Page 20 of The Misfortune of Lady Lucianna

And that terrified Luci.

No matter how much she despised her father, as the head of the Camden household, he was her master; just as he commanded and demanded respect from his servants, so were Luci and her siblings to follow his every edict.

She only need look to her mother to see the consequences if she ever actively sought to refuse her father’s orders.

A shiver went through her at the penalties she’d face if the marquis ever learned it was by his own daughter’s hand he had been exposed in the London Daily Gazette.

Luci squared her shoulders and notched her chin high—every ounce the daughter of the Marquis of Camden—as she marched down the hall after her father.

The servant opened a door at the end of the hall and announced their arrival. “Your Grace. The Marquis of Camden and Lady Lucianna to see you.”

“Show them in, Danvers.”

That voice…

Luci froze mid-step, every nerve in her body revolting against moving another inch. If she took another step, she’d enter the room, and her greatest fear would be realized.

“Come, Lucianna,” her father hissed, stepping into the room and leaving her alone in the hall.

She suspected all color had drained from her face as icy tendrils reached toward every limb of her body.

The Duke of Montrose. They were meeting with the one man who more than likely knew all her secrets.

Luci suspected after witnessing Montrose’s anger the night before that he’d stumbled upon her truth. The identity of the person behind the Mayfair Confidential. She hadn’t been able to admit it to Edith or Ophelia that morning, but the fury Montrose had focused on her as he stormed through the garden could only mean he’d discovered she posted the article exposing his disloyalty to Lady Daphne.

The only thing left to do was stall him from telling her father.

Luci stepped into the room, greeted by Montrose’s cocky grin of victory.

Chapter 8

Roderick stood to greet the marquis, his welcoming smile returning to cover his shock at Lady Lucianna’s presence. Camden strode into the study, taking in the room around him before acknowledging his host. Lucianna was blocked from view behind her father.

Danvers gave Roderick a curt bow, and he nodded for the butler to depart and close the door.

This discussion demanded privacy, even from his household.

He knew full well what he’d asked Camden here to discuss, but Lucianna was a wild card. Roderick was uncertain if her father had shared the purpose of this meeting. If he hadn’t seen fit to enlighten his daughter, it was possible she would be very upset when she learned of the reason behind the appointment.

Roderick did not want his entire household eavesdropping and spreading the news within the servant’s gossip mill before an agreement was signed.

Hell, it might become necessary for Roderick to inform Camden of Lucianna’s unsavory activities as the Mayfair Confidential authoress, which he was loath to do, as it could cause a scene within his house that would not be easy to mask.

Lucianna stepped from behind her father; her emerald gown matching her eyes, and her black hair framing her face angelically. Though Roderick knew from the glint in her eye that the woman was anything but angelic. Beguiling and witty, yes. Sharp-tongued and elegant, for certain. Demure, reserved, and modest, however, were not words he’d ever use to describe Lucianna.

She seemed as shocked to see him as he was to see her, and judging from the look of contempt that settled on her face, she was prepared to do battle with him once more. It was a shame they were not at Bentley’s. He couldn’t help but wonder who would have the upper hand this day.

“My lord,” Roderick greeted Camden, refusing to allow his eyes to stray toward the marquis’ daughter again. “Thank you for accepting my invitation to discuss this”—how to describe the matter at hand?—“delicate matter.”

He risked a glance at Lucianna to see her frown deepen. It was the only sign the woman gave at her discomfort of the situation. He admired her ability to keep her emotions under such tight control, though the corner of her lips turned up in a confidence smirk.

Roderick was unable to harness his own shock, his brow lifting in a silent question as to what she found so comical.

“I see there is no need to introduce the pair of you,” the marquis muttered. He looked back and forth between Roderick and his daughter. “Please, wait outside, Lucianna. I will speak with Montrose and call for you when we have settled on the details.”

Her mouth gaped open as her face reddened. The woman was not used to being so easily dismissed, and Roderick would be fooling himself if he didn’t admit he enjoyed her stunned expression.

For once in their brief acquaintance, she had no sharp retort, no sugar-dipped reply, and no way of refusing her father’s command without causing a scene.