Not in the least.
“Well?” she demanded. “What do you want?”
Ciaran sat down in the chair opposite her. “I will be brief,” he said. “You have been here at Aphrodite’s Feast for three years, have you not?”
“You know I have.”
“My debt to Chester de Long was paid within a year and a half.”
“I know.”
“But you refused to come home.”
“For good reason.”
“Did Chester pay you for the months you served him and did his accounts?”
Desdra paused. “Why do you ask?”
“Answer my question,” Ciaran said. “And if you think not to, I will go to Chester directly and ask him. If he refuses, I will find that magistrate and tell him that Chester has imprisoned you and charge him with abduction. Need I go on?”
That gave Desdra pause. She didn’t want her father to know that Chester was dead, mostly because it would give him a reason to demand she come home. No Chester, no more debt, and there was literally no reason for her to be here. She didn’t want to give him that ammunition against her.
“He paid me wages that were commensurate with my duties,” she said. “He did not cheat me if that is what you are asking.”
“How much money do you have?”
She frowned. “I will not tell you anything more until you tell me why you are asking these questions,” she said, but even as the words came forth, it occurred to her why. She already knew. “Wait… I know what this is about. You need money.”
“If you already know that, then tell me how much you have.”
“I will not pay your debts, Ciaran.”
She never called the man Father or Papa, always Ciaran because that was the kind of relationship they had. He wasn’t a father to her, merely the man who’d helped give her life. But Ciaran didn’t like her attitude and he leaned forward, glaring menacingly.
“You will give me your money,” he said. “It belongs to me. You are a woman without a husband, meaning any money you have is mine. Women cannot have their own money.”
“And yet I do. You cannot have it.”
He was prepared to explode at her but thought better of it. Somewhere in the past year or so, she’d grown up. There wassome bravery there. Or hardness. He couldn’t decide which, but one thing was for certain.
He couldn’t frighten her into compliance.
Therefore, he had to be clever.
“I am in trouble, daughter,” he said, hoping to appeal to her compassion. “A very bad man wants money from me. Benedict tried to appease the man and, for all I know, it was that man who killed your brother. He will do the same to me if I do not pay him what is owed.”
As he’d hoped, the mention of Benedict drew a reaction. “Who is this man?” she asked. “Do you believe he killed Benedict?”
Ciaran nodded. “It is possible,” he said. “Benedict was trying to help me negotiate a way to pay the man when he was killed. I will pay you back in time, but I need the money now or my life is forfeit.”
Desdra was frowning at him. “You have done things like this my entire life,” she said. “You spend money you do not have and expect others to pay your debts. That is how I ended up here.Ipaid your debt to Lord Chester. Now you want me to pay another debt.”
Ciaran was struggling not to become angry. He did much better when people were obedient to him. Desdra’s defiance was something new, and he didn’t like it.
“Then let me speak to Chester,” he said. “The man is wealthy—mayhap he will loan me the money and keep you on in repayment. Where is he?”
Desdra shook her head and stood up. “I cannot help you,” she said. “You should leave.”
