Page 76 of Dangerous Games of a Broken Lady
“Then, so be it. I shall marry you.”
He flashed an eerie grin. “I am glad to hear it. See, I knew you would change your mind by the time we finished our conversation. Now, you must allow me to kiss you.”
Panic seared through her veins as he approached. He leaned in slowly, giving her a moment to turn her face to the side. He chuckled softly as his lips grazed her cheek, leaving a cold smear that left her shuddering in disgust. She could not understand how everything could change so rapidly, but now she found that she loathed Reuben with every fiber of her being.
You will pay for this, Reuben. You deserve everything that I shall rain down upon you. The only wife you shall have is the devil on your shoulder. They shall be your only company from the depths of despair, once I ruin you in the way you have threatened to ruin me.
Chapter 32
“What in heaven’s name happened, My Lady?” Rosemary clucked, as Reuben departed. She had been banging on the door for the entirety of the conversation, eager to seek entry.
“The lock must have become stuck,” Adelaide replied. She had no time to placate Rosemary, for she needed to seek out Jasper right away.
“My goodness, that devil locked you in there, didn’t he?”
Adelaide smiled. “I am unharmed, Rosemary. I am as you see me.”
“He is a despicable creature for doing such a thing.”
“You must not tell my mother or father,” Adelaide pleaded. “I am quite well, I promise you.”
“Are you certain?”
“Entirely certain.” She forced herself to be brave, though she could still feel the brutal graze of his kiss on her cheek. It irked her, that he had stolen such an intimate gesture from her. Still, it would be worth it if she could bring him to justice for his former crimes.
“Hmm… very well, I shall not breathe a word of this. Although, if he should attempt such a thing again, I shall be forced to have Daniel break down the door.”
Adelaide chuckled. “That would be most welcome. Now, I must go speak with Jasper. If anyone asks for me, let them know where I am.”
She nodded. “As you wish, My Lady.”
With that, Adelaide hurried out of the house and up the steps to the neighboring building. She rapped on the door and slipped past the butler, calling out for Jasper as she stepped into the grand entrance hall.
“Jasper!” she cried. “Jasper, are you here?”
He appeared at the top of the stairs a moment later, a concerned expression on his face. He rushed down to meet her, holding her by the shoulders as he scoured her features for any sign of harm. She felt her heart beat faster at the soft touch of his hands, remembering how they had almost kissed beneath the willow. One day soon, he would be hers to kiss and hold as she pleased. That day could not come soon enough.
“Is something the matter?” he asked.
She nodded. “I must speak with you in private. There is much that I need to tell you.”
He ushered her into the library and closed the door. “What has happened? Is it the Duke of Bradford?”
She nodded again. “He only just left. It would appear that Miss Green made good on her promise to reveal everything to him. However, it has not dissuaded him from seeking my hand in marriage. He still wishes to marry me. Indeed, he has threatened me into accepting him. I told him that I would still wed him, but only as a means to buy ourselves some time to seek revenge.”
Jasper gaped at her. “He threatened you?”
“Yes, he told me that my father has been involved in some underhand dealings with Lord Rowntree,” she explained. “He means to blackmail my father, and bring us to ruin, if I do not accept our engagement. As I said, I have only agreed in order to give us some more time.”
“What did he tell you about your father?” Jasper asked, his expression strange. He seemed suddenly on edge, running an anxious hand through his hair.
Hurriedly, Adelaide repeated everything that Reuben had told her about her father’s poor business decisions. She explained about Lord Rowntree’s part in all of this, and the fraudulent tasks that Ephraim had been forced to perform in order to be recompensed. She also added the knowledge that Reuben’s illegitimate sister had been delivering information to him, which was how he knew about everything that had been going on.
“So, you see, I had no choice but to agree,” Adelaide said, as she came to the end of her story. “However, I believe we may be able to use Lord Rowntree to our advantage. For some unknown reason, he appears to care for me. He cornered me the other day and wanted to tell me about my father’s affairs. I am certain that is what he intended to tell me, for he spoke of secrets. He wanted to offer me money in exchange for breaking my engagement to the Duke of Bradford. He wanted to protect me and my family, including my father.”
Jasper shook his head. “That cannot be right.”
“What do you mean?”
