Page 74 of Duchess By Accident
“Then it is a good thing I do not care about your desires. You will speak to me.”
“You do not command me. I am a marquess.”
“And I am a Duke. I am your better in every way.”
“It is a title and nothing more.”
“My title is the least important thing in my superiority to you.” Adrian pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. “But I will not need much of your time. In fact, this will need no more than a minute.”
“That is a minute longer than I wish to spend in your company.” Lord Bolton attempted to move past him, but Adrian got in the way.
“And several more than I would choose to spend with a man like you. Adrian glanced down at him the way someone might look at something particularly unpleasant they had found on their shoe.The kind of coward who comes after my wife, rather than me. Have you always tormented those you think are weaker than you?”
“You are talking utter nonsense.”
“I am not. We both know it is you behind these rumours.”
“Then you are not as stupid as you look.” Lord Bolton’s lip curled.
Adrian let out a mocking laugh. “You are considerably braver this evening, Lord Bolton, than you were when we last met. Why, I thought you might soil yourself in your rush to flee the altar!”
“You overestimate yourself, sir.” Lord Bolton straightened, but he was so much shorter than Adrian it did very little.
“It is ‘Your Grace’, as far as you are concerned. And as enjoyable as your company is, I have little wish to remain with you longer than strictly necessary.” Adrian glanced back at his pocket watch.
“Then let me pass.” Once more Bolton attempted to move past him.
Adrian pinned him in place with a look. “I will, once I have told you what you will do.”
“You are still trying to give me orders?” Adrian could see a bead of sweat forming on the other man’s brow.
“No, I am giving you a chance to save your miserable excuse for an existence.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The truth.” Adrian shrugged. “I will give you one chance to tell the ton the truth of things. To explain that you made everything up and to recant your lies.”
“Or what? If you had any means to stop me, you would have done it by now.”
“I told you when we last met that if you crossed me, I would ruin you. I merely give you a chance to decide the level of ruin you will face.” He made a magnanimous gesture.
“You are all talk – you know nothing.”
“Oh, Lord Bolton, I know everything. All about the truth of your business venture in the new world.” Adrian’s smile was full of daggers, the full extent of his loathing in every ounce of his body.
Lord Bolton’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “What- no. I… I do not know what you mean.”
“You will have to be a better liar than that, Bolton. You could not convince the most naïve child of your innocence with that act.”
“You are just making things up.”
“You know I am not. Or you would not have reacted as you just did.”
“Whatever you think you know, you have no proof.”
“I would not be so sure of that.”
Lord Bolton laughed. “Oh I am quite sure, your Grace. You act as though there is nothing you do not know. But if that were true, then your dear lady Natalie would not be in the pickle she is in now.”
