Page 45 of A Virgin for the Duke of Depravity
“Nonsense. I know my granddaughter when I see her.” The Earl took another step closer.
Leo took a slight step towards the other man, a solid barrier to prevent him from grabbing at her.
“I am not from around here,” Margaret hedged, hoping he would let it drop.
She hoped that he would not press the issue, not with Leo around. Whatever her grandfather had planned for her, she was almost certain he would not act on it in the presence of others.
If she could buy herself some time, she could return to the convent. He would never find her in time before she took her vows. It was only a few days away.
“I would have found you much sooner if you lived in London,” he said, tapping his cane on the ground. “I have been searching for you for a long time, as I am sure you well know.”
She knew better than to speak. Her voice would be too weak. She would not be able to ward off the man’s advances for much longer. She needed to escape, but she and Leo could hardly leave their friends behind.
She would need to find Theresa and Aaron, round up the girls, and they would all have to make it back to the carriage before her grandfather could follow them.
It was an impossible task.
“There is no denying that you look exactly like your mother. Your red hair, the shape of your eyes. It is clear that you have the family looks.”
Margaret said nothing.
“I do trust that you and I will be closer than your mother and I. You’ll be far more obedient, I am sure,” the Earl added when she did not respond.
“My mother ran away,” Margaret said quietly. Her voice was weak, but it did not waver when she looked up at her grandfather. “She did not want to be near you—and for good reason.”
“Your mother did not run away. She fell in love, my dear. And she caused quite a scandal at that. But she did not run away. She lived a happy life, did she not?”
Margaret did not answer.
Her mother might have lived a somewhat happy life, but the Earl could not say that her life had been full. Not with everything he had done to destroy the family.
Now, he was here to claim Margaret just as he had tried to claim her mother before her. Dread sank into her bones like lead, keeping her from moving away from him.
Leo opened his mouth to protest the man’s advance, but the Earl cut him off.
“I want to give you the happy life you deserve, too.” He tapped his cane on the ground again and then pointed it at Margaret. “Iam sure you know of the auction already. Why else would you hide behind the Duke and avoid me at the opera?”
She saw clarity on Leo’s face as he realized that the frail old man was the reason she ran. But confusion contorted his features at the mention of the auction. Clearly, he had not read the papers.
“I will help you find a good match and get away from those evil women at the convent,” the Earl said.
How did he know where she was? And if he knew, why did he not come to claim her sooner, to force her into a marriage she did not want?
“The convent is my home,” she said with more confidence than she felt inside. “I will be taking my vows, so there is no need to trouble yourself with me.”
She said what she had to say, but she could feel that the color did not rise in her cheeks as it so often did. Her skin was cold and clammy. Her hands shook at her sides. She balled her fists to hide the tremors.
Terror overcame her, but she would not let the old man see her shake.
“Please, my darling. You are not fooling anyone.” He took a step away from her and Leo. “I expect you to join me by tomorrow. If you do not, then I will have to come get you myself. Now, I know where you are staying.”
“No one will take away my guest unless that is what she wants,” Leo said, his voice commanding, as he remained between the Earl and Margaret.
“We shall see,” the old man replied.
Leo watched the Earl walk away from them, making sure he was out of earshot before he turned to Margaret. When he turned his attention to her, she realized that she could not bear the future awaiting her.
Her knees buckled at the same time Leo reached for her.
