Page 10 of Her Beast

“No, say it.”

“I understand,” she forced the words through clenched teeth.

“You will be permitted to dine with your betrothed when Basingstoke goes to town to visit his grandmother; you will be allowed to shop with Netta; and theonlyriding you will do in the park will include a proper sidesaddle with Carl in attendance. Understood?”

“Yes, Father.”

“You will obey your uncle in all things. I have given him complete authority to discipline you however he deems fit.”

Revulsion pulsed through her body at the thought ofUncle Carlhaving such power over her.

Carl Sheehan was Nadine’s brother and no blood relative of hers. In fact, Julia had met him for the first time a few months ago, after he’d returned from New York City where he’d been living for the past fifteen years.

He was a huge man—tall, raw-boned, and brutishly handsome—who towered over her. And the way his light green eyes crept over her body whenever he was nearby made Julia deeply uncomfortable.

“Do you understand me, Julia?” her father demanded.

“Yes, I understand.”

He strode to the door and jerked it open to expose Netta Riley, her Nadine’s old nurse, a woman who despised Julia almost as much as Nadine did.

Netta crooked a finger at Julia, as if she were a dog, her dark eyes glittering with malice.

“Go,” her father barked when Julia hesitated.

But before she reached the door, her father’s hand whipped out and caught her upper arm in a cruel grip. “One last thing.” He jerked her close and hissed in her ear, “I want you to think about your idiot twin, Julia.”

Fear, as cold and sharp as a blade, stabbed her. “Wh-what do you mean, Papa?”

“You know exactly what I mean. We had a bargain and you are trying to destroy it.”

“I’mnot! I’m still betrothed to Basingstoke. What happened today hasn’t changed that.”

“Not for a lack of trying on your part.” His eyes narrowed. “What do you think I will do about your precious Richard if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain?”

“Youpromisedhe would get to stay at Brookfield, Papa.”

“Andyoupromised me that you would behave like a young lady, not a back-alley whore.”

She opened her mouth to beg and plead, but he wasn’t finished.

“Richard is happy where he is right now, isn’t he?”

“Yes, Papa, he loves it at Brookfield.”

“Your mother believes Richard would be happier somewhere more… structured.”

His words were far more stunning than his slaps had been and Julia’s belly roiled the way it did when she felt ill. She clutched at his coat. “Please, Papa! Richard wouldhateit if you took him away from Brookfield. He’ddieif—”

“It’s probably time to pension off that old woman, too.” Thomas Harlow smirked down at her, roughly plucking her fingers off his coat. “That is exactly what I will do if you force my hand, Julia.”

Julia squeezed her eyes shut, but a hot tear escaped and trickled down her cheek. Her father was talking about Nanny Potter, the person her twin loved most in the world. It would kill Richard to be separated from their old nurse.

Julia opened her eyes to see her father glaring smugly down at her, his face as hard as granite.

“Please, Papa,” she whispered. “I’ll be good. You’ll see. I’ll be perfect.”

“Just think about Richard the next time you consider disobeying me.” He shoved her out the door. “Now get out of my sight.”

---