Page 62 of A Virgin for the Duke of Depravity
“You must make the same impression on every man here,” he insisted. “There must be no question about whether you will deliver on the promise of consummating the marriage.”
Margaret paused to study her grandfather. She wondered if this had been her mother’s experience as well. If this was why her mother had fallen in love with her father, who was far removed from the tactless Earl. Perhaps this was why she had eloped and set these events in motion.
Margaret did not doubt that her mother would not want this for her. But she had spent so few years with her mother. Shehoped she could have had more time with her. That they could have talked more about her life before she had Margaret, about her dreams for the future. The one person who could fill in the blanks was standing before her now, trying to marry her off to the highest bidder.
She swallowed down her fear and decided to change the subject. Maybe if she were able to play on his emotions, her grandfather would show her some grace.
Margaret took a deep breath. “What was my mother like as a child?”
The Earl glared at her for changing the subject and crossed his arms over his chest. “She was a nightmare, much like you.” He reached out and pressed a hand to her spine. “Now, I told you to stand taller. I cannot afford for even one of these men to hate you.”
“And if they do hate me?”
“It is not an option,” the Earl growled at her. “I need that money, and you are going to deliver on your duty to me. Had you done this long ago, we would not be here now.”
“But—” Margaret started to speak, but was interrupted by a man’s stern voice behind her.
The doors to the ballroom burst open, and someone walked inside in long strides. She noted the dark hair and the dark clothes, but it seemed as though it were too good to be true.
Had he come for her?
“Stop this farce,” he called out to her grandfather. “The bride is mine as per the Queen’s edict.”
She had expected a thunderous reaction. But when she looked back at her grandfather, he seemed pleased by this sudden turn of events. His eyes lit up at the approach of the Duke of Devishire, who reached for her.
As pleased as she was to see Leo, Margaret could not help but feel confused. He had made it quite clear that he would not—could not—marry her. So why was he here, demanding that she be his?
Was he here simply to whisk her away from her grandfather so that she could return to the convent and take her vows, to buy her some time to make a more permanent escape from life among the ton?
She had very little time to contemplate all of this because the Earl jumped at the opportunity to rid himself of her. He must have seen the coins stack up at the prospect of her marrying a man as prominent as the Duke.
“She can be yours,” he said. “But you will pay me at least half the amount the Queen has offered. Otherwise, I will auction her hand to the many gentlemen you see here. They are willing to pay for her hand.”
“I do not think you heard me,” Leo growled, taking Margaret by the arm. “She. Is. Mine.”
“She is no more yours than she belongs to any of the men here. If you want to marry my granddaughter, you will have to play by my rules.”
“We do not owe you anything.” Leo pulled Margaret toward the door, and she let herself be led by him.
To her surprise, it was not the Earl who stopped them at the door. Instead, it was Christopher, the man who had made it quite clear that he had no real desire for her. He thought of money and nothing else.
“I do not want to duel with a second Duke of Devishire,” he said smoothly as he accosted Leo and Margaret before they could make it out the door.
She was so close to escape, and this man would stand in her way?
She did not know what he meant when he said that he would duel with a second Duke of Devishire, and she looked to Leo for answers. His eyes clouded over at the mention of his brother.
“I know what happened to my brother. I am truly sorry that you could not see it was your sister’s fault,” Leo said, moving to sidestep him.
“It was nothing of the sort,” Christopher countered. “I have this scar as a reminder of your brother and what he did to my sister. I am not afraid to make the same bet twice.”
“Maybe someday, you will see that Augusta was to blame for the situation she found herself in. However, you are free to challenge me now, if you so desire. Once we leave this ballroom, you will never get the chance to do so again.”
Christopher pursed his lips. He looked back to the Earl for help, but the old man could do nothing but gape at them.
Margaret wanted to tell Christopher that she would never marry him, even if she did not understand what was transpiring between him and Leo. She would get the full story, eventually.
Now that Leo was here, she did not doubt that she would leave with him one way or the other. She merely had to set her sights on a clear path out of the mess she was mired in.
