Read Online Intimate Deception by Laura Landon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Landon
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You need your sinful ways beaten out of you and need to be taught humility and respect and contrition. God says—”
“God does not speak through you, Lord Fentington,” Grace said, willing herself to find the courage to stand upto him. “And if you ever try to force marriage, I swear I’ll go to Reverend Perry and tell him all your dirty little secrets. Perhaps I’ll invite him to tea along with Hannah and His Grace, the Duke of Sherefield, our local magistrate. Your daughter can tell them how wonderful it was growing up under your roof.”
“Quiet! Don’t you mention that harlot’s name in my presence. I have no daughter. She is dead!”
“No, she’s not. She’s alive and well and living the only life growing up in your house has left her.”
Fentington’s face turned a mottled red. His eyes glared black fury. She could see murder in them and felt a fear unlike any she’d known before.
“The devil has your soul, you spawn of Satan. I should—”
“Try to force my hand, Lord Fentington, and I’ll spread the stories of your perverted penchants from here to London and back. And feel no regret while I’m doing it.”
Fentington took a step toward her. Grace stepped back, fearing he would do her harm. Certain her father would not come to her aid if he did.
“You can keep your harlot daughter,” he said, giving her a final malicious glare. “The devil owns her, body and soul.” He turned his attention back to her. “If your father is wise, he’ll rid himself and his home of you and throw you out on the street where you belong. You are nothing but a whore. And God will punish you as He does all evildoers for their wicked ways.”
Grace lifted her chin and faced him squarely. She refused to be cowed by a man as repulsive as the baron.
“You have played me for a fool. I’ll not forget it.” His eyes turned blacker. “I’ve let it out that you agreed to bemy wife and will now have to face the humiliation of being spurned. You’ll pay for your betrayal. Pay!”
Giving her a last glare, he spun on his heel and stalked from the room. The door slammed behind him and Grace nearly collapsed from fear and relief. Her heart thundered in her breast and she had to reach out a hand and grasp the back of the leather chair to steady herself.
She’d done it. She was safe from him and could spend her days in quiet contentment here in the country, reliving her one magical night and dreaming about the man who’d given it to her. Grace let her throbbing head drop to her hands.
“Get out of my house,” her father growled from behind her.
His words slammed against her with the force of a fist pummeling her stomach. The hatred in his voice stole the air from her and engulfed her in a fear from which she couldn’t find an escape.
“You will not spend one more night under my roof,” he continued, taking a menacing step toward her.
Grace grabbed a fistful of the leather on the back of the chair to keep from sinking to the floor.
“Father—”
“No!” he bellowed, slashing his hand through the air. “Do not call me that ever again. You are no longer my daughter.”
She stiffened her shoulders as she faced him. “Were you that desperate for his money?”
He stepped around her, circling her as a hunter circles his prey. “You lied to me. You told me you would accept Fentington’s offer once Anne was married.”
“Only because you threatened to give her to Fentington if I refused to marry him. I could never have let our Annie marry such a monster.”
“So you waited until she was married to drop this surprise on me.”
“I waited until she was safe from him. And from you.”
“How dare you,” he hissed and reached out to slap her again. Grace twisted away quickly enough to spare herself the full brunt of his blow.
With a loud bellow, her father paced back and forth as a man demented. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
“I’ve done nothing except refuse to marry a man all of England
“God does not speak through you, Lord Fentington,” Grace said, willing herself to find the courage to stand upto him. “And if you ever try to force marriage, I swear I’ll go to Reverend Perry and tell him all your dirty little secrets. Perhaps I’ll invite him to tea along with Hannah and His Grace, the Duke of Sherefield, our local magistrate. Your daughter can tell them how wonderful it was growing up under your roof.”
“Quiet! Don’t you mention that harlot’s name in my presence. I have no daughter. She is dead!”
“No, she’s not. She’s alive and well and living the only life growing up in your house has left her.”
Fentington’s face turned a mottled red. His eyes glared black fury. She could see murder in them and felt a fear unlike any she’d known before.
“The devil has your soul, you spawn of Satan. I should—”
“Try to force my hand, Lord Fentington, and I’ll spread the stories of your perverted penchants from here to London and back. And feel no regret while I’m doing it.”
Fentington took a step toward her. Grace stepped back, fearing he would do her harm. Certain her father would not come to her aid if he did.
“You can keep your harlot daughter,” he said, giving her a final malicious glare. “The devil owns her, body and soul.” He turned his attention back to her. “If your father is wise, he’ll rid himself and his home of you and throw you out on the street where you belong. You are nothing but a whore. And God will punish you as He does all evildoers for their wicked ways.”
Grace lifted her chin and faced him squarely. She refused to be cowed by a man as repulsive as the baron.
“You have played me for a fool. I’ll not forget it.” His eyes turned blacker. “I’ve let it out that you agreed to bemy wife and will now have to face the humiliation of being spurned. You’ll pay for your betrayal. Pay!”
Giving her a last glare, he spun on his heel and stalked from the room. The door slammed behind him and Grace nearly collapsed from fear and relief. Her heart thundered in her breast and she had to reach out a hand and grasp the back of the leather chair to steady herself.
She’d done it. She was safe from him and could spend her days in quiet contentment here in the country, reliving her one magical night and dreaming about the man who’d given it to her. Grace let her throbbing head drop to her hands.
“Get out of my house,” her father growled from behind her.
His words slammed against her with the force of a fist pummeling her stomach. The hatred in his voice stole the air from her and engulfed her in a fear from which she couldn’t find an escape.
“You will not spend one more night under my roof,” he continued, taking a menacing step toward her.
Grace grabbed a fistful of the leather on the back of the chair to keep from sinking to the floor.
“Father—”
“No!” he bellowed, slashing his hand through the air. “Do not call me that ever again. You are no longer my daughter.”
She stiffened her shoulders as she faced him. “Were you that desperate for his money?”
He stepped around her, circling her as a hunter circles his prey. “You lied to me. You told me you would accept Fentington’s offer once Anne was married.”
“Only because you threatened to give her to Fentington if I refused to marry him. I could never have let our Annie marry such a monster.”
“So you waited until she was married to drop this surprise on me.”
“I waited until she was safe from him. And from you.”
“How dare you,” he hissed and reached out to slap her again. Grace twisted away quickly enough to spare herself the full brunt of his blow.
With a loud bellow, her father paced back and forth as a man demented. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
“I’ve done nothing except refuse to marry a man all of England
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