Page 39 of Seducing the Knave

Though she tried to resist, his hold on her was surprisingly strong as he forced her from the room.

“Lady Gilchrist,” she pleaded in a desperate tone, “you have to believe me. I came to you for help.”

For a second, it appeared as though the woman might have felt a bit of empathy, but then she glanced to her husband and lowered her gaze, dismissing Elle from her concern.

Stunned by the unbelievable turn of events, Elle allowed Jasper to get her out into the entry hall before her sense of self-preservation rose up and she began to resist his hold with everything she had.

Unfortunately, with no one around to witness his response to her desperate attempts to free herself, he had no reason to hold back his true nature. But instead of the backhand he’d given her the other day, this time, he struck with his fist.

Hard enough that for several moments, Elle was completely disoriented as pain exploded along her jaw. Her vision went foggy and her ears rang. She just barely registered that he’d swept her limp form into his arms before tossing her to the floor of a carriage.

Even with her wits scattered, she tried to rise and leap from the vehicle, but Jasper was already climbing in behind her. Grasping hold of her throat, he pressed her against the seat behind her to loom over her as the carriage started off.

“If you’ve any idea what’s good for you, you’ll stay down and keep your mouth shut,” he muttered through clenched teeth. “You’ve been an immense trouble to me, brat, and I intend to punish you for it. Harshly.”

His grip tightened painfully around her throat. Elle was barely able to gasp a breath. Her bottom lip throbbed and she tasted blood from his vicious attack, but she had no trouble glaring defiantly up at him. Though she knew in the back of her mind that she should probably be a bit frightened, she was far too furious to acknowledge that tidbit of reason.

“It’s going to be so fun to break you,” he snarled before releasing her with a rough shove to the floor.

He settled back in his seat with an air of casual dismissal as Elle filled her lungs in ragged inhales.

He thought he’d won.

She glanced up at him from beneath a tousled lock of hair. “You overplayed your hand, cousin.” Her voice was raw from his bruising grip but still managed to convey her disdain and fury. “You cannot marry me for my dowry now. Not after what you told the Gilchrists.”

His smile twisted her stomach. “Oh, but I must marry you. After your troubling behavior, it’s the only way I can ensure that you will have the full strength of my protection. It’s either that or I send you to an asylum, and I could never forgive myself for subjecting you to such a life. Far better for you to live comfortably locked away in the country where you can be of no further harm to yourself or anyone else.”

“You won’t be able to hold me,” she warned. “I’ll find a way to escape.”

His eyes grew cold. “Then I suppose you’ll suffer a tragic accident a lot sooner than I originally intended.”

His threat was clear. He wouldn’t allow her to live long past her wedding day.

Breathing deep, she added fuel to the fury burning in her chest and scalding her brain.

This pompous, greedy, detestable man was not going to get what he wanted.

As he sat gloating on the carriage seat, Elle slowly shifted to her knees, bringing herself closer to the carriage door. Thankfully, her cloak draped around her form, concealing her smaller movements.

“How did you do it?” she asked.

Jasper gave her an arrogant glance. “Do what?”

“Convince them so easily that I was lying and that your story was the true one.”

His quiet laugh made her blood boil.

“It was easy enough,” he noted in a smug tone, “considering how unwell you’ve been these last couple years.”

Elle stilled her subtle movements to glare at her cousin. “What do you mean...unwell?”

Jasper shrugged then flashed a self-congratulatory grin. “It started as a simple means of satisfying those rare but pesky inquiries into your well-being. Acquaintances of your parents offering condolences and asking after you...” He waved his hand as though swatting away a fly. “It seemed reasonable to say you’d taken your parents’ loss rather hard. But after some time had passed and the questions turned toward your social debut, I realized I had to come up with a more permanent excuse for your absence.”

“No, you didn’t,” Elle argued, in shock over how long he’d been spreading tales about her. “You could have just said I preferred the country or that I’d decided to delay my come out. You didn’t have to suggest I was unwell.”

“But what fun is there in that?” he asked in an incredulous tone. “Madness is much more interesting, and besides, sympathy can be a strong motivator. And when you’re new to such an elite society, anything that can keep you in people’s minds means more invitations. Soon, everyone wanted to know how my poor little cousin was doing. Your sad and sorry state was the topic of many a dinner conversation, my dear.”

“You’re insane,” Elle whispered, but Jasper only grinned in response.

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