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

He had no right to interfere in her business. She couldn’t have been clearer. She had almost had Wilks convinced there was no gain to be had gossiping about a contract he didn’t have a copy of. “The only thing I have almost fallen for were your lies, and your father’s. Fenton, Lord Wilks has expressed a desire to leave the estate. Do be so kind as to have his luggage brought down so he might depart immediately.”

Fenton twirled his stick menacingly. “A pleasure, my lady. Oh, and his grace wishes to see you when you are free.”

“I am free now in fact,” she promised, glancing at Wilks without smiling. “Goodbye, my lord.”

Wilks wet his lips. “This isn’t over. My father will—”

“Yes, I’m sure he will try anything to get what he wants,” Fanny murmured. “Do make sure to remind your father that I was still considering the opportunity he was so anxious to have me invest in. His actions will guide my final decision.”

“When you are ready, my lord,” Fenton murmured, stepping closer to Wilks with a hard thump of his stick upon the floor.

Wilks looked ready to argue but then strode off when Fenton swung his stick again.

“His grace is waiting in the library,” Fenton said to Fanny grinning before he slipped from the chamber, following Wilks.

When they couldn’t be heard anymore, Fanny swore and then left the chamber to report to her father in the library.

Father beamed when he saw her, rising from a chair by the fire. “Ah, Fanny. There you are at last.”

“Were you looking for me for very long, Papa?”

“It’s always too long.” Father crossed the room to meet her and pressed a kiss to her brow. “Come in and talk to your poor old father. You’re looking a little flushed. Has something upset you?”

“No.” On an impulse, Fanny wrapped her arms around her papa and gave him a squeeze. He was one of the good ones, and good men were so very rare. He hugged her back, then set her apart from him. “What was that for?”

“I just needed it.”

He made a grumbling sound, but she could tell he was pleased. “Come and sit down with me.”

She made a point of looking around carefully. “Are you sure you want a woman in the library? I thought that was against the rules.”

He gave her a look. “Are you going to suggest putting flowers in this room?”

“No.”

“Lacy doily things on the tables?”

She smiled. “No. I know you hate them.”

“Then you can stay, but if you dare mention the room needs improvement, you’ll be out the door before you can blink, and I’ll never speak to you again.”

Fanny laughed. Father had changed too when he’d married Gillian. He was finally mellowing about his rules. “It won’t work, Father. You’re too tenderhearted to stay cross with any of us girls forever.”

He huffed.

“I’d never want to be at odds with you about anything anyway.”

His brow rose. “Tell me how you’re doing, my girl. Are you as happy as you seem?”

Fanny breathed a sigh of relief. Father didn’t know about Thwaite, Wilks or any blackmail. Jeremy had kept his world to let her at least handle that alone. She was thankful beyond measure for that. “I am happy,” she promised.

Father smiled. “Vastly content I would say, judging by that smile.”

“I suppose so,” she murmured, feeling not the least bit guilty. She had more or less dealt with Wilks who was a spineless worm in her opinion. The father was another matter. She would deal with Thwaite one day soon—in a way he’d never suspect her for, too.

“It had to happen eventually.”

“What do you mean?”

“All that money you inherited has worried me, for it only added to your burdens.”

She smiled. “I thrive on challenges.”

“I’ve always worried you’d work yourself to death to build your late husband’s fortunes, but no more. I’ve seen a side of you, on this visit particularly, that pleases me no end.”

“Weddings make for happiness. I am so pleased for Rebecca and Jessica, and you too, of course.”

“I am not talking about your sisters and I, but of you. You have made a change in your life recently that has only been beneficial, as far as I can tell.”

“What change would that be?”

“Mr. Jeremy Dawes.”

Fanny met his gaze…and saw a scold hovering in his expression now.

He inclined his head. “I’m not blind.”

“I never imagined you were.”

Father shook his head. “You’ve been discreet, I’ll give you that, but I know full well what goes on in my own house.”

“He has played his part very well,” she said. “There is nothing going on between us, I assure you.”

“Now that is a lie.” Father frowned. “Did I say I disapprove?”

Fanny blinked. “No but… Wealthy men take lovers all the time and no one bats an eye. I just assumed you would, too.”

“Most women do not take so many risks with their reputations. Women are expected to marry and live respectably.”

She shook her head. “I’ll not adhere to society’s rules and restrictions and suddenly become biddable just because we slept together.”

“So, he has shared your bed then?”

Fanny closed her eyes, annoyed that she’d fallen for Father’s little trick and revealed the truth of her association with Jeremy. He’d made a guess, a correct one, and she’d confirmed it. She’d thought she’d grown out of that sort of thing long ago.

But Father looked pleased with himself. “Can’t wriggle out of that confession, my girl. A few nights, I would you say.”

“Yes.”

“Of course, you know there’d be gossip about him,” Father warned. “He’s no connections or real wealth. You risk losing the respect of your peers. Marriage would of course make any scandal disappear.”

Fanny was shocked by her father’s suggestion. “I am certainly not going to marry to avoid a scandal.”

“Of course you shouldn’t when you have the choice of marrying for love instead. Imagine if he presented himself to his theater manager once word spreads, I bet he would land a starring role. Imagine the crowd he’d draw. The man who had