AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“First I had months, then weeks, and now minutes?” She struggled to keep her voice even but dread swamped her mind.
“An old enemy has resurfaced after nearly a year. I’m going to be leaving London sooner than I thought I would, tomorrow morning, as a matter of fact. I won’t leave you with only Griselda. She’s too feeble and her headaches are becoming more frequent. The doctor told me that she requires absolute bed rest and silence.”
“Let me stay, please. I can care for her.”
“You’re not the most silent of creatures.”
“If you fear for my safety, set a guard on me.”
“The only place you’ll be truly safe—from my enemies and from yourself—is at Sutton Hall. It’s impenetrable.”
If he was alluding to his espionage activities this must be a grave threat, indeed. “It’s Le Triton, isn’t it?”
He sighed. “You know I can’t talk about that. You’re... you’re all I have.” A rare crack in his armor.
“You’ve protected me too long, Uncle. You can’t stuff me full of cotton batting and keep me on a shelf like one of Great-Aunt Griselda’s hedgehogs. I tried so hard to become what you wanted me to be—a substitute for your own daughter. I suppressed my true nature and tried to be content with all of the restrictions. I wanted to be useful to you. I became your secretary, always thinking that if I worked hard enough you would...” her voice faltered.
What—what had she been hoping for? Kindness, understanding... affection?
His face remained closed. “Are you finished?”
Stung, she nodded.
“You’re far too clever, Mina. Clever enough to get yourself killed. Now not another word. Write Griselda a farewell note and we’ll go now.”
“No.” The word rose from some buried well of anger and helplessness to explode from her mouth.
“What did you say?” Her uncle’s eyes narrowed.
“I won’t go.”
“I’m your guardian and I’m sworn to protect you. I say you go to Sutton Hall.”
She recognized the steel in his eyes, the coldness in his words. Her mind spun through all of the avenues she might try. But there was only one path she could see that would remove her from his power—break the hold he had over her.
“You can’t make me go.” She rose from her chair. “Because I have a new protector now. I followed your instructions. I’m engaged to the Duke of Thorndon. Aren’t you proud of me?”
His eyebrows rose. “You’re lying. I can feel it.”
“I’m not. You don’t control me anymore. I’ll go and live at his house with his mother and sister until we can be married. His sister invited me to stay with them.”
“When did this happen?” her uncle asked suspiciously.
“Tonight. We kissed in the dark paths of Vauxhall and then he proposed.”
“Proposed marriage?”
“Of course marriage. What else? We’re madly in love.”
“I don’t have time for your games. You’re coming with me now.”
“Go and visit the duke tonight—he’ll tell you that it’s true.”
If she could find a way to reach Drew first, plead her case, he might agree to help her.
Grizzy’s ancient doorman tottered into the room. “Sir Malcolm, the Duke of Thorndon is here to see you.”
“It seems the duke has come to us,” said her uncle.
