A Penny's Worth of Affection novel Chapter 59

"No!" She shot to her feet, glaring daggers at him. "No!"

"Such a hasty denial." He chuckled drily. "You have not even heard the rest of my terms."

"I said no! I would rather walk through the depths of hell than agree to a marriage with you."

Phillip grinned. "Not even to save your precious little brother?"

He rose and came to stand so close to her; there was not a hair's breadth between them. His grin was replaced by a predatory look. "I would advise you to consider the matter carefully, Penny. For you must be assured that I will carry on with the duel if you refuse my suit. Agree to my terms, and I will spare his life."

"You are a coward, Phillip," she spat at him, fists clenched tightly at her sides. "You always resort to threats and blackmail to have your way. Well, let me tell you this: I will never agree to your evil proposal. Damn the consequences."

He smiled and stepped away, turning towards the front door. "You obviously need some time to consider this properly. You have till dawn tomorrow. If you wish to see me, I will be at my house here in Millcote. Consider carefully, Miss Inglewood."

He left, barely missing the heavy glass vase Penny hurled in his direction. She watched it shatter into tiny little pieces, the same way her heart had shattered.

*********

Surprise

"You look like hell," Henry observed Phillip, raising an eyebrow as he watched the Duke stalk into his study. His friend indeed looked dishevelled, cravat loosened, hair awry, and his expression dark and stormy. Henry leaned back the high-backed leather seat and waited, though he was filled with curiosity.

Phillip growled, the sound emanating low in his throat, and shot Henry a dirty look. "Shut up, Westbrooke."

The eyebrow rose higher. "That's impossible, I am afraid, considering you are in my house, in my study, and your boots are wearing a hole in my carpet-an expensive carpet, I feel obligated to point out." He rose and crossed to the side table stacked with spirits and poured two drinks. "What's eating you?"

Phillip snorted, raking a hand through his hair in frustration before snatching a glass of brandy from Henry, downing the amber liquid in one gulp. "Bloody women," he muttered, grimacing at his empty glass.

"A saint?" Phillip scoffed, "more like a Delilah."

"And all this is because she turned down your proposal? That is rather uncalled for, isn't it?"

Phillip narrowed his eyes at Henry in suspicion. "How did you know about the proposal? I only spoke to her yesterday."

"Lucy took the utmost delight informing me of your actions when I called round this morning, including the fact that her sister turned you down by means of a letter delivered to your home at dawn. May I say, I am quite surprised at you, Phillip, offering her a temporary union in return for her brother's safety? Whatever possessed you?"

He did not respond immediately, instead, crossed to the window to stare out in deep contemplation. "I do not wish to duel with her brother." Henry paused in the process of taking a sip and stared at his friend incredulously. "And for that, you were willing to marry her? That does not make the least bit of sense. A business trip or something else would serve as an equally appropriate excuse rather than the ridiculous notion of a temporary union. What is this really about, Newbridge?"

Phillip merely shrugged, not breaking his study of the sprawling garden two stories below. "A business trip would only postpone the inevitable. Any other solution would have shown weakness, a hesitation. I cannot afford to be thought of as weak-minded." He turned from the window, his expression grave. "One would think that a girl who up till now has had virtually no marriage offers would jump at the idea of being married to a duke."

"In the few weeks I have come to know Penelope Inglewood, she has never struck me as particularly covetous. And I do know she has a stubborn streak in her, though I have only seen displays of that trait when she is in your company." He leaned forward, his gaze intense on his friend. "Why did you really propose to her, Phillip? I know you too well to simply believe you are willing to throw away your freedom-albeit temporarily- just for the sake of calling off a duel without seeming weak."