Page 20 of Stolen By the Cruel Duke
“My wife said it may be possible…” Phineas hesitated.
This was the part of Iris’s plan that he didn’t like. It didn’t sit well with him to put his faith in a woman who had already lied in order to ruin him. What would stop her from lying again?
“Well, even if she won’t change her testimony, we may still be able to prove that the document was forged. Even if we can’t, there is a case to be made that you were not in a fit state of mind to sign this. Including the fact that you were a minor at the time… there is an argument to be made that this bill of sale is null.”
“I won’t lend any credence to the lie that I signed this contract,” Phineas insisted, staring at Mr. Hargrove with cool intensity. “Even if you think it could help our case. I won’t let Carfield win like that.”
“Your Grace, if the contract is ruled to be void, then he would hardly be winning.”
“I never signed this contract, and I will not let you tell the court that I did. I will maintain that my signature was forged until my dying breath, because that is the truth.”
Mr. Hargrove held up his hands in surrender. “Of course, Your Grace, I understand. Then we must look into the binding natureof a contract that was never notarized and see if Lady Carfield will agree to come forth with the truth. That may be difficult, as Lord Carfield will undoubtedly put a tremendous amount of pressure on her to testify in his defense.”
“Lady Carfield no longer lives with her husband,” Phineas revealed.
He watched with irritation as Mr. Hargrove’s expression changed slightly—from surprise to disapproval and back to polite professionalism.
“I see,” the solicitor said at last. “And where does she reside? Will we be able to get in touch with her?”
“I… am not sure,” Phineas admitted.
His wife seemed particularly reluctant to speak about her mother, and he had not been able to get from her how long it had been since she’d seen her, or where she lived. It was possible Iris didn’t know.
“I can find out,” Phineas offered.
What’s the point of being a duke if you can’t get people to track down witnesses for you?
“Very well,” Mr. Hargrove said. “In that case, I will?—”
At that moment, he was interrupted by a commotion outside his office. He stared at the door as a woman’s voice filled the antechamber outside. Phineas stiffened as well. He knew that voice…
Seconds later, the door was thrown open, and Iris stormed into the office.
If Phineas had thought his wife attractive before, it was nothing compared to what he thought now as she marched into the office. She looked angry—furious, even—but the passion of the emotions suited her. The color in her cheeks was rosy, and her neck and collarbones were flushed as well. It seemed to light her up, like a dazzling, brilliant sun. Her eyes were sparkling from exertion, and there was a look of fierce determination on her face that made his stomach flutter. She looked like a warrior maiden, come to claim her revenge, and it suited her beyond belief.
Behind her, the solicitor’s secretary followed meekly, wringing his hands. “I’m sorry, Your Grace, Mr. Hargrove,” he whimpered. “I told Her Grace that you were preoccupied, but she insisted on coming in…”
“You did the right thing to let her in, Jameson,” Mr. Hargrove said, standing up at once. He bowed to Iris. “Your Grace, how may I help?—”
“You said you would protect them!” Iris interrupted, speaking directly to her husband. She had eyes only for him, and slowly, he rose to his feet.
“Duchess,” Phineas said, bowing low. “You are clearly distressed. Now, tell me what the problem is, and I will tell you how I will fix it.”
“Oh, you’ll fix it, will you?” She let out a wild, derisive laugh. “Just like you promised to make sure my sisters weren’t sold off in marriage like chattel?”
Phineas’s stomach twisted with horror. “Your father has threatened one of your sisters?”
“He’s already promised her to a man! They have just to sign the contract, and then it will be too late!”
“How do you know?”
“A letter came. He…” Iris glanced at Mr. Hargrove, as if unsure how much to say in front of him, then plowed on. “He knew the information I sent him was misleading. He must have realized I had decided to fight him. The girls had just arrived, and he sent a letter calling Violet back so she could meet Lord Redfield, so he could decide if she was worthy to be his bride.” She spat these last words out, clearly disgusted.
Phineas felt a wave of cold fury rush through him. Lord Redfield was a lecherous old man, reviled by every respectable member of the ton. It was preposterous that any father would marry his daughter off to such a man.
“This is your fault!” Iris continued, clearly too angry to do anything but shout. “I have held up my end of the bargain, and you have failed to hold up yours. You said you would protect them, and now…”
Tears filled her eyes, and she seemed to deflate in front of him. Phineas reached out to her and caught her just in time. She was limp as she looked up into his eyes.
