Page 66 of Sinfully Wed
“Least you think to undo this, Whitehall…” Hayden regarded her father with chilly indifference. “You should be aware that I have shared certain pertinent facts with Lord Curchon and, of course, my mother, the dowager duchess. Lord Curchon, in turn, has taken the precaution of informing his connections in the ministry of certain events. At my request. You haven’t many friends in London, Whitehall. Far fewer now. I will ensure that you make no others.”
Her father’s skin paled, the brackets at the corners of his mouth digging into his flesh, blue eyes full of impotent rage with just a flicker of something that looked like fear.
“How does it feel to be powerless?” Hayden had continued in that same icy tone.
“I am not powerless,” her father had snarled.
“A matter of opinion. There are also the attempts at bribery, the theft of a packet containing a survey for a coal mine, and,” Hayden tapped his lip, “Arson at Lord Emerson’s estate, Dunnings. Emerson may wish to press charges. I’ll support him if he does.”
“Odessa—” Papa growled and reached for her, but Hayden pulled her away.
“You daughter and Miss Maplehurst are now under my protection and that of the Duchess of Ware. You are no match for a duke, Whitehall, and certainly not my mother.”
“Goodbye.” Odessa whispered. “I do not wish to see you again, Angus Whitehall. Feel free to disinherit me. I am sickened that I have lived so well on the misery of others. I will never forget what you did to Mama.Ever.”
A wild look had entered her father’s eyes. “You’ll regret this, daughter. When you are forced to live on charity. Unwed. A spinster like your worthless aunt. I did all of this for you. So you could be a lady, like your mother.”
Odessa turned away. Hayden took her arm.
“Odessa,” her father thundered. “You will not leave this house. Don’t you dare—”
Hayden slammed the study door shut.
The entire ride to Orchard Park, Odessa wept on Hayden’s shoulder, her cousin assuring her with a clumsy pat to her shoulder, that all would be well. Epps had been found. The survey was on its way to Emerson. Associates of Lord Curchon would be descending upon her father. His affairs would be combed through. Examined. He might retain some of his wealth, but Angus Whitehall was now a bigger pariah than ever before. Hayden would see to it personally.
Odessa berated herself for hours, for her blindness at not seeing what was before her. How could she ever have assumed the animosity directed at her father was only because of his birth and the wealth he’d acquired? At least Jordan would now be free to marry as he wished. A girl of his choosing. One who didn’t carry the taint of Angus Whitehall. One he wasn’t forced to wed.
Hayden had deposited her and Aunt Lottie at Orchard Park, a place where her father would never dare to venture, before returning to London.
“I’ll see to everything, Odessa. I hope you like cats.”
A tear rolled down Odessa’s cheek and she wiped it away, wishing her cousin was here to comfort her now. She’d done the right thing. Theonlything. Jordan couldn’t possibly ever want to see her again.
“Odessa, there you are.” Aunt Lottie came into view with one of the duchess’s cats trailing behind her. “Moping about Hades and Persephone. Though I can honestly say, Hades is exceptionally well-formed. The sculptor did a marvelous job. Splendid backside.”
“Aunt Lottie,” Odessa admonished. Her aunt was incorrigible. “I am thankful Her Grace is not in residence at the moment else she might take offense to your ogling of her statuary.” Hayden’s mother was in London, which was just as well. She’d given her support to Odessa grudgingly.
“Pah. Might give the old dragon something to think about. I’m assuming those tears are not because you’ve stubbed a toe in this mausoleum.” Aunt Lottie crossed her arms.
Odessa looked away, ignoring the ache in her chest. “The marble is tough on one’s slippers.”
“You should write to Emerson,” Aunt Lottie sighed. “You jilted him, after all. The gossips have had great fun with the news. Lady Longwood was heard to exclaim that not even Angus Whitehall’s daughter wanted one of the Deadly Sins.”
“I didn’t jilt him. Nor was my intent to hurt him further. I gave Emerson his freedom.”
“Possibly he didn’t require you to make such a sacrifice. In fact, I’m certain he didn’t.” The silver curls batted about her temples. “He did not call upon you nearly every day and listen to your horrible stories because he was forced to do so.” She tilted her chin. “I believe there is affection between you, Odessa. Possibly a great deal more.”
“How could there be? My father blackmailed him into wedding me, after bankrupting Bentley. Concocted a scheme to keep the information of Emerson’s newfound wealth from him. Fraud, aunt.Theft.Although, I suppose that is the least of my father’s sins.” Odessa thought of Mama and Viscount Maplehurst.
“Angus did those things, not you, Odessa. Emerson knows that.”
“How could he possibly look at me and not hate me, Aunt Lottie? Had the marriage happened under threat of my father, Emerson would have eventually grown to resent me, a wife foisted upon him. One he could never hope to care for. I overhead everything that was said in the study. A gentleman such as Emerson.” Pain pinched her at the sound of his name. “Wouldneverhave chosen me. Not without proper inducement, which in this case, included threats. I’m only passably pretty. Mildly intelligent. My bosom isn’t overly spectacular. I’m…odd. All I ever had to recommend me was my dowry.”
Booted feet echoed on the marble of the gallery floor behind her. “I completely disagree.” The words, uttered in that rolling, not quite patrician accent, made their way to Odessa.
Jordan stood a few feet away, big hands gloveless, stretching along his thighs as if he wished to strangle something. Probably her. He didn’t look the least pleased to see Odessa. Had something gone wrong with the dissolution of the marriage contract?
Impossible. Hayden took care of everything. He’s a duke.
