Page 24 of The Darkness Within Us

“Then she would, of course, move in with her new husband.”

Eryx relaxes. “Then there is an end in sight.”

“I amnotmarrying again.”

Both men look at me critically, ignoring my declaration entirely.

“She’ll marry again,” Vander says.

“The proposals will come,” Eryx confirms, talking with Vander as though I am no longer in the room. “Just look at her. So long as she keeps her mouth shut, someone will offer for her.”

I have never in my life wanted to slap someone so badly. I have been silenced foryears, and the mere mention of him suggesting I do so again turns my violent thoughtsmurderous.

I can’t think past the strong emotion for several beats.

“You forget that I have to accept,” I say between clenched teeth. As a dowager, no one can accept proposals for me. Not my father andcertainlynot the new duke.

“Someday, another man will make you an offer you can’t refuse,” Eryx says. Quieter, he adds, “I’ll make sure of it.”

Just what exactly does he intend to do? Bribe men to offer for me? I suppose he has the money to pull strings. But I’m not about to accept another man’s hand, not when there’s a perfectly good fortune just waiting for me to take it back up.

“Knock yourself out,” I say. “In the meantime, I’ve a manor to run.”

And a duke to get rid of.

CHAPTER 6

Ialternate between self-pity and fury during the drive back home as I make my plan to reclaim what is mine. When my beautiful carriage rolls to a stop in front of the manor, little Nico comes running down the front steps. After helping me out of the carriage, Kyros swoops his son up into his arms.

“I missed you, Papa.”

“I missed you, too.” He pulls golden locks out of the boy’s eyes and kisses his forehead.

“Papa, why does the duchess look indignant?”

Kyros turns to me, giving me a chance to answer.

“Because an impostor is trying to take my home from me.”

“What doesimpostormean?”

“Someone pretending to be someone they’re not.”

“Like when I pretend to be a great lion come to eat all the deer in the forest?”

“No. An impostor pretends to be another person, not a creature.”

“Oh, so if I went around acting as if I were Papa?”

“Exactly.”

“I should not like to be Papa,” Nico says. “Papa doesn’t have nearly so much time to play as me.”

A second carriage pulls up behind mine, and the pretend duke jumps out without waiting for one of his men to open the door for him. He meets my gaze briefly, scowls, and then strides past us all into the manor, his henchmen in tow.

“Is that the impostor?” Nico asks.

“Yes. He pretends to be the master of this house.”

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