“And you must call me Eva, Claire,” she said, hoping this was the right thing to say.
Apparently it was, as Claire smiled at her and then rose to leave.
“I will see you tomorrow, Eva.”
“I look forward to it,” she replied, surprised that she meant every word.
“A gentleman has called, your Grace.”
With a final wave to Claire, Eva turned to face her butler. “A gentleman, Luton?”
“He did not furnish me with his name, your Grace, but said you would be pleased to see him.”
“Where have you put him?”
“In the small blue parlor, your Grace.”
Dear Lord, could it be her father? That thought wiped the smile from her face. However she was a duchess now and would have to see whomever it was. Throwing back her shoulders, she walked through the door Luton directed her toward and came to a halt as she saw who sat inside.
“Berengaria, it is lovely to see you again.”
“Dear God!”
“I hope you are as pleased to see me as I am you?”
Eva stiffened as Lord Gilbert Huxley walked toward her. She hated this man. He was evil and lecherous and took liberties with those weaker than himself. Always dressed impeccably, no hair out of place, he looked at a person only to calculate his or her weaknesses and then determine how best to exploit them. He had touched and taunted her for years, telling her what he would like to do to her, and she had always run and locked herself in her room when he was in the house.
“I would ask you to leave my property at once, Lord Huxley.” Eva tried to sound calm. This man could hurt her no longer.
“It seems you have forgotten you manners, Berengaria.” He kept walking, stopping only inches from where Eva stood. “It would be remiss of me not to reacquaint you with them in your father’s absence.”
“Do not touch me!” Eva pushed his hand aside as he reached for her. “I loathe and detest you and I will ask you again to leave my property.”
Gilbert Huxley was a nobleman and she had never really understood why he spent so much time in her father’s company, until the day she’d overheard them talking.
“I have travelled all day to see you, my darling little Berengaria.” Huxley moved closer, backing her into the side table.
She had heard her father and Huxley discuss how best to cheat the men they were meeting out of their money. It seemed they had done this often, the commoner and the nobleman making money though lies and deceit, and if there was a slur cast upon Huxley at any stage, he simply challenged the accuser to a duel and won. Eva knew many men had been maimed or lost their lives at his hand. Her father had told her he was one of the most skilled swordsmen in England.
“I have no idea how you found me, Lord Huxley, but your journey has been wasted as I have no wish to see you, now or ever.”
“Your father told me where to find you, my sweet, as he thought you would grow bored, now your husband has returned to London.”
Her father’s betrayal shouldn’t have had the power to still hurt her but it did.
“Leave my property at once, Lord Huxley, or I shall - ”
Eva did not see him move but suddenly his hand was fisted in her hair, pulling her closer. She shuddered as he put his mouth on hers, his teeth biting into her lower lip.
“No!” She tried to scream and fight her way free but he was too strong and within seconds he had her beneath him, lying on the table. She heard the vase crash to the floor and several books follow as he lifted her onto the surface.
“I have wanted you for a long time, Berengaria, and now that your husband has taken your innocence, I will teach you the art of how to really please a man.”
Eva bit him.
“Bitch!” He slapped her cheek and then reached for the bodice of her dress.
“Unhand her at once!”
