Page 1 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
ChapterOne
“This cannot be happening.” Lady Andrea Cowper, daughter of the Earl of Statton, felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach as she stared into the familiar piercing grey eyes of her father, Lord Percival Cowper.
“You need not act so surprised, daughter. After all, I am your Father – I hardly need permission to visit you.” Lord Statton’s lip curled around the word father, as though the reminder was physically unpleasant to him.
Andrea was slightly taller than her father, but years of stooping to hide her “un-womanly” height always made him feel as though he towered over her., With some satisfaction, she noticed that the light brown hair on her father’s head appeared to be thinning. Absently, she touched a hand to the dark blonde hair on her own head, noticing her father’s eyes narrow as she did so.
“Of course you do not, though you have seen very little occasion to do so before now. It has been nearly a year since we last saw one another.” Andrea gritted her teeth.
She had taken great pains to avoid her father in that time. Her father did not even acknowledge the comment as he peered around with the air of a man who had trodden in something unpleasant.
“I was under the impression you had won a rather tidy sum from the Dowager Duchess of Caverton 3 years ago. Why is it that you seem determined to live in a house that is little better than a hovel?” Lord Statton’s nose wrinkled. “Of all the row houses around us it is the most dilapidated, I’m sure your neighbours must hate it.”
“It is rather poor form to talk about money, Father. Or so you have always told me.” Andrea forced herself to smile, her words clipped with barely restrained defensiveness. “Besides, it is not like we are in St. Giles, we’re still in Mayfair.”
“This is barely Mayfair, and you know it.” He sniffed.
“You act as though it is falling down. I assure you, it is perfectly sound.” She knocked on the doorframe to illustrate this point, her irritation getting the better of her.This is my home, he holds no power here.“It may not be as grand as some of the others, but it suits my needs just fine. After all, I am only one woman of independent means.”
“Are they truly independent if they are little more than some charitable donation?” His grey eyes flashed with disdain.
“I earned this money.”Andrea clenched her fists, and took a deep breath, focusing on the air travelling through her body. Her father arched an eyebrow at her. “Those games were not some silly little jaunt.”
“So you insist. Though with your wit, I wonder how. Still, the Dowager Duchess is not exactly known for her sense.” He shook his head. “Though I am sure even she would be horrified to see your ‘investment’.”
“Actually, she was the one who helped me secure the home. And she has visited on more than one occasion.” Andrea straightened a little as she saw the smirk fade from her father’s face.
He holds no power hereHis eyes flashed and he gestured to her door. “Are you not going to invite me in?”
Without waiting for an answer, he swept past her and into the hallway. For a moment, Andrea debated simply leaving the house and ignoring him, but the thought of her father alone, unsupervised, in her home made her feel as though she would lose the contents of her stomach.
For the first time, Andrea wished that she could have hired male staff without causing a scandal in the ton. If she had been a widow, no one would have batted an eye – but she was an unmarried woman.
“Curses.” She muttered under her breath, the shock of her father appearing on her doorstep finally fading.
“I cannot say I care for your choice of décor.” Her father wrinkled his nose as he took in her home.
“Well then, it is a good thing you do not live here.” Andrea dug her nails into the palm of her hand, forcing her words out from clenched teeth. “If it offends you so much, perhaps you should leave.”
“I will leave when I am ready. There are things you and I need to discuss.” Lord Statton leaned forwards on his cane.
“Unfortunately, that will not be possible.” Andrea smiled sweetly. “A pity you did not think to send a card ahead of your visit Father – I would have told you that I could not meet today, I have been invited to the christening of the Duke and Duchess of Verimonre’s son. ”
Lord Statton glanced up and down at his daughter, his lip curling even further. “ You plan on leaving the house, like that?”
Andrea tugged at her dress. It might not have been the most exciting thing, but she did not think it looked awful. Yes, it was a little plain, but it was pretty enough. She resisted the urge to look at her reflection in a nearby window.
“I see fashion is the price you have paid for your… independence.” He stared down his nose at her, making Andrea realise she had dropped back down into a slouch. “Besides, this will not take long.”
“I would not want to miss my godson’s christening, and you know how busy London is at this time of year.” Andrea nodded towards the door. “Though if you wish to continue this discussion, I am sure you can walk me to my carriage.”
She made to stride away from him, but he grabbed her wrist. His grip was like a vice and a slight pop sounded as he squeezed her. Andrea bit back a yelp of pain. This close to her father, she could smell stale smoke on his breath, the overpowering waft of his cologne made her head pound.
“Insolent girl. I have been far too indulgent of you for far too long and it stops now. You are my daughter. You will show me the respect I deserve, or I will make you.” His eyes narrowed, his voice an angry hiss from between tightly clenched teeth.
“Let go of me.” Andrea tried to ignore the pain spreading across her wrist. “This ismyhouse. And I have already given you more than enough, or had you forgotten my contribution to your estate?”
Lord Statton dropped her hand, shaking his head and straightening the lapels of his coat. “Your contribution. It is an insult. It shouldallhave come to me. But instead, you decided to be selfish. Though it is hardly surprising. You only think of yourself.”
