Viscount of Vanity by Tammy Andresen (beautiful books to read .txt) 📗

your head when I should have just thrown you out on the streets.”

Fear rose up in her chest even as her face and scalp stung. “I’m your daughter.”

“You’re no daughter of mine, and we both know it. Your mother was nothing but a whore. She admitted as much right before she died.”

Gabriella’s knees threatened to give. “She admitted that to you?” Her hands shook as she considered the ramifications of that statement. Had her mother’s admission of an affair to her father been what had brought about her death?

His eyes took on a dangerous gleam as his lips pulled over his teeth. “Don’t test me, girl. Or I’ll do to you what I did to your mother.” He pulled her hair again. Pain streaked through her again, but she ignored it. He’d killed her beautiful mother. She knew it without a doubt. He sneered again. “Now, we’re going to go see that husband of yours. And if he wants you back, he’s going to pay my debts.” He jerked her hair harder. “And you’re going to tell him that I need an income, or I’ll tell him that you’re not the daughter of a gentleman, but the bastard of some filthy farmer.”

She gasped. He was going to try and extort Austin for more money. The man had no morality. No shame.

Gabriella nodded. Austin already knew, of course, about the affair and her questionable origins, but her father didn’t need to know that. She’d agree to anything in this moment if it meant her father would take her to Austin. Because once they were together, he’d surely keep her safe. “If-if you insist.”

She held up her hands in submission and his grip on her hair eased. “I do, dearest daughter.”

She drew in a shuddering breath. “He’s in the village.”

He grabbed her arm. “Then let’s go. I’m eager to see this business done.”

Her lips pressed together at the implication that she was inconveniencing him, but she made no reply. He pulled her toward the door, and she gasped as they stepped out. Mrs. Butterfield lay in the dirt of the garden, quickly becoming soaked. “Papa,” she said. His only response was to yank her arm harder. She dug in her heels. “We need to pull Mrs. Butterfield inside. She’ll catch her death like this.”

“It matters not to me,” he snarled, pulling harder.

He really was the most selfish of men. “But the baron…we don’t want to anger him.”

He stopped, giving her another long stare. “Fine. But hurry up about it.”

Gabriella gave a quick nod as she raced to Mrs. Butterfield’s side. Used to labor, Gabriella managed to pull the other woman into the kitchen with her father still standing out in the garden. “Hurry up,” he yelled.

Oh, she had every intention of hurrying. She scurried the two steps back to the door and swung it closed, hauling the lock into place. Then she said a silent prayer that Austin returned soon.

Chapter Fifteen

The carriage rumbled through the rain, making the short trip back to Chad’s estate. Austin craned his neck as the estate came into view. The water ruined his visibility through the window, but he knew something was afoot.

The horse nearest the carriage gave a loud whinny, and then one of the men following behind him yelled to the other, “There he is.”

Austin didn’t need to ask to know they were discussing his father-in-law. He threw open the door to the carriage even as it rumbled over the stones in the road. Through the gate, he saw Winston pounding on the kitchen door.

With a growl, Austin launched himself from the carriage while it still rolled down the drive. He sprinted the twenty feet to the gate, the other men still dismounting to follow him.

He didn’t need their help. Not with this part.

Once he was done with the man, they could haul him off to prison.

Winston saw him coming and ceased pounding on the door. With a squeak, he turned and attempted to flee, but Austin was stronger, quicker, and in better shape in every way.

He quickly overtook the man who fell to the ground with a pathetic cry and a plea for mercy.

Austin had no patience for that. The man had attempted to use Gabriella as a pawn to pay his debts once again, and it was time Austin made it clear what the punishment for such abuse would be.

Gabriella was his to care for now, and she’d not be part of Winston’s schemes any longer.

Raising his fist, he landed a hard punch directly on Winston’s nose. Blood burst from his nostrils as his hands rose to his face.

Austin grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. “Allow me to be perfectly clear,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Should you somehow manage to extricate yourself from prison, you are not to come near my wife ever again.”

Blood spilled down his cheeks. “When you learn the truth, you’ll beg me to take her off your hands.”

Austin doubted that very much, and he rose, pulling the man to his feet.

The three sheriffs had joined them, and Austin gave Winston a hard shove in their direction.

But Winston wasn’t done. “Pay my debts or I’ll tell the entire world your wife is an illegitimate bastard.”

“Do your worst old man. Who is going to believe a drunken, ruined gambler over a viscountess? Everything that falls from your mouth is a lie to connive your next pocketful of coin.”

“Now there is a bit of truth,” one of the men grunted.

“Wait.” Winston held up his hands. “I’ve still got the house to sell. I can settle my debts.”

Gabriella stepped up next to him, her hand resting on his arm.

A bruise was forming on her cheek and anger swelled in his chest again. “He hurt you.”

“He’s got a point, my lord,” a sheriff said. “If he can sell the house, he’s free and clear.”

Gabriella tightened her hand on his arm. “He knocked poor Mrs. Butterfield a good one and me too.” Her fingers brushed his cheek.

Austin swung his gaze