Oh, she was still angry with him. The blasted man hadn’t even apologized to her, or even spoken directly to her. And yet, would she really have wanted him to apologize for showing her what exquisite pleasure there was to be had with a man? Of course, not just any man. The thought of doing such intimate things with Lord Wareham, for instance, stirred nary an emotion. But perhaps Taviston, and men in general, weren’t so particular. Maybe he would have done the exact same things with Louisa. Oh, now there was an abhorrent thought.
Victoria walked around the room, enviously eyeing all the books that lined the shelves. Really, she should have known the Duke of Taviston would ruin her life from the very first night she had met him. After spending hours bemoaning the loss of any kind of respectable life, or a family of her own, Victoria had finally realized what she needed to do. She needed to accept Taviston’s reluctant and forced offer of marriage. How could she have been such a halfwit to turn him down? She comforted herself with the knowledge that she had just been jerked out of a world of heretofore unknown delight.
Walking over to the small table abutting one of the chairs, she picked up the book that lay there. Travels in Italy by James Peter Mann. She couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across her face. The very book she’d had in her hands the day she and Taviston had “set fire” to the circulating library.
The door opened forcefully and Taviston strode into the room. He ignored her and walked behind the desk, then waved vaguely, indicating Victoria should sit. She slipped the book back onto the table just as he demanded, “What do you want? I was not aware there was anything else we needed to discuss.”
She sat before the massive desk and he lowered himself into the chair behind it. This was not going to be easy. Heaven only knew why he was in a frightful mood. As she looked more closely at him, sympathy
filled her heart.
He looked haggard and drawn. His skin was almost the same grey as his eyes, not a good thing at all. Victoria wondered when he had last eaten. Obviously, he had been suffering more than she had thought possible, but then she knew his horror of scandal.
Nothing, however, was going to stop her from her business here today. She took a deep breath. “I have changed my mind.”
For the first time, his eyes met hers. “Women often do. How exactly does it concern me?”
Did he really have to use such a surly voice? “I do not wish to return to the country. I demand that you marry me.”
Demanding probably wasn’t such a good idea, but that was how she had rehearsed it. How was she to know he would be feeling ill and not quite himself?
But her words seemed to light a spark in his eyes. Good.
“You demand that I marry you?”
“Yes. If you will recall, you compromised me three nights ago.”
“Oh, I recall the evening in question. I distinctly remember you kissing me, not to mention removing some of my clothing.”
She felt herself blush. True enough, but hardly to the point. “You may remember it any way you wish, but you did offer to marry me. I was a bit hasty in my refusal. I now accept your offer.” She was very proud of herself for keeping her voice strong. This was not an easy conversation to undertake.
Taviston leaned back in his chair and looked all around the room, as if he hadn’t seen it before. Finally, his gaze found its way back to her. “And if I refuse?”
Victoria stifled a groan. She had so hoped to receive his agreement without any fuss. But she was determined in this. “Then I will have no choice but to educate society about your lascivious and dishonorable behavior.”
It hurt her to say the words, but she knew she would never have to follow through on her threat. The Duke of Taviston was honorable to a fault.
He did not look surprised by her declaration, but his eyes hardened minutely. “Why have you changed your mind?”
This was not a question she had anticipated. Because of that, her tongue spoke before her brain thought. “I came to London because I wished to marry and escape life with Louisa. I could hardly do better than you.”
There was some truth to that, Victoria had to admit. She was certainly attracted to Taviston and at times she felt as if they might have been friends, under other circumstances.
But the duke’s eyes darkened until they were almost black, and not with passion, alas. Abruptly pushing his chair out from under him, he came around the desk, snatched her hand from her lap and pulled her up out of her seat. “Come along, Miss Forster,” he spat.
She had no idea what he was about, but she sincerely hoped he would not harm her person. She didn’t think him at all the violent type, but she had never seen his eyes look so murderous either. Surely he was just going to escort her to the door?
He dragged her down the main hallway of the first floor and then down the grand staircase. He never relinquished her hand but did shorten his stride so she might keep up with him. Once downstairs he led her toward the back corner of the house where he threw open a door with a flourish.
As he hauled her inside the room, Taviston announced in a loud and harsh voice, “Peyton, James, I know the two of you have been dying to meet her. Here is my fiancée, Miss Forster.”
Chapter Nineteen
Three days later Louisa Browne sat at her breakfast table, unable to eat any of the sumptuous food on her plate—for a fresh copy of Hither and Yon also lay before her. That rag took great pleasure in boldly announcing the engagement of the Duke of Taviston and Miss Victoria Forster, not to mention salaciously wondering just how the young lady had entrapped the duke. She could only thank God one of those detailed sketches didn’t accompany the blast of news.
Spooning up some blackberry jam she dropped it onto the offending type. It did not make her feel any better, but it did blot those hateful words from her sight.
Browne had informed her last night that things had taken a different turn between the duke and the mouse. Her husband had no idea what had happened; he knew only that Taviston had called on him and advised him the marriage was now set for next week. Victoria had confirmed this when Browne had spoken to her.