To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars 3)

“Yes.” She had leapt to Fleur’s defense a moment ago, just as she had her mother all those years ago. Except that then it had been her father who had acted the brute, cruelly using his greater male strength against a smaller, weaker woman.

Still shivering, Lily wrapped her arms around herself as the awful memory swept over her. Doubtless that was why she had reacted so fiercely this time-because she’d dealt with similar physical violence before.

When she remained silent, Claybourne spoke again. “I take it that was O’Rourke, here to collect the gaming debt owed him.”

She emitted a short, humorless laugh. “I believe so. I didn’t take the time to ask. When I found him threatening Fleur, all I could think about was stopping him.”

Claybourne searched her face as his jaw hardened. “I will be more than happy to deal with O’Rourke for you.”

It touched her that he was so ready to step in to protect her, Lily thought as his perceptive eyes regarded her intently. There was concern there in the hazel depths, along with anger. Anger she knew was on her behalf.

Her own anger had mostly dissipated by now, but a darker emotion compressed her chest, welling up inside her with suffocating force. She couldn’t ward off the grim memories of that summer day when she was sixteen, when she’d intervened in her parents’ worst battle.

For most of her childhood, Lily had taken refuge in the stables whenever they fought, but that particular day she had returned to the house unexpectedly. Upon hearing screams, she rushed into the drawing room, only to find her father striking her mother in a violent rage, pummelling her body…her breasts, her ribs, her stomach.

For one horrified moment Lily stood frozen with heart-pounding fear, unable to breathe. Then hearing another helpless cry from her mother, she stumbled blindly forward and reached for the only weapon at hand-a knife used to pare quill pens. Her stomach roiling, she raised the blade high, brandishing it at her father threateningly, swearing to stab him with it if he didn’t leave Mama alone.

Thank God he had heeded her.

Despite his shock and fury, Sir Charles appeared to believe her warning. He spun on his heel and stalked from the room, leaving Lily to console her bitterly sobbing mother.

To her knowledge, her father had never again raised a hand to her mother, but Lily had vowed then and there never to let any man hurt her like that.

Shutting her eyes, she shuddered at the raw remembrance that still burned deep inside her. She still recalled the horror she’d felt. The gut-wrenching helplessness. The revulsion. The fear. She had hated her father in those few moments. And she had never forgiven him for his brutality.

Lily could feel Claybourne’s penetrating gaze on her now, even before he spoke again in a quiet voice. “What is it, sweetheart? Something has upset you, and I don’t believe it was only that you had to chase a bully from the house.”

Perhaps she should explain… But no. She had no desire to share her most intimate fears with the marquess. She already felt too vulnerable to him.

Why, she had never even told her sisters about the dreadful incident when she’d threatened to kill her own father; her mother hadn’t wanted them to know. Basil was the only one who had learned the ugly truth, and that was because he’d happened upon Lily shortly afterward, when she was still too upset to stop herself from spilling the sordid details.

Indeed, she had tried to block them from her memory for years. But a woman’s natural fear of physical violence from a bigger, stronger male had always stayed with her.

Which was why, when Claybourne raised a hand to touch her cheek, Lily flinched and drew back sharply.

At her instinctively fearful response, he stilled and lowered his hand. “You should allow me to help,” he said quietly.

His gentleness made her feel even worse, since she knew she had greatly overreacted.

Biting her lip, Lily dragged in a deep breath. “Thank you, but I think we can deal with O’Rourke ourselves.”

“At the very least I can make certain he won’t call here again.”

Perhaps so, Lily thought, but I don’t wish to be so deeply obligated to you. “I think it might be better if Fanny deals with O’Rourke. They once were lovers, so she is most likely to persuade him to give us more time. I suspect he won’t look kindly on your interference, especially after you witnessed what I just did to him.”

Claybourne hesitated. “Even so, he needs to know that your friends have a protector.”

Lily’s mouth curled. “I’m afraid that won’t help much. They still owe O’Rourke an enormous sum.”

“Ah, yes, the thirty thousand pounds.”

His pause was longer this time, and when it ended, his tone was thoughtful. “I have a proposition for you. I will pay off their debt if you will agree to marry me.”

Her gaze swung back to him, her eyes narrowing. “You cannot be serious.”

A hint of rueful amusement flickered in his own eyes. “Why do you always refuse to believe me, love? I know my own mind. Thirty thousand pounds for your hand in marriage. Some might think it a very fair bargain.”

Lily locked her jaw, vexed that he thought he could simply buy her for his wife. She was anxious to help her friends, yet she didn’t wish to make that immense a sacrifice, entering into a marriage of convenience to absolve their huge debt. Yet hopefully she wouldn’t have to.