Page 72 of The Undesirable Duke
“I am. My father may have been not at all affectionate and starved me of attention, but he taught me a very valuable thing before he passed. He told me something I would never forget, and it is this: Fight fire with fire, and one challenge with another. I would never normally resort to threats, but you have left me little choice. I will not allow you to sully my name, nor that of the Colbornes.”
Lord Bertram’s jaw tightened, and he nodded in defeat.
“I will leave Lady Lillian be. You have my word. She is certainly not worth all of this trouble.”
“Watch your tongue, Bertram,” Samuel growled. “You will also print a public apology in the newspaper, admitting that you fabricated lies about me for your own personal gain.”
“Are you daft? That would ruin me entirely,” Lord Bertram exclaimed in disbelief.
“I do not recall saying that you would walk away from this unscathed, Bertram. And I doubt that the constables will be very forgiving of you in prison. Not to mention the prisoners themselves. A nobleman who threatened an innocent young lady is unlikely to be received well.”
“Alright,” Lord Bertram agreed, defeated. “I will do what you say.”
Samuel grinned in satisfaction and loosened his grip on Lord Bertram’s collar. Lord Bertram stumbled backward, lost his footing on the uneven cobblestones, and tumbled onto the ground into a large puddle of water. The Marquess was instantly drenched, but he did not attempt to scramble to his feet. Perhaps it was the menacing glare that Samuel gave him which made his knees weak. Or perhaps he realized that Samuel would not be bullied into leaving London without restoring his reputation first. Either way, Samuel had the upper hand, and Lord Bertram was well aware of it.
Much to Lord Bertram’s surprise, Samuel held out his hand to Lord Bertram. Lord Bertram hesitated for a moment before grabbing Samuel’s arm, allowing himself to be assisted off the ground.
“I am glad that we have come to an agreement, Bertram,” Samuel stated with a tight jaw, and stepped away from Lord Bertram.”
“Your Grace did not give me much of a choice.”
“That is where you are wrong, Bertram,” Samuel spoke slowly, careful not to provoke Lord Bertram, as Samuel was exhausted and did not wish to further the spectacle that he had already created here. “We are all given a choice in how we react to a situation. It does not matter what the situation is; it is how we decide to deal with the repercussions of our decisions that matter. You have made your choice; now, you must face the consequences. As must I face mine.”
“And what would that be?”
Samuel’s jaw tightened, and he straightened his coat.
“I shall be expecting that public announcement in the newspaper tomorrow, or two constables will be knocking on your door, Bertram.”
Bertram nodded nervously, wiping the water from his hands.
“And Bertram?”
“Your Grace?”
“Do not force my hand,” Samuel uttered before turning on his heel and making his way to his carriage. “Homeward,” he called to the coachman.
“As you wish, your Grace.”
As the carriage began to move, Samuel stared out of the window. He smiled to himself, but his bravery and courage wavered slightly, as Lady Lillian’s face entered his mind. Was there still any hope for him there?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Asoft melody filled the air of the drawing room as Lillian’s fingers danced across the pianoforte. She would usually play this particular melody with a cheerful demeanor and a happy smile, but that was far from what it was that day. Today, the melody was filled with sadness and sorrow, and as much as Lillian did not wish to express in words how heartbroken she was by her mother’s betrayal, she could not help the fact that her feelings spilled freely onto the ivory notes.
Despite her explanation regarding the innocence of the Duke, her mother still insisted upon her staying at home and remaining there until she decided otherwise. The revelation that Lord Bertram was the man who had written those terrible things about the Duke in the newspaper and who had also been the man who had threatened her in a letter, as well as entering the Duke’s home and creating a mess, appeared lost on her mother. Lillian was not certain why, but she assumed that it was due to her lack of obedience towards her mother.
The Duke was set to depart London that morning, and Lillian was devastated by that. What if she never again had the chance to gaze into the Duke’s intense hazel eyes, or hear his laugh?Would she be forced to marry another gentleman, chosen by her mother?
Or would her mother finally conclude that Lillian was miserable without the Duke, and allow her to communicate with him from afar?
These questions were unanswered, and it frustrated Lillian excessively. Of course, her mother refused to speak of the Duke, and Lillian was not even allowed to mention his name in her company.
A wrong note pulled Lillian from her faraway state, and she found herself back in the drawing room, staring irately at her trembling hands.
“Correct me if I am wrong, sister, but I do not recall the melody that way.”
Lillian had been deep in thought and had forgotten that her brother was reading in the corner of the drawing room. She drew in a slow breath and straightened her shoulders.
