“I did no—” He squeaked as Nora dug her nails into the inside of his thigh.
Timothy pulled a small pistol from beneath his jacket. Nora had assured Timothy he would not need it, but Carlow was being intractable. Timothy’s reasoning: if he were caught in such a snare, he’d fight his way out too.
“I will have your answer now, Lord Carlow. Are you going to marry my sister?”
Carlow’s jaw clenched, then he took Nora’s hand—not the one with knives buried in his skin—and brought it to his lips. “It will be my greatest honor.”
“What?” Nora peeped. Nora didn’t trust his pretense of contentment. Or his quick acceptance. Not for one scoundrel-ly minute! Was he going to slip out the window of the library when no one was looking?
“I agree. We must have the special license, Reverend Wright. A morning wedding would be more appropriate than a hasty to-do at this late hour. And perhaps my bride will wish to change into a more appropriate gown.” He looked lovingly at Nora. “My sweet, you must be exhausted from your efforts this evening?”
“Fatigued, yes, but I can certainly bear up long enough for our wedding, dearest.”
“If you don’t mind, I will join you in the hallway shortly, Reverend Wright. I wish to speak with my betrothed. Would you all excuse us?”
With some mumbling, they turned to leave. Timothy issued a final warning. “Don’t try anything underhanded, Carlow.”
“Me? Underhanded?” Carlow clicked his tongue and shook his head. When the door closed, Nora loosed her claws. He glared but walked toward a small side bar with three decanters. He turned to her and asked, “Sherry?”
“Whisky, if you have it there.”
Whatever he poured, he poured the same for both of them. Nora took a seat again on the couchette; Carlow took a chair this time, opposite her. He sipped his drink and glowered at her over the rim.
“What did you want to say, Gabriel?” She hadn’t used his first name, but she enjoyed the jab. Anything to stir his anger. Perhaps that was the wrong tack to take, but this moment had been years in the making. For her, anyway.
“I suppose there are myriad reasons you think this is a good idea. I can assure you it’s not.”
“Do you plan on hurting me somehow? I can assure you, your family has done more to hurt me in the last fifteen years than I could ever do to you in return. Though I would try.”
“This is about revenge?”
“Of course. What else would it be?”
“I could walk out of here. You would still be ruined. There would be gossip, which I would shed in a couple of months. With your family’s past, no one would fault me.”
“You won’t. Enough people were witness to your indiscretion. And I was not lying. You did request my hand. You might have thought it was a jest, but I, innocent that I am, took you at your word.”
“I can’t think you really want to marry me. So, what do you actually want? Money? It’s yours. I will let my solicitor know in the morning.”
“Funny you should ask. I want one thing: the deed to Henbury Hall and the surrounding estates.”
“No.” He drained his glass and set it on a side table. “My dear, you are going to have to get used to having a husband. And I will have to get used to having a wife. But it shouldn’t be a great hardship having you in my bed.”
Nora wasn’t shocked by his words. She had imagined a thousand different scenarios, none of which made Carlow happy. All of which involved Nora sacrificing her bodily autonomy to the vagaries of the marriage bed. “You don’t need the property,” she said.
“Oh, I beg to differ. At this moment, I feel it is the most valuable property I own. I don’t believe there is anyone in England who could afford my price. And to think I had considered selling.”
“The property was never yours.”
“It was my father’s and I inherited it.”
“Fraudulently. Illegally. Immorally.”
“Miss Blasington, you do know your father was the veriest thief? There was no scheme, no cheat, no larceny he would not undertake to enrich himself. Obviously, the rotted fruit does not fall far from the poisonous tree.”
“I loved my father. If he stole from anyone, it was because they had earned it through their own wanton disregard for others.”
“Some poor wager you have. Married to me and with no way to get Henbury Hall. Perhaps you ought to change your mind and exit through that window.” He pointed with casual indifference, ignoring her very real, life-long plight.
A ball of fury grew in her chest. “Not until you return my property. After you sign the deed, you only need to point me in the direction of the first casement you see, and I will make my exit.”
“As my wife, you will not be allowed to. I will make every determination in your life. I alone, Miss Blasington. Do you want to be that miserable?”
“I’m not afraid to be married to you. I will make my own way in a marriage and you would have no say whatsoever.”
“Oh, my sweet. How wrong you are.”
“I will fetch my brother.”
“Have care, Nora. If you do this, it is done forever.”
“That’s not true. You can march into the courts and have your divorcement with a wink and a nod.”
“It would take months and then only because I have accused you of infidelity. You are not planning to cuckold me already, are you?”
“There are other ways! And other reasons. We could have it annulled.”
He laughed at her. “How apropos. I could definitely accuse you of fraud.”
“The marriage will not be consummated.” She lifted her
