Page 24 of The Phantom Duke
Her father shook his head. “No,” he said. “Even a duke cannot keep you safe from me! Youwillabide by my wishes, whether you want to or not!”
He took a threatening step forward, and Maria’s breath hitched. Evelina boldly stepped between them before he could come any closer. “She will not!”
“And you have overstayed your welcome, my lord,” Anna said. “I think it is time for you to depart.”
Her father’s jaw clenched, his face reddening. His eyes locked with Maria’s, and she held his gaze, strengthened and emboldened with the support of her sisters.
“I will stay here,” Maria said, making certain that every word was delivered deliberately and bravely. “I will return home only when—and if—I wish it.”
“We shall see about that!” he snapped.
The man’s eyes darted wildly about the room, as though he was searching for some escape or way of reaching Maria, but he could not without physically pushing aside Evelina.
With a final scowl, he stormed from the room. Maria strained her ears, listening for his retreating footsteps until they vanished entirely. She scarcely dared to breathe for a heartbeat after, struck with fear that he might return.
“Well,” Evelina said, sinking tiredly into her chair. “The man is gone, at last.”
“Yes,” Anna said, her face softening. “Oh, dear Maria! How are you?”
Anna grasped Maria’s forearms and gazed at her with such tenderness that Maria thought that she might melt beneath the warmth she saw in that gaze.
“I am fine,” Maria said, forcing a smile. “It is true, after all. I am to marry a duke, and he will purchase the orphanage. Then, Gilbert and the rest of the children will be safe.”
“Yes,” Theodora said.
Evelina furrowed her brow and exchanged a quick glance with Anna. Maria surmised that they had realized the flaw in her plan, which was that she did not know if His Grace—no, he had asked that she call himDamien—would agree.
“Damien.” She tested the name on her tongue, finding that it fell differently when she was speaking it before her friends, rather than mockingly to him.
“Yes?” Evelina asked, sounding confused.
“Damien—His Grace—will agree. He must. If he requires some persuasion, so be it!” Maria declared. “I will convince him to agree to my terms.”
For a long time, no one spoke. Evelina finished her brandy and filled it once again. Then, she offered the decanter to the other ladies. Maria considered it a moment before nodding, and Evelina offered poured her a glass.
“You must take care,” Evelina said. “You do not want His Grace to realize how dire your situation is. If he knows how desperate you truly are, he may realize that you have no choice but to marry him, and he may refuse to agree to your terms.”
“I know,” Maria said, curling her hands around the glass. “I will be very careful. Thus far, I have done nothing that indicates I am especially desperate.”
At least, she could think of nothing. The closest she had come to appearing desperate had been when she saw him in a state of undress, fencing with Doctor Hale. Then, she had been less desperate and more desirous. “Good,” Anna said, sighing in relief. “I agree with Evelina. If anything, you must try to make it seem as though you are performing a service forhim.”
“Agreed,” Evelina said.
“Although…” Theodora trailed off. “A man who is willing to agree totermsfor a marriage, especially terms dictated by a woman, may well be worth marrying.”
“It would certainly be an unusual situation,” Evelina conceded, lifting her glass in a mock toast. “We shall see.”
“Indeed,” Maria said.
She considered her interactions with Damien, trying to decide if he had seemed desperate in their interactions. Perhaps, he had,but he had not been desperate to wed. He had been desperate to…
Towhat? To touch, perhaps. Maria recalled his heated gazes and the strength of his arm wrapped around her waist.
“To you,” Anna said, raising her glass of brandy. “May you succeed in all your endeavors at dinner, Maria!”
“Yes,” Evelina said. “May the duke agree to all your terms!”
“And may your marriage be a long and happy one,” Theodora added.
