Page 76 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
Her father sneered. “All this false bravado means nothing.”
Frederick took a step towards him, rage coming off him in waves. “Are you so willing to put that to the test?”
“Frederick, no.” She rested a hand on his chest, her eyes meeting his. “He is not worth it.”
“Yes, Duke, listen to your lady wife. It is clear to see who is in control in your relationship.” Her father’s sneering voice filled the space between them, the word ‘control’ echoing into the night.
“Be thankful she is here, and willing to show you more mercy than you deserve.” Frederick growled but did not attempt to push past her. Andrea rounded on her father. “I will deal with you in a moment.”
She turned back to Frederick and took a shaking breath. “He really is not dying?”
“He never was.” Frederick answered, though she could tell from his gaze he was still keeping an eye on Lord Statton. “He lied to you. And if he even dares lift a finger against you, I will ruin him. I will show everyone just what kind of man he is. They will see him for the liar and the thief that he is.”
Andrea swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. “I need you to let me do this by myself. Please.”
“Are you sure?” Frederick reached a hand towards her as though to touch her face.
“I am.” She kept a hand on his chest, the feel of his heart against her soothing. “But if you are worried, you can stay close and if I need you, I will shout for you.”
“Very well. But if he looks for a second like he might lay a hand on you, then I will not wait for your invitation to act.”
He shot an angry look at her father before retreating a little way into the shadows. Andrea clenched her fists and whirled on her father.
“You lied to me.” She took a step towards him, drawing herself up to her full height so she could glare down at the man who had made her life a living hell. “You told me you were dying just to control me? Just to try and force me to marry a man who is old enough to be my grandfather and more lecherous than even the worst rake?”
“You really believe him over me, your own father? Use what little common sense you have, Andrea, and think about it. What would I have to gain from this?” He gestured around them but did not raise his voice.
I suspect you are worried about Frederick if you do.It was too much to imagine her father might have tried to control his own emotions. “Whatever business deal Lord Crossley offered you—probably a parcel of land or some such thing. It would be like you to trade me for next to nothing.”
“This from the woman who married a man so cowardly he would not treat with me directly.” Lord Statton spat. “Pathetic.”
“The only pathetic person here, is you, Father.” She shook her head. “I do not know how I did not see it before—well, no actually, that is a lie. You made sure I would not see it before.”
“What utter nonsense are you talking about? Speak sense for five minutes, surely even you can do that?”
“This! This is what I am talking about! All of my life you have made me feel ugly and plain. You have made me feel stupid and small. At every opportunity you have sneered at me, made it clear that you think I am the worst thing that happened to you.” Her voice shook with barely controlled emotion, but she forced herself to step towards him. “You are my father, you are supposed to protect me.”
“Why should I when you took the one person I loved in this world from my side? When looking at you is a reminder of nothing but pain. You who claim to be my daughter but do not even look like me.” His eyes darkened as he folded his arms across his chest. “You are not mine, and yet I look after you still.”
The words stung, but she pushed past them. After all, she had heard some version of this all of her life. “You know I look like my grandmother. You have seen her portrait.”
“Portrait? Portrait? What does that prove? Nothing. She has been dead for years, and everyone knows that portraits are hardly some objective capture of an individual’s face. All they have to do is ask the painter to create a more flattering version of themself.” He sneered at her, gesturing around them. “I thought you were an ‘artist’; surely you would know that?”
“But that just proves it, after all, you frequently complain about my planeness and yet, if that is the case, why would someone ask a painter to make their portrait more flattering and have it turn out to look like me? So much like me that at the time I thought it was a cruel joke.” Andrea shook her head. “I am done playing by your rules, father. I am finished making myself smaller just because you cannot stand to see me shine. You are not dying, you will not harm anyone else or you will be ruined.”
“Brave words from a girl who killed her own mother.” Her father hissed, his voice cracking across her like a whip. “You killed her and now you stand here painting me as the villain.”
“Because you are! All my life you have made me feel small and stupid and weak and insignificant. You have broken me down so often, I scarcely knew who I was.” She swallowed as she remembered the many awkward conversations with men, the way she had grown flustered when she realised she cared for Frederick. “I could barely string together a sentence in front of someone I cared for, thanks to you.”
“Do not blame me for your deficiencies. You came into this world with blood on your hands, ripping your mother apart for your own survival.”
“I am just trying to be happy. And with Frederick…With Frederick I am final happy.” Andrea glared at her father, chin jutting forwards.
“You do not deserve to be happy. You do not deserve to be a loving wife, and god forbid you ever decide to become a mother.” He smirked at her, glancing up and down. “Though perhaps it would be for the best. After all, if you are dead, my problems end.”
Andrea had slapped him before she even realised what she was doing. He stumbled backwards, falling to the floor as he clutched his face. Her hand stung from the impact of it and she shook out her palm. With satisfaction, she saw a red handprint on his face.
“You do not deserve to be in my life. So get out. Leave me alone and do not ever contact me again. If you ever so much as breathe near my home or my family, I will set the dogs on you.” She glared at him. “If you want to spend the rest of your life a miserable old man, be my guest. But you will not drag me down with you; not any more.”
