Edmond slowly uncoiled from his seat and rounded the desk with a deliberate step. Unwittingly, Brianna backed away from the stalking form, not halting until she slammed into the bookshelf behind her.
Moving until he was only inches from her stiff body, Edmond regarded her from beneath hooded lids.
“Actually, I can expect anything I please from you, and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.”
She sucked in a deep breath, the scent of his warm, clean skin assaulting her senses and making her body tremble with awareness.
“I suppose this is your means of punishing me? You intend to keep me constantly afraid that I might be tossed onto the street or handed over to Thomas.” She grasped the shelf behind her. “God, I wish Stefan was here. He would never be so cruel.”
Her words seemed to annoy him for some odd reason, and with a muttered curse, he stepped back to regard her with barely concealed irritation.
“Very well,” he growled, his handsome features drawn into stark lines. “If you must know, I am making plans for your future even as we speak.”
“And what plans would those be?”
He pointed toward the desk. “Read for yourself.”
Brianna warily rounded his tense form to make her way to the large desk. Once there, she plucked the top sheet of parchment paper from the glossy surface to quickly scan the elegant note written upon it.
Then she scanned it again and again, unable to accept that she was not somehow misreading the words.
Stefan Edward Summerville, Sixth Duke of Huntley announces his engagement to Miss Brianna Quinn, the daughter of the late Mr. Fredrick Quinn.
At last, she dropped into the leather seat and gave a numb shake of her head.
“Is this supposed to be some sort of jest?”
Edmond folded his arms over his chest, his features ruthless in the late afternoon light.
“Do I seem the sort to jest?”
“No, but I was attempting to be kind.”
“Kind?” he demanded.
She waved the paper she held clutched in her hand. “Well, there are only two reasons for you to announce Stefan’s engagement to me.” She could barely even force the shocking words past her stiff lips. “Either this is some horrid joke, or proof that you are stark raving mad.”
“Not Stefan’s engagement,” he snapped. “The announcement is for the current Duke of Huntley, which happens to be me.”
Brianna grimly ignored the strange jolt that raced through her at the savage claim. “Now I know you are mad.”
With a visible effort, Edmond eased the tension gripping his large body, a mocking smile touching his lips.
“I am not at all certain that I would argue with you.”
“This is ridiculous.” Rising to her feet, Brianna tossed aside the announcement and glared at the gentleman who was swiftly becoming the bane of her existence. At least Thomas Wade was a predictable, if extremely loathsome companion. Edmond was making her head swim in confusion. “Why would you announce our engagement?”
“Because it suits my purpose.”
“And that is your explanation? Because it suits your purpose?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it doesn’t happen to suit mine.”
“It should.”
“Why? Because you believe that every woman is desperate to be your wife?”