“It had become impossible for me to marry you. Therefore, I had to leave,” Milly said, hoping that would be enough to appease him. Of course, she was only fooling herself. This man would stop at nothing but the truth.
“That tells me nothing. You owe me the truth, Milly.”
She closed her eyes briefly at his use of her name. He had once called her Millicent. Could she tell him more? Was the danger really gone? Did she dare?
“Tell me, and I swear it will never leave my lips. Your secret will be safe with me.”
She knew he would be true to his word, so taking a deep breath, she began her story.
“My father invested badly and could not recoup his losses. The man to whom he owed a great deal of money came to our house the night before I confronted you at the cemetery. He wanted his money back.”
He watched her intently.
“My father could not pay him.”
“You were party to this conversation?”
Milly nodded, remembering the night that had changed her life forever as if it were yesterday.
“I had come to return my father’s stationery, which I had borrowed. The door was ajar, and I overheard my name. I stopped to listen.”
“Who was the man?”
“I did not recognize his voice.”
“Continue with your story.”
“It is not a story, it is the truth. Whether you believe it is no concern of mine,” Milly said.
“You’ve changed a great deal.”
His face revealed nothing, and yet she did not believe that change was for the better in his opinion. How could he look so cool and aloof when Milly’s insides resembled a butter churn?
“Yes, I have changed. How could I not? Now, I have no wish to continue with this discussion, and there can be nothing achieved by doing so. I will come to London, read the papers, and then leave.”
She thought he would relent, even exhaled in relief, and then he spoke.
“Continue with your story. I want to know more about this man.”
She was tired, and her head hurt, but she had nowhere to escape to.
“Please continue with your story.”
They stared at each across the carriage, the distance so small, and yet a chasm.
“I overheard the man stating that he would take me in payment for his debt, as was first discussed.” Milly clenched her fists in the folds of the cloak. The memory of her father’s treachery still cut deep, even so many years later. “My father spluttered, but did not deny it, but said that I was to marry you and that this could not be changed.” She fell silent, not wishing to continue
“Finish the story.”
She looked at him, wanting to beg him to let her stop, but one look into those cold green eyes, and she knew he would not allow her to.
“Th-the man said he would take care of you, and make it look like an accident. Father blustered once more, saying the man could not murder an earl’s heir, simply to have me as his mistress. The man said he wanted me as his wife, and for his children’s mother to be of noble birth. He then said if father did not hand me over, he would tell everyone that we were penniless.”
She looked out the window, seeing nothing but that night. The fear, the betrayal, the gut-wrenching despair of what she must do.
“My father then said to make sure your death did not lead back to him. It was the threat of people believing him poor that swayed him. Appearances were more important than my happiness and your life.”
And that had hurt, Milly remembered. She’d known that the Marquess felt nothing for his daughter, but she had not believed his reputation had been worth more to him than Joseph’s life.
