Page 14 of The Duke's Gamble
Samuel looked around the table, taking in every face. Lord Crawley was still wide eyed with astonishment but none of the ladies present showed even the smallest hint of surprise. Evidently, Lady Florentina had told them everything.
“As I have said, Lady Florentina and I are now engaged.”
“And once we are wed, you will hand this house back to my brother,” Lady Florentina interrupted, angering him by her rude manner. “That must be quite clear.”
Lady Haddington made to say something but Samuel interrupted her, caring not for how improper that might be. “Yes, that is so.” His face burned as Lady Florentina’s chin lifted, a sense of pride in her expression though her face was white. It was clear she believed that she had bested him and, though he very much wanted to say that she had not, Samuel knew that he had been a fool, and she had taken advantage of that.
“I cannot believe this,” Lady Haddington breathed, her eyes narrowed in his direction. “You first take the house of my family and then take my eldest daughter instead? When you first came to this house, I did not think that you could fall further in myestimation.” She looked away though not before Samuel caught the gleam of tears in her eyes. “How gravely mistaken I have been.”
“This is not a situation that I am particularly pleased with either,” Samuel grated, seeing how mother and daughters all exchanged glances. “But given that I expect Lord Haddington to do as he promised, I must do as I have promised.”
“And I should have that in writing, signed and sealed.”
Samuel blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
Lady Florentina shrugged. “I ought to have our agreement in writing, Your Grace,” she said again, speaking more slowly this time. “And you will sign and seal it in front of witnesses.”
Anger burst through him again but Samuel bit it back, his face flaming. Evidently, she did not believe he was a man of his word and he wanted nothing more that to rail at her for it but, given the tension in the room at present, he chose not to. “Very well though,” he continued, “I have a few requirements of my own. One is that you shall not breathe a word of our engagement to anyone. Do I make myself quite clear?”
Silence met him. The ladies all looked at one another before Lady Haddington spoke, her voice soft but filled with wrath. “You wish to hide your engagement from theton? For what purpose?”
“My purposes are my own.” He gritted his teeth as Lady Haddington let out a low, guttural exclamation.It is not as though I can tell them all that I intend to make Lady Florentina break our engagement by her own desire and my design.“But it will not be spoken of. You will go to London for the Season as expected and behave just as you ought. Should all go as planned, then our engagement will be announced near the end of the summer, once I am quite prepared.”
Lady Haddington said nothing and though Lady Florentina’s face went a little red, she too remained silent.
“I have matters at hand that must be dealt with,” Samuel continued, his tone brooking no argument. “I will also be in London, though, again, there shall not be direct connection between us until I am ready. I have every intention of staying away from society, of being very little within it. In fact, I do not expect that many in society will even be aware of my presence. That being said, there may be only the briefest acquaintance between us until I indicate to you that such a situation can change. Is that quite clear to you all?”
Lady Florentina narrowed her eyes, her face pale but a dot of colour in her cheeks. “You are not to tell us the reason behind this, even if we ask, I trust?”
Samuel’s only answer to Lady Florentina’s question was a small shake of his head.
“Then it seems as though we have no choice though, if you hope that in delaying such a thing, I will change my mind and end our engagement, you are mistaken.”
Samuel bristled, then went hot all over, seeing the fierceness of her gaze and wondering at it. Did she know his plans and intentions? Or was it simply that she was suspicious of what he had planned?
“You will have our agreement in writing before you depart for London, Lady Florentina. Will that satisfy you?”
She looked away, her cheeks still pink. “The only thing you can do that will be in the least bit satisfactory is to return this house to my brother and to my family.”
The ice in her voice left Samuel in no doubt as to how she felt about him but he did not care. This had been the most foolish moment of his life but he was not about to let her succeed. One way or the other, he would remove Lady Florentina from him and, in return, claim this house for his own.
He had no doubt of his success. It was only now a matter of time.
Chapter Five
How much I wish I was still at home.
“You will need to smile if you are to attract anyone’s attention.” Nudging her sister Christina, Florentina only laughed when Christina shot her a dark look.
“I am already well aware that you do not want to be here,” Florentina continued, linking arms with Christina and half-dragging her into the ballroom. “But pray, do not allow the gentlemen in this room to be aware of your disinclination also. That will not encourage them in the way that you might hope.”
“What if I have no wish to encourage them? There is noneedfor me to do so, now that you are wed.” The moment Christina said those words, she winced, throwing a quick look to Florentina who only smiled, pretending the remark had not injured her.
“It is good for us to be in London for the Season,” Florentina answered, albeit more quietly. “Yes, it is true that I am engaged—though, as you recall, the Duke has demanded that we do not speak of it just yet—but you should take this opportunity to see if you can make a match as well.” She winced. “A better match than I have made at least, which I do not think will be too difficult!”
They had arrived in London the previous week and had taken a few days to acclimate to the bustle of the city. There had also been gowns to purchase, and Florentina had to admit her relief upon discovering that her pin money and allowance from her brother were still very much intact. However, between purchasing a gown and wearing it to the ball, Florentina’s anxiety had grown. She worried that they would know very few people and that no one would show interest in acquainting themselves with them. Glancing around the room, she felt that anxiety grow, spreading up through her chest like a weed.
What happens if news of my brother’s foolishness has already spread through society? What shall we do then?
