mama, I simply do not find the earl eligible in any regards.”
Her temper exacerbated, the countess slammed the door closed, hiding their vexation from the servants in the hallway. “You willful, disobliging creature!”
“Mama, you did not walk in on a…a moment between lovers!”
“Maryann!”
“He held my arms in a painful grasp and was making demands of me he had no right to do.”
Her mother inhaled sharply, and for a moment her eyes softened with sympathy before her spine snapped taut. “I am doing what is best for you. I do not want to see you enduring life as a spinster.”
Maryann’s entire body hurt at the awareness that she was just a pawn to be used and pulled in whichever direction her