Page 52 of A Duke's Sinful Bargain
“This is for you,” he told her with no further explanation.
Their eyes locked, and it was his eyes that held her attention captive. He had a pair of most keen, intelligent eyes that seemed to miss nothing as they swept over her with a shrewd gaze. At first glance, they spoke of his expertise in matters of law and finance. But on second glance, she could see a more menacing depth to them, one she did not wish to delve into at that moment.
“What is it?” she wondered, afraid to accept it. She had already received some unwanted news that day and was not in the mood for any more. However, she could not refuse this stranger who had come to occupy her home at a most inconvenient moment.
He urged her to accept it before speaking, so she felt compelled to do so. The letter felt strangely heavy in her hand.
“I am not aware of the contents myself,” he clarified. “I was merely given instructions to wait until you have read it, and then tell you what the conditions are.”
“Conditions?” Anna gasped, still not comprehending the gravity of the situation she had found herself in. “What is this?” Her voice took on a more frantic note as her trembling fingers fumbled with the note, finally opening it.
I know of your affair with the Duke of Blackthorn.
Anna gasped, pressing her hand to her chest. For a moment, she found it impossible to breathe. The world was spinning all around. It was fortunate that she, too, was seated, otherwise she might have tumbled onto the ground like a lifeless puppet whose limbs were sewn onto her body, without her having any control over them. That was exactly how she was feeling, having lost all control of her own body, her own mind, and with it, her own life.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, trying to compose herself, but it was an impossible feat.
“I am to inform you that you have exactly two weeks to pay six thousand pounds. Otherwise, the contents of that letter will be divulged to everyone in theton.” He spoke as if they were discussing bad weather that might clear up in a day or two. To him, none of this mattered.
However, the weight of his words hung ominously in the air around them, casting a dark shadow. Anna could not believe that this was happening. She hoped this was a bad dream, a nightmare she would wake up from, but morning light would not come. She was stuck in this nightmare and could see no way out. This was a serious threat for more than one reason. The threat of exposure would destroy her life and the world as she knew it. She would become a pariah. Her reputation would be ruined beyond repair, if it had not been already.
“But I don’t have that kind of money!” she gasped in shock. “Where am I supposed to find it?”
The solicitor did not seem to be bothered in the slightest by her exclamation. On the contrary, he seemed as calm as the moment he had entered, and Anna wondered how much he had to be paid for this. Who on earth would accept such a job? She wanted to slap him across the face and throw him out, but she dared not do that yet.
“Who sent you?” she demanded again.
He inhaled deeply, almost exasperatedly, and gave her a look that assured her that he was paid handsomely for his silence. “You and I both know I will not reveal the name of my employer, no matter how many times you ask. It is better to save your breath.”
Anna was feeling more and more desperate with each passing moment. He on the other hand, continued to speak, seeing that he still had the upper hand in this conversation.
“Two weeks, Lady Ravenscroft.” His voice took on a more menacing edge, and she knew that whoever was behind this meant every word, despite the fact that he was not delivering them directly.
An impossible amalgamation of emotions churned inside of her. Fear, panic, shock, and disbelief flowed through her veins, overwhelming her senses as she grappled with the gravity of the situation. The truth was, she did not have that amount of money.
Not even close. The fact that whoever was blackmailing her did not know this meant she had done a good job of keeping her late husband’s gambling debts a secret. But how long could she keep doing that?
Abruptly, she got up. She had no idea where she had mustered the courage for this, but her defiance suddenly blazed like a fire within her. She gritted her teeth before she spoke.
“How dare you?” She pointed a finger at the man. “How dare you come into my home with this filth?” She threw the letter back at him. “Take it back to whoever gave it to you! I will not have such filth in my home! And I will not be blackmailed into paying anything!”
Though Anna trembled with fear, she refused to bow to these threats and intimidation. The man took the letter calmly and silently proceeded to put it back into his bag. He was completely unfazed by her outburst, which only made her even angrier.
“Lady Ravenscroft, I am merely the messenger,” he told her, and she knew she was arguing with the wrong person. Only she could not reach the right person when that person was a coward, hiding behind solicitors, sending his threatening letters of blackmail. “The terms are clear. Pay the sum demanded or face the consequences.”
Anna’s eyes narrowed and she squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. “I will not be bullied into submission by whoever has sent you here. You can go back and tell them exactly that. I will not pay a single penny of that sum, do you hear? Now leave my house at once!” She was now shouting, her voice trembling with fury.
Finally, the solicitor’s mask of indifference cracked. She could see the human side of him, a flicker of uncertainty that maybe, just maybe, he was not doing the right thing. “Lady Ravenscroft, I implore you to reconsider,” he said, somehow differently that time. “You cannot simply ignore the demands of my client.”
“Maybe if you told me who your client is, I would consider it.” Anna stood her ground. “But I do not succumb to the desires of cowards who do not dare to show their faces when making threats and blackmailing people. Now, leave this place before I summon the authorities.”
The mention of authorities seemed to frighten him enough to leave the matter alone, if only for the time being. With a reluctant nod of acknowledgment, he bowed his head in defeat. “Very well, Lady Ravenscroft.” It sounded as if he had conceded, but Anna knew better than to trust the likes of him and whoever he was working for. “But mark my words, this matter is far from over.”
Upon those words, he hastily made his exit, leaving Anna with the imploding of her own heart. She hastily grabbed onto the nearest armrest and kept her balance. She had no idea how she had managed to endure this horrible situation. And the worst part was that it was far from over, just like the man said.
Anna felt overwhelmed by the entire ordeal, and just as she was about to stumble onto the ground, losing balance, she felt someone prop her up onto the chaise longue.
“My lady, are you all right?” Eliza’s tender voice pierced the haze of darkness that reigned inside Anna’s mind.
