Free It Begins with a Kiss by Eileen Dreyer Page A

might be tempted to make an unfortunate decision. I’m the only choice you have, Livvie. This won’t be like those other times you lost your position because you were exposed. This time you’re hundreds of miles from home with no way back. And you know that even if you could get there, you’d find no one to help you. Certainly not your family. As for your friends here, they won’t last once they learn who you really are.”
    She knew he expected her to weep. To plead. She held still.
    “You know I love you, Livvie,” he said, stepping closer again. “Isn’t it better sometimes just to give in?”
    Her heart was pounding; he had to hear it. “Not to you. Never to you. Now get out of my way before I knock you down.”
    “And then what, my dear? Shall you get another position? Shall you throw yourself on the mercy of one of the other crow-faced women I saw you sitting with last night? They’d be more likely to chase you into the streets themselves. You, my love, are a notoriously ruined woman.” Horribly, his expression grew sad. He looked so damned sincere. “I offer you so much more. I always have.”
    “And I have always refused. I haven’t changed my mind.”
    “No, Liv,” he said. “Not always.”
    She had to swallow to force the bile back down her throat.
    Then he sighed. Sighed. “Oh, Livvie. When are you going to learn that I never give up?”
    She saw how benign he looked and knew that even as he expressed nothing but concern, he was really envisioning her stripped and helpless, in his absolute control. And he would never think to question his right to have her there.
    No . She had not come to this. She would not. Not with this man who had destroyed her life as if it were sport. She had been safe for three years. She would be so again.
    If she could just get past him to the door.
    He anticipated her. Before she could move, he grabbed her by the arms. Olivia bucked against him, suddenly panicked. She couldn’t let him do this. She couldn’t surrender after all he’d done to her. To Georgie and Jamie.
    “Let me go!”
    “Or what?” he asked, leaning closer. “You’ll scream?”
    She opened her mouth to do just that when the door blew open again, shoving him into her. Struggling for balance, he pulled her closer. She rammed her knee into his groin.
    Gervaise howled and crumpled. Lurching back, Olivia took better hold of her bags and bolted for the door. But it was blocked again. Lady Kate was standing in the doorway.
    Olivia shuddered to a halt. She thought she was hallucinating. She blinked, expecting the duchess to disappear. What possible reason could Lady Kate have for coming here?
    The duchess walked in as if on a morning call and shut the door. Olivia opened her mouth, but she couldn’t manage one word.
    “Why, Gervaise,” Lady Kate crooned as she noticed him curled on the floor, his hands between his legs. “And I thought you had the smoothest address in the ton . If this is the best you can do, you should probably return to your lessons.”
    “It was… an accident,” he groaned, still curled in a ball.
    She smiled brightly. “I would never assume otherwise.”
    Then she straightened to take in the sight of Olivia, standing there with her pathetic luggage clutched to her chest. “Isn’t it lovely that we actually do have a certain advantage over them, though?” she asked with a conspiratorial grin. “I’m delighted you aren’t too nice to attempt it.”
    “Your Grace—”
    “Now, Olivia, haven’t we just been standing side by side at the amputation table? Can you truly not call me Kate?”
    Olivia still felt so slow and dull-witted; she couldn’t think how to answer. All she knew was that she had to get out of this place. Gervaise was still writhing at their feet, but he would recover quickly. And here was the duchess, appearing like a provident angel, still looking sleek and neat in her bishop’s blue kerseymere round gown, even after a day of wading through the worst