head.
"Five thousand pounds, Miss Englefield. That is what I will pay you, and not a farthing more, but it should cover your most pressing debts and keep you in gowns long enough to find a more suitable husband. For that, I will expect you to inform my son that you have no more interest in him. You will, in fact, have nothing more to do with him. You may handle the matter in any manner you choose, but those are my conditions."
Chloe felt hot tears well up behind her eyes. To think she had actually persuaded herself this man had come to make her acquaintance! "Please take me home."
"I await your answer, Miss Englefield."
"My answer is that you may choke on your money. Take me home or let me down."
"Don't be absurd. You are miles from home. A lady does not walk alone."
"I am in less danger from the footpads of London than from you. If you do not turn about immediately, I shall get down of my own accord. I am quite capable of walking miles."
"As I have taken you up in my carriage, I cannot in good conscience allow that. You will stay until I hear your answer, and then I will return you to the care of your aunt."
"Very well, Your Grace, my answer is that as I have already said my adieus with Reggie, I will not do so again, and I will not accept your money. Now you have received your answer, so please take me home."
The duke's cool blue eyes froze with icy hatred. With a jerk, he brought his cattle to a halt and turned in the seat. "Do not toy with me, Miss Englefield. I can break you."
"I believe you, and I believe you are accustomed to breaking people. I have said that I understand you, and that I do not intend to marry your son. But that decision was not yours. It was ours. Now, please take me home."
The muscles in the duke's jaws bulged and shifted, and Chloe wondered if he might clench his jaw so tightly his teeth would break. Deep rage boiled in his eyes, and the ribbons in his hand curled in the pressure of his grip.
With a start, he cracked the whip and the startled pair of blacks leapt to a trot, nearly throwing Chloe from the carriage, which turned a sharp circle in the wide lane, almost tipping as she clung to the padded seat. His whip cracked above his team, forcing them ever faster, heedless of anything in his way. Chloe wanted to slap the whip from his hands. "You do not spite me to abuse your cattle, Your Grace."
From his ramrod back to the gloved fists gripping the ribbons, the man stiffened even more. "They are as replaceable as you are, Miss Englefield."
But the duke slowed the blacks to a respectable trot. Chloe refused to acknowledge the change for fear he would take it as reason to resume his abuse. He turned onto Leicester Square and tooled to her town house. The team jerked to a surprisingly precise halt.
Chloe moved to the edge of the seat.
"You will wait for me to hand you down." The duke leapt down from his seat and walked, perhaps bit too swiftly, around the carriage.
She had no wish to cede to the man's false decorum, but she figured she'd better pick her battles, and that one, in the scheme of things, was not very important.
She suppressed her angry urge all the way to the door, then turned to the duke, her jaw as tight as his.
"Do not forget, Miss Englefield."
"I will not, Your Grace. I shall say, though, that I admire your son greatly, and I wish you were able to see the fineness of his character. I am so sorry for Reggie that he must deal with a father such as you. He is a fine man, and he deserves far better. Even more the pity because he loves you. But I think I pity you even more, for you could have your son's love, but you are intent on driving him away. And you will succeed."
"Your pity is wasted. Good day, Miss Englefield." The duke executed an extremely proper bow, pivoted abruptly, and with rigid precision retraced his steps to his waiting carriage without so much as a backward glance.
Chloe surprised herself as she realized she did mean her condolence to the duke. What
"Five thousand pounds, Miss Englefield. That is what I will pay you, and not a farthing more, but it should cover your most pressing debts and keep you in gowns long enough to find a more suitable husband. For that, I will expect you to inform my son that you have no more interest in him. You will, in fact, have nothing more to do with him. You may handle the matter in any manner you choose, but those are my conditions."
Chloe felt hot tears well up behind her eyes. To think she had actually persuaded herself this man had come to make her acquaintance! "Please take me home."
"I await your answer, Miss Englefield."
"My answer is that you may choke on your money. Take me home or let me down."
"Don't be absurd. You are miles from home. A lady does not walk alone."
"I am in less danger from the footpads of London than from you. If you do not turn about immediately, I shall get down of my own accord. I am quite capable of walking miles."
"As I have taken you up in my carriage, I cannot in good conscience allow that. You will stay until I hear your answer, and then I will return you to the care of your aunt."
"Very well, Your Grace, my answer is that as I have already said my adieus with Reggie, I will not do so again, and I will not accept your money. Now you have received your answer, so please take me home."
The duke's cool blue eyes froze with icy hatred. With a jerk, he brought his cattle to a halt and turned in the seat. "Do not toy with me, Miss Englefield. I can break you."
"I believe you, and I believe you are accustomed to breaking people. I have said that I understand you, and that I do not intend to marry your son. But that decision was not yours. It was ours. Now, please take me home."
The muscles in the duke's jaws bulged and shifted, and Chloe wondered if he might clench his jaw so tightly his teeth would break. Deep rage boiled in his eyes, and the ribbons in his hand curled in the pressure of his grip.
With a start, he cracked the whip and the startled pair of blacks leapt to a trot, nearly throwing Chloe from the carriage, which turned a sharp circle in the wide lane, almost tipping as she clung to the padded seat. His whip cracked above his team, forcing them ever faster, heedless of anything in his way. Chloe wanted to slap the whip from his hands. "You do not spite me to abuse your cattle, Your Grace."
From his ramrod back to the gloved fists gripping the ribbons, the man stiffened even more. "They are as replaceable as you are, Miss Englefield."
But the duke slowed the blacks to a respectable trot. Chloe refused to acknowledge the change for fear he would take it as reason to resume his abuse. He turned onto Leicester Square and tooled to her town house. The team jerked to a surprisingly precise halt.
Chloe moved to the edge of the seat.
"You will wait for me to hand you down." The duke leapt down from his seat and walked, perhaps bit too swiftly, around the carriage.
She had no wish to cede to the man's false decorum, but she figured she'd better pick her battles, and that one, in the scheme of things, was not very important.
She suppressed her angry urge all the way to the door, then turned to the duke, her jaw as tight as his.
"Do not forget, Miss Englefield."
"I will not, Your Grace. I shall say, though, that I admire your son greatly, and I wish you were able to see the fineness of his character. I am so sorry for Reggie that he must deal with a father such as you. He is a fine man, and he deserves far better. Even more the pity because he loves you. But I think I pity you even more, for you could have your son's love, but you are intent on driving him away. And you will succeed."
"Your pity is wasted. Good day, Miss Englefield." The duke executed an extremely proper bow, pivoted abruptly, and with rigid precision retraced his steps to his waiting carriage without so much as a backward glance.
Chloe surprised herself as she realized she did mean her condolence to the duke. What
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