A Not So Respectable Gentleman? by Diane Gaston

smiled. ‘I have it, never fear.’
    She shifted in her seat. ‘How do I know you are not bluffing?’
    He simply stared at her.
    She glanced away and back. ‘How do I know this is not some elaborate ruse to force me into marriage and to get your hands on my inheritance? For all I know you may have merely heard some piece of gossip and embellished it.’
    She dared to question him?
    His smile stayed fixed. ‘Trust me on it...’ he paused ‘...or not. It is your father and your family who will pay the consequences if you are wrong.’
    Her smile matched his own. ‘Or it is you who pays the consequences if I am right. Can you hold off your creditors until you find another heiress to coerce?’
    He gripped the ribbons and his face flushed with anger. ‘What do you propose, then? You want proof that your father is nothing better than a common thief?’
    ‘That is precisely what I want,’ she shot back. ‘I want to see this banknote you claim to possess. I want to hold it in my hands and convince myself it is genuine and not a forgery.’
    ‘Forgery?’ he huffed. ‘It is your father who commits forgery, not I!’
    Her gaze did not waver. ‘No, your crimes are extortion and—and—other offences.’
    He forgot about the horses and seized her arm. ‘You impertinent chit! You will be sorry for this!’
    A tiny flash of fear appeared in her eyes. It aroused him.
    She straightened. ‘Take your hand off me or I shall scream. Your groom might be trained to ignore me, but there are others near enough to hear.’
    A quick glance behind him revealed other carriages approaching. He opened his hand, retrieved the ribbons, flicking them to signal the horses to increase their pace.
    ‘Will you show me the paper, or shall I break our engagement?’ she persisted.
    He collected himself. ‘Very well.’ He put on an ingratiating smile. ‘I will bring it to the ball tomorrow night.’
    ‘No.’
    She dared to disagree with him?
    She explained, ‘It is too public a place. If this paper is real, I will not have anyone else discovering its
contents.’
    He feigned solicitousness. ‘Shall I bring it directly to your father’s door, then?’
    She shook her head. ‘My mother must know nothing of this. A private place, I think.’ She glanced around the park. ‘There.’ She pointed. ‘That bench over there. Meet me there at seven tomorrow morning.’
    ‘Seven tomorrow morning?’ His voice rose.
    She might as well have said to meet her at dawn. Was she fancying this to be some sort of duel?
    ‘No one will be about at that hour and it is but a short walk for me from my house.’
    ‘Very well.’ He could not believe he was allowing her to dictate to him, but she had guessed one thing correctly. He could not afford to have her cry off. Mr Carter and the other money lenders would refuse him more time, high interest rate or not.
    They reached the Cumberland gate. Kellford did not even ask her if she wanted another turn in the park. He was eager to be rid of her. He drove her to her house and escorted her to the door.
    Before she went in, he seized her arm once again. ‘I will see you in the morning.’ He spoke it as a threat.
    * * *
    Once safe inside, Mariel leaned against the door, taking deep breaths to stop her shaking. She’d done it! She’d convinced Kellford to bring her the paper and, even more, she’d matched wits with the man again and won. It felt extremely gratifying.
    Perhaps she could succeed in ridding herself of the man and his menace to her father after all.
    Perhaps she could simply rip up the paper once he placed it in her hands. Leo and his valet did not have to risk being caught as thieves.
    That would be a better plan, she thought, but there was something more satisfying about working together with Leo, even with his valet and with Penny. She quite liked the camaraderie of it all.
    Besides, she would feel secure knowing Leo and Mr Walker waited in the shrubbery, just in case Kellford turned menacing, as