“I wanted to ascertain if you were happy with your new circumstances. From the look of you, I can only conclude that you are not.”
She didn’t respond, for what could she say?
“I must say that I am surprised at the duke. I would not have thought he would stoop to underhanded means to obtain what he wanted.”
“You are mistaken, my lord,” she said in a strained voice.
“Am I? I don’t think so. In any case, he cannot compel you to marry him, and I wanted you to know you have an alternative if you choose to take it.”
“My lord, this is outrageous!”
“No more outrageous than forcing a young woman into a marriage not of her choosing. I am a blackguard, Miss Watson, and even I would balk at that.”
“Thank you, my lord. I’m sure your offer is kindly meant, but I cannot accept it.”
“No? Very well, you can’t blame a man for trying.” He reached into his waistcoat pocket and removed a small card. “There is my direction. Should you change your mind, a note to that address will bring me swiftly to your rescue. I suspect that henceforward it will be virtually impossible for me to have any conversation with you. You are about to be swallowed up by the ducal machine.” He doffed his hat, bowed, and strolled away.
Sarah watched his back for a moment or two, unsure of what she was feeling. Even if she loved him, which she didn’t, marrying him would cause such a scandal it would ruin her sisters’ chances and defeat the purpose of her marrying anyone at all. Angry as she was with the duke for trapping her, she recognized that to spurn him would ruin her. She was a vicar’s daughter, and he was a duke. The unevenness in their stations would ensure that.
*
When Robert receivedthe intelligence from Bridges that Sarah had met with Lannister that morning in Hyde Park, he was stupefied.
“Find Lannister’s address for me immediately!”
“Yes, Your Grace,” said Bridges with a bow.
An hour later, the duke knocked on the door of a narrow multi-story building in Ryder Street, where Lannister was reputed to have rooms. The landlady, much flustered when she learned the duke’s identity, let him into the building and directed him to the second floor. The door was opened by Lannister’s man who informed the duke that the earl was not at home.
“I believe he has gone to his club—Boodle’s, Your Grace.”
“Thank you,” said the duke with punctilious politeness masking his growing fury.
He repaired from there to St. James Street and entered the club. He found Lannister at the gaming tables, of course. He approached the man and, leaning down, said quietly in his ear, “May I have a word with you in private?”
Lannister looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. He pursed his lips a moment and then threw down his hand. “Gentlemen, if you will excuse me?”
He rose to protests and grunts from the other men and followed Robert to a small antechamber. Shutting the door, Robert rounded on him.
“I’ll thank you to stay away from my affianced wife!”
Lannister smiled, which irritated Robert even further. “You have excellent sources, Your Grace. But I believe you are overreacting. It was only a walk in the park, and her maid and footman were in attendance. All the proprieties were observed.”
“Was it an assignation?”
“If you’re asking whether Miss Watson was a party to planning it, no. I simply laid in wait for her, since I knew it was her habit to walk in the park at that hour.”
“What possible reason could you have for doing so?”
“That, Your Grace, is my business.”
“If it concerns my fiancée, it is my damned business!”
“You needn’t concern yourself; I’ve retired from the lists. I made one last bid; she turned me down.” He looked down ruefully at his boot. “A pity, but there it is.”
Robert felt as if he would explode. “You have the temerity to stand there and tell me that you made Sarah an offeraftershe became engaged to me?”
“Yes, well, if you’d seen her face this morning you might understand. She looked dashed unhappy. I’m a scoundrel, I’ll be the first to admit it, but even I draw the line at entrapment.”
