Page 23

“I have an idea, but I want to hear you say it.”

“Because he’s the man you’re going to marry.”

“And you think you can just make that decision for me?”

“Yes, I can,” he said with a breezy sigh. “I am your guardian after all. It’s only right that your husband should be picked by me.”

Her lips curled in disgust. “As if I’d marry someone just because you told me to. Why would I do that just because you told me to? Have you been paying attention at all these past few years?”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Amber, Amber, Amber, I expected better from you. Despite you asking me that, I have to wonder if you aren’t talking about yourself. After all, we both know there are consequences not just for you but for your mother if you reject my help in finding you a good match.”

She swallowed. “Leave her out of this. This is between you and me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. This is what I mean about you being naive. Your match is a family affair, and while I would love to leave her out of this, I can only do that if you behave yourself. Otherwise, I would just be derelict in taking care of you as your guardian. So here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to go into your room and go to bed. In the morning, you will talk with Thomas and charm him. We can both only hope he actually likes you.”

She clenched her hands into fists. “I understand,” she gritted out.

“Good girl.”

“But I want you to know, I’m not doing this for you. I would never do this for you. Anything I do is for my mother’s sake.”

“I couldn’t be bothered to care about why you obey. All that matters to me is that you do, and you understand the consequences if you don’t. Now, I am going to get back to the party. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Aren’t you worried about what it could do to your image to be out at a party so late?” she shot back.

He just laughed. “It isn’t the same for me as it is for you. Besides, my issue was hardly the hour but the company you chose to keep. I couldn’t risk you making poor choices and spoiling your future now, could I?”

Her hands clenched into fists. “Given how much time you spend at the card table, I think I am more than capable of making better choices than you.”

“Excuse me?” he turned to her, face darkening.

“We both know why you’re doing this! You lost a fortune at the card table and need a way to pay it back! You think you can just use me to pay off your debts, well you can’t! I’m not just some bargaining chip you know!”

“Who do you think you are to speak to me this way?”

“I’m not saying anything that isn’t true.”

“You are just a child.”

“I’m twenty-three years old. Half the people my age are already married! You haven’t even presented me to society!”

He shook his head with a sigh. “Amber, regardless of how old you are, you’ve been sheltered your whole life. You don’t know anything about the real world. Stay out of my business, and whatever you think you know, forget it. Now, go to bed before you say something you will come to regret.”

Amber stiffened.

“I’m glad to see you’re still smart enough to know when to keep your mouth shut. I don’t want to see you out of your room until morning.”

Then he spun on his heels and stomped off, probably to go gamble away more of his inheritance, the money that had once belonged to Amber’s father and should rightfully have gone to her.

At this rate, it didn’t seem like it would be long before he had lost it all, leaving them penniless and on the street.

For now, he seemed to settle on leaving her alone in the hall.

Amber sighed to herself, taking a moment just to lean against the door and sigh. She wanted to go home; even if it didn’t quite feel like home anymore, it would still be better than being here, expectations hanging over her neck like an ax about to swing down any moment now.

When she’d let herself wallow in self-pity long enough, she pushed into the room she was staying in, shutting the door behind her.

It was just a small guest room with a bed, a dressing table, and a place to hang the dresses and gowns she’d brought with herself.