Free 100. A Rose In Jeopardy by Barbara Cartland Page A

just now, when his Lordship told me that you would be agreeable to his plan!”
    “Of course I must always respect his Lordship’s wishes,” Rosella replied slowly. “But – ”
    “Then you might look just a little more pleased,” he exclaimed. “It’s not every day a girl like yourself with no prospects and such a shy violet as you are too gets a chance like this!”
    He seized Rosella’s hand in his, pushing his face up close to hers.
    She looked down to avoid his eyes that were gazing at her in a way that made her feel really uncomfortable and noticed there was egg stain on his bulging silk waistcoat.
    “I don’t know what you mean, sir,” she said, trying to free her hand.
    “You are going to be my wife, young lady! His Lordship’s suggestion and one which – I must say – I find utterly delightful!”
    He crushed her hand against his lips and called her his little angel several times in a breathless passionate tone that made Rosella’s skin crawl.
    “But I could not – ”
    She tried once again to escape from him.
    “Ah, ha!” Algernon rolled his eyes upwards. “You divine little thing. You are so modest, so exquisitely shy, that you make me want you more than any other girl I’ve ever seen.”
    She managed at last to snatch her hand out of his.
    “I do not wish to marry you,” she asserted. “I did not understand what Lord Brockley meant – I could never marry you!”
    Algernon pursed his lips and shook his head at her in a childish teasing manner.
    “But, Lady Rosella, how can you refuse? We have been brought together by the Fates, it is quite clear.”
    “I don’t think so!”
    She longed to run out of the study, but Algernon’s considerable bulk was between her and the door.
    “Of course, you are not the type of young lady that I would normally pursue, for you are certainly very retiring and somewhat backward in putting yourself forward I must say,” he was braying, his greedy eyes fixed on her face.
    “But, from the first moment I saw you, with your pretty hair all shining in the sunlight and your lovely little figure, so neat and so trim, I knew that you were my lucky angel. Why, it was because of you I won that fifty pounds at cards.”
    “How could that be?” Rosella said, “I know nothing about cards. I was simply looking for my carriage.”
    And then her heart turned over as she remembered what Lord Brockley had said – for how much longer could she call New Hall her home?
    Algernon lunged forward and, as Rosella stepped back to move away from him, he grabbed hold of her skirts and pulled her against him.
    “Oh, my darling!” he gasped. “You must be mine. How can I live without you.”
    “No,” Rosella cried, feeling she would suffocate if she did not get away from him.
    “Yes! Yes!”
    He then buried his face in her shoulder and kissed it passionately.
    “I need you. You must be my wife and take care of me, my darling angel.”
    Now at last Rosella understood what Lord Brockley had meant when he spoke to her a few moments ago.
    He intended her to marry Mr. Algernon Merriman and keep him out of trouble.
    He wanted her to stop his companion from getting too drunk and behaving foolishly and to make sure that he got up in the morning, ready to join in whatever activities his Lordship had planned for the day.
    And then – only then – would she be able to stay on at New Hall, her beloved home.
    Her heart felt as if it would burst.
    How could she possibly marry this man? She could not bear him, the sound of his childish voice, the touch of his hot plump hands. There was nothing about him that she could possibly like.
    With a great effort she dragged her skirts out of his grasp and ran to the door.
    “Come back, my angel,” he called out.
    Rosella shut the door in his face and ran upstairs to her bedroom.
    She sat on her bed and buried her face in her hands and her tears fell as fast as the rain that dripped from the gutters outside her window.
    “Are you all right,