Page 54 of The Lady Who Said No to the Duke
‘Good God, I didn’t want tomarrythe chit.She was just an amusement.Damnably dull in rural Yorkshire, believe me.’
‘I would not believe you if you told me the sky was blue,’ Thea retorted.‘So why not try to behave like a reasonable human being and court someone during the Season?You might find someone deluded enough to put up with you, although I must say, I’d pity them.’
‘It turns out that the Deanery girl has a fire-breathing brother who is hard on my heels.I may be heir to a title with blood that goes back to the Conqueror, but we have no influence, no connections.You have.A rural nobody threatening your husband is going to be sent packing.’
‘You think so?If you are the son-in-law in question, I imagine Papa would be out there urging on the aggrieved brother.He would probably offer to be his second.’
‘Yes?Your husband being involved in a duel so soonafter the wedding is going to cause considerable embarrassment to your family.’
‘My family would probably pay a marksman to give your opponent extra lessons beforehand,’ she retorted.‘Ending up as a widow would not be so bad, now I think of it.Why not act like a gentleman and accept his challenge?’
Randolph drained his tankard.‘A lot of nonsense, these so-called affairs of honour,’ he said dismissively, but his eyes shifted away from hers.
‘Your family really is a disgrace,’ Thea said.‘And you have the brains of a feather duster if you think this is going to work.I can’t imagine how you thought up such a scheme, let alone worked out how to abduct me.’
Then she realised.
‘You didn’t, did you?This is your sister’s idea.Helena wants me ruined.She knows you are going to run away rather than face that young man, so either I end up married to you, which she will greatly enjoy seeing, or I will be ruined, which will please her even more.She wants to revenge herself on me for thwarting her little scheme with the Duke and she isn’t thinking about your interests at all.’
Randolph’s face was scarlet, all the confirmation that she needed.‘Shut up, you bitch.’
‘And how do you intend to make me?Bring in your hired bully boy because you can’t subdue one young woman all by yourself?’
Randolph looked at her through narrowed eyes, then deliberately looked away and stared at the bed.There was a long silence while Thea’s stomach plunged, then he said, ‘I really didn’t think I was interested enough in you to actively ruin you—skinny redheads are not my fancy—but I have to do something to entertain myself until tomorrow.’
‘I’ll scream the place down.’
‘Not if you are gagged, you won’t.Or I can let Pitkin have you.He’s not fussy, and it will be a nice extra for him.Amusing to watch.’
Thea felt sick.She thought she might overcome Randolph if he became careless, but she had no confidence she could do anything against the lout outside, let alone both men.
‘Very well.I will be quiet.I won’t say a word.I’ll sit here and behave,’ she said hurriedly.She didn’t have to pretend to be cowed—she felt it, despising herself.
You cannot fight both of them.This is tactics, the sensible way to stay safe, not cowardice.
Randolph relaxed a little.‘Very wise.’
Thea was beginning to get the feeling that it was not only the threat of being hurt in a duel that frightened him, but any form of conflict.He would not relish rape, even if he threatened it.He was quite happy to seduce innocent young women, provided he did not have to face them afterwards, but a struggling, fighting woman was another matter.
‘May I ask one question?’she ventured.
‘Ask away, just keep that adder’s tongue of yours civil,’ he said.‘Pitkin!’
The door opened and the big man looked in.‘Yes, guv’nor?’
‘Have them send up some food and more ale.Go and get some for yourself, but wait and turn the key in the door on your side after the maid’s left before you go.’
‘Aye, guv’nor.’The door closed.
‘Well?’
‘You say you expect us to be discovered tomorrow morning.What makes you think someone will trace us and, if they do, why they won’t arrive until then?’
‘They’ll be flapping around for an age.Who’ll noticeyou’ve gone in all that crush?Then we got you out without being seen.It will take them hours to work out what happened.When they do, I’ve left them a clue to follow, but that will take time.’
‘A clue?’
‘Nobody but an idiot would set out on a clandestine journey with as noticeable an assortment of horses in the traces as we did.Yes, I reckon tomorrow morning we’ll see them here.’
