Chapter Sixteen

“You did very well, Violet!”

Violet closed her eyes and turned to face the window rather than look into the face of her father.

“I saw that you danced with the Duke of Lancaster!” she heard him say, feeling a great twisting discomfort in her stomach as her father continued on, seeming to think that she had managed to achieve some great success in some way. “That is a wonderful achievement, Violet! You must continue on in this way, though I will not permit you to stand further into society. Things will not change in that regard for I believe it might very well be to your advantage.”

Violet frowned, glancing back towards her father. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the Duke of Lancaster will see you as something of a wallflower and will, no doubt, feel some sympathy for you. I do not know what else he might feel because of that but it is a good enough reason for me to insist that you continue on as you are.”

This did not bring Violet any pleasure and again, she turned to face the window, looking out at the London street and silently wishing that her father had more sympathy and understanding rather than demanding such things of her.

“He would not dance with Marianne, which made me all the more delighted to see you standing up with him.”

This had Violet whirling around. “Marianne? You tried to have him dance with Marianne?”

Her father nodded, looking rather surprised that she appeared to be so astonished at this. “But of course. Why would I not?”

“Because the Duke is clearly still upset and angry with what took place!” Violet protested, seeing her father roll his eyes. “Why would you encourage him towards Marianne? You already told me that I was to –”

“I may as well do what I can, Violet,” her father interrupted, the smile fading from his face. “If the Duke of Lancaster does not consider you, then there is still a chance that he will consider Marianne. Why should I not do what I can to have the connection to the Duke in our family?”

Violet felt as though she wanted to cast up her accounts. Her father did not have any real consideration of her or even of the Duke! Not even of Marianne! All that he wanted was to have a connection within his family to the gentleman with the greatest fortune and, at the present moment, that appeared to be the Duke of Lancaster. It did not matter to her father what she felt, what the Duke felt or the injury he had caused by forcing Violet’s hand. The only thing he wanted was money.

“I must know, father.” Violet lifted her chin as she turned to face her father, putting her hands to her hips as a fresh resolve swept through her. “I must know for certain what it is about the Duke that you require. It is his fortune, is it not?”

Instantly, her father’s expression darkened. “It is not your business, Violet.”

“I think that it is.” Violet took in a deep breath and forced herself to look back steadily into his face. “I have asked you before about this and you have never once told me the truth.”

“And I have told you that if you continue in this, then we shall take our leave of London and return home!”

For a moment, Violet wobbled, only to recall that since her father was so eager to see her achieve success with the Duke of Lancaster, the chances of him following through with the threat and removing them all from London was a very faint one indeed.

That gave her a little more courage.

“Then you may as well return us to London,” she stated, with a good deal more strength in her voice than she had anticipated. “I will do nothing more as regards the Duke until I know the truth.”

This made her father blink rapidly, the color in his face rapidly increasing. Violet watched this with growing concern though she did not say a single word, did not retract what she had stated and did not let herself wobble when her father’s eyebrows dropped low and his jaw tightened.

“How dare you?”

Violet swallowed the tightness in her throat and then lifted her shoulders. “I will do what I must in order to understand, to find out the truth.”

“And you would risk returning home rather than do what you are asked?” Her father took a step closer to her, though his voice remained quiet yet filled with warning. “You would force your sister to return home also?”

“Yes,” Violet replied, firmly. “Yes, father, I would. If that is what you insist upon, then that is what must take place. I will do nothing more as regards the Duke of Lancaster – indeed, I will push back any conversation or the like that he might offer me – unless you tell me the reason for your eagerness as regards the Duke’s fortune.” The more she spoke, the more courageous she became and thus, Violet continued on, despite the clear fury on her father’s face. “I must know what it is that you intend for any sort of connection, father. You have made it quite clear that your desire is for myself and my sister to marry a gentleman with the greatest fortune and I want to know why.”

Her father folded his arms across his chest and then scowled darkly. “How dare you speak to me in such a way? How dare you demand – ?”

“If you do not wish to answer, then might I suggest that you make arrangements for our return to the estate?” Violet interrupted, hearing the buzzing in her ears as her heart pounded furiously. “Otherwise, as I have said, I will do nothing further as regards the Duke of Lancaster until I know the truth.”

Silence flooded the room for some moments. Her father continued to scowl, his brows low over his eyes and such a darkness in his expression that Violet shuddered lightly. She did not look away from him, however. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed to his, despite the worry that it caused her. Her father had always been inclined to demand things from her but this was the first time that she had stepped up against that; the first time that she had forced her own strength back upon him and clearly, her father did not much like it.

Eventually, however – and much to Violet’s surprise – he relented. Letting out a long hiss of breath, he shook his head, ran one hand down over his face and then began.

“Our financial situation is a little precarious and has been for some time,” he said, his voice like a low growl as he narrowed his eyes at her, clearly blaming her for what he was now forced to express. “There are some solutions yes, but the easiest one is for my daughters to marry gentlemen of good fortune, so that some of that wealth can be shared with me.”

Violet closed her eyes, her skin growing cold and clammy.

“You expect me to convince my husband, whoever he may be, that he must give you some of his fortune?”

“Yes.”

Violet swallowed hard as she opened her eyes and looked at her father. “Why would I ever have my husband do such a thing?”

“Because I require it,” he said, simply. “My own financial position is still rather difficult – though it is not dreadful, much to my relief – but it could do with a good deal more coin pushed into it in order to make it stable. I have done my best with the estate and the crops but there has been some failure and perhaps a little over expenditure in some places, but that does not mean that there is not a solution. In order for me to return to a comfortable position, in order for my future to be contented, I require my daughters to marry gentlemen with the greatest fortunes and, thereafter, to make certain that some of the funds their husbands possess is sent back to me. It will be a gift, of course, rather than any sort of loan.”

“What makes you think that I would be able to do such a thing? That I would be able to force my husband into doing as is asked?”

Lord Craighall snorted. “There are many ways in which a wife can convince her husband. And many ways that a father can convince his daughter to do as is asked of her.”

The way that he said this made Violet’s heart slam violently into her chest as she realized exactly what it was her father meant. He was so dark, so disagreeable a gentleman that he would do whatever he had to in order to gain for himself what it was he wanted. She did not know precisely what it was he intended to do but it would, no doubt, be yet more threats and demands and intended consequences if she did not do as he required.

“Therefore, you will do as I ask and you will chase after the Duke of Lancaster,” he finished, firmly. “I assume I have now made myself clear?”

Violet shuddered furiously. “I will not do as you ask.”

“Yes, you will, or I will –”

“Do not threaten me with Marianne’s situation, for I cannot be convinced. I know that you require us now to marry gentlemen with vast fortunes and taking us away from London will not do that.” Violet’s courage was still present even though she was afraid. “I cannot force myself to pursue the Duke again. It is not fair for him and certainly it is not fair for me either. I –”

“If you do not, then I will begin a rumour about the Duke’s sister. And if you say a word to anyone about what I have instructed you to do, then the rumour will begin also. And it will be severe.”

Everything that Violet thought to say, everything that she intended to throw back against her father came to a sudden halt as she stared back into his face and saw the steely anger flickering through his eyes.

He meant every word. There was no doubt about it. If she dared step out of line, if she dared refuse what he told her to do, then there was going to be nothing but hurt and pain – not for her, but for innocent, unsuspecting Lady Caroline.

“Do not test me, Violet.” Lord Craighall took a step forward again, a small curling of his lip telling her that he knew just what it was that she was thinking. “I will not tell you again. I will not permit you to defy me. You tried to do so once before when I told you to end your engagement and see what happened to you then? You were forced to do so regardless of your own feelings and that should tell you, Violet, that I have every intention of doing the same now. So hear me when I tell you that you must seek out the Duke of Lancaster with every fiber of your being, with every single bit of strength and intention you have and if you do not, then I will see it, I will know and I will do just as I have stated here without a single flicker of hesitation. Do you understand me?”

Violet’s legs wobbled as she nodded, and then, without a single flicker of hesitation, sank back down onto a chair right beside the window. Her father held her gaze steadily for another few minutes and, evidently seeing that he had conquered her defiant spirit, turned on his heel and made for the door.

The moment the sound of the door closed behind him, Violet crumpled. Tears poured down her cheeks as she sobbed, crying not only for the pain that her father had set upon her but also for the threats he had made against Lady Caroline. There was nothing that she could do at present other than obey her father – but how could she do such a thing? How could she try to press herself back into the Duke’s arms, knowing what it was that her father intended?

My heart is still his.

That awareness had tears pouring down her face all over again as she realized the truth. Even though they had spent very little time together, their last conversation, their waltz and the awareness of her feelings for him now all ran together, screaming their truth out to her even though she did not want to hear it.

She was still in love with the Duke of Lancaster. Her heart still belonged to him. It did not matter what she did, it did not matter what she said, she could not deny what was more than obvious to her. Her love for the Duke had never wavered. Though there had been pain and sadness and difficulty, her own heart had held onto her feelings for him and had kept them locked up tight, never to be removed from her.

“What am I to do?” Violet whispered brokenly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. If she was to do as her father demanded, she would only end up bringing a fresh pain to her heart when the Duke rejected her.

But what if he did not? After their conversation, had she not seen a tiny spark in his eyes, a miniscule flare of hope which she could not forget? To let herself pull back towards him when there was a hope of reconciliation brought her no sense of joy, for it would only cause him further injury when he discovered the truth of what her father desired. He would be hurt all over again, broken-hearted to learn of the deceit and yet she would have no choice but to do so, in order to protect his sister’s good name.

Violet broke into sobs as she covered her face with her hands, the quiet room filled with the sound of her tears. Whatever was she going to do?