She remained standing. “You wished to see me, Papa?”
“The Fletcher Ball is tonight.”
“I’m aware.” She knew she tested his patience, but she didn’t care.
His jaw tightened at her tone. “You will attend. You will dance. You will be charming.”
“As always.”
“Don’t take that tone with me, daughter.” He stood, coming around the desk. “I am referring to how you will behave around Minto. He has expressed particular interest in seeing you there.”
Her stomach turned. The men were long-standing friends, and over the last few years, she’d caught the man’s eyes lingering on her longer than they should have. Who would wish to marry such a man?
“How delightful for him.”
“Marina—”
“I’m not marrying him, Papa.”
The words hung between them like a challenge. Her father’s facedarkened.
“You will marry whom I tell you to marry. You’ve had a Season already to find someone suitable, and you’ve done nothing but turn your nose up at every eligible gentleman.”
“Perhaps because my definition of eligible differs from yours.” She thought of Evan, then brutally shoved the thought away. “Minto is old enough to be my father. He looks at me like—”
“Like a man looks at his future wife. You should be flattered by his attention.”
“Flattered?” Marina’s voice rose. “The man has been leering at me since I was five-and-ten!”
“Lower your voice.” Her father spat through gritted teeth. “You will dance with Minto. You will be pleasant. And you will stop this childish resistance to a perfectly suitable match.”
“Suitable for whom? Certainly not for me.”
“For this family. He will settle a fortune on you, giving you a large amount of pin money and your own estate. You would be afforded more comforts than most. And the connection would be advantageous.”
“Advantageous.” Marina laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Of course. How foolish of me to hope for affection, respect, or even basic compatibility in a marriage.”
Her father’s hand slammed onto the desk. “Enough! You think you know better than me? You think your romantic notions matter more than securing your future?”
“I think I should have some say in who I spend the rest of my life with!”
“You are my daughter and my responsibility. Your say is what I allow it to be, and what is for the good of this family.” He returned to his seat, dismissing her with a flippant wave. “Appear at your best. Dance with Minto. And Marina? If you embarrass me tonight with your willfulness, there will be consequences.”
“There always are,” she muttered, turning on her heel.
“What was that?”
“Nothing, Papa. May I be excused?”
He didn’t bother to respond to her, already returning to his papers.
She huffed and stormed from the study, her hands clenched into fists. How dare he? How dare he treat her like property to be bartered to the highest bidder? Even if legally, that is exactly what she was.
A footman stopped her in the hallway, holding a silver tray. “A letter for you, my lady. Just arrived.”
She recognized Diana’s handwriting immediately. And somehow she knew that her day was only going to get worse.
Dearest Marina,
