“You know what motivates me,” he said rather harshly. “Again, I have no wish to abuse you, but there is no choice. I did not come this far to have Eastleigh simply laugh in my face and refuse to pay your ransom.” And he turned away, as if he could not face her now.
But she was imagining that. “They are impoverished! They cannot pay it and it is obvious!” She had to sit down as her legs had become useless. “Even if they could…how could you do this…to me?”
“They can sell off the estate, Virginia, or borrow more funds; they might even succeed in selling Sweet Briar. I hardly care what they do.” He stalked toward the door, his strides stiff. Then he turned. “We both know you don’t care what anyone thinks—you just spent five months unchaperoned at Askeaton—and that does make this easier. I know that if I actually made you my mistress, you would be pleased. So cease this sham of hurt and outrage!” Inexplicably, he was trembling.
She did not know why he was so distressed and she could not care. What if her uncle sold her home in order to pay her ransom? “No one knew I was at Askeaton, and the villagers thought I was your fiancée. I am hurt, Devlin,” she said with what dignity she could muster. “I am hurt that you care so little for my reputation that you would flaunt me as your lover just to gain your ends. You justify ruining me for the sake of your revenge.”
And he was furious—so much so, that for a moment, he could only stare. And what he saw was the most hurt, vulnerable expression he had ever beheld. Tears filled the violet pools of her eyes. In fact, Virginia was looking at him as if he had betrayedher.In that moment, he hated himself for what he was doing—but there was no choice. Was there?
And for one moment he hesitated, aware of the oddest urge to back down—to let her go and be done with it all.
Then Eastleigh’s cold laughter came to mind, followed by the terrible memory of his father’s sightless eyes staring up at him from the ground.Eastleigh could not win. Justice had to be served.“You are making far too much of this. I am sparing you actual degradation. I am not making you my mistress in fact. And when this is over I will tell the world, if you wish me to, that it was all a lie to humiliate your uncle. But as you intend to return to Virginia, what happens here is of no consequence—there, no one will know what has happened here.” And he knew his attempt at rationalization was a pathetic one.
She raised her chin but her tone was so soft, it was barely audible. “If we werereallylovers, you wouldguardmy reputation fiercely and no one would ever know of the affair.”
She was right. He felt as if he had been struck a severe and physical blow. “I fail to see the difference,” he lied. “There is no other choice.”
“There is always another choice, Devlin. Even if you use me so callously, what makes you think they will pay, even if they can sell my home or borrow the funds?” she cried.
He gripped the doorknob but did not face her, as he could not. “It will be a matter of honor,” he said. “They will pay—I will make certain of it.” And he walked out as quickly as he could, as if in doing so he might forget the atrocious plan he had set in motion, a plan that would, in fact, destroy Miss Virginia Hughes once and for all.
VIRGINIA WAS AFRAID.
It was crystal clear now that Devlin was so obsessed with his revenge that nothing and no one would stand in his way. It was equally clear that Sean was so very wrong—she could not show him the light of a different way, because if he were not completely lost, he would have some guilt over what he was doing to her. But she hadn’t seen an inkling of guilt—she had only seen utter determination. Of course, Devlin O’Neill was a master at controlling his emotions.
I am asking you to save my brother.
“Sean, do go away!” Virginia cried, splashing the water in her bath and just realizing how cool it had become. “He is beyond saving!”
She became still, an odd despair coiled around her. Was he beyond any and all help? Was anyone, as long as he still lived and breathed? Virginia closed her eyes tightly. His every other action somehow hurt her, yet even now, she could not hate him, as foolish as that was.
She was at a loss. She had become a child again, bewildered and hurt. She did not know what to do. Somehow she remained consumed with her captor, defending his actions to herself, and still secretly hoping to save him from himself. But was there anything that she could do? From the moment he had attacked and seized theAmericana,she had been but a pawn, tossed this way and that, at his very whim. And now there was this new terrible twist in his game, a twist that proved his indifference toward her.
Virginia sighed, beginning to shiver. She should hate him for holding her a prisoner yet again. She should hate him for planning to flaunt her as his mistress. She should hate him for a lot of things, but she didn’t hate him at all. She felt sorry for him, deeply so. She felt sorry for the small boy who had seen his father murdered, and she felt sorry for the man that boy had become.
She got out of the bath, wrapping herself in a towel, and went to stand before the fire in the bedroom.
Virginia stared at the dancing flames but only saw Devlin. Now, as before, she had no choice but to play his game his way and see where it led. She was strong enough to do so. Devlin had been partly right. She did not care what society thought of her—or not very much. Then she stiffened.
But why not be more clever than he?
Why not play his game towin?
Stunned with her thoughts, Virginia began to dress, thinking very carefully. She wanted her freedom and she wanted Sweet Briar, but that was not what she wanted most. Did she dare admit to herself what she really wanted?
Unfortunately, what she desired most was her captor.
Her heart lurched as she realized exactly what it was that she wanted from him, and she felt faint, her knees buckling.
Dressed only in her chemise and pantalettes, Virginia gripped the mirror and stared at her reflection there. Her violet eyes were huge and bright hot spots of soft pink marred her complexion. She wanted Devlin to think her beautiful, to be overwhelmed by his passion, and most of all, she wanted him to love her.
She wanted his love.
Terrified, Virginia managed to find the chaise, where she sat, shaking. Most people who knew him would claim he was incapable of love. How could she be such a fool?
Did she dare even hope for the impossible?
And more important, did she dare try to make him love her?
