Page 75 of To Pleasure a Prince
“Not your—You danced attendance on her, flattered her, gave her gifts, and Lord knows what else while always intending to tell her in the end that it meant nothing. What kind of wicked creatureareyou?”
He glared at her. “One who serves his future king with complete loyalty. As every subject should. Asyoumust.”
She shook her head. “You’re daft if you think I shall look the other way with this. I shall not let you continue to deceive—”
“You will do whatever I say.” He stalked toward her, his handsome features alight with determination. “You will keep silent about my plans, you will keep your bloody husband entertained, and you will let me finish this without any interference. Do you understand?”
“I will not!”
“You will. Or I’ll tell your precious ‘Marcus’ you were part of my plans all along.”
The blood drained from her face. “You couldn’t be that cruel.”
“I could, trust me. If you tell him—or Louisa—what’s going on, I’ll tell him you knew from the beginning. That I sent you to his house to distract him and maneuver it so I could get close to her.”
“He won’t believe you,” she whispered.
Simon laughed harshly. “The man trusts you so little that he made your fidelity a condition of marriage. Hebelaboredthe point. Do you really think he would trust you in this?”
“He would.” But even she didn’t believe it. As recently as this evening, he’d accused her of being part of Simon’s plans. If Simon confirmed those suspicions, Marcus would surely take his word for it.
“If you’re so certain of him, go ahead and tell him all,” Simon said coldly. “See what happens. Just remember that after I reveal how you’ve betrayed him,you’llhave to live with the consequences. If you tell him before the wedding and he chooses to believe me, then there may be no wedding. That should really enhance your standing in society. And if you tell him afterward—” He cast her a grim smile. “I do hope all those rumors about his dungeon are false.”
“I hope they aren’t,” she spat. “Because when he finds out what you’re doing, he will surely throw you into it. And starve you for a month.”
For a moment, he looked shaken by her bitter words. Then he steadied his shoulders with a condescending smile. “Now, now, you really shouldn’t talk that way. Blood is thicker than water, dear girl.”
“Don’t you call me ‘dear girl’ ever again. I am not your ‘dear’ anything. And you are no brother of mine if you force me into this.”
“I’m not forcing you,” he said wearily. “Just explaining what I’ll be compelled to do if you do not go along.” Stepping up to her, he placed his hand on her shoulder. “But if you do comply, I swear never to let him know that you were privy to my plans. You can act surprised when he finds out that Louisa has chosen to live at court with her father.”
“Herfather!”She shoved his hand away. “The prince has never been a father to Louisa. He’s only being one now so he can get something from her.” Her breath came hot and heavy. “Marcus is twice the man you’ll ever be. It breaks my heart to think of deceiving him.”
“Then you should not have interfered in my affairs. I never asked you to make that silly bargain with him. I sure as hell did not ask you to go off in a carriage alone with him tonight.”
“Because you knew I would never do it foryourdeceitful reasons.” But she’d done it for her own, so she was as guilty as he.
“But you did do it, and now you must live with the consequences. Are you with me? Or shall I have a friendly chat with my future brother-in-law?”
Her blood ran cold at the very thought of how Marcus would regard her if he believed Simon’s accusations. “You swore on your honor to stay away from Louisa,” she said in a last-ditch effort to sway him. “Would you break your word?”
“I swore an oath to my regent that is higher. If Draker demands satisfaction for my broken promise, I will give it to him.” He eyed her coldly. “But if you care for him, you’ll make sure he doesn’t demand satisfaction. Because I’m a very good shot.”
Yes, he was. And for all she knew, Marcus couldn’t hit a building at twenty paces. “All right. I’ll keep silent. But I will never forgive you for this. Never.”
He said nothing as she strode out into the hall. Perhaps he sensed he was on the verge of having his eyes scratched out. Or perhaps he was proud of himself for triumphing over her. Whatever the case, he would soon discover that she was not the sort to lie down and play dead simply because he commanded it.
She headed straight for Cicely’s room, praying that her cousin was still awake and would agree to help her. Normally she’d have to twist Cicely’s arm to get her to act against Simon, but now that he’d spoken casually of banishing her to the country, she might not be so kindly disposed.
And Regina intended to use that to her advantage. Between her and Cicely, they could make sure Louisa was never vulnerable to Simon’s machinations. One way or the other, Louisa would always have someone on her side.
Chapter Sixteen
Your charge’s wedding need not ruin your future.
A clever woman will have already made herself indispensable to the family by the time her charge is married off.
—Miss Cicely Tremaine,The Ideal Chaperone
