“She can’t walk away. We have to secure the trust fund.”
“You think I don’t understand that fact? I’m the one who’s pushed you to cease your delays. I’m the one who harangued and begged while you loafed and claimed you were having too much fun as a bachelor and weren’t ready to tie the knot.”
“I wasn’t ready,” Gregory insisted. “We can’t allow her to defy us like this.”
“Then I suggest you rein in your pompous attitude and haul your ass up to her bedchamber where you will tender a thousand apologies. You will swear to her that you’re parting with Mrs. Starling, that you’ll curb your drinking, and that your gambling days are behind you. You’d better sound sincere or you’ll never convince her.”
“You know, Father, if she refuses to proceed, any court in the land would deem it a symptom of female hysteria. We could have her declared insane, and we could lock her in an asylum and never release her. If we committed her to Bedlam, we could do whatever we like with the money. We wouldn’t have to fret about it.”
Samson gaped at him as if he were a lunatic himself. “Lock Caroline in an asylum?”
“Why not consider it? It would solve so many problems.”
Samson studied his son, wondering how he could have sired such an idiot. What kind of fiend would behave so egregiously toward his betrothed and cousin?
“Get out of here,” he muttered. Gregory didn’t move, and Samson shouted, “Get out!”
“I didn’t mean to anger you. I was just throwing out ideas.”
“When I next stumble on you, I expect to hear that Mrs. Starling and Mr. Ralston are departing and that you’ve fixed matters with Caroline.”
“I’ll begin working on both situations right away, but you’re an optimist if you suppose I’ll have much success with Caroline. She can really climb on a high-horse sometimes.”
“Then you had best yank her off it, hadn’t you?”
Gregory still hadn’t moved, and Samson grabbed him by his coat, pulled him from his chair, and dragged him across the floor to the door. He jerked it open and flung the oaf into the hall, startling a footman who was strolling by and was nearly knocked down.
“Pardon me,” Gregory said to the footman, as he straightened and tried to look as if he hadn’t been tossed out bodily.
Samson glared at them, then slammed the door as hard as he could.
“The thing of it is. . . is. . .”
Gregory’s cheeks flushed such a bright shade of red that Lucretia was surprised he didn’t ignite. They were in her bedroom, and he’d blustered in just as she’d finished dressing to head down to supper. He was disheveled and distraught.
“Spit it out, darling,” she said. “It can’t be all that bad.”
She had wine on the dresser. He poured himself a glass, then spun toward her.
“It appears Caroline has learned of our affair.”
Lucretia’s mind whirred as to what her reply should be. She settled on, “We aren’t having an affair, Gregory. Our bond runs much deeper than that. Don’t debase it by using feathery terminology.”
“This is not the moment to play semantic games with me, Lucretia. Caroline knows we’re involved, and she’s furious. She’s. . . ah. . . demanding you vacate the premises.”
“What? When? Right this very minute? After we dine, it will be dark. Am I to scurry away when night is falling?”
“No, no, you may leave in the morning.”
“May I hope you told her to sod off?”
“I haven’t talked to her, but my father is demanding this too.”
“Why?”
“She’s insisting she’ll call off the wedding due to my having a paramour.” He chuckled, as if a bit of levity would lighten the discussion. “If it’s any consolation, Ralston has to leave too. Caroline has been gossiping with him, and my father is incensed about it. Perhaps the two of you can ride to town together.”
“If that was your attempt to make a joke, it wasn’t funny.”
She stomped over to him, took the glass, and downed the contents. Then she smacked the goblet down on the dresser so forcefully that he flinched.
“Will you allow her to command you?” she said. “She’s not even your wife yet, and she’s issuing orders she expects you to obey. If you submit to her in this, what else will she expect? You have to stand up to her.”
“I won’t fight with her. I just want to get the wedding behind me. It’s easier for all concerned if you’d oblige me without any quarreling.”
“You asked me not to raise a fuss about your marriage, and I haven’t. In exchange, you promised I could come as a guest.”
“It was probably a stupid idea.”
She was amazed she didn’t slap him. “Having me here was stupid?”
“I simply mean that we’ve thrown our liaison in her face, and it’s blown up into a huge dilemma. I need a few days to calm her down.”
“Without me by your side.”
“Yes, without you. Please don’t be difficult.”
“I can’t believe you’d treat me this way.”
“I’m not disrespecting you. I’m giving you a chance to help me save my marriage, which will protect my income. If you wish to retain our elevated style of living, you have to agree.”
She seized the lapels of his coat and shook him. “Swear to me that you will return to London when this is over. Swear that we’ll continue on as we always have and you’re not about to toss me over.”
He gaped at her as if she were deranged. “Toss you over? What a ludicrous comment. I’ve asked you to assist me with a vital task. I haven’t uttered a word about separating from you.”
“Yes, well, Caroline snapped her fingers, and you instantly jumped to comply. How can I be sure she won’t hurl other demands after I’ve walked out the door?”
He rested his palms on her shoulders. “I swear to you, Lucretia, that nothing has changed and nothing will. Now tell me you’ll aid me as I’ve requested. The entire afternoon has been dreadful, what with my father nagging and
