Page 34 of The Beast’s Duchess (Duchesses of Inconvenience #1)
Chapter Three
A Fiery Exchange
W hen Gilbert arrived at the Cyderton estate the next day, contract in hand, he had expected to be met at the door by Lord Cyderton. And if not Lord Cyderton, then perhaps a steward.
However, neither of these people had been waiting for him. Instead, as he had walked up the stairs, he found himself face to face with Lady Audrey.
“Good morning, Lady Audrey.” He inclined his head to her and made to step past her. “I have business with your father. But I am sure we shall speak afterward.”
“I think not, Your Grace.” Lady Audrey curtsied to him, using the movement to place herself directly in his path. “Is that the betrothal contract?”
The sunlight caught her long, auburn hair, making it look like a flame made solid. Her hazel eyes were full of determination and spirit. As Gilbert took in her smile, he realized that it was the kind of smile that promised violence beneath barely disguised sweetness.
She is beautiful .
Gilbert shook his head and shoved the thought roughly aside.
Focus!
“It is the contract.”
“Let us retire to the drawing room, I wish to go over a few things.” Lady Audrey abruptly turned on her heel and marched away from him.
“And what makes you think I will follow you? I am not some dog for you to command.” Gilbert felt his anger rise, but more irritatedly found himself strangely impressed by the woman’s bravery.
What fight. If only her father was so daring.
“No, a dog would not be as cruel or as unpleasant as you have been.” Lady Audrey glared at him. “Besides, Father has been held up in a meeting, so unless you would like to wait aimlessly in the hall, you might as well discuss things with me.”
Gilbert glanced up the stairs and then at the door she had disappeared through. He debated ignoring the impertinent woman and just going directly to her father, but something stopped him. He was curious.
It has been a long time since anyone has dared be so openly hostile to me.
“What exactly is it you want to discuss?” Gilbert asked as he walked into the drawing room after her.
To his surprise, she closed the door behind him.
He raised an eyebrow at the woman. “Do you not think this rather improper?”
Lady Audrey scoffed. “We are engaged, are we not? You have demanded your bride price.”
“You have only your father and his poor decisions to blame for this situation.” Gilbert shrugged.
“Hah! Do not act the innocent with me, I know what kind of man you are!” Lady Audrey narrowed her eyes, her voice furious and low.
“Do you, indeed? Well, now you really have piqued my curiosity.” Gilbert sat down, stretching out his legs languidly as though he had not a care in the world. “Pray, tell me what kind of man you think I am.”
“You are a double-dealing, petty, dishonorable rogue. You are a bully and a thief. You are a coward and a cheat. A vile, despicable snake of a man,” Audrey spat. “You are arrogant, entitled, and cruel beyond measure.”
“My, what a list of accolades I have to my name.” Gilbert smiled, letting it hide his anger, enjoying how it seemed to aggravate her even more. Good. “Is there anything else you wish to throw my way? After all, you have not yet touched on my looks.”
To his satisfaction, Audrey flushed slightly at his remark.
He met her gaze, doing his best to seem as nonchalant as possible as he lightly ran his fingers along the arm of his chair. “Please, do go on. I am intrigued to hear about my other qualities.”
“Oh, I am sure you would never grow tired of hearing about yourself.” Her smile was all daggers. “But I find it rather uninteresting. After all, there are only so many ways one can say ‘utterly reprehensible’ in the English language.”
“Perhaps you should learn other languages, so you might find new and creative ways to insult me.” Gilbert grinned back at her, his eyes alight with anger.
The gall of her. How dare she speak to me like this?
“I can think of far better ways to spend my time,” Lady Audrey retorted.
“I’m sure you can.” Gilbert stretched languidly again, deliberately smiling wider as he did so.
She must not know she has riled me .
“I confess, though, I should like to know exactly what I have done to evoke such a depth of feeling in you.”
“You know exactly what you have done,” Lady Audrey hissed, her eyes narrowed.
“Enlighten me,” Gilbert demanded in a challenging tone.
“Very well. First, there is the fact that you have stolen land from my father. In addition to taking these lands for no reason, you claim that he owes you a debt because a share of his profits should have been paid to you. A debt that, I am sure you are only too aware, will drive him into ruin.”
“I have my reasons. You do not know your father’s dealings half as well as you think you do.”
“I know them better than you do. I have helped him run this estate for years. Together, we have made it flourish.” Lady Audrey folded her arms across her chest. “It should still be flourishing, but you seem determined to drive it into the ground.”
“Your father can accomplish that all by himself. After all, he is the one who gambled so much away.” Gilbert stood up and strode towards her, towering over her.
“Your father, who would give his own daughter away to fix his mistakes, rather than address them like a man. A man like that deserves ruin.”
Lady Audrey flushed, standing taller and straighter, refusing to back down. “Do not speak of him that way.”
“Do not accuse me of things you know nothing about.” Gilbert clenched his fists. “Your father deserves this and much more.”
“And me? What have I done to deserve this?” Lady Audrey asked.
The question caught Gilbert off guard. His anger ebbed slightly, and he canted his head towards her. For a moment, they stood in silence, glaring at each other.
“I want to see the contract. I want to make sure that it is fair, that you are not trying to rob my father of anything else.”
“The contract is more than fair.”
More than he deserves.
“I shall be the judge of that.” Lady Audrey took the document from Gilbert and scanned it. “Good, the debt is entirely forgiven and shall remain so unless we do not get married.”
He watched as she pored over the contract, her brow furrowed and her lips slightly parted. He doubted that she would find anything amiss. He had stayed true to his word and had written in a generous allowance for his future wife’s expenses.
“That all seems fair enough. But there is one thing I would add.” Lady Audrey looked up at him. “I want a clause that states that you will not seek to cause any further harm, financial or otherwise, to my family.”
Gilbert raised an eyebrow. “And why would I seek to cause harm to your family? All I have done thus far is to take what is mine and what I am owed. Once we are wed, all debts shall be repaid.”
“I do not trust you,” Lady Audrey stated flatly. “I am doing this for my family’s sake, and I must know that my sacrifice will keep them from harm.”
She truly thinks I am a monster.
Gilbert flexed and unflexed his fingers, before saying, “Very well, add this clause.”
He watched as the young woman added the clause, noting how carefully and precisely worded it was.
Her penmanship is excellent .
As he watched Lady Audrey work, he realized that she rather than her father was clearly the mastermind behind the estate’s success.
He is a fool to part with such a mind.
“Before I take this to your father to sign, I wish to make one thing clear.” Gilbert looked at her coolly as he took the contract from her, blowing on the ink to dry it. “This marriage will be a marriage in name only.”
“Of course.” Lady Audrey held his gaze, fire in her eyes.
“This is simply a business transaction. As long as you stay out of my way, I am sure this arrangement will suit us both,” Gilbert continued. “I have little desire to control you, but I will not tolerate any interference in my affairs.”
“Then do not give me a reason to do so.” Lady Audrey’s look was full of defiance as she closed the distance between them. “I will not be controlled, but do not think you will be able to bully me into submission. I will not be broken.”
Gilbert shook his head, smiling as she attempted to move past him. He caught her and tilted her chin towards him with a finger as he said, “I have no wish for a broken wife. Life is far more interesting with a little fire in it.”
And with that, he swept out of the room, feeling oddly pleased with himself.
Now, all he had to do was make the arrangements for the wedding, and this whole business would be over.
And life will go back to normal.
After all, how hard would it be to avoid a wife who hated him with such passion?