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“It is not entirely uncommon to do so.”
Daphne clasped her hands in her lap. “I will fight you at every turn, at every opportunity,” she asserted. “I won’t ever stop fighting you.”
“As I have told you, I have already made plans accordingly.”
“Once we arrive back at Anmore, I will tell my grandmother what you did, and she will make Phineas her heir.”
Mr. Huxley looked bored by her declaration. “We will not be returning to Anmore. We will be residing in a townhouse I rented in London.”
“Then I shall write her a note.”
He laughed cruelly. “After we are wed, I own you, my dear. I won’t give you access to paper, or food, for that matter.”
“You would deny me food?”
“I would, assuming you don’t behave.”
“You intend to starve me?”
“Just long enough for you to realize that I am the one in charge,” he said. “I must admit, it will be fun to tame you. You have had too many freedoms for much too long.”
The coach hit a rut in the road, and it dipped to one side. As she put her hand out to steady herself, she remarked, “No man will own me.”
“I’m afraid that is what marriage is.”
“You are wrong.”
Mr. Huxley gave her an amused look. “You wanted love with your Mr. Stewart,” he mocked. “Did you not?”
Daphne only glared, feeling no need to justify his comment with a response.
“I thought it was rather sickening how you two would stare at one another, but Mr. Stewart could never be a serious suitor for you.”
“Why not?”
“There are thousands of men like him in London,” Mr. Huxley said. “He is nothing special.”
“You are wrong,” she asserted.
Albert cocked his head. “What about Mr. Stewart did you find interesting?”
“I suppose he made me laugh.”
“I used to make you laugh.”
“No,” Daphne replied with a shake of her head. “You used to torment me, which madeyoulaugh.”
“I’m afraid I recall our youth very differently.”
She huffed. “You always have.”
“Regardless, you will need to forget all about Mr. Stewart,” he said. “If not, I will have no qualms about having him killed.”
Her eyes grew wide. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He shrugged. “I already shot at him once, but I only grazed his arm,” he admitted. “It would be my privilege to try again, or I could have the man I hired to threaten him do it.”
“You had Mr. Stewart threatened?”
