Page 79 of How to Capture a Duke

“This is not the way to my sister’s home,” she said.

“You are correct.”

She turned back to him. “Where are you taking me?”

“There’s no need to be afraid any longer. You don’t have to enlighten the duke of your condition.”

“What do you mean? Where are we going?”

“Someplace else in London.”

His explanation made no sense to her. His tone of voice had changed from amicable to cold. A nagging thought crept into her head, and she stared at him in horror.

“It was you, wasn’t it? You leaked word to the scandal sheet.” Her mind turned as she recalled the day Tristan had taken her riding. They’d returned to Keswick Hall, and Mr. Higgins had arrived to fetch his notes and had nearly run into Spencer on his way back out. Olivia had quickly thought of an explanation and had told Spencer that Higgins was an old country friend. She’d thought Spencer had believed her, and she hadn’t given it another thought.

How wrong she’d been.

Eyes wide, she glared at him. “Why? Why would you do such a horrible thing and purposely humiliate your cousin?”

“Why should Tristan be the only one who can keep secrets? He should have confided in me.”

“You must understand his reasoning. There was no guarantee Mr. Higgins could help Tristan. He did not purposely deceive you.”

“Ah, but you did. You lied to me, Olivia. You told me that man was a friend from the country. A squire. I followed him. To my surprise, I discovered he lived right here in London and that he helps people with illnesses like Tristan.”

“Tristan isn’t ill,” she countered.

“No. What else would you c…c-all his p…p-roblem?” His mocking stammering of Tristan surprised her even more. He’d never spoken like this before.

“For God’s sake, why?” she demanded, her voice shrill.

“Because he was born with everything, and I deserve it.”

“Deserve what?”

He gave a hoarse laugh, one that made her blood run cold. “You cannot give birth to the child. I am the heir to the dukedom. Have always been. I had plans for you, Olivia. But then you had to go and ruin them by seducing my cousin and getting pregnant.”

The dukedom. He’d been told that he was the heir, and he now understood that the babe would deny him the title. Her chest rose and fell under her labored breathing. “Turn the coach around, Spencer, before Tristan becomes aware that I’m missing.”

“It’s too late for that.” His eyes dropped to her stomach in disdain. “You and the brat in your belly made sure of it.”

Her breath stalled in her throat as her hands protectively covered herself. “What are you going to do?”

His cold eyes sniped at her. “What I have to.”

Oh God. Icy fear twisted around her heart. She knew his intent, just as if he’d proclaimed it out loud. He was going to kill her, kill her baby. She couldn’t allow it, refused to allow it. How had she not seen the madness in Spencer before?

Tension stretched ever tighter between them. “You would commit murder for the dukedom?” It was impossible to steady her erratic pulse.

He snorted. “Many would do more to seize the wealth and power of the title.”

Questions hammered at her. How could he betray his own cousin, his friend? Money and power could not compare to loyalty and love for her. But then an image arose of Spencer at the Raven Club and his preference for the gaming tables. “You are in debt, aren’t you?”

“I do have a fondness for gambling, but that wouldn’t matter. If my latest shipping venture had been a success, my debts would have been paid. Who knew the market for tobacco would take a turn for the worse? So you see, you will not stand in my way.”

“You cannot be serious about your plans for me. Tristan will know.” She tried to keep her heart cold and still, but it was an impossible task.

Spencer’s short bark of humor lacked warmth. “He will know nothing. You never told him about the child. He will think you left him after your horrible row and that you were besieged by footpads fleeing from him and your body dumped near the London docks. You two were hardly lovebirds, were you? Whatever temporary marital bliss you found is shattered after his treatment with Horace Higgins became known and you broke his fragile trust. The cartoon was humiliating. You should have seen his face.”