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“No, it cannot wait. I find I am eager to start…our relationship.”
She blinked. “Is this about Father’s request?”
“It most assuredly is,” he said, walking even farther into her chamber. “Despite our low coffers a few years ago, Father provided money for a Season for you. It was wasted. There should be no expectations now, with you being buried in the country for three years after your spectacular failure, that society will receive you favorably and an offer will come your way.”
She flinched at his blunt assessment. There was greed in his eyes as he gazed at her with shocking boldness. Her heart lurched in acute discomfort. She found it prudent to move away from the bed and toward the door. “William, I—”
“I’ve thought long and hard on this, and I have decided to have you as my mistress.”
She faltered. Mistress? “I beg your pardon?”
He nodded firmly. “Let’s be honest, my dear. Settling a dowry on you will be a waste. No man will have you after your father’s cowardly action and you have no polish. But you are delectable, and after deep consideration, I find the best place for you will be in my bed, where I’ve long wanted you to be,” he ended thickly. “I will settle the same two thousand pounds, and I will let a house for you. You will have servants and carriages and a few pieces of jewelry now and then.”
Her palms grew suddenly damp as alarm shivered through her. They had not been as close as brothers and sisters ought to be, and his regard of late had been somewhat unsettling, but she had simply thought it an aberration.
“How charitable of you,” she said faintly, her heart beating an erratic cadenza in her chest.
He narrowed his eyes. “I could see you turned out without a farthing when Father passes. It is tempting to take you now, but I do not want Louisa to know about us, or your mother.” He walked closer to grasp a loose tendril of her hair. “I will be generous with you, Livvie, and I will take care not to foist any bastards on you.”
Bastards? She recoiled, disgust roiling though her. “I am your sister!”
“Wrong,” he snapped. “We have no blood ties.”
“What you are suggesting is reprehensible.” Her father had put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger without hesitation, leaving her and her mother to face debt and society’s derision alone, because of a mistress, and William would dare to suggest she assume such a position? “I have lost all good opinion and respect I once had for you,” she whispered furiously, hating the burn of tears filling her eyes.
He had the temerity to appear puzzled at her rejection. “You will never get a better offer, surely you must see this?”
“You seek to dishonor me after years of friendship.”
“I offer you a life of wealth and leisure.”
Dread swirled like acid through her veins. “How can you so calmly abandon all the wishes of our father?”
“My father, Olivia, my house, my wealth…and the only way I shall part with it to you, is if you are in my bed.”
“Leave my chambers at once,” she growled. “Or I shall scream and bring the household down on us.”
William tugged her to him and slammed his lips against hers with a speed that shocked and terrified her. His breath smelled of liquor, and the fumes almost made her gag. His larger frame dwarfed her, and she struggled to be released from his crushing embrace. Disgust and shock tried to steal her thoughts and when he tried to insert his tongue into her mouth, she bit down hard.
He pushed her away, and she stumbled. Rage contorted his features. “You damnable bitch!”
“Get out,” she shouted, trembling, fear twisting through her.
“Think on my offer, sister. I assure you it is the only one you will be receiving. I shall anticipate your answer by the end of the week.” With rapid strides, he left her room.
As if she would ever countenance such a despicable and unfavorable proposition. She staggered to the chair by the window on shaky legs. She sank into its depth and curled her feet underneath her. What was he thinking?
A mistress.
Humiliation burned through her. William was much changed from the boy she had grown up with over the years. He was still as handsome as ever, with his dark brown hair and light blue eyes, but beneath the veneer of affection lurked something more lustful that she had been ignoring, believing it to be her overactive imagination. How wrong she had been.
He had conducted himself most dishonorably and she was at loss about what to do. To burden her father now, on his sick bed, would be cruel, and her mother did not have the constitution to handle such dreadful news. Livvie sighed. She would have to take care of the matter herself, and if he were to ever accost her person again, she would execute one of the lessons Papa had taught her before he died.
She would use her knee against William’s most private parts.
Still trembling, Livvie climbed into the bed and pulled the coverlets to
her chin. Dear Lord, now that she had to deal with William’s disgusting advances, staying at Riverhill was no longer an option. The blackguard would remain underfoot until their father recovered and that could take several weeks. She would have to stay with the Countess of Blade to acquire the polish to enable her to land herself a well-heeled gentleman.
