Free Love at the Tower by Barbara Cartland

own, after all.”
    She glared at Robina, daring her to contradict her.
    Robina fell silent.
    â€œQuite right,” added Lord Drury, “women working! Whatever next? I would die rather than send any wife of mine out to work!”
    â€œBut, Lord Drury, a woman would not need to think of lifting a finger if she was married to you,” cooed Laura in an attempt to sweeten the conversation.
    Robina shuffled in her seat.
    â€˜I wish she would refrain from discussing the topic of marriage,’ she fumed, just as the strawberry tarts were brought in.
    Dinner seemed to drag on forever as Robina waited in vain for her father to request that the port be served.
    Eventually after the conversation began to dwindle, Lord Drury asked Sir Herbert if he might have a word in private.
    â€œPlease come into the drawing room and I will ask Newman to bring the port and cigars through.”
    They all rose and Robina suddenly felt as if her legs would give way.
    She had an awful sinking feeling that the reason for Lord Drury’s request of a private audience was an ominous one.
    Once they were alone Laura grabbed Robina by the arm and looked hard into her face.
    â€œIn spite of your best attempts to make yourself as uninteresting and unattractive as possible to Lord Drury, I do believe that he is rather taken with you. I would hazard a guess that he is, at this precise moment, asking for your hand in marriage. A man like him does not linger once he has made up his mind.”
    â€œI will not marry him!” Robina cried out, almost in tears. “ I will not !”
    â€œYou will do exactly as you are told,” snapped her stepmother, gripping her arm so tightly that her fingers made angry red marks.
    Just then Newman walked in, so she let go.
    â€œNow – you will smile and look pretty,” she hissed, “Don’t let us down.”
    â€˜I am surely walking to my doom,’ thought Robina, as they moved towards the drawing room.
    She could see that Lord Drury and her father were laughing and smoking and two glasses of port stood on the small mahogany table by the sofa.
    â€œAh, ladies,” beamed Lord Drury.
    â€œRobina, my dear,” began her father, “Lord Drury has something to ask you.”
    With every fibre of her body taut she forced herself to move towards him as he leered up at her from his chair.
    â€œMy dear, I am in the habit of taking my carriage out in the early mornings for a breath of fresh air. Would you care to accompany me tomorrow morning?”
    â€œI am very sorry, but I just cannot. I shall be busy working.”
    â€œWhat silly nonsense!” cried Laura angrily, “Don’t pay any heed to her fanciful notions.”
    â€œI have been engaged by Lord Hampton to work as his secretary and he is expecting me to be at the Castle first thing.”
    â€œYou will write to him and inform him that you are unable to visit him tomorrow and that is now the end of it,” snapped Laura. “Now gentlemen, would you care for some more port?”
    Robina was left sitting there feeling powerless.
    â€˜This is a clever game my Stepmama is playing,’ she reflected, ‘she thinks that if she embarrasses me, I will concede defeat. I have no intention of doing as she says!’
    â€œDo come and sit beside me, my dear,” suggested Lord Drury, patting the sofa next to him.
    Robina smiled as best she could, but she felt sick to her very stomach.
    His presence revolted her.
    â€˜The Earl said that if ever I should need sanctuary, then he could provide it. I shall make certain that I am not in the house tomorrow morning when Lord Drury arrives,’ she determined as a plan formed in her mind.
    *
    Robina made her excuses and left to retire to bed as soon as she could.
    She allowed Lord Drury to kiss her hand and she smiled thinly as he told her that he would collect her at ten-thirty sharp the next morning.
    Although she had asked Molly not to stay