Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,67
see the scandal dies, and you’ll be a viscountess with a decent home. It will cost me more than I would like to pay, but—”
“What do you mean?” she demanded, advancing to sit on the edge of the chair opposite his. “Why should you pay more than the dowry you have already set aside?”
“Because that is his price for marrying you and ending this. The return of all I won from him ten years ago. Much of that money was plowed into the estates. I won’t deny it will be difficult to scrape it back together, but if Barden is your choice, I’ll do it.”
“Barden my choice?” she repeated with revulsion. “The man is an evil snake! I would rather die than marry him.”
“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic,” the earl said impatiently. “Of course, you would not. But I do feel you would be happier with Jeremy, so don’t throw him away over pride. I’ll find some means or other to silence Barden. It will certainly be easier when you are married to Jeremy, and the Alfords have clearly accepted you.”
She sprang to her feet. “But, Papa—”
“That is your choice,” he interrupted harshly. “And it’s a damned good one considering the scandal around your ears! Jeremy Catesby or Barden. I’ll want your answer by the morning.”
She whitened, for when her father spoke in that tone, there was no gainsaying him. “You can’t,” she uttered. “You can’t force me to marry one of them! Either of them.”
His eyes narrowed with temper. “You have a very odd idea of what I can and cannot do. Go to bed. Then take my advice and marry Jeremy. Otherwise, you’ll be locked in your room until it’s time to marry Barden by special license. Is that clear?”
Agitation forced her to breathe in short, sharp gulps. “I won’t,” she got out. “I can’t. You must… Papa, I don’t care about my stupid reputation!”
“Out!” he roared.
Once, as a child, she would have fled in frightened disarray when he spoke like that. Now, it still chilled her blood. But more than that, fury and sheer hurt spun her on her heels, and she stormed out of the library, slamming the door behind her.
It was rude, disrespectful, and unladylike, and she meant it all. By the time she found herself in her bedchamber, she had no recollection of how she had got there. Blindly, she seized something from the dressing table—a music box that been a Christening gift—and raised her hand to hurl it.
Then, with a sob, she threw it on the bed, and paced the length of the room instead, prowling like the caged animals at the Exchange in London. How could her father do such a thing to her? Force her to choose between the man who had deliberately ruined her from spite and the man who had betrayed her in her hour of need? To lock her in her chamber and force her to marry a man than made her flesh crawl?
When she loved Dan…
Of course, she had not told the earl that. He was in no mood to listen yet alone understand. Besides which, she had not even told Dan, did not know for certain what Dan’s feelings for her were. Clearly, he liked kissing her, but men kissed easily. They were friends, but…
But nothing. She had been given no time, merely an ultimatum, an unspeakable choice to be made by tomorrow morning.
“I choose neither,” she hissed between her teeth, spinning around and striding back the way she had come. “Weasel versus snake! Dan was right! Dan…”
She paused. Dan will help me.
There was only one thing to do.
She rushed to the wardrobe and drew out a carpetbag she had used since she was tiny. Into it, she threw a few underclothes, a walking dress, and a morning gown. Then she struggled out of the evening gown she wore and threw that in the bag, too, before reaching up for her riding dress. That, too, was difficult to fasten, but at least it had a little military-style coat that hid her improper dress. From habit, she donned the matching hat and then threw a different bonnet into the bag as well. It would be crushed on the ride, but it would survive. She added her toothbrush and toothpowder and closed the bag.
Picking it up, she walked to the window, gazing out to see if any light was reflected from the house. She could get out of the house easily enough. And providing she didn’t wake the