this bandit try again, he will face the wrong end of a pistol.”
She stared at her brother. She didn’t want him killed, she merely had hoped to see him again. She said a silent prayer. She was amazed that Thomas had taken such an action, amazed that he even remembered the prior trip. But that was how the outcome of his accident was, one minute he was lucid and the next he couldn’t remember where he was.
Sitting on the edge of her seat, Katherine looked at the trees on the side of the road and tried to control her racing heart.
In the end her worry was for nothing. William did not appear again, and their journey to Sussex Manor was uneventful. Apparently the bandit had forgotten all about them. She vowed to herself that she would forget him too.
Music filled the halls and magnificent rooms of Sussex Manor. Benjamin Spencer stood alone for a moment, enjoying the brief respite from his guests, and his intended.
He caught a glimpse of her in the flickering light of one of the hundreds of golden sconces that lined the ballroom. She was dancing, her hair gleaming like polished wood. Benjamin gritted his teeth so hard a pain shot through his jaw. The sight of her infuriated him. He had been so careful to maintain his image of wealth. How had she discovered the truth? Where had she been on those days before the wedding?
Benjamin straightened up his black velvet beret. He was dressed as a tudor nobleman, complete with slashed, full-sleeved over jacket, a silver brocaded waistcoat, white stockings and of course a silver embroidered codpiece.
He smiled, thinking of the time period he emulated. He wished he could wack off the head of that bitch, Katherine. Good luck and good riddance, he thought as he watched her dance with another. His attention shifted to a far more interesting object.
A woman he had seen a few times before, a girl in first blush, a slender blond woman, attending her first Season. Her father was well known on matters of finance, even holding the ear of the king. Sir Paul Stanwick had been, over the years wildly successful in his business dealings. He had focused his attentions in recent years in turning his successes into a large fortune. Stanwick had wealth and power and he had just one daughter, Elizabeth, who was only eighteen and would inherit all his vast holdings.
Benjamin had heard rumors recently that the girl and her fortune were up for sale. At that time he was not interested, but now with the loss of his bride and his looming ruin, he was forced to reconsider.
He took a pinch of snuff as he studied the young girl. He could not say he found her lacking in beauty. She was not as vibrant as Katherine, but she held her own. The past week he had gone to London and had a secret meeting with her father. Sir Paul was beside himself at the notion of his daughter wed to a duke.
A tentative agreement had been reached, including that she came with a kingly dowry and a provision that marriage to Elizabeth would make the duke of Sussex heir to the vast Stanwick fortune. However, there was one catch, Elizabeth had to agree.
Benjamin smiled as he caught her dancing with the earl of Batton, a handsome, wealthy man, who had finally decided to enter the marriage mart. He was in need of an heir, and by the end of the Season, he meant to see that problem resolved.
Benjamin frowned as he did not want the earl anywhere near Elizabeth. The man had a bad reputation as far as the ladies went. Benjamin would see that the earl understood that she was taken, even though Elizabeth was unaware of this. As soon as he rid himself of Katherine, he would turn his charms on Elizabeth Stanwick.
The girl would agree to the marriage and soon. He smiled to himself at the thought. He would see to it that she had no choice. He had made one mistake, he would not make another in Elizabeth. Perhaps once his position was secure again, he would settle the score with Katherine.
Katherine forced herself to smile. She was
She stared at her brother. She didn’t want him killed, she merely had hoped to see him again. She said a silent prayer. She was amazed that Thomas had taken such an action, amazed that he even remembered the prior trip. But that was how the outcome of his accident was, one minute he was lucid and the next he couldn’t remember where he was.
Sitting on the edge of her seat, Katherine looked at the trees on the side of the road and tried to control her racing heart.
In the end her worry was for nothing. William did not appear again, and their journey to Sussex Manor was uneventful. Apparently the bandit had forgotten all about them. She vowed to herself that she would forget him too.
Music filled the halls and magnificent rooms of Sussex Manor. Benjamin Spencer stood alone for a moment, enjoying the brief respite from his guests, and his intended.
He caught a glimpse of her in the flickering light of one of the hundreds of golden sconces that lined the ballroom. She was dancing, her hair gleaming like polished wood. Benjamin gritted his teeth so hard a pain shot through his jaw. The sight of her infuriated him. He had been so careful to maintain his image of wealth. How had she discovered the truth? Where had she been on those days before the wedding?
Benjamin straightened up his black velvet beret. He was dressed as a tudor nobleman, complete with slashed, full-sleeved over jacket, a silver brocaded waistcoat, white stockings and of course a silver embroidered codpiece.
He smiled, thinking of the time period he emulated. He wished he could wack off the head of that bitch, Katherine. Good luck and good riddance, he thought as he watched her dance with another. His attention shifted to a far more interesting object.
A woman he had seen a few times before, a girl in first blush, a slender blond woman, attending her first Season. Her father was well known on matters of finance, even holding the ear of the king. Sir Paul Stanwick had been, over the years wildly successful in his business dealings. He had focused his attentions in recent years in turning his successes into a large fortune. Stanwick had wealth and power and he had just one daughter, Elizabeth, who was only eighteen and would inherit all his vast holdings.
Benjamin had heard rumors recently that the girl and her fortune were up for sale. At that time he was not interested, but now with the loss of his bride and his looming ruin, he was forced to reconsider.
He took a pinch of snuff as he studied the young girl. He could not say he found her lacking in beauty. She was not as vibrant as Katherine, but she held her own. The past week he had gone to London and had a secret meeting with her father. Sir Paul was beside himself at the notion of his daughter wed to a duke.
A tentative agreement had been reached, including that she came with a kingly dowry and a provision that marriage to Elizabeth would make the duke of Sussex heir to the vast Stanwick fortune. However, there was one catch, Elizabeth had to agree.
Benjamin smiled as he caught her dancing with the earl of Batton, a handsome, wealthy man, who had finally decided to enter the marriage mart. He was in need of an heir, and by the end of the Season, he meant to see that problem resolved.
Benjamin frowned as he did not want the earl anywhere near Elizabeth. The man had a bad reputation as far as the ladies went. Benjamin would see that the earl understood that she was taken, even though Elizabeth was unaware of this. As soon as he rid himself of Katherine, he would turn his charms on Elizabeth Stanwick.
The girl would agree to the marriage and soon. He smiled to himself at the thought. He would see to it that she had no choice. He had made one mistake, he would not make another in Elizabeth. Perhaps once his position was secure again, he would settle the score with Katherine.
Katherine forced herself to smile. She was
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