Page 99 of Wedded to the Duke of Seduction

In her chambers, she found Betty arranging her evening gowns that were moved back from the Duke’s rooms the previous night in a painful ceremony neither of them had acknowledged directly.

“Betty, I need to go out this morning,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “Please have the carriage brought around.”

“Alone, Your Grace?” Betty looked concerned. “Perhaps I should accompany you.”

Marina shook her head. “This is a matter I must handle personally.”

An hour later, her carriage stopped before Giles’s offices near the Exchange. The clerk’s eyes widened at the sight of the ducal crest, his stammered greeting suggesting that Marina’s elevation in status had not gone unnoticed.

“I wish to see Mr. Giles immediately,” she stated, her tone allowing no argument. “It concerns a matter of some urgency.”

Giles’s face when she was shown into his office reflected genuine surprise, followed quickly by poorly concealed apprehension. He rose, offering a bow that stopped just short of obsequious.

“Your Grace, what an unexpected honor. I wasn’t aware?—”

Marina placed the blackmail note on his desk, cutting off his platitudes. “Did you send this?”

Giles’s confusion appeared genuine as he picked up the note, his brow furrowing as he read the crude message. “I assure you, I did not. Whatever this refers to?—”

“It refers to my writing,” Marina interrupted. “The anonymous stories you once threatened to expose.”

Understanding dawned in Giles’s expression, followed by something that looked remarkably like fear. “Your Grace, I would never threaten the Duchess of Blackmere. The Duke explicitly outlined the consequences of any such action when he paid off your late husband’s debt.”

Marina studied his face, looking for signs of deception. “You expect me to believe you’ve suddenly developed scruples?”

“Not scruples, Your Grace. Self-preservation.” Giles straightened his waistcoat nervously. “Your husband made it quite clear that any further attempt to extract money from you would cause my financial and social ruin. I might be manythings, but I am not idiotic enough to cross the Duke of Blackmere.”

The genuine fear in his voice made Marina pause. Leo must have been extremely convincing in his threats. “If not you, then who?” she demanded, more to herself than to Giles.

The businessman shrugged, visibly relieved that she seemed to believe his denial. “Perhaps someone else who knows of your… literary endeavors? Your publisher, perhaps?”

“Mr. Lupton would have nothing to gain by exposing me,” Marina said though the suggestion made her consider other possibilities. “He earned more than enough when I wrote for him.”

“Then I suggest you look for someone who might profit from your disgrace,” Giles offered, clearly eager to be helpful now that he understood he was not the primary suspect. “Or perhaps someone with a personal grudge against you or the Duke.”

Marina retrieved the note, her mind racing.If not Giles, then who? And more importantly, what did they truly want?

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Giles,” she said, rising to leave. “I trust you’ll keep our conversation private.”

“Absolutely, Your Grace.” Giles bowed deeply. “I wish you success in resolving this unfortunate situation.”

Marina’s next stop was Caroline’s townhouse. Her friend rushed her into the private sitting room the moment she arrived.

“You look awful,” Caroline said, taking her hands. “What’s happened? The servants are saying Leo’s moved to Noah’s house.”

“We had a fight,” Marina said, the words nowhere near enough to describe last night’s devastation. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

She pulled out the blackmail note and watched Caroline’s face drain of color as she read it.

“This is horrible,” Caroline whispered. “Who would do such a thing?”

“I thought Giles at first.” Marina sank into a chair, suddenly exhausted. “I just came from his office, but I believe him when he says it wasn’t him. He looked genuinely scared of crossing Leo again.”

“What about Lupton?” Caroline asked, folding the note. “He knows who you are, and he’s hardly a man of principle.”

Marina shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense. If he exposed me, people would stop buying the stories. He’d lose money.”

“Unless he plans to keep blackmailing you while publishing your work.”

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