Joanna Maitland by Rakes Reward

Author:Rakes Reward
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

‘Mr Stratton has called, m’lady.’

The Dowager, dressed very carefully in her widest and most imposing hoops, sat rigid in her chair. ‘Show him in, Tibbs.’

Rising automatically, Marina discovered that her legs were shaking beneath her. She gripped the back of a chair with both hands until she had enough control to stand unaided. Kit Stratton must not see how much his presence affected her. She tried to fix a polite smile on her face.

‘Mr Stratton, m’lady,’ announced the butler, as he threw open the door.

Kit Stratton strode into the room, his tall, commanding figure seeming to dwarf everything around him. His bow to the Dowager was masterly. His bow to Marina—a little less deep, a little less slow—had a hint of irony in it.

The Dowager nodded slightly in acknowledgement of his salutation but she said nothing. She did not offer refreshments. Nor did she attempt to break the awkward silence that reigned in her drawing room.

He looked down on her tiny figure with the hint of a smile twisting one corner of his mouth. ‘I am come in the matter of your debt, ma’am, as we agreed a se’enight ago. It was twelve thousand pounds, I believe?’

A slight blush began on the Dowager’s scrawny neck. She looked away for a moment and then resumed her rigid stare. Still, she said nothing.

Kit Stratton withdrew a paper from an inside pocket of his beautifully tailored corbeau coat. He unfolded it, scanned it for a second, and then laid it on the table at the Dowager’s hand. ‘Your vowel, ma’am,’ he said simply.

Lady Luce looked at him with distaste.

He was waiting for her answer. He might have decided to forgive the debt but he was clearly seeking a modicum of contrition from his opponent. Marina could see that his little smile was becoming more pronounced, as was Lady Luce’s flush of embarrassment.

The Dowager reached out and picked up the vowel, crushing it into a ball with her wizened fingers. ‘I am beholden to you, sir,’ she said, with a tiny nod of acknowledgement.

Marina was willing the Dowager to say what was necessary to persuade Kit Stratton to leave. It would take only a few well-chosen words.

Say them, Marina prayed. Please say them.

Lady Luce said nothing.

Mr Stratton almost laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. ‘You are indeed beholden to me, ma’am,’ he said. It was not exactly a threat, but…

‘Twelve thousand pounds,’ said Lady Luce at last, in strangled tones.

‘Indeed,’ he said, waiting.

‘You are well aware that I do not have the money to pay you, sir.’ The words sounded as though they had been forced from the Dowager’s lips. The flush had vanished. She was now extremely pale under her heavy make-up.

Now he smiled. It was a very superior smile. ‘I am perfectly well aware of that, ma’am, though I am pleased that you find yourself able to acknowledge it. I do not propose to demand payment from you. You have your vowel. The debt is at an end.’

Marina sensed that the Dowager was itching to strike his arrogant face.

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