The Lady Tamed by Boyd, Heather (urban books to read TXT) 📗

She was annoyed with him, and with the conversation she’d just had with Jeremy. The way they’d parted had left a bad taste in her mouth. One coupling did not make him privy to all of her business, even if making love to him had been better than she’d ever dreamed.

“My dear Lady Rivers, do forgive my tardy arrival,” Wilks drawled.

She would not. She would secretly hold that against him for years to come. She was a busy woman who knew her own mind and held private grudges. Fanny regarded him standing in the doorway, her jaw clenching momentarily before relaxing. The sooner this farce of a meeting was over and done with the better. She looked Wilks over but did not see any papers in his hands. “Lord Wilks.”

He glanced around the room, one brow arching. It was just the two of them. Fanny had not wanted any witnesses to her embarrassment. Especially not Jeremy, though she was touched by his concern. “I’m so glad you could see me. Alone too,” he drawled again.

Fanny regarded him warily now. “What is it that you want?”

“We’ll get to that.”

She glanced across to the empty chair opposite. “Please, won’t you sit.”

He made a circuit of the room and then swooped to sit close beside her. “Where is your cicisbeo today?”

Fanny didn’t bother to answer that. A cicisbeo waited on married women. Fanny was a widow, engaged in an affair. There was nothing wrong with her arrangement with Jeremy. Nothing at all when she betrayed no one. And what she did with Jeremy was no one’s business. “Your father promised the return of an important document of mine if I met with you today.”

Wilks smirked. “My father makes a lot of promises to me, too. Few of which I think he’ll honor unless I do as he wishes. He wished us to get to know each other better,” Wilks said with a smirk.

Fanny gritted her teeth. Clearly, Wilks planned to go along with that. He would also make her wait or beg for the document’s return. Jeremy insisted she should never beg. “I’m afraid your father will be doomed to disappointment, my lord. So will you.”

“I think not,” Wilks promised, turning toward her. “As I’m sure you’ve heard, my father’s tight fist has presented unacceptable difficulties for the running of Holly Field.”

“Your Devon estate? Yes, I’ve heard you’ve been living well beyond your means.”

Wilks glared at her. “Lies,” he hissed. “My father doles just enough blunt to keep me in line until the next quarter day. I haven’t had the funds to make improvements in years.”

Fanny doubted that. She’d seen Wilks gamble recklessly with her own eyes. “I still fail to see how this is any of my concern.”

“You could help me get out from under my father’s thumb,” Wilks murmured. “I’d make a good husband.”

Fanny laughed. “Is that right?”

He shuffled closer along the bench until his knee brushed hers.

Fanny barely stopped herself from launching herself out of her chair. She kept her hands folded in her lap though, ready to punch him in the nose if he had plans to force a match between them. “I’ve made no secret of my disinterest in remarriage.”

“You’ll change your tune when society turns its back on you.” He smirked. “You’ll find marriage to me the better alternative to the cold of a thousand cuts.”

Fanny had been on the outs with society before. Over Gillian, actually, but clearly Wilks thought her weak and malleable. “What could possibly cause such an event?”

“If a certain document with your signature upon it fell into the wrong hands, well…”

He left the threat unfinished.

Fanny had had enough. She had his measure now. He wanted all her money, not just a token amount. She loathed men like him, and his father, too. “Do you refer to the document you have right there in your pocket? The document you intend to blackmail me with to ensure we marry so you can fritter away my fortune on wine, other women and cards?”

He smiled as if she was finally catching on.

“You might have been moderately convincing if I didn’t have that document safely locked away already, my lord.”

Wilks froze, eyes boring into hers.

Fanny stood and went to ring the bell. “Since you have nothing truly important to say to me or give back, I believe we have nothing further to say to each other.”

Wilks was on his feet and rushing her, crowding her until she stumbled back. “I still know what it says,” he hissed.

“Do you believe everyone is always eager to believe fabrications? That hasn’t been my experience with society,” she warned.

Wilks drew back. “Anyone can see Dawes is in love with you.”

Fanny’s heart gave an odd lurch. “He is an actor. A very good one. That’s why he won my patronage over an actor with years more experience. He’s fooled you into thinking he was in love with me because I asked him to play a part. Father approved our little play and has been coaching him on the habits of society gentlemen. He has learned a lot this past week.”

A momentary expression of doubt flickered over Wilks’ face but he drew back even further. “So, you’re not involved with the actor.”

“He’s an amusing companion and plays no part in my decisions.”

A door opened and Fenton, steward of the Stapleton estate, stomped into the room looking unusually cross. Also, as usual, he carried a stout stick that he tapped on the floor as he walked toward her. “Dawes ordered me to come see you, Lady Rivers.”

As happy as she was to have Fenton in the room her heart sank as Wilks smirked. “Orders the servants about already, does he. I rather think there’s more to his position in your life than you want to admit, my lady. How far the mighty have fallen. Paying a man to make love to you and falling for him, too.”

Fanny ground her teeth. Jeremy!

Why couldn’t he have trusted her to take care of the matter without him.