Hi again. I am hoping you will enjoy this chapter as much as the two before it. With the help of two new friends, Monica Barnes and Denise, I have made this chapter as good as I can. While I do intend to keep this as true to the culture and the era as possible, my Bella will have a backbone. So far everyone looks like they are enjoying it.

Thanks for all of your support and feedback, it is greatly appreciated.

Please drop me a line below and let me know what you think.

Edward-

I stayed right behind her lest she got it in her willful mind to flee. She walked as if anchors were tied to her ankles, and considering her current predicament I couldn't blame her resistance. Even while I might understand her position, I wouldn't allow any room for disobedience. When she sidled to the left and tensed, I could almost feel her desire to run. "Don't even try it. If you take one more step in that direction, I will blister your bottom."

"Cad. Dog. You're worse than any animal," she mumbled, stalling at the door to my carriage. "You can rot for all I care."

"You are a spirited little piece of work," I informed her, reaching over her shoulder to grab the handle. When the door opened, I nudged her shoulder. "Get in."

"No," she stated with a stubborn tilt to her head.

My gaze ran the length of her rigid form. Once again, I couldn't believe the state of her attire, and for the first time, I noticed her bare feet. "I can't imagine that gravel feels very good on your feet. Even if you thought to run, you wouldn't get far before the tender arches of your feet were scratched up and bleeding. Get in the blasted carriage."

I wasn't one to use a heavy hand with the ladies, but I wouldn't have this slip of a girl running roughshod over me either. Due to my station in life, I wasn't used to people questioning my word; most jumped to do my bidding before the words left my lips. While her attitude pricked my nerves, I couldn't help being a tad intrigued. As amusing as her attempt at defiance was, I wouldn't be persuaded. When she continued to stand there stiff as a board, I dropped my mouth lower to reach her ear, unable to help taking in the whiff of lavender wafting from her hair. Ignoring the odd sensation swirling in my gut, I reached for her arm intending to direct her into the carriage.

As my fingertips grazed her soft skin, she pulled back as if I were some serpent lurking in the garden, hissing, "Don't touch me."

"Either get in, or I will physically put you in there." When she appeared to once again linger longer than I thought she ought, I ground my teeth and prayed for patience. "I am doing this for your own good. The last thing I want to do is frighten you, but if you don't do as I say, I will make you obey. Make this easier on both of us, and get into the carriage."

Without any further prompting, she scrambled into the carriage, flinging herself as far into a corner as she could get. Rolling my eyes heavenward, I settled into the seat opposite.

"You must be speaking in jest, Your Grace. For my own good? What part of any of this is for my own good, exactly? You barging into my bedchamber? Or dragging me off into the night in nothing more than my nightdress? Or perhaps it was winning me in a bet." She glared at me, and I could feel the heat penetrating my skin from her venomous gaze. "Maybe ruining my reputation is for my own good. Considering my father has gambled us straight into the pauper's pit, it may very well be too late anyway. No man of any value will ever take on the debt that comes tied to my name."

She had a point. If anyone were to ever get wind of her being alone with me, I would find myself with more than an unwilling ward. That gave me a brief pause. I had no desire to find a wife, and when that time came, I would make sure it was for strict obligations brought forth by this bothersome title. Typically, to save her reputation, I would've ridden Derby alongside the carriage, yet there were questions lingering in the back of my mind that needed answering. Even while they needed to be voiced, I was having trouble deciding on the right approach.

As the team lurched forward, I heard her sniffle, undeniably attempting to withhold the emotion overtaking her. If she were my friend or my sister, I might have dropped onto the seat next to her, offered her a bit of solace at such a trying time. I wasn't either of those things, she, however, wouldn't welcome the company, and so I remained where I sat.

This wasn't me. This wasn't who I was. I was the fourth Duke of Sutton and besides my enjoyment of the nightlife provided in London, I happened to take my position very seriously. I didn't make a habit of pulling strange, scared women from their beds in their nightclothes in the middle of the night. As uncharacteristic as this was for me, here I sat, sorting through my mind for a suitable explanation to ease her worry.

Several times my lips parted and clamped shut as I contemplated the right words, only there weren't any. Her slight form trembled against the cushions, and I dragged my gaze away to look out the window. We passed lines of townhouses that ensured the comfort of polite society during their stay in the city for the season. Right then, nary a light brightened any windows, and I was ever thankful no one would witness my carriage pulling out of her drive and down the street. Scanning the row of darkened windows, and listening to the clip-clop of hooves striking the pavement, I finally looked back toward the woman across from me.

Before I could utter a word, her distinctive whisper filled the carriage, fright quivering from her lips. "W-what are your plans, Your Grace? What exactly am I supposed to do? Where are you taking me?"

I cleared my throat, cursing the lighting in the carriage that prevented me from seeing the frightened kitten. I could all but feel her curious eyes peeking over the cloak she sought to burrow into, and I shifted, feeling a bit aloof. She had every right to ask the questions she was asking. The problem was I had no idea what I was going to do with her.

When I told Swan I was coming to collect my reward, my main objective was to safeguard the woman from any further misadventure. If I had thought for one second that leech had learned his lesson, I would've left the woman standing in her bedchamber. I didn't believe that to be the case, however, knowing Swan would attempt the endeavor again, only next time I wouldn't be the one accepting the wager. Next time, there was every chance she could fall into the wrong hands, and be subjected to God knows what. Which led me to wonder if this was the first time he'd offered her innocence as payment for a game of cards.

Once again, I cleared my throat, restlessly shifting on my seat as the discomfort of this situation gnawed at me. It was such a delicate matter, and any insinuation about our relationship could leave the girl in ruin. I was about to answer her inquiry, yet my lips tightened when her next question crossed the space between us.

"I have heard of your reputation all over town, yet I would've never guessed you would sink so low as to take a woman against her will." Her voice trembled as she spoke, and she wound up tighter in her seat, holding that cloak like it was her lifeline. "Is this a habit for you, or am I the first?" She pulled up straighter in her seat, this time meeting my gaze without hesitation, and perhaps later I would admire her fortitude. "I do have a serious question for you, Your Grace. How does one come about winning a human being in a poker game? Whose suggestion was it precisely? I'm having trouble believing my father would be so careless."

With each word that left her lips, I found my ire increasing, with every muscle stiffening under her scrutiny. As scandalous as I could be, I'd never had anyone openly question my integrity as this she was doing now. Like a poked bear, my lip curled, wanting to strike back as this girl made assumptions about my character. I pounced to strike, momentarily not caring how I wounded the woman before me. "I will answer your questions as soon as you tell me how many times your dear papa has offered your virtue as payment? Am I the first? Because I can assure you this was his suggestion, not mine." My fingers tapped the window of the carriage, looking out into the night before returning to her. "Let me tell you, I was as surprised as I was appalled by the notion. At first, I thought I was well into my cups, surely misinterpreting his meaning. I specifically asked the man to elaborate, to clarify. His precise words were, 'If you win this game, you can have the girl.' I was utterly riveted by his callousness."

She huffed, her foot kicking the floor as her temper rose. "You, riveted? You were riveted? Surely, you jest. You play a man on the brink of devastation, and then act surprised when he offers the only thing of value he has left. You are far from a victim in this, Your Grace. Far, far …"

"No, Miss Swan, I am not a victim in this. I am merely the one who was fortunate to be given your innocence. As I told you moments ago in your bedchamber, if I lacked morals, you would already be naked before me." When she flinched, her lashes fluttering with surprise at my forthright nature, I scoffed with a shake of my head. "You have nothing to fear from me, girl. You have nothing I would be remotely interested in. Consider me your knight in shining armor, if you will. You are only sitting across from me now to ensure your own safety."

I could curse my poor choice of words when I noticed a wounded light enter her eyes. She wasn't an unattractive woman by any means. She had lush mahogany tresses that reached her trim waist. Her heart-shaped face was one I could stare at in other circumstances, and if I let myself, I could envision drowning in her misty depths. True, the state of her nightclothes left something to be desired, but other than that, she could be quite appealing with the right attire.

Even while she was lovely, there were a few things that kept me from saying so. One, she was seventeen and I was a whole decade older. Two, I didn't want to give her the wrong impression. And three, I would never sink so low as to marry for anything other than duty and obligation. I had unfortunately learned my lesson three years ago, and it wasn't one I would be willing to forget any time soon.

"My safety?" she snorted in disbelief. Winding the thick material of her cloak tighter around her, she shook her head. "How can you even imply such a thing?"

Her unladylike snort had my attention snapping back to her. Feeling another thrust of her untrusting blade, I felt obligated to deliver my own blow. "Yes, your safety, madam. If it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else. How many men would pass up the opportunity to linger between your thighs, willing or not?"

Her shocked gasp had me falling silent as the carriage pulled off the road into the drive of my mother's townhome. My mother and sister were fast asleep, and hopefully, would stay that way long enough to get this woman settled before they awoke. "As I said, you are safe from me. Although, if this plan goes awry you will not be safe from the ton and their busybody ways. I will simply explain to my family you are a long-forgotten cousin in need of sanctuary." I reached for the handle to open the door before passing her a glance. "I will need you to corroborate my story. You will attend the season with my sister, and after an adequate proposal, marry an appropriate gentleman and be on your way."

I hopped out onto the cobblestone, turning back to lend my assistance, only waiting for a moment when her fingers curled around my own. An unexpected jolt of heat shot from my fingertips up my arm as I studied her delicate hand. Refusing to acknowledge the spark caused by her touch, I immediately dropped her hand when she stepped down. "We should be able to get you settled with the help of a maid or two. Perhaps I can speak to Mother before heading to my own residence."

She looked taken aback, her gaze jogging from mine to the townhouse. "You are just going to dump me here at a stranger's door, and desert me? How am I to explain on the morrow the many questions I will no doubt face?"

For the first time that night, I let myself empathize with her situation when worry flooded her mossy gaze. The frown creasing her brow had me stalling next to her. "I assure you, all will be well. You have nothing to fear. My sister and Mother are unlike most of the ton. My sister can be a tad overbearing but other than that …"

Her head shook in the negative. "I'm not staying here, Your Grace. Have you lost your wits? Anyone with sense would question the whys and hows of this nightmare. Here I turn up out of nowhere in my nightclothes in the middle of the night. If you think I'm willing to face this atrocity by myself …"

I cleared my throat as she continued to prattle on. Pinching the bridge of my nose as my aggravation reached new heights, I silently counted to ten. "You are starting to remind me of an undisciplined child in need of a thorough thrashing." Done arguing and being patient, I grabbed her by the upper arm and marched her to the door. "If I have to tie you to the damn bed, I will. Just imagine the questions you will be forced to answer then. In addition to that, where exactly do you think you will go in that nightgown? I'm betting you wouldn't get very far before being detained by far less desirable man."

"You sure do like to gamble," she spat, pulling her arm from my grasp. "One of these days, you will lose, Your Grace. You cannot have your way all the time."

"I grow increasingly weary of this debate." I was more than relieved as the front door opened, admitting me and my reluctant young ward. "And I beg to differ. Everything goes exactly how I say." The butler's gaze went wide as I escorted the young woman into the foyer. Passing him a thunderous glance, I scoffed, "Stop looking at me as if I've grown a second head, Mr. Black. Go find Miss Victoria for my dear cousin, man. I would like to see her settled and be on my way before the night wears on any further."

I watched as he scurried out of the entryway in pursuit of my sister's lady's maid. Once he was completely out of earshot, I turned back to the young miss standing to the side as her wide eyes roamed the interior, with awe written on her face. "I should have your name for a proper introduction once Miss Victoria joins us."

For the first time, I noticed her hollowed cheeks, sunken eyes, and her ashen skin. Was it possible the woman wasn't properly fed? With a father like Swan, it wasn't a farfetched idea. It ruffled my feathers all over again. As my temper took a dangerous turn, my patience wore thin, and the general progression of the night deteriorated further. My tone came out harsher when she hesitated. I could hear the distant patter of feet headed in our direction. "A name, woman, or we will both be looking like fools."

"I-Isabella. Isabella Swan," she managed to mumble as Mr. Black and Miss Victoria appeared in the hallway.

I gave her a nod, pulling my attention from the frown on her lips to focus on the maid rushing toward us. Miss Victoria's eyes widened as she took in the condition of the woman next to me. An odd need to protect filled me, and I drew the maid's attention to me. "Miss Victoria, let me introduce my cousin Isabella Masen. She will be staying with us for the foreseeable future. Tomorrow I will look into acquiring a maid for her benefit. For this night, I need you to see to her demands. Perhaps Alice has an old nightdress she is no longer using, maybe a bath wouldn't be a stretch either. Also, make sure she gets something in her stomach. I'm sure she has endured enough struggles on her journey from Yorkshire."

"Yes, Your Grace. Right away, Your Grace," Miss Victoria curtsied, batting her lashes in my direction. Finally, the maid turned her attention to the person who mattered in this situation, Miss Swan, now Masen. "If you will follow me, Miss Masen, I will see that you are properly settled."

Isabella stood there for a long moment, her gaze darting between myself and the maid. To my surprise none of the earlier fight was present, and she looked perfectly amiable all of a sudden. As if it took much effort on her part, she curtsied, "Thank you, Your Grace."

I gave her a brief nod of recognition. Turning to Mr. Black, I said, "Tell my mother I will be here first thing. I shall join her in breaking her fast. Set an extra place."

"Very well, Your Grace," he bowed.

My shoes clicked on the marble floor as I turned to the door. In seconds I was sitting in my carriage alone, staring at the seat adjacent to me. Replaying the sass on the woman's tongue, I chuckled to myself, shaking my head. It was so very rare for me to find someone willing to be so outspoken in my presence. It was rather refreshing in a way.

Staring out the window, my temper rose and my thoughts darkened as they returned to Charlie Swan. Perhaps it was time for him to take a trip. Perhaps I could stick him on the next ship to Australia. Because if anyone caught wind of my ruse, the whole situation would blow up in our faces. As determination overtook me, I rapped on the ceiling of my carriage, calling out to the driver. "Take me to the Swan residence at once."

Please drop me a line and tell me what you think. Look forward to hearing from you.