His Mask of Retribution by Margaret McPhee

Author:Margaret McPhee [McPhee, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises
Published: 2012-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Misbourne waited until the door closed behind Marianne and her mother before he spoke. ‘You have ruined my daughter, Mr Knight.’

‘I am aware of the situation,’ Rafe said. He knew that there was no way back for Marianne after this. Only one ending to this evening could save her.

The door burst open and Linwood appeared, a feral look in those black eyes of his. ‘You abominable rake! By hell, I will call you out, sir, for what you’ve done to my sister.’

‘Get out,’ said Misbourne coldly. ‘I am dealing with the matter.’

‘You cannot seriously mean to—’

‘I said get out.’

Linwood glowered at his father, then turned and walked away, closing the door behind him.

‘Ignore him,’ said Misbourne.

‘Surely you mean to call me out too?’ Rafe asked, part of him hoping that the bastard would, even though he knew it would never come to that. For no matter how much he hated Misbourne, he could not stand back and watch Marianne’s reputation crumble to dust before all of London. The writing was on the wall; it had been ever since Misbourne had opened the study door.

‘Do I need to?’ asked Misbourne.

‘Only if you have an objection to my marrying your daughter.’

‘I shall organise the wedding for Wednesday,’ said Misbourne. ‘I think you will understand the need for a speedy and discreet affair.’ He lifted the glass decanter from the occasional table and poured brandy into two glasses, one of which he passed to Rafe. Rafe ignored the proffered glass, his eyes holding Misbourne’s.

‘We should return to the ballroom.’

‘You are right,’ Misbourne conceded. ‘We must keep up appearances.’

* * *

‘But I cannot marry him!’ Marianne exclaimed after her father finished his announcement to the family in the breakfast room the next morning.

‘You seemed to like him well enough in my study last night.’

Marianne felt the heat glow in her cheeks. ‘It was just a kiss. He did nothing more.’ She was lying; it had been so much more than a kiss. It had been something that made her forget herself, the past, her fears. In those moments she had felt alive and vibrant and unafraid, a thousand miles removed from everything that was Marianne Winslow.

‘Just a kiss, Marianne?’ Her mother raised an eyebrow. ‘Your father and I both saw exactly what was going on.’

‘Merely being alone with Rafe Knight in my study was enough to compromise your reputation,’ said her father more calmly. ‘Knight is no green boy. He knew the risk he was taking.’

A risk far greater than her father understood.

‘Honour decrees that he offer for you.’

‘But you don’t understand.’ She glanced round at her family, at her mother’s pursed lips and her brother’s dark gaze, and the stubborn set of her father’s jaw. Rafe was the highwayman her father had set half of London to kill. Her father was the man against whom Rafe had sworn a dark vengeance. The two men she loved, each sworn to destroy the other. And no matter what she felt for Rafe,

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