Page 73 of A Stranger’s Gamble

A corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. “Indeed?”

Sophie shook her head. “Nae. I will make sure my father compensates you.”

“Compensates me?” he repeated, and she had the feeling he was enjoying himself at her expense. “But that would deprive me of the pleasure of your company,” he said.

She reigned in her temper. “You will be compensated, then can find another heiress and get even more money.”

“As I said, you and I will deal well together.” He stood. “You will not attend Balfour’s ball.” She opened her mouth to reply, but he shook his head. “It is too dangerous. You father has put the announcement in the papers. That will satisfy Balfour. I will tell him that you simply were not comfortable returning to his home. It’s the truth.”

Sophie considered arguing, but really, she didn’t want to attend the party. She wanted to return home and forget she had met any of these people.

“As you wish,” she said. “I will stay home.”

“You will be off to my estate in Inverness, actually.”

“What?”

“In the morning,” he said. “That way, you will be out of harm’s way until I finish with him. Of course, you may take Beatrice with you if you wish, and she is amenable.”

“So, you are sending me to the country,” she cried.

“Inverness is hardly ‘the country’.” His expression hardened. “Never fear, you will be able to attend as many parties and be a part of Inverness’s society.

She didn’t want to be a party of Society. She had wanted to marry a simple man like Adam MacAlister who at least liked her for who she was and might even come to care for her. Instead, she’d gotten another man who wanted a rich wife.