Page 3 of A Temporary Bride for the Duke

She prayed that by feigning ignorance and bargaining for time, her father might recover some of his wits and surge to her rescue.

“Can you be so naive?” His eyes trekked a slow trail from her feet to her hair. “Do you really not know what I want from you?”

Daisy just stared at him, wondering how she’d landed in this nightmare. She rushed forward and gripped her father’s shoulder. The Earl had slumped in his chair.

“Papa!” She shook his shoulder gently.

The Earl turned slowly and gave her a befuddled look. “Hmm…?” He hummed.

Daisy fixed her eyes on his expression. The Earl was clearly discombobulated. His bushy eyebrows were lowered, and his lips were pursed. She did not know if her father was confounded because of his head injury, the amount of alcohol he had imbibed, or simply because he had lost the thread of the conversation.

Agitated, Daisy crouched so she could look her father straight in the eyes.

“Papa,” she said in a demanding tone, urging him to look at her and pay attention. “What does Baron Dulforth mean? What does he want from you? From me?”

Her voice broke on that last word, and the Baron laughed wryly.

“Baron Dulforth?” Her father’s voice was soft and bewildered. “Is he here?”

This show of bafflement caused the Baron to chortle loudly.

Daisy turned to glance in his direction, and what she saw unnerved her. Baron Dulforth stood in a relaxed posture, with his hands tucked behind his back, as if he were enjoying the performance that was being enacted entirely for his benefit.Daisy gulped nervously. She realized that the more she cowered in front of the Baron, the more that gleam in his eyes grew brighter. He wasenjoyingher fear.

She stood and squared her shoulders.

“How much does my father owe you?” she asked, willing her voice not to shake.

For the first time, he looked surprised. “How much? Why? Do you mean to use your pin money to pay me? I assure you, it won’t be enough.” He laughed contemptuously.

She lifted her chin. “If you tell me how much it is, I can tell you if I can pay it or not.”

Dulforth threw back his head and laughed raucously. “The only way you can manage to pay this debt is with your body.” He reached out, running a hand down her arm. “I’ll take your hand in marriage in lieu of payment, but I’m not one to buy a pig in a poke. I must sample the goods first.”

Daisy suppressed a shudder of disgust. Hastily, she jerked her arm out of his reach, but when she tried to step away from him altogether, her heel collided with the chair leg that supported her father.

Meanwhile, the Baron was not deterred by her obvious rejection. Instead, he took a step closer to her. They were of a height, and that brought them nose to nose. She could smell the cheroothe’d smoked after dinner, along with something more rancid on his breath. She fought the urge to gag and steeled herself so she might not tremble.

I cannot show weakness.

She stared directly into his black eyes and said tersely, “How much does he owe you?”

The Baron’s upper lip curled as his eyes flicked up and down her form. “Want to see if you’re worth the price? Fine, I’ll tell you. He owes me five thousand pounds.”

She gasped, her knees going weak. “Surely not,” she whispered in horror.

The Baron gave her a smug smile. “Surely yes. Now, are you prepared to show me that you’re worth the bother of forgiving his debt, or shall I have it spread around just what a wastrel and scoundrel your father truly is?”

“It’s no matter of shame to be in debt. Half thetonwould be in disgrace if gentlemen were condemned for borrowing coins from others,” she tried to counter, but her heart was racing. She would not willfully give herself to this man, no matter what threats he laid at her feet, but it took every ounce of courage she possessed to stand her ground and come up with ways to defend herself and her father.

“Indeed, that’s so. But a man who fails to pay his gambling debts is a dishonorable man. A man with no honor cannot be trusted. You see the problem?” He feigned a look of commiseration. “I am only trying to help you.”

Daisy glared at him through her thick eyelashes. “Keep your help. I don’t need it. I shall find a way to pay the five thousand pounds, and you will leave us alone.”

Dulforth spread his hands in mock surrender. “I would like nothing more than to get my money back, but you and I both know it’s impossible. Surrender to your fate, Lady Daisy, and give yourself to me.”

Daisy sidestepped to avoid the Baron as well as her father’s chair. Protectively, she crossed her arms over her chest. “No. I-I’ll find the money.”

He cocked his head to the side. “You have no dowry, and your father is a rolled-up, jug-bitten scapegrace. Where do you propose to get this money?”