Page 67 of A Courtesan Countess Worth the Scandal
“I don’t understand,” she murmured meekly, terrified that one wrong word would see her life extinguished.
Edward reached into his tailcoat and pulled out a familiar pamphlet. “Thisis not silence, Miss Black. Did you expect me to sit by and do nothing while you published this filth? You must have known that I would come for you, after seeing this, or you would not have written it.” He sneered. “Did you think you could seek some sort of revenge upon me by exposing me to the masses?”
All of a sudden, things began to make sense to Nora. For someone like Edward, who had been in charge of a household for five years, any sort of slur upon his name would have made it easy for Liam to cast him aside. Indeed, she could well understand how Edward had mistaken her stories as a threat.
“I would never have written about you,” she snarled, keeping an eye upon his fists. “You may ask anyone who knows about my writings. I’ve said to every one of them that there is one person I would never include, though I didn’t tell them your name. I’m no dolt, Edward, as you well know.”
Edward lunged for her, pulling her up to her feet by her gown’s capped sleeves. “Nor am I, Miss Black. Do you expect me to believe it is coincidence that you were seen in my nephew’s company prior to your lies being published in the scandal sheets? Did you think I had forgotten you, and that I had ceased to watch your every move? I haveneverstopped watching you.”
Realization dawned, slamming into her like a crate of bricks.
Of course… there was one other who knew where I lived. There was one other with a vested interest to keep me silent. And he thought I was targeting him—
“You… you were the one who tried to have me killed by those highwaymen.” She gaped at him, though not in surprise. She knew he was capable of anything. No, she was surprised at herself, for not having added him to her list of suspects.
“That’s why you spared the thoroughbred,” she went on, her mind whirling. “It wasn’t a warning to Liam. It wasn’t a kindness. That horse belongs to your nephew, and you’ve been in charge of his assets for five years. Why would you get rid of such an expensive investment?”
Edward laughed coldly. “I had forgotten how perceptive you could be, but I do not mean that as a compliment. If you had not been so meddlesome, I would not have been forced to take such drastic action. You could have lived happily in the townhouse that my fortune bought, but it was not enough, was it?”
“I’ve told you… your name was never going to be published,” she insisted, as the fabric of her sleeves ripped. It served as a sickening reminder of all the times he had wrenched her nightgown from her, not caring if it tore, so he could plunder her against her will.
Edward shoved her, sending her toppling backward. “I would have finished what I started while that fool nephew of mine journeyed here for the ball, leaving you alone in London… if he had not made the grave mistake of bringing you here.” He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I have had to travel to London and back because of him, having missed my opportunity to silence you indefinitely.”
“You were never in Carlisle, were you?” Clearly, he had intended to kill her, or warn her away, while Liam was not around to defend her.
He ignored her question. “You must have thought it luck when you happened upon my nephew. I imagine you heard his name and thought, “Why should I be satisfied with a townhouse when I can have an entire estate in addition?” You likely thought I would not step in to prevent you, believing these scandal sheets to be warning enough to dissuade me.” He chuckled darkly. “And there is no use in lying, for my source has told me everything of your wicked scheme.”
“What scheme?” Nora’s voice emerged as a strangled, frustrated cry. “I have no ploy when it comes to you. I wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and take revenge.”
Edward shrugged. “That is not what my dear, sweet Julia told me. She has whispered every detail of your plan into my ear, as we have lain together of an evening. Being one of your closest friends, I find it rather difficult to believe that she would fabricate such a tale.” He sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. “But do not be too hard on her. The poor creature adores me, and young ladies will do anything when they are in love.”
No… no, she wouldn’t do that to me.
Nora could not bring herself to speak as she thought of her friend, Julia Jones. They were competitors in their employment, but she had thought of Julia as more of a sister over the last few years. Surely, there was no way her friend could have done such a thing. Surely, the one person who knew all the contents of her manuscript had not stabbed her in the back.
“You are not the only one who can use people for their own benefit, Miss Black, and dimwitted Miss Jones was so very willing to spill your secrets at the merest sight of something shiny.” He cackled cruelly, while Nora gaped at him in dismay.
Julia… why would you betray me for him? I looked after you. I taught you how to survive as a courtesan. I helped you meet wealthier men to fill your coffers, and this is how you repay me?
“Sheislying, though I don’t know why,” Nora managed to say, a minute later. “Maybe she thought you’d give her more gifts if she carried on talking, which I’m certain you offered.”
Edward smoothed down the lapels of his tailcoat. “Or perhaps she is telling the truth, and you are trying to weasel your way out of it. I have to say, I find her account rather more believable than yours, considering you have managed to win my nephew’s favor when I am fairly certain the Westwood name appalls you.”
“I didn’t know he was your nephew.” A sharp pain stabbed through Nora’s chest, as though her heart was cracking. “If I had, I would never have gone near him.Hewas the one who defended me and made himself known to me. I didn’t pursue him.”
That’s why the highwaymen didn’t kill Liam when they had the chance! Perhaps, they thought their master would be angry if they did.
It all made sense, and yet none of it seemed real. It was as though she was stuck in a nightmare and could not awaken.
“And how would I have known he was your nephew, when you never told me your real name?” she added bitterly. “Your fears are all unfounded, and… if you would let me go, I promise I will continue in my silence about what you did to me. For if you do anything to me now, Liam will find out it was you.”
Edward canted his head. “I have another offer for you.Youwill leave this house first thing tomorrow morning, and you will put my nephew’s name in the scandal sheets. Make up a tale about him; I do not care what you say.” He rubbed his chin, scratching at the faint speckle of silvered stubble. “Ensure that he hates you, never darken his door again—and, of course, keep your silence—and I will allow you to retain the townhouse.”
“No,” she blurted out, before she could stop herself. “I won’t give him up. For ten years, I have suffered through the cruelty of men, and though he is your nephew, and that should make me despise him, I can’t. He is the only man who has shown me kindness. Indeed, he is the only man that has brought happiness into my life since I was a girl.”
Until those words had tumbled from her mouth, she had not known that those were her feelings on the matter. But now that they were out there, lingering in the air between her and Edward, she realized they were true. She did not want to relinquish Liam or the peace he had brought her. Why would she push away the only man who did not make her stomach churn and her skin crawl? Surely, by now, she had earned her right to love and happiness.
“Is it true that you are already married?” Edward’s expression darkened, his face twisting into a mask of fury.
