Page 12 of The Duke's Gamble
“But you do notneedit.”
Samuel’s lip curled, his brows furrowing. “You do not have any right to tell me what I do or do not need, Lady Florentina.”
“No?”
He lifted his chin, thinking her the most audacious, rude and irritating young lady he had ever been acquainted with. “No, you do not. Yes, I may have the title of a Duke but that does not mean that you have any understanding of what I own.”
A light glinted in Lady Florentina’s eyes. “Oh, but I do,” she answered, tilting her head just a little, a smile on her face that bore no light nor warmth. “I know precisely who you are, Your Grace,andjust what wealth you possess. You are aware, are you not, that young ladies are easily able to write letters? And within that correspondence, be able to find all that they require?”
This stopped Samuel’s response before he could even begin to form it. He swallowed tightly, his anger beginning to bubble.
“I know that you do not require this house,” Lady Florentina continued, a sense of triumph growing in her voice. “Iknowthat you already have more than one estate and that your sole desire in continuing on withthisproperty is simply because you desire to add yet more to your own vast wealth and, quite frankly, because there is no generosity nor understanding within your own heart.”
Samuel’s anger burst to new heights. “Howdareyou speak to me in such a manner?” He strode forward, stopping only a few inches away from her. “You have no right to talk of my character in such terms! You do not even know me!”
This did not cow Lady Florentina in the least; she merely tilted her head back to look up at him, folding her arms across her chest in a clear attempt to bolster her stance. “I know youwell enough to speak as I have, Your Grace,” she said, causing heat to flare through Samuel’s frame. “As I’ve said, you could relinquish your winnings, acknowledging that Lord Haddington was foolish, and recognise that we, as his dependents, require this house merely to survive!”
“There is the Dower house!” Samuel cried, throwing up his hands in exasperation. “You are going to marry, Lady Florentina, as is your sister. Your mother and youngest sister can remove there and that satisfies all.”
“No, it does not.” Lady Florentina was breathing hard now, though her gaze and her voice remained measured. “I suspect that you have given no thought whatsoever to the Dower House, nor made certain that it is a suitable abode. For if you had, you would be well aware that it requires repairs and—”
Samuel drew himself up. “A likely story,” he interrupted, sneering at her. “You may try to manipulate me all you wish, Lady Florentina but I am not about to be drawn into this game.”
Lady Florentina took a small step closer and, much to Samuel’s astonishment, put a hand on his arm. “It is not a game.”
Those words and the touch to his arm brought Samuel up short. He blinked rapidly, looking down into her face and feeling the anger within his chest begin to ebb away though he could not explain why. A warning began to ring around his mind and, catching his breath in horror, he stepped back, letting her hand fall to her side again.
“I willnotchange my mind.” His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. “Iwillhave thetonsee me as I truly am, Lady Florentina and that means I must have this house.” His breath coming in quick, short gasps, Samuel saw the way Lady Florentina’s eyebrows lifted and instantly cursed himself for speaking much too openly to her. “The answer is no. I command you not to ask me such a thing again.”
At this, Lady Florentina’s eyes opened wide, only for a hard, mocking laugh to break from her lips. “Command?”
“Yes,” he continued, now feeling a little foolish despite his efforts to remain composed. He had not intended to say such a thing, but the unexpected rush of emotions brought on by her hand on his arm had, in turn, loosened his tongue. “I am the Duke of Dartmoor, Lady Florentina, and I also own this house. You will do as I ask.”
Lady Florentina tossed her head, her brown curls dancing in the sunlight. “You may own this house, Your Grace but you certainly do not ownme.You maycommandas much as you like but do not expect me to comply.”
“The sooner you take your leave and go to London, the better!” Samuel exploded, fully aware that he was responding in a most childish manner, yet struggling to maintain control of his emotions. “I shall be glad not to have to linger in your company any longer.”
“Though, are you not also going to London?”
A sly look was now being sent towards him from Lady Florentina and Samuel frowned, his hands curling into tight fists. “You know that Lord Crawley and I are making our way to London for the Season, Lady Florentina.”
“Then I must hope you are prepared for the less than warm reception thetonwill offer you,” she continued, her tone a light but a glimmer of steel in her eyes. “I am quite certainyouhave every intention of telling all and sundry about your winnings. But be aware, Your Grace, that I have every intention of telling thetonof how we pleaded with you to give up your winnings and to forgive our brother’s foolishness, of our own dear mother—still grieving—and of the Dower house which is unfit for living in at present… and how you refused.”
A cold hand grasped at Samuel’s heart.
“You would not dare.”
A slight lift of her eyebrow told him that yes, she would do precisely as she had stated and Samuel narrowed his eyes, his jaw jutting forward.
“I will do whatever I must to protect and care for my family, in lieu of my brother,” she said, tightly. “My brother is at fault, I know, for even now his absence speaks of his cowardice. But still, someone must fight for our family and secure our future.”
“Andyouare to do it?” Samuel let out a brittle laugh, aware of the tension in his frame, the slight fear which her words had brought.
“If not I, then who else?”
The challenge in her words gave him pause and, for just a moment, Samuel’s sympathy began to warm, only for him to dash it away as he reminded himself of all she had just threatened. “And this is your way to do it, then?”
“To demand that you give up your selfishness and instead, show generosity and kindness? Yes! That is precisely what I will do.”
