The Temptation of a Gentleman (5 page)

“
I thank you,” she said as she took the box with trembling hands.

“
You are very welcome.” His smile fell and his voice grew more serious. “Now there was something else I wished to speak to you about and our time grows short.”

Marion wrinkled her brow. He seemed so grave. “And what is that?”

He shifted as though he were uncomfortable. “It’s about your father.”

She thought of her father’s embarrassing scene in the salon a few moments before. How she hated it when he berated her in public, and in front of Noah especially. “What about him?”

“
Has he ever encouraged you to marry?”

She drew back at his unexpected question. “No. In fact, he’s kept me from the marriage market. I am two and twenty and I’ve never been allowed to have beaux.”

“
Why?”

She pursed her lips, unsure of what had spawned Noah’s sudden interest, yet she found herself too tired to come up with her usual excuses for her father’s behavior. “The shortest answer I can give is that he’s punishing me for something my mother did. He seems to hate me for being a part of her.”

Noah’s face gentled. “I-I’m so sorry, Marion.”

She started. He’d called her by her name, her given name without prefacing it with “Miss”. He was the first man outside of her family who had ever done so.

“
I’ve grown accustomed to it,” she whispered. “But I’d rather not discuss it. It’s a painful subject.”

He leaned closer, but this time he didn’t hesitate to touch her hand. His skin was warm and his fingers easily engulfed her own. “Of course. I only ask because I wonder if perhaps he’s brought you here for a marriage arrangement.”

Marion leaned away in surprise, but couldn’t bear to draw her hand away from his. “I don’t understand what you mean. With whom would my father make an arrangement? He could have easily done that in our own shire if that was his intent, rather than dragging me across the country to Woodbury.”

He took a deep breath as if he wanted to ease her into a bit of unpleasantness. “What about Josiah Lucas? Surely you’ve noticed the way he looks at you.”

That comment drew her up short. She’d be a fool not to mark Lucas’s revolting interest. “Mr. Lucas lost his wife very recently. Perhaps he’s just coming out of mourning.”

Or so she hoped.

Noah snorted. “Somehow I doubt Mr. Lucas mourned his wife excessively.”

She frowned. How and why had he come to that conclusion? “Perhaps, but your hypothesis about me makes no sense. My father and I may not get along, but he wouldn’t make a sudden arrangement without consulting me.”

Noah looked down his nose at her. “Are you certain?”

No, she wasn’t certain. But she couldn’t accept that Noah was right. Her own father wouldn’t wed her off without speaking to her first. Not to a man like Josiah Lucas. Why his very presence made her skin crawl.

“
I won’t force you to answer,” Noah said when the silence had hung between them for a long moment. “Please know I mention this to you only as a warning so you may be prepared for what is about to come.”

Marion nodded wordlessly. Of course, what good was a warning when she had no way of escape? She thought of her aunts. Her mother’s sisters had kept up a secret correspondence with her for years, but could she reach them? And would her father follow her if she ran?

“
Come.” Noah’s face was as anxious as her own as he took her arm. “We’ve have been alone too long.”

Mechanically she slipped her hand into his elbow. For the first time she was too distracted to feel the spark that seemed to crackle between them whenever they touched. All she could think about was her father and what plans he might or might not have for her future. And as they walked down the hall, she also wondered how in the world she would get out of them if Noah were right.

She could only pray he was wrong.

Chapter Four

Marion hadn’t believed… or
wanted
to believe when Noah told her that her father might be selling her into marriage. But since he’d said that shocking thing, she had begun to see more evidence that the Marquis was correct.

Meaningful glances between the men, cut off conversations and Josiah Lucas’s constant attempts to seek her out for conversation all made her skin crawl.

Her stomach turned at the thought. And with the knowledge that there was nothing she could do to protect herself. Perhaps Noah might have some idea, but in the three days since the Marquis had brought her worst nightmares to reality, she hadn’t seen him to ask him his opinion about the matter.

Tonight he was to join them at Toppleton Square for supper, but she feared it might be too late. That afternoon her father had sent her up to her room so he and Lucas could talk. About what, he refused to say, but she was afraid she already knew.

She let out a quiet curse to release her frustration. There were no choices left. She wouldn’t do her father’s bidding and simply wait while he sold her off to a man who made the tiny hairs on her neck raise with anxiety.

She pushed to her feet and left her chamber. Her hands shook as she slipped down the stairs toward Josiah Lucas’s study where the two men were having sherry and talking before supper. Lamplight flowed under the door and through the slight crack where it hadn’t been closed completely.

Marion contemplated her options. Eavesdropping on her father and his friend wasn’t ladylike. In fact, she was sure her late mother wouldn’t have approved in the least. Of course, Marion assumed her mother wouldn’t have approved of this marriage arrangement either. Throwing her doubts to the wind, she leaned against the wall next to the door to listen.

“
Mr. Lucas I’ve done all I can to repay my debts to you,” her father said in a wavering, almost whining voice. “I’ve even given you a share in my holdings. What more do you want from me?”

Through the sliver of space in the doorway, she watched Josiah turn from the fire. “You know what I want. You knew before you even came here. After all, you brought your daughter to my estate, didn’t you?”

Marion clenched her fists at her sides. If there had been any doubt before this moment, it was gone.

Her father blustered for a moment. “I brought Marion as you asked, but I thought we could negotiate like reasonable men!”

Lucas laughed. “I believe I’m being more than reasonable, Mr. Hawthorne. You give me your daughter’s hand in marriage, and I think that will be more than enough to correct the majority of the debt you owe me.”

There was a long pause that filled the Marion with ominous premonition. Yet she couldn’t turn away. She had to stay and hear her father hear the words.

“
You would erase all the debt?” Walter Hawthorne’s voice was less certain.

Marion’s curled her hand until her fingernails bit into the wooden doorframe. “Please, Papa don’t sell me like this,” she begged under her breath.

“
The
majority
,” Lucas corrected. “And I would be very generous in the terms of the remainder’s repayment. But…”

“
But?”

“
I’ll need proof Marion can provide me with heirs to my fortune, my land and my business. I’m not getting any younger.”

Her father gasped. “Marion is a healthy, young woman. I’m sure…”

Lucas rose with an angry grunt. “My late wife, Georgina was also healthy and young. Younger, even, than Marion when we married. And she did nothing but complain about her lot in life and avoid my touch whenever possible. Her womb was barren. Youth and health aren’t always indicators of a woman’s cold soul. This time I’ll need evidence.”

Marion eyes stole to the picture of the pretty girl above Josiah’s head. She must have gone through so much, only to die so young. And now Marion seemed to be steered to a similar fate.

Her father’s shaky reply returned her attention to the men. “And how would I provide you proof of my daughter’s fertility?”

Lucas let out a low, sinister laugh and Marion’s heart sank. “I must be allowed my husbandly rights before our marriage. If she becomes with child within three months, I’ll wed her.”

Even Walter Hawthorne balked at this. “You would have her before you have taken vows with her?” She heard him swallow hard. “No.”

A surge of unfamiliar gratitude toward her father flowed through her. Noah was wrong, even Walter didn’t have the greed to barter her in such a callous way.

Her father continued, “If she doesn’t bear you a child, then she will be a worthless commodity to me. She’ll be ruined and I’ll have no chance to make a valuable match with her in the future.”

Marion’s gratitude faded.

Lucas’s voice was smug. “Of course I realize that, Walter. And I would be fair. I’d still reduce your debt by half as my appreciation for her… services. And my repayment plan will be generous. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by my plan.”

Sickened, Marion’s hands began to shake. She prayed her father would turn the offer down. That he would forget whatever animosity he had toward her mother and remember she was his child.

“
Yes,” his replied quietly.

She lurched back as her heart broke. Once again he’d let her down. And all for money.

“
Good.” Through the crack in the door, she saw Lucas poor her father a drink. “After Lord Woodbury departs tonight, you will bring Marion to my quarters and our bargain will begin.”

“
No,” her father said hastily. For a brief moment, Marion hoped he’d changed his mind. “My daughter is willful and will fight like a cat if you spring this ‘courtship’ on her so suddenly. Give me a few months and I can convince her…”

“
If your daughter is willful, perhaps she needs a firmer, less loving hand than the one you’ve bestowed.”

Hawthorne snorted. “Trust I’ve been the best disciplinarian I could be. But I still think she’ll be more willing in a few months.”

Lucas hesitated, as if pondering the wisdom of waiting to bed her. “I can see how a few weeks of coaxing might make the conquest all the easier. I will give you
one
month to convince her, but no more. If she still doesn’t come willingly, I’ll take her to my bed by whatever means necessary.”

“
One month,” her father repeated under his breath. “I’ll do my best.”

“
Very good. Lord Woodbury should be arriving at any moment. I’ll ring for a maid to fetch Marion. I’d like to see your convincing begin as soon as possible.”

Marion turned to run up the stairs, but with every step, tears blurred her vision and her heart ached with disappointment. Now what in the world was she to do?

***

When Marion entered the dining room with her brown eyes cast to the floor and her skin a sickly pale, Noah knew something had happened. But there was no way to ask what had transpired without drawing unwanted attention to their tenuous friendship.

“
Good evening,” he said.

She met his eyes with a weak smile. “My lord.” Turning to the other men, her smile fell and her voice became more brittle. “Father, Mr. Lucas.”

“
Are you well, my dear?” Lucas stepped forward to hold out a hand. She sidestepped his touch and took a seat without his aid. “You seem weary.”

Her eyes went very cold. “It’s been a long few weeks, Mr. Lucas, between the travel and being in a strange bed.”

Noah frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope being able to sketch has helped.”

Her smile finally seemed genuine. “Very much so, and I thank you again for your kindness.”

How he wanted to take her aside and ask what had happened. If he could, he would have, but Josiah Lucas watched the two of them with just the slightest hint of jealousy. Alienating the man who was his target didn’t seem wise. Not if he intended to complete the mission he’d been sent here to do. Which wasn’t to save Marion.

However, when the starched butler came in to announce supper, Noah didn’t hesitate to take Marion’s arm. Her father and Lucas went ahead and he quickly whispered, “What happened?”

She gave him a fleeting glance. “Not now, it’s too complicated. Meet me later.”

“
Where?” he whispered, but she left his side and took the seat the footman offered her before she could answer. By her exasperated expression, she, too, was frustrated by their inability to communicate further.

When the food arrived, Marion forced herself to eat, though everything tasted like sawdust. All she could think of was her father’s promise to Josiah Lucas. In just four short weeks she would be made to share a bed with Lucas, and probably a life if that joining produced a child. The thought was repulsive.

Her gaze stole to Noah. He was talking to her father about some member of Parliament’s latest financial scandal. Noah Jordan was a rake, a man who had made the pursuit of women a life’s mission. Surely
he
could help her think of some way out of the situation she currently found herself in.