Page 11 of The Devil and the Heiress
“I read for information as well as entertainment if that’s what you mean.” She was aware of the way her shoulders stiffened and her voice hardened, but seemed to be able to do nothing to control her reaction to him.Bluestockingheld all sorts of negative connotations. She knew she wasn’t worldly enough to have someone like him return the depth of her attraction, but she wouldn’t have him believing her interest in knowledge to be a mark against her.
His grin stayed in place. “That is exactly what I mean, Miss Crenshaw. It is a trait I admire in anyone, especially a woman who courts scandal by the very admission.”
Her gaze flicked back to his, unaccountably pleased by the compliment. She fought the rather inappropriate urge to giggle. To laugh would have ruined a perfectly fine moment and reminded him that she wasn’t yet twenty, and likely far too young for a man of the world like him.
Not that it mattered if he returned her attraction. Her interest was purely in the vein of exploring Miss Hamilton’s feelings. She had no intention of involving herself with an English lord.
“Thank you, my lord.”
He inclined his head again, but the grin regrettably faded as he asked, “Have you found this affection with your own fiancé?”
The question was so unexpected, she could only say, “Pardon?”
Shifting, he leaned a hip against the back of the sofa, making her realize how much taller he was than her. He still towered over her by a head, even though the shift should have cost him a couple of inches. He was deceptively larger than he appeared. “Forgive me for asking. It is none of my affair, but I find myself concerned for you. Rothschild once mentioned something about an American fiancé. I believe the man was your initial reason for refusing Rothschild. I simply wondered if you had found this affection with him.”
“Oh...” She really should not tell him about Teddy. “I thought I had, but apparently not. He wasn’t the man I thought he was.” Why couldn’t she control her tongue? Any hope of appearing the sophisticate with him was gone.
“Indeed?” He raised a brow.
“Our betrothal has ended.” It was simply too embarrassing to admit that her own father had paid Teddy to leave her alone, and he had accepted.
“Ah, that explains it, then.”
“Explains what?”
“Ware.” He said the name as if that clarified everything.
“Lord Ware? What about him?” The hair on the back of her neck stood up in warning.
“I should not gossip. I have been told it leads to terrible consequences.”
Before she knew it, she was in front of him, her hand on his forearm. His muscle flexed beneath her touch, again making her realize how much strength he held contained within his deceptively dispassionate exterior. Both of their gazes locked on the touch, prompting her to quickly retract her hand, drawing his gaze to hers. He seemed quite serious now as he searched her face, though she couldn’t have said what he was looking for.
“Please. If it concerns me, then I want to know.”
“He believes that he will marry you.” They were so close that his breath caressed her temple, and she caught a faint trace of scotch and the hint of tobacco.
“That isn’t true. He hasn’t proposed or even asked my father.” Had he? Knowing her parents’ past behavior, she wouldn’t be shocked if he had and they hadn’t told her, but she would be deeply hurt. Her parents had the duke as an almost-son-in-law. They might want another nobleman in the family, but there was no pressing need to force another marriage. However, the dread in her belly warned her otherwise.
Lord Leigh did not say anything. His penetrating gray eyes simply held hers. It was almost as if he knew more than he was saying. He would have no reason to lie about this. Why would he, knowing that he would have to answer to Rothschild if he did?
“What did he tell you?” she asked.
“That he intends to have you, and he can arrange it so that you have no choice in the matter.”
Her blood turned to ice water, and she might have swayed on her feet. His hand moved to her rib cage to keep her balanced. He was warm and strong, and she imagined him touching her for a different reason. This was improper, and she should immediately step away, but she couldn’t.
“There was also some mention of mineral rights,” he added.
Oh God. With August’s marriage, Crenshaw Iron would be permitted to open a division in London. The necessary approvals were already winging their way through Parliament, pending her marriage to the duke. Papa would logically be seeking resources for that. But would he sell his own daughter for them? Violet knew the answer to that even if she didn’t want to believe it.
“You didn’t know.”
She shook her head, but it wasn’t as if she hadn’t suspected. She simply hadn’t wanted to believe. She had thought that perhaps the duke had been a stroke of luck, that he had approached her parents and they had beenbeside themselves with joy. But it was so much worse than that. Her parents actually hoped to sell both of their daughters. Even if she was able to convince Papa that she would not marry one of her suitors, would Lord Ware take matters into his own hands? He could easily seek to have her alone, to have someone find them. Would she be strong enough to face the scandal and accompanying repercussions against her family if she continued to resist marriage after that?
“I didn’t want to believe,” she said.
His grip tightened slightly on her rib cage. The pressure caused a pleasant tingle to work its way over her skin. His hand felt so strong and sure that she wanted to lean into it.
