She knew the Duke was right. Running away to Scotland would not guarantee their safety. Their aunt could only keep them hidden for so long, and their father would eventually find them. And what then?
He was also right that she needed protection.
The Duke of Attorton was powerful enough to protect her. Terrifyingly so, yes, but that is what would keep her safe. Rosalie and her mother, too.
There were worse reasons to marry. And while the Duke of Attorton’s reputation scared her, she trusted her brother-in-law. He wouldn’t be friends with a monster.
Violet took a deep breath, calmly sipped the brandy, and then looked steadily into the Duke’s eyes.
“Yes,” she heard herself say. “I will marry you.”
The Duke gazed at her for a moment, his eyes burning with fierce intensity, and then he raised his glass. “Then I think I’ll need another drink if I am to become a married man.”
Chapter Two
“I’m engaged.” Violet might have said the words out loud, but she still couldn’t quite believe they were true.
Her sister Rosalie, who was lying on her bed, reading another adventure novel, started and looked up at her.
“What?!” she blurted out. “How can you be engaged? You just went to the Duke of Attorton to…” Her eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open. “Oh my goodness! You got engaged to the Duke?!”
“I snuck in, as planned,” Violet said.
She felt like she was dreaming. Her brain wasn’t working properly, and her movements felt slow and sluggish. She was still in shock, she realized, numb to her real emotions. She moved further into the room, then sat down on the edge of Rosalie’s bed, her legs too weak to hold her up any longer.
“Somehow, I ended up engaged to the man.”
“But…” Rosalie set her novel down on her bed, the color draining fast from her face. “I know that James—I mean, His Grace—was kind to us when Father tried to marry you off to Lord Redfield, but would you actually want to marry him? Isn’t he…” She glanced around the room and lowered her voice, as if afraid of being overheard. “Isn’t he called the Devilish Duke?”
“Where did you hear that?” Violet asked quickly.
The Devilish Duke was indeed a nickname that was used to describe the Duke of Attorton, but she didn’t think her sister, who hadn’t debuted as of yet, would have heard of his sobriquet.
Her eyes narrowed on her sister. “Have you been reading the scandal sheets again?”
“Can’t I have any fun?!” Rosalie moaned, flopping back down dramatically on the bed. “Or must you lecture me for reading them just as Iris used to?”
“Now that Iris is no longer here to look after you, it’s my duty,” Violet reminded her.
She didn’t expect Rosalie to understand. As the youngest, Rosalie had always been the protected, never the protector. And while Iris had shielded Violet from the worst of their father’s abuse, Violet had still felt it much more acutely than Rosalie ever had.
Not that Violet resented this. She was happy to protect her younger sister. Which, she supposed, was exactly what she was still doing.
“So?” Rosalie prompted. “Is he called that?”
Violet hesitated. “Yes,” she finally admitted. “He is sometimes called the Devilish Duke. But he isn’t like Father. His business dealings are not illegal, underhand, or unsafe. He is merely a hard-nosed businessman who can easily sniff out a bad deal or a deceitful business partner.”
At least, that’s what the scandal sheets say. Who knows what else there might be?
“But he is known for being ruthless!” Rosalie insisted.
“So was the Duke of Eavestone,” Violet pointed out. “And look what a wonderful husband he has been to Iris, not to mention what a loyal and protective brother-in-law he has been to us.”
Rosalie made a face, but Violet knew it wasn’t in earnest. Rosalie adored the Duke of Eavestone.
“But what if he takes out his ruthlessness on you?” Rosalie asked. “You don’t want to marry an unkind man, do you?”
“Of course not. But we need him. I’m not sure you understand, Rose, what a threat Father is.” Violet shook her head. “He has done terrible things, and he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt us. He hasalready tried many times. Not to mention how much he hurt Mother and Iris.”
