Page 56 of The Scarlet Lady's Duke of Desire
A swig was all he needed to ease the pain in his head long enough to face whatever it was that had Mr Colton at his door.
Finally, he made his way through to the drawing room after having straightened the clothes he was wearing from the night before.
Upon entering the room, he found Mr Colton sitting upon the couch nearest the fireplace. James immediately thought it a good job that the fire was not lit as he might have very well felt the urge to hold the man’s face towards the flames for having dared to set foot in his house.
The man did not even rise to his feet when he turned to see that James had entered. The impertinence of the fact made James’ insides twist with anger, but he would not allow the man to see that.
“Mr Colton, it is a pleasure to meet you at last,” James announced, struggling to get the words out. He would never allow it to be said that he had been anything but respectful and gracious no matter who sat in his home. “To what do I owe this surprise visit?”
He forced a smile onto his face and stepped around the table to join the man, though he did not take a seat beside him. Instead, he sat in the armchair opposite, keeping his distance, more for the other man’s safety than his own.
“Your Grace, might I speak plainly?” Mr Colton asked, glancing at Dennis who had been waiting just beside the door as if he thought they might have need of him.
“Are you quite certain?” James asked, his voice tipped with warning. When the gentleman nodded, James turned to Dennis and said, “You may wait outside.”
No sooner had the manservant removed himself than Mr Colton explained, “Your Grace, I shall not beat around the bush. I wish for you to know that I saw you lay hands upon my betrothed last evening.”
James’ stomach twisted at the words, and he had to force himself to refrain from saying something he might regret.
He never got the chance to say anything however, as Mr Colton continued, “It would be awfully inconvenient for thetonto learn that not only have you been most inappropriate with the daughter of an earl, but you have been acting the very same way with none other than hercousin!”
James’ skin crawled at the words, not only because of their threatening tone but also for the fact that they had made him see a connection where before he had seen none. He had barely thought of the fact that Miss Thornton and Lady Florence Thornton were cousins. The two were so different that were they to be looked upon, nobody could have said they were related by blood. It felt wrong to even try to compare the two.
“Are you threatening me, Mr Colton?” James asked, giving the man ample opportunity to take it back.
Mr Colton straightened up in his seat. He ran his fingers quickly through his fair hair and looked James in the eye as he said, “Not hardly, Your Grace, I merely wish for you to see the problem you have given yourself.”
James scoffed at that. It was clear to see that the gentleman had seen an opportunity.
“Why simply marry a wealthy man’s daughter when you can blackmail a duke?” he said, laughing even at his own predicament.
“Blackmail, Your Grace? I would never,” Mr Colton protested, shaking his head and feigning offence. “Though I suppose, were this to go away, we would both be better off.”
The man raised a brow at James, a suggestive expression crossing his weaselly face. Bile rose in the back of his throat at the thought that Miss Thornton would ever be forced to spend the rest of her life beside such a man.
Am I truly any better?He asked himself, remembering how his first encounter with Miss Thornton had occurred. Upon their first dance he had merely been using her to get to his aunt, to irritate and cause chaos within theton.
“Mr Colton, I thought that you said you did not wish to beat around the bush?” James pointed out. His entire body tensed but he tried his hardest not to show the gentleman as he added, “What exactly is it that you have come here for?”
The man looked thoughtful for a second, as though he was debating just how forward to be. Then, finally, he admitted, “I require money, Your Grace.”
James almost threw himself to his feet and demanded that the man remove himself from his home. But before her could do so, Mr Colton added, “Has Miss Thornton not been the centre of enough scandal in her life?”
James’ throat constricted. He blinked and saw the sadness in Miss Thornton’s eyes as she had fled the ballroom on the night of the Faversham ball. He thought of how she had been crying the night before and could not help but think that she had cried enough, no matter what her reason had been for doing so.
“She has,” James sighed yet he never stopped from glowering at Mr Colton. “But if you are going to blackmail me on the matter then I have one condition.”
Mr Colton looked surprised at his response, almost as if he had expected his plan not to work.
Shuffling onto the edge of his seat, Mr Colton said, “What do you require, Your Grace?”
James debated for several moments what he was about to do before deciding it was what was best for all involved. “I shall double the amount Mr Thornton has offered as his daughter’s dowry on the condition that you break off this ridiculous farce of an engagement and are never seen in London again.”
At his words, Mr Colton laughed. He threw back his head and laughed so haughtily that it irritated James to the point that he would have liked to grab him by the cravat and choke him.
He clenched his jaw, prepared to say a few choice words when Mr Colton beat him to it. “You are welcome to her, Your Grace. I shall have no need of her now. Though I do admit, she is a pretty little thing. I can see why you like her.”
At that, James very nearly darted across the room to take the man in hand. He was only stopped by the knocking of knuckles upon the drawing room door.
