Page 109 of The Truth Serum
She’d almost managed it. She was nearly calm when the carriage abruptly stopped, and the door opened.
“What—”
“Going somewhere, my dear?” the baron asked.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“What are youdoing?” Rebecca cried. “Go away!”
Far from being concerned, the baron climbed into the carriage and firmly shut the door. He was grinning as he eased back in his seat. “Where are you going, my dear?”
“That’s none of your affair!” she snapped. “Good God, you’re going to ruin my reputation!”
“Nonsense. It’s perfectly normally for an affianced couple to disappear together for a little bit. Not exactly approved, but common enough.”
Ice slid down her veins. He was right. “We are not affianced.”
He chuckled. “We are now. You left first, my dear. And I might have noted that fact to a few people as I ran after you.”
Cold fury replaced the ice in her blood, and she knew she had to fight or end up married to this man. But how? She thought of Nate and how he’d lived this life of spies and lies, but she was nowhere near as clever as he was. She could stay with her ruse of being a complete idiot girl, but she was tired of pretending to be stupid. And so she went with simple bluntness.
“What do you want from me?” she asked.
His brows rose. “Don’t worry, my dear. I’ve already gotten it, thanks to your impetuous departure from the ball.”
“Marriage, obviously. You do know that Henry has sold my dower property, don’t you?” It was a lie, and the baron knew as much.
“You mean you’ve directed him to sell it. But it’s already in the contract, my dear. And Fletcher and I have both signed, so you’re stuck.”
“He can’t sign. It must be Henry.”
“But Henry gave Fletcher his proxy.”
Ice slid into her veins. She hoped that wasn’t true, but what did she know about proxies or marriage contracts? Nothing. What happened if the lady refused? Either way, she had a more pressing question.
“What is Fletcher doing for you now?”
“He’s going to prove to me his abilities.” The baron waggled his brows. “As beautiful as your breasts are, I want to expand my business. And to do that, I need someone like your brother. Someone capable, who is tied inextricably to me.”
In selling rifles to France.
“And if he refuses?”
The man’s laugh was cold. “Your brother is very eager to please me. He will not refuse.”
Was it true? Could her brother be so easily turned traitor?
She shuddered. “What, exactly, has he promised you?”
The baron had the audacity to pat her knee, as if the action didn’t make her skin crawl. “Don’t worry. You’ll see him in action very soon.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, working hard to keep the panic out of her voice. She knew she should have asked the question earlier, but there were so many things colliding in her thoughts.
“Your brother claims to be an excellent negotiator. And he was clever when discussing our marriage.”
Of course he was.
“But disposing of a sister is different from what he will be doing now.”
