The Passionate Love of a Rake. Jane Lark

away to stand before her, his hands sweeping back and opening his blue, superfine redingote to display the robin-redbreast colour of his waistcoat beneath. He rested his hands on his waist. She wished to stand, but his legs were still on either side of one of her knees; it would bring her body up against his, and he hardly needed that incitement. Instead, she was forced to tilt her head back to hold his gaze.

      “Your father left me his fortune by choice. You have all that is entailed. If you had shown Hector this much interest during his life, I am sure he would have left it all to you. But as it is, Your Grace, he did not.”

      Joshua stepped back, his hands falling to his sides and curling into fists.

      Instantly, she stood, glad to be in a position to escape, if she had to. But whatever he did, she had no intention of bowing to his demands.

      Tipping her chin up another notch, she glared at the man, her fingers curling into fists, too. “I will not give you what has been legally left to me.” She could not fight him physically but she would fight him in court, if she must, and with every ounce of blood flowing in her veins. It was not her fault his father had lusted after a young bride, and it was not her fault Hector had chosen to leave her the vast majority of his unentailed wealth. But now, she was not about to let his bully boy of a son take it away.

      “Your Grace, did you call?”

      Jane swiftly turned her gaze to her butler, knowing her discomfort must be visible. She was surely flushed, and a thundercloud probably flashed in her eyes. Undoubtedly, Garnett had heard their raised voices from the hall and had come to her rescue. Thank God.

      “The Duke is just leaving, Garnett. Perhaps you could show him out.”

      She met Joshua’s gaze again. His eyes were as Hector’s would have been in his youth, clear and dark brown. His tall stature was magnificent, imposing, and although she hated to admit it, he was handsome in his way. But there was nothing handsome in his character.

      For nine years, she had suffered life as Hector’s wife and this man had helped make those years miserable. So while part of her could not blame Joshua for his anger over the money, another part could. It was not her fault, so why should she be the one to pay?

      He did not move, didn’t budge an inch except for a muscle twitching at the edge of his mouth. His eyes told her he was assessing the situation and deciding his next move. After all, he could not force her to comply unless he was also prepared to force all of her staff, who would undoubtedly testify on her behalf that she had been coerced.

      He must have drawn the same conclusion, for his brow furrowed, and he virtually spat his final words on the subject in her direction. “Very well, Jane, I shall leave, but I warn you, this is not the end. I shall have my father’s fortune.”

      It was not even a statement; it was a decree.

      Watching, she waited, still stiff with fear and irritation.

      He spun about and strode from the room, the tension of his anger visible in every taut, muscular line of his body.

      She held her erect stance, not even daring to breathe, while Garnett followed in Joshua’s wake; her fists were curled so tight against her sides, her fingernails pressed into her palms.

      When she heard the front door open and close, she crumpled, dropping back into the chair.

      Her shoulders were shaking in response to her retreating fear, and she covered her face with her hands. A sob escaped her throat before she could control it, even though her eyes were dry.

      “Your Grace?”

      Garnett.

      She sensed him moving closer and drew in a deep breath, fighting for composure as she let her hands fall to her lap and straightened up.

      “Madam, is there anything I may fetch you?”

      The young butler bowed to her as she looked up. It was not his place to ask if she was well or needed help, but his expression admitted his concern.

      Her life was unravelling at the seams. Unfortunately, she did not think a cup of tea would fix it. A raucous, disturbing laugh rang in her thoughts, a sound she knew bordered on insanity.

      It was ridiculous.

      She was now completely alone, apart from her servants.

      There was no way out. No going back. She could only seek a path forward, and she could not do that if she became a simpering wreck or lost her marbles. No, she had to think, and get away from Joshua. She needed somewhere else to go.

      She sucked all her courage back into her lungs on a long, deep breath. “No, thank you, Garnett.” Her eyes looked past the butler, her mind reaching for ideas. Then she remembered Garnett’s timely interruption. “Thank you for your intervention. I am grateful.”

      “Your Grace,” he accepted, his voice full of compassion. “If you have need of anything, you will ring?” Then he bowed once more and left.

      Jane stood. Her body was tense and her thoughts raced. She began pacing the hearth rug, crossing back and forth, her hands clasped at her waist. The sound of Joshua’s carriage pulling away permeated the windows.

      She had thought this property secure, a place which would be a home at last. She had rented it only last week and moved in but two days ago, and Number Three, The Circle, Bath, was the answer to her prayers, the supposed beginning of a new and independent life. Joshua had proved her wrong. No doubt Messrs Brampton and Bailey, Hector’s solicitors, who had arranged her tenancy, had passed on her forwarding address. It had never occurred to her Joshua would follow.

      She’d vacated the entailed property, which had become Joshua’s, within a week, allowing the new Duke, his wife, and eight children to take up residence. But it seemed having his father’s sprawling country estate and his town mansion, as well as a number of other smaller holdings and all the tenancies and income which went with them, was not enough.

      Of course, a man in his father’s mould completely, Joshua wanted it all, and he wanted her to have nothing. But let him bully her as much as he wished. “I will not give in.”

      Stopping before the mirror over the mantelpiece, she looked at her sad, pathetic reflection. She was gaunt, her skin sallow and grey, large dark circles rimmed her eyes, but then she had slept very little since Hector’s sudden death four weeks ago. She had arranged the funeral and played sorrowful widow at his wake, while neither Joshua nor his wife had made any effort to attend.

      Joshua had severed all ties with his father the day the old Duke had married Jane. Since then, her stepson had taken the greatest pleasure in victimising her, including making several indecent propositions.

      Yet when Hector was alive, Joshua had never entered their home.

      Her eyes faced her reflection, Jane Grey, the Dowager Duchess of Sutton. A dowager at the ripe old age of six and twenty. It was ludicrous. It had always been ludicrous marrying a man more than four times her age with a son over twenty years her senior. But her parents had thought only of the title and their financial security. They hadn’t given a fig for her happiness. She had been bartered off for profit.

      Finally, happiness was in reach. But Joshua was snatching it from her grasp once more. She was in equal measure angry and afraid.

      He had the estates. They would make another fortune in time and plenty to live on. Why could he not leave her alone?

      Oh, she wished her parents were alive. She would have run to them and let them share the hell they’d crafted.

      Pressing her fingers to her forehead, she caught her sharp emerald gaze reflected in the mirror. Her almond-shaped eyes shone. She frowned in self-deprecation. Despite her current worn and sickly look, she was still beautiful. She did not feel in the least vain to recognise it. To her, it had been a simple and sorrowful fact for years, no blessing. Her unusual colouring, her jet-black, spiralling hair, her honeyed skin tone and, most of all, her vivid green eyes, were all at fault.

      As Sutton’s wife,