Free The Reluctant Duchess by Catherine Winchester

succeed?”
    That flash of fire returned to her eyes and she glared at him.
    “What d oes it matter to you? Would you lose interest if I am damaged goods?”
    “No , but if he hurt you like that, I will thrash him to within an inch of his life before the night is over.”
    Calming somewhat, s he squeezed his hands, appreciating the gesture.
    “He didn’t. My blow dazed him and the commotion brought a few servants who were brave enough. They dragged him off me and secured him until we had packed and were ready to leave. They had to leave too obviously, Frederick would let them go without  reference, or worse, claim that they had stolen from him and have them arrested. They make up all but one of my employees and servants now, only Minnie didn’t leave with us that night. She had been unfairly fired by my father and ended up in the workhouse, so I had to find her and take her in too. As long as they all remain in my employ, Frederick can’t hurt them, because I know the truth and I will tell it if they are threatened.”
    “It’s very good of you to take them in,” Richard noted.
    “They were good to me and didn’t deserve to be punished.”
    “I’m so sorry, my dear, that must have been very difficult.” Lavinia sympathised.
    “Actually, no. The hard part was finding a source of income that could support not only me and mother, but the servants who had left with us. That kept me from dwelling on any unpleasant memories and each night I was too tired to have nightmares.”
    “I’ll see to it that he leaves,” Richard said, getting to his feet but Annabelle reached out and grasped his hand.
    “Please don’t.”
    “Anna, you can’t expect me to allow that man to remain in my home!”
    “But I do expect it, because he will think that I asked for him to leave and I will pay the price, not you.”
    Alt hough all his instincts were telling him to get rid of Frederick, he reined them in because he could see how worried Annabelle was. “What kind of price?” he asked, trying his best not to sound gruff.
    “I can’t say with any certainty. He’s had people arrested on false charges before, he has sued poorer men into bankruptcy, and he has stolen the wives of rivals. I’m sure he has many other tactics of which I am not aware.”
    “How do you know all this?” Lavinia asked.
    “Some I read in newspapers, some my father spoke about in my presence, some he told me himself to try and intimidate me.”
    “So what do you expect me to do?” Richard asked.
    Annabelle held his hand against her cheek and leaned into it. “Nothing.” She said softly. “I have been lucky so far. He used to visit the coffee house in the early days and make threats, that's why although he is trained as a groom and could be better employed, Frank works the coffee counter, because I wanted a visible male presence. My reduction in circumstances seemed to appease him for a time and when he realised that things weren’t about to change any time soon, he stopped coming but now…” She sighed. “Coming here was a bad idea; I should never have agreed to attend the party. I suppose time had dulled my memory and…” And she had wanted to attend for Richard, she had wanted him to see her as she used to be, as a Lady but she couldn’t tell him that. “Now he believes that I have more powerful connections than he does, and that will incense him.”
    Richard knew that it was his fault that she had agreed to come, she had tried to say no but he had pressured her. He knelt down beside her chair again and cupped the side of her face with the hand she still held there.
    “Come back down stairs.” He began. “It is my fault you agreed to attend today-“
    “Our fault,” Lavinia interrupted.
    “And we invited Frederick here, so it’s our fault if his ire is raised. We will protect you from him, Anna, I swear.”
    The gesture touched her and she smiled sadly at him.
    “But I’m not your responsibility, either of you.” She looked