Page 81 of Never Dare a Duke
Madeleine frowned. “Afraid of me, Madingley?”
“Cautious, Miss Preston. And since I have not changed my mind, what could you possibly have to say to me that made you intrude on my sister’s party?”
“I’ve decided to give you another chance,” she said, sitting so straight, her hands folded delicately on her knee.
“Another chance?”
“To reconsider marriage. Our families have been close for many years and it seems—”
“Madeleine, this is a waste of your time.” He knew he should speak gently with her, but they’d already had this conversation. He was getting frustrated by her inability to accept the facts. “Our families have not been close. I am friends with your brother, and that is the sum of it.”
She cocked her head. “You owe him so much.”
The guilty part inside him never went away—he didn’t need her to remind him. “I know that. And I have made amends to Michael’s satisfaction.” He tried to gentle his voice. “He would not want you here.”
Her smile finally faded, and the cold light in her eyes shone. “It is none of his business.”
“Yet you areusinghim and his situation, are you not? Madeleine, you need to stop this foolishness and get on with your life. There are plenty of men who—”
“But they are not dukes!” she hissed. “Do you not see how perfect a wife I could be for you?”
He said nothing; he didn’t want to hurt her or further inflame their conversation.
At last she stood up and leaned over him, gripping her skirt in her fists. “You will regret this, Madingley.”
“You’ve already said that.” He kept his voice mild. “Do you need a ride back to London?”
“I understand that a writer from theTimesrecently visited you.”
He frowned as the first feeling of unease swept through him. “You obviously know about it.”
“I do. I have had the pleasure of many discussions with Mr. Walton.”
Of course. She was a woman who needed revenge against imagined wrongs, and she’d found the perfect way to make him suffer.
“Madeleine, then I guess you will not be happy to hear that he went away without anything to report.”
“I know you had him thrown from the property,” she said, tsking softly. “What a temper you have, Madingley. But don’t worry, he did not need anything from you. I gave him everything he could wish for, including witnesses to your behavior.”
“Your brother didn’t talk to him,” Christopher said with certainty.
Distaste and frustration flashed in her eyes. “No, he didn’t. But he wasn’t necessary, was he? You will so enjoy the article. I am positive it will make the front page. ‘The Scandalous Duke of Madingley.’ It has quite the ring to it.” She leaned toward him. “Now are you certain you don’t wish to change your answer?”
He stood up, towering over her. “No. You will leave first thing in the morning.”
“But I only just arrived!”
“Uninvited. And if you press this, I will tell them all so. Remember, you’ve already told me that all my secrets are about to erupt. Why should I care what you’d say tonight?”
“I won’t stay another moment under your roof,” she said in a low, deadly voice.
“I’ll lend you some footmen for extra security on the dark roads.”
Gripping her skirts, she whirled around and fled the great hall.
Abigail appeared in one of the arched doorways. Pausing, she looked from one to the other of them. To Christopher, she was like spring after a harsh winter, and something inside him eased just looking at her. Then his worry rushed back. So many people would be hurt if Madeleine went through with her plan. There wasn’t any way to stop her, short of sacrificing himself. And that he wouldn’t do.
“He’s all yours,” Madeleine said grimly to Abigail. “You won’t enjoy him for long. After tomorrow—”
