Page 19 of Guilty Pleasures

“Hear me out. If you stay, I will not only triple your salary, I will also pay you a bonus.”

She made a sound of disdain. “That is not a compromise. That’s you thinking you can buy anything you want.”

“I usually can. Another characteristic of dukes, I fear.”

The prudent, practical side of her character was tempted to ask how much of a bonus, but she did not. “You cannot buy me.”

“Proud words, Miss Wade. And what if you do not find your family? If you do not find a husband with whom to have this partnership of mutual love and companionship you seek? What then? You cannot stay with Viola forever.”

“Then I will find employment. I will learn all I can of good society and become a governess.”

“You already have employment, and the work you do here is far more interesting than that of a governess. I assure you that governesses earn far less than I am paying you and they have a very difficult time of it. You would not wish to be a governess. Trust me on that, Miss Wade.”

“I would not trust you on anything, your grace.”

“Because you do not like me?”

“Precisely.”

He did not seem at all put out. “Then, if I wish you to remain, I am forced to make myself more likeable to you and more worthy of your liking and trust.”

“Do not waste your time. I will not stay. If I have no other choice, I will find another excavation on which to work. I am sure your sister knows many wealthy people who have buried Roman ruins on their country estates. I am sure a few of them would like those sites excavated. It seems to be quite the fashion in Britain.”

“And you think any of them will hire you?”

“Why would they not?” she countered smoothly. “You did.”

“This is ridiculous,” he said, impatience with her inflexible resolve creeping into his voice. “Why go off to Chiswick and London when any and all of your goals can be met during the remainder of your time here? You have your Sundays out to make new acquaintances. I am certain Mrs. Bennington would introduce you to the townspeople.”

“How exciting for me. And I suppose in the coming months, you would parade suitable young gentlemen of your acquaintance before me so that I might find a marriage partner?”

He didn’t blink an eye. “If you like.”

“Oh!” she cried, goaded beyond endurance. “You are the most selfish man I have ever known! If you think I would accept such a ridiculous proposition—”

“I will pay you five hundred pounds.”

Daphne blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Stay until my excavations are finished, and I will pay you a bonus of five hundred pounds.”

Daphne sucked in a deep breath. “You are joking. That is an enormous sum.”

“It is also a dowry. Many peers are stone broke. Your grandfather, even if he should acknowledge you, may not be in the position to provide you with a dowry, so I have done so. Now, I have offered everything you claim you want. Will you reconsider my offer of a compromise and stay?”

Daphne looked down, staring down at the tops of Anthony’s polished black boots. Five hundred pounds was an amount she had never seen in her life before.

What if, despite Viola’s influence, her mother’s family refused to acknowledge her? What if, God forbid, her parents had not been married and she was illegitimate? She did not know Viola well enough to rely on her should either of those possibilities come to pass. What if she once again found herself with nothing and no one?

She thought of that dingy little hotel room in Tangier where she had stayed for eight weeks after her father’s death. Papa had left almost no money when he died. She had sold his books and equipment to support herself as long as she could. When she was down to only enough dirham for another week and the letter had come from her grandfather’s attorney with an answer that gave her no hope, Daphne had never been more frightened in her life. The only belongings she had left were a small trunk of her clothes and two passage billets to England paid by the Duke of Tremore.

It had never occurred to her before those months alone in Tangier just what a frightening place the world could be for a woman who had no family, no money, and no one to whom she could turn for help. She had been only a hair’s breadth away from destitution, and she never wanted to be in such a precarious position again.

Anthony waited, and she could feel his gaze on her as she struggled to make a choice. She resented the complacency with which he had thrown five hundred pounds in her face, certain she would take it. He knew perfectly well that such a sum was a fortune to her and a mere trifle to him.

Perhaps she should accept. It would be far more prudent to throw her injured pride to the wind and take his offer than risk the unknown, uncertain future.

Daphne hardened her resolve, shored up her pride, and decided just how far she would go. She lifted her chin, looked Anthony in the eye, and said, “Let me give you my version of a compromise, your grace. I will stay until December first, three months instead of one. I will repair and restore as many artifacts for your museum as I can at a reasonable pace. In addition, until I leave, I will assist you in finding the most qualified person possible to see your project through to completion. In exchange, you will treble my salary for these three months, give me a second day off each week—Thursdays will do nicely—and pay me the stipend of five hundred pounds.”

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