Page 19 of The Marquess' Wicked Wager
The Duke laughed. “I know how much you love telling yourself that. But if that’s the case, why didn’t she take you with her, hmm?”
“Because she—”
“I’ll tell you why. Because she saw you for precisely what you are. A chip off the old block.”
The fire in Albert’s blood redoubled. He snatched his father by the lapels. “I am nothing like you.”
The old lecher chuckled into his ruffled collar. “You’re not fooling anyone. I know your reputation. Everyone does. If you would just admit that you and I are the same—”
“Shut up!”
“Think of what we could do together! I’d even let you have a turn with Miss Worthington once the vows are said.”
“I said shut up!” Albert slammed him against the wall hard enough that the tall wainscoting cracked.
“Get down from your high horse, Albert,” he chuckled then a hard sneer contorted his features like a hideous mask. He grabbed Albert’s hands and shoved him off so hard that Albert stumbled. Now in his early fifties, the Duke was no less physically strong than he had ever been. “Virtue does not suit you.”
“Get out of my house,” Albert growled. “And stay away from my betrothed.”
“Your betrothed?” he scoffed. “No more absurd sentence has ever been spoken. As if the Lord of the Wedding Chamber could ever settle for one woman!”
Albert sneered at the unfortunate moniker, but there was little he could do about it. It wasn’t exactly common knowledge, but in certain circles, it was whispered that Albert had a penchant for married women. Young, unhappily married, well-to-do women who were looking for a little adventure in their lives. But this was only partially true.
It wasn’t that he sought them out; he just didn’t recoil from their advances and treat them as if they were untouchable simply because their husbands could potentially retaliate. Albert had decided long ago that he wasn’t going to live in fear of his father. Quickly afterward he had realized that meant he was not intimidated by anyone. Most of the time, it served him well. At other times, it made him entirely too bold for his own good.
“Edna is mine; do you understand me?” Albert stalked closer to his father, leaning into his face until he could almost taste the lemon and cardamom on his father’s breath. “If you go near her again, I will kill you.”
“I will see you eat those poorly chosen words, boy.” The Duke kept his eyes locked with Albert’s for a long moment then turned his back slowly. “Let’s just see how interested Edna is in you once she finds out who you really are. Believe me, she’ll be begging me to save her from you before the end.”
“When snow falls in hell, you old bastard.”
“Really?” The Duke started toward the door then paused as he crossed the threshold and looked back. “Care to make another wager?”
“What the devil are you talking about?”
“A bet, child. And if you win, I will never bother Edna Worthington again so long as I live.”
Albert laughed in his face. “I already won that wager, and you won’t honor it. I wouldn’t trust you as far as a legless dog can jump.”
“That was just a bit of pageantry for Worthington’s sake. You and I both know that.” He lifted his brows, a rakish grin on his face accentuating the little bits of black between his teeth. “This time, we play for keeps.”
“No.” Albert waved him off. “You’re a liar and a cheat. You couldn’t keep an honest deal if someone tied it to your head.”
The Duke sighed and shook his head dramatically. “Very well, though I think your dismissiveness is rather telling. A true gentleman would do anything to protect his lady love from a malicious fox nipping at her ankles.”
“A gentleman doesn’t gamble with his lady’s honor.”
“You have learned your lines well.” He sighed and shook his head, looking genuinely impressed. Then he started for the door, his wooden heels clicking on the marble floor. Albert tightened his hands into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He didn’t want to ask…
“And what would I get if I won your little wager?” The words fell out of Albert’s mouth before he could stop them. Damn his insatiable curiosity.
The Duke didn’t look back though he paused his casual pace. “That’s the best part. If you win, I’ll not only leave Miss Worthington alone; I will give you the one thing you want more than anything else in the world.”
Albert coughed out an incredulous chuckle. “And what do you suppose that is?”
The Duke turned back to him, his blue eyes so bright they seemed ready to boil. “I’ll tell you where your mother is.”
ChapterNine
