Free Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas Page B

propose to do, Westcliff?”
    The earl was silent as he considered the matter.
    As Lottie continued to stare at Nick Gentry, she tried to think past the welter of emotions. She would find some way out. She would be damned if she would be taken to Radnor like a lamb to the slaughter. Her thoughts must have been obvious, for Gentry’s gaze was suddenly touched with flinty admiration as he stared at her. “As I see it, you have only two options,” he said softly.
    Her voice shook only a little as she replied. “What are they?”
    “With the right inducement, I may be persuaded to let you go, in which case you will continue to hide from Radnor until you’re caught again. Or…you can remove yourself from his reach permanently.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Lord Westcliff intervened in the taut silence. “He means marriage. Once you are married and legally under another man’s protection, Radnor will cease his pursuit.”
    Lottie’s gaze dropped to the strong hand covering hers. “But that is impossible. I don’t know any men who would be willing…” She stopped, feeling ill and bitter.
    “It is possible,” the earl countered calmly.
    As Lottie stared at Westcliff with wondering eyes, Nick Gentry’s quiet jeer cut through the air. “Planning to make her your countess, my lord?”
    The earl’s face was expressionless. “If necessary.”
    Stunned, Lottie clung to his hand tightly before withdrawing from him. It was inconceivable that Westcliff would be willing to make such a sacrifice. Perhaps she could reconcile herself to the prospect of marrying without love. After all, anything was preferable to becoming Lady Radnor. However, the earl was a good, honorable man, and she would not take advantage of him that way.
    “You are remarkably kind, my lord,” she told him. “But I would never marry you, as you deserve far better than a marriage of convenience. That is too great a sacrifice for you to make.”
    “It would hardly be a sacrifice,” he replied dryly. “And it is a logical solution to your dilemma.”
    Lottie shook her head, her fine brows knitting as a new thought occurred to her. “There is a third option.”
    “What is it?”
    A great icy calmness settled over Lottie, and suddenly she felt removed from the scene, as if she were an impartial onlooker rather than a participant. “I would rather not say just yet. If you would not mind, my lord, I would like to have a few minutes alone with Mr. Gentry.”

Chapter Five
    Nick had known that Lottie would not react passively to the news that he had hunted her down on behalf of Lord Radnor. But the passionate fury of her response when cornered had startled him. Now that she had regained her self-possession, she stared at him with a desperate calculation that he understood all too well. He thought her magnificent.
    Although Lord Westcliff clearly did not agree with Lottie’s request, he complied with a frown. “I will wait in the next room,” he said, as if he expected Nick to fall on her like a ravening animal as soon as the door was closed. “Call out if you require assistance.”
    “Thank you, my lord,” Lottie murmured, giving the earl a grateful smile that caused Nick to boil with jealousy. He would have required little provocationto drive his fist into Westcliff’s aristocratic face, especially at the moment when he had taken Lottie’s hand to comfort her. Nick had never been possessive of anyone in his life, but he could barely tolerate the sight of Lottie accepting another man’s touch. Something was happening to him—he had lost control of the situation, and he was not certain how to regain it. All he knew for certain was that Lottie was necessary to him…that if he could not have her, this endless feeling of being hungry, unsatisfied, cold, would never leave him.
    Nick remained by the fire, relaxed except for his clenched fist on the mantel. Silently he damned Westcliff for this turn of events. Nick had planned to impart the news to