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‘To thank you?’ From the tone of his voice she could tell he was taunting her, though she still couldn’t help spluttering with outrage. ‘You were the one who locked me in!’
‘For your own good.’
‘What part of dragging me upstairs and locking me in a freezing cold tower was for my own good?’
He shrugged. ‘The dragging part and the cold I apologise for. The rest was to stop you acting like a child.’
‘I am not a child!’
‘You ran away across the moors without any thought or long-term plan for the future. I’d call that pretty childish.’
‘I had a plan.’ She hoped he couldn’t tell she was lying. ‘I’ve just no intention of sharing it with you.’
‘If you want me to let you go, then I’d suggest that you do.’
She gritted her teeth, trying to control her own temper this time. She almost wished he were angry again. His smilingly indifferent tone was doubly infuriating. ‘You’ve no right to make any demands. Or do you think that locking me up is some sign of maturity?’
‘No, it’s a sign of too much brandy. Though in my defence, I was acting under intense provocation. I’d had a particularly trying morning.’
‘You did?’
He laughed, tossing his hair back to reveal almost ludicrously sculpted cheekbones. ‘I trust that you prefer your new quarters?’
She glared back at him. ‘I do, though I believe the credit belongs to Mrs Gargrave.’
‘My fearsome housekeeper, yes. Has she warned you to barricade your door tonight?’
‘No.’ She hesitated, then couldn’t resist asking, ‘Why would she?’
‘Why?’ There was a distinctly wicked glint in his eye as he answered. ‘Because I doubt there’s any depravity she thinks I wouldn’t stoop to, molesting virgins in their sleep among them. I’d be quite curious to know what she imagines actually, but I assure you you’re perfectly safe in this house. As I explained earlier, my intentions are entirely honourable.’
She swallowed nervously, trying to hide her shock at his casual tone. How could he talk about molesting virgins so brazenly?
‘Honourable or not, I’ve already given you my answer. And if you think that letting me out of a locked room is enough to persuade me to marry you, then you’re very much mistaken.’
‘I don’t. It only occurred to me that it might prove difficult to marry a block of ice. It’s a strange kind of wooing, I know, but the whole idea of marriage is new to me. How is a man supposed to propose?’
‘I’ve no idea. All I can tell you is that however you do it, my answer will be the same.’
He gave another infuriating laugh. ‘Do you know, I always suspected you had claws, Miss Harper. I just didn’t realise they were quite so sharp.’
She blinked in surprise. What did that mean? Since when had anyone suspected her of being anything other than a timid and obedient daughter? Not that it was relevant now, but still it seemed—felt—like a compliment, as if he’d seen something in her that no one else had.
She pushed the thought away and pulled her shoulders back, trying to look as resolute as possible.
‘I won’t marry you, Captain Amberton, no matter what the cost to my reputation. You might as well let me go.’
‘You’re absolutely right. And since you asked so nicely, you’re free to leave.’
‘Really?’ She gave a small start. ‘Do you mean it?’
‘By all means. You can leave this very moment with no hard feelings.’
‘Just like that?’
‘Just like that. Though, of course, I can’t provide any kind of transport in this weather and it’s five miles to Whitby, but feel free.’ He leaned back in his chair with a sleepy expression. ‘By the by, have you looked outside this evening?’
‘No.’ She walked quickly to one of the windows and wrenched back the curtains, heart sinking as she looked out.
