Chapter 3

" I want all of you out!" The sound of the baron's voice spurred her on as Marina raced up the steps of her childhood home. The commotion from behind the doors had already begun to attract a crowd on the street outside.

"What is going on in here?" She burst through the front doors, breathing heavily. The sight that greeted her eyes was almost too much for her racing heart to bear.

Maids and footmen alike rushed up and down the stairs while her mother and sister stood sobbing in a corner. The entrance hall was packed with suitcases and trunks that barely allowed enough room for anyone to move.

Swearing under her breath, Marina searched for her uncle amidst the chaos. One of her dogs was barking incessantly adding to the already chaotic scene.

"Shut this bloody beast up before I fetch my hunting rifle! I never understood why these beasts were allowed to roam the halls as if they owned the place!" The baron shrieked angrily, alerting Marina to his presence around the corner.

Springing into action, Marina sprinted around the corner and almost collided with a maid.

The older woman shrieked and dropped the stack of linen she was carrying, steadying herself against the railing of the stairs.

Marina reached the back of the hall in time to see her uncle aiming a kick at her dog.

The spaniel jumped out of reach just in time, snapping its jaws at the baron's ankle before continuing to bark.

Rushing to her dog's side, Marina knelt and drew the creature into her lap, stroking its brown patchy ears as it snarled.

"I have warned you about these blasted creatures of yours before! Animals do not belong in a house. You had better shut this one up before I mount its head on the wall with the rest of my trophies. You and your mother had better be out as soon as the sun is up in the morning!" His round face turned red as he screamed.

Realizing why her mother and sister were crying, Marina came up straight with her dog in her arms, glancing at the trunks and suitcases lining the halls. The baron had threatened many times to throw them out, but he had never gone as far as having their belongings packed. The sight made her angrier than anything else that happened to her during the day.

The baron narrowed his eyes at her, thrusting his finger in her face as she jerked her head back. "This was the last straw, I warned you that I would not put up with this forever. You were not able to secure a good marriage, and now you and your family will rot in the country. I do not care if the dower house has fallen into disrepair, you will leave this house!" He snapped his hand back to his side when the spaniel's teeth missed his finger by an inch.

"If you would just…" Marina began but found herself being cut short when he whirled on his feet and marched away from her.

Heaving a sigh, Marina soothed her dog, kissing the top of her head before handing her to one of the footmen in passing. "Please ensure that she goes for a walk. You may take her up to my chambers when you return. Are the rest of them in my chambers?" She glanced around the packed hall and failed to spot any of her cats.

"They are, Miss Wallace." The man bowed respectfully before taking the spaniel from her arms and making his way down the hall.

Shaking her head, Marina picked her way through the trunks and cases, making her way to her mother and sister.

Johanna leaned heavily against the wall with one hand lifted to her chest. Her green eyes were dull from crying and her usually neat blonde hair, which was lightly streaked with silver, hung down her face. "This is too awful for words." She sobbed softly, bringing her handkerchief up to her mouth and shaking her head.

Prudence's bright green eyes flashed with anger as she glared down the hall. Her rose cheeks were streaked with tears, and whisps of her light brown hair clung to her face.

"Try and take a deep breath, Mama, fussing like this will only make you ill." Marina placed her hand on her arm and guided her onto the bottom step.

"Will I ever know any peace in this life?" her mother buried her face in her hands and continued to sob. "First your father brings us to shame by dying in the bed of his mistress, and now this! Will we be doomed to live under the scorn of others for the rest of our lives?" Her sobs turned to wailing as she shook her head in desperation.

Feeling her body give in to the exhaustion of the day, Marina sank to her mother's side on the step, burying her own head in her hands. She had been a fool not to accept the duke's offer of marriage. Her mother and sister were now doomed to live in the country on nothing more than a mere stipend.

The duke's strong body flashed in her mind. She had been attracted to him in a way that she had never experienced before. Despite the scars on his face, he was still more dashing than his brother. The duke made her flesh tingle with desire, while his brother had not so much as evoked a smile. She had allowed her stubbornness to win when she should have thought things through.

It is too late now.

She took a deep breath and straightened, looking around the crowded hall. There was no use crying over spilled milk, not when she needed to come up with a plan.

Marina looked around the table as she tightened her grip on the knife. She had wanted to skip dinner altogether, but her mother had insisted on taking the higher moral ground. The atmosphere in the dining room was sullen, apart from the satisfied look on the baron's face.

"I have sent word to the dower house already; the servants will be expecting your arrival early tomorrow morning." He sat back in his chair and looked from Marina to her mother, ignoring Prudence.

The relationship between the baron and the young girl had been strained from the start. Prudence had decided to make his life as difficult as possible by playing as many pranks as she could, while the baron had refused to acknowledge her existence. Marina thought the latter to be far more childish than her younger sister's behavior.

"I am surprised that the dower house still employs staff. Isn't the roof collapsing on one side of the house?" Marina spoke up before her mother could reply.

The baron narrowed his eyes at her, tossing his cloth napkin beside his plate. "The roof will be repaired, and as for the staff, your mother can see about hiring them. I have done what was required of me. You could also do the cooking and cleaning on your own if hiring is too much of a hassle for you."

"So, we are to be treated like servants," Marina muttered under her breath and shook her head, turning her gaze back to the bowl of soup in front of her.

"What was that?" The baron snapped, his eyes darkening.

Marina was about to open her mouth with a reply when her mother cut her short.

"Marina was just saying that we are grateful for your kindness. I am not sure what we would have done, had you not been so generous as the gift us the old dower house." She addressed the baron while keeping her gaze on Marina, shooting her a warning look.

Allowing the knife she had used to butter her bread to fall beside her plate, Marina forced a smile. "Of course, we are. I can't think of a better place to raise a young girl. Prudence will benefit greatly from the mold in the attic and even the mice that undoubtedly reside in the panty."

"I have had just about enough of your impertinence!" The baron's chair scraped across the floor as he flew to his feet. "My first offer of help was not good enough for this family! And by God, I will not stand for this kind of treatment! You ungrateful who-"

"My lord!" He fixed his beady eyes on Johanna who stared at her plate with an expressionless face.

Gripping the fabric over her knees, Marina balled her fists. She had not blamed her mother for not wanting to marry the baron, she would have refused him all the same. No woman wanted to be tied to a pompous man such as him. She realized in the loaded silence that she would have to placate the situation for the sake of her family.

"I apologize for my impertinence, my lord." The formal address felt bitter on her tongue as she forced it out.

"That is what I thought…" The baron began to lower himself back into his chair when the butler suddenly cleared his throat at the door. "What is it?" He snapped at the man.

"His Grace, the Duke of Harper is here to see you, my lord." The butler held his head high, making his tall frame seem even stiffer.

Marina's head snapped up as she glanced from her mother to the butler.

"Isn't that…" Prudence sat up straight, her voice trailing off when the duke appeared behind the butler in the doorway.

"I have come to ask for Miss Marina Wallace's hand in marriage." His eyes found Marina from across the room, making her heart beat faster as the pit of her stomach fluttered with nerves.

"It is Mr. Marner's brother!" Prudence uttered in shock before her mother could place her hand on her arm and silence her.

Coming to his feet, the baron knocked over his glass of wine. "Your Grace! I was not expecting you this evening." His round face filled with color.

"How could you when I myself did not know that I was coming?" The duke tore his eyes from Marina and stared down at the baron with a look of contempt.

"Why is his face so scarred?" Prudence whispered to their mother, as Johanna shushed her quite violently.

Marina noticed the way that the duke stiffened as he held his head even higher.

"I would like to have a word with Miss Wallace in private." His words were polite, yet his voice left no question as to his intentions.

This is not a request.

She felt a shiver of pleasure at his commanding tone.

"I hardly think that is proper, an unmarried lady should never…" The baron's words trailed off when the duke lifted his hand to silence him.

"There is no impropriety when the young lady in question is to be my wife." The duke's eyes bore into hers, causing a wave of heat to rush up the back of her neck.

The baron faltered in his words before taking a step back and standing behind his chair. "Of… of course, Your Grace."

A small amount of satisfaction filled her chest as Marina lifted her dress and led the way out of the room, pushing past the duke and butler. She made her way across the hall that still housed their belongings and waited for the duke to enter the parlor before shutting the door behind them.

"Am I to take it that you wish to accept my proposal in private?" The duke smirked, running his tongue over his bottom lip before drawing it between his teeth.

The pit of her stomach fluttered uncontrollably as she turned her back to the door. "May I begin by asking why it is that you felt so entitled to show up at my home unannounced, Your Grace?" Her pulse began to race when the corner of his mouth tilted into a wolfish grin. The floral walls of the parlor almost felt too small as he took a step forward.

"How could I not when you left your veil behind? If you did not want me to pay you a visit, then you should not have made such a dramatic exit." His deep brown eyes bore into hers, making her realize once again how handsome he was despite the scar on his face.

"You seem to feel quite entitled, Your Grace. Why is it that you are so insistent on marrying me? I know that you do not wish to make me your wife, not in an honest way." Her lips parted with a ragged breath as she placed her hands behind her on the door, using the cool wood as support.

Why does he look at me like that?

Unwanted thoughts filled her mind once again as he closed the distance between them and placed his arm above her on the door. She had fought the urge to kiss him in his study, yet she could feel her resolve melting again as she pictured his lips on hers. What would it feel like if he took her in his arms and ran his strong hands over her body?

"As I mentioned before, I am in need of a wife. I need an heir, and if I overheard the conversation correctly, you are in need of a home." The heated look in his eyes as he dipped his gaze to her chest before lifting it back to her lips made the pit of her stomach knot with delicious tension.

"I am not a brooding mare, Your Grace…" her voice was low and breathy.

Leaning closer, the duke cupped her chin in the palm of his hand and forced her to meet his gaze. "I am fine with that arrangement. If you are a brooding mare, then that means I shall be a stud." His eyes flashed with a look that sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. "Now, will you allow me to rescue you from this situation?" He ran his thumb over her jawline, causing heat to fill her cheeks.

Her breathing deepened as the woody scent of his soap filled her lungs. "I will agree to a marriage of convenience under one condition, Your Grace."

"And what is that?" His hot breath tickled her neck just below her ear as he leaned in to whisper.

"My family needs a home." She shut her eyes against the sensation of his body pressing into hers.

Drawing back, the duke held her gaze. "Very well, I shall provide a house for your family, but," she gripped her wrist in his hand when her body relaxed. "You shall provide me with an heir before you return to them." His thumb ran over her wrist, caressing her beating pulse before letting go.

"Very well." She swallowed hard, fighting against the urge to place her hands on his chest.

A veiled expression fell over his face as he glanced around the room, seemingly unphased by the acceptance of his proposal. "And another thing. I spotted several animals lounging on the stairs as I entered, there will be no pets in your new home." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Of course, Your Grace," She regained control of her breathing and crossed her fingers behind her back.