Page 16 of Lady Arabella’s Reluctant Hero

The man had the gall to sound surprised.

Her nostrils flared and her mouth worked, but she managed to keep her response to, "I am."

"That is fair." He tilted his head. "Sit down, Arabella."

"No." She braced herself. Not that he'd made any move to stand, let alone force her farther into the room. "I'd prefer to stand."

He smiled at her like he would an adorable but petulant child. "You handled the Marbury business beautifully, my dear. And you did it beautifully because I told you it was the last⁠—"

"You promised⁠—"

"I am sure I did, darling. I am also sure you did not believe me. You are not so naive as all that." His smile turned into a cruel smirk. "Not anymore."

Her lips parted but no words came out. Not anymore. It was a low blow. A reminder of the fool she'd been two years ago. So innocent. So sheltered.

And so very foolish.

You did not believe me. You are not so naive.

His taunting words rang with a horrible truth. Had she truly believed him? Or had she merely wanted to believe? Had she clung to that hope like a lifeline at sea?

She already knew the answer.

And he knew it too.

She moved forward and set her hands on the back of a chair to steady herself. "The Halliday girl," she said. "I will not do it."

He sank back in his seat with a sigh. "My dear, I am afraid that is not the conversation we are having."

"Then we are not having any conversation⁠—"

"Arabella." The amusement was gone. Her name sounded like the crack of a whip.

But for once, she did not cower. "I will tell my father."

The words came out before she'd quite decided to say them. But she'd known it would come to this, hadn't she?

It was time to call his bluff. And then hope and pray that he really was bluffing.

"I will tell him you married me," she hurried on. "I will tell him that you took advantage of me at sixteen and that you have been pulling my strings ever since. He will have you brought before a magistrate. He is a marquess, James. You have no idea⁠—"

"Will you really, my dear?" Pierce hadn't raised his voice or even moved from his lounging position in his chair.

But his words sent a chill through her nonetheless.

"Will you tell your dear father that you have failed at the one thing he requires you for?" The taunting tone was subtle, but there. And it was all the worse because it was tinged with false pity as he added, "The only thing he wants from you?"

She opened her mouth but her throat was too dry to utter anything.

"What would he do, Arabella?" Pierce's voice was very soft now. "If he hears that his only daughter has been secretly married to a music master with no name and no fortune. When he hears she went willingly and has been living a lie ever since?" His eyes met hers and there was no amusement at all there now. Just a cold knowing.

He already knew the answer.

And so did she.

"What would he do?" he asked again.

She didn't speak. She couldn't.