The man chuckled, an unpleasant sound that caused her to shiver. “Nothing you can give me. You are only here to provide the leverage I need.”
“Delbert?” Knowing it was Philip’s cousin did much to ease her fear even if she knew not to trust him.
“Ah. You’re not as stupid as I first thought.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not certain I can say the same of you.” Though she knew she risked angering him, she refused to allow fear to take hold.
He shook her arm hard enough to hurt. “How dare—”
“I have no hold over Philip.” She cut him off before he could say anything more. “Involving me won’t gain you anything.”
“I would expect you to say that. No doubt you want to protect him.”
“You would’ve been wiser to give the message to one of the Graham sisters rather than me.” Admitting that hurt. She pushed the ache away to focus on her captor as her eyes adjusted to the dimness.
Delbert scoffed. “Philip wouldn’t bother to come to their rescue. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You’re the one who matters.”
Eliza’s breath hitched. If only that were true. Yet a corner of her heart held tightly to the thought, desperately wanting it to be so.
“Surely you don’t believe you can force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do,” she insisted.
“I can and I will. He should arrive momentarily.”
“You intend to make your demand in the dark?” she asked, her tone suggesting how ridiculous that would be. If he had to light a candle, she might manage to escape.
With an oath, Delbert pulled her closer to the door and reached toward the wall. Gaslights slowly illuminated the small room filled with paintings stacked along one wall. He left the lights low using the switch on the wall, all while still holding onto her.
How frustrating for her plan to be foiled by a modern convenience. At least being able to see was reassuring.
Delbert wore formal evening attire, but his dark blond hair needed washing, and his gaze flickered around the room, revealing his nervousness.
“You’re making a mistake. Release me.” She jerked on her arm to no avail. Surely if she screamed loudly enough, someone would come to her rescue.
The glint of a knife in Delbert’s hand caused her breath to catch, and she stilled, hardly able to believe he was armed.
“Do not make a sound,” he ordered. “We are going to wait quietly for my cousin’s arrival.” He glanced toward the door.
“What is it you need so desperately that you’d resort to this?” She shook her head, fear trickling like ice down her spine at the thought of Philip coming through the door unaware of what his cousin intended. “It seems to me that you’d be careful of your family when you have recently lost two members.”
His expression tightened, making his thin lips all but disappear. “Philip is following in their footsteps too closely. They were tightfisted with money just as he is.”
“You’re doing this for money?”
“I owe a gaming debt to some rather unscrupulous men who insist on being paid immediately. If I don’t pay them by midnight, I won’t live to see the dawn.”
“Did you tell Philip this?”
“It would do no good. He’s already refused. Hearing their threat won’t change anything. He’d only think I was lying.” He sneered. “But using you will.”
“You’re wrong. He would help if he knew you were in danger.” She knew Philip well enough to be certain of it. “You can’t think that threatening to kill me will make him give you the funds.” The disbelief she cast in her tone caused him to glare at her again.
“Oh, but I don’t intend to threaten to kill you. Only to ruin you. Unless he agrees to pay the debt. I need only take you into the lobby and make it clear you’ve been compromised. I’ll be forced to propose. You’ll be forced to accept. Either way, I’ll soon have the money I need.”
“That is a ridiculous plot.” She shook her head to make her doubt clear despite her fear. Delbert seemed desperate, willing to do anything. She hoped shedding doubt on his plan would convince him to release her. “I won’t be compromised by you.”
Yet she feared that if Philip refused to help, Delbert wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him.
“You won’t have a choice. You see, there’s no possibility of him marrying you to save your reputation, so I will have to. He has to wed one of the Graham sisters.”
