Page 20 of Dare to Risk it All

“You blackmailed me into being here. Why?”

She tutted at him, sending him an impatient look. “Why do you think, dolt? I wanted to see you.”

Despite himself, a warm, happy emotion spread through him at the admission, and he could not help the smile that curved over his lips.

“But I knew you’d get yourself in a tizzy and refuse to see me if I left you to your own devices,” she added, spoiling his good humour. “So I decided you needed persuading.”

“A tizzy?” he repeated, askance. “Maiden aunts and small girls get themselves in a tizzy. I have never been in a tizzy in my life!”

She pursed her lips, staring at him. “Really? Because you seem to be in a tizzy now.”

“And your idea of persuading,” he went on, doggedly ignoring her comment, “I find terrifying. You could have taught Bonaparte a thing or two, I swear. Just imagine what you might do if you put your mind to it.”

“Indeed,” she agreed, her expression placid. “I might chase you around the garden with a shotgun… or get my father to do it for me.”

Raphe narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you threatening me?”

“No more than you want me to,” she replied, her lips twitching.

“What the devil do you mean by that? I don’t have the least desire to be threatened by you.”

She arched an elegant blonde brow at him. “I think you desire a great many things from me, and backing you into a corner is only one of them,” she said with a saucy smile, before cantering off and leaving him on his own.

Raphe watched her go in astonishment and then gave a bark of laughter. By God, she was a handful, and he wanted her. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life before. How, though? He had no prospects, a property that was little more than a millstone about his neck, and a threat from the only man in the world whose good opinion mattered to him to keep away from her. Her father would laugh in his face if he offered her marriage. Not that he wanted to marry her, of course. A good tumble would get her out of his system.

“You could marry her.”

The words made him jump, echoing as they did the thoughts circling in his head. He turned to see his brother watching him with amusement.

“Marry who?” he asked, striving for nonchalance.

Sylvester made a sound of amusement. “Try the other one, it’s got bells on.”

“Sod off,” Raphe growled.

“No. Don’t think I will.”

Raphe was about to canter off and leave his brother behind when Sylvester pre-empted him by riding into his path and forcing him to a halt.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“Having a conversation with you if it kills me… or you, come to that.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“What utter bollocks. For heaven’s sake, Raphe. You’ve got to stop taking the world upon your shoulders and making everything your fault. We’re not children anymore. I’m certainly not. We don’t need you to protect us any longer. It was never your job in the first place.”

“A good thing, considering the mess I made of it,” Raphe retorted with a bitter laugh.

“Raphe, you were barely older than we were. You did your best. You spent money that was yours by right on keeping us all afloat, with damned little thanks for it, when you’d have done better abandoning us. You’ve always done your best. Well, until recently. What happened? I know you rowed with Mother. Was it because of her? What did she say that threw you into such despair?”

Raphe shook his head. He would not talk about that. He’d been a selfish fool to let himself wallow as he’d done, pissing what little funds he had up the wall. “Nothing. It wasn’t anything to do with her.”

“And I say again, bollocks! She’s my mother and I love her, but she’s got a tongue like a damned razor blade and she’s selfish to boot. She may never have appreciated everything you did for us, but Ollie and I do.”

“What is it you imagine I did for you?” Raphe demanded, turning on Sylvester as his temper lit. “I threw a few shillings your way now and again, those left over that I’d not spent on drink and debauchery. Lord, I deserve a knighthood for that, surely.”

Sylvester’s expression grew taut. “You know as well as I do it was far more than just money, but I can’t speak to you when you’re like this.”