"Which are?"

She shot him a resigned glance. "Because you are who you are for a start."

His frown turned black. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Honoria struggled to her feet-instantly, his hand was there to help. He followed her up. She bent and picked up the rug. "You're a tyrant, an unmitigated autocrat, utterly used to your own way. But that's beside the point." The folded rug in her arms, she faced him. "I have no ambition to wed-not you, not any man."

She met his gaze and held it; he continued to frown. "Why not?" The demand, this time, was less aggressive.

Honoria swiped up her parasol and started toward the curricle. "My reason is my own and not one I need share with you." He was a duke-dukes required heirs. Reaching the curricle, she glanced back-basket in hand, he was trailing in her wake, his expression frowningly intent. When he stopped in front of her, she looked him in the eye. "Please understand, I won't change my mind."

He held her gaze for an instant, then he reached for the rug, tossed it into the boot, and swung the basket after it. Letting down the flap, he followed her to the side of the carriage. Honoria turned and waited; she caught her breath as his hands slid about her waist.

They firmed, but he didn't lift her. Suddenly breathless, Honoria looked up-into crystal green eyes that belonged to a conqueror.

He held her, held her gaze, for a full minute, before saying: "We have a standoff, it seems, Honoria Prudence."

Honoria attempted a look of hauteur. "Indeed?"

His lips lengthened, compressed to a line. "Indeed-for I have no intention of changing my mind, either."

For one finite instant, Honoria met his gaze, then she raised her brows and looked away.

Jaw clenched, Devil lifted her to the carriage seat, then followed her up. A minute later, they were back on the road; he let his horses have their heads, the whipping wind soothing his overheated brain. Possessiveness had never gripped him so hard, never sunk its talons so deep. Fate had given her to him, to have and to hold. He would have her-take her to wife-there was no alternative.

She had a reason, she said-one she wouldn't tell him. So he'd find out and eradicate it. It was that or go mad.

Chapter 9

"Yes?" Devil looked up from a ledger as Webster entered the library.

"Chatham just rode in, Your Grace-the gentleman you were expecting is waiting as directed."

"Good." Shutting the ledger, Devil stood. "Where is Miss Anstruther-Wetherby?"

"I believe she's in the rose garden, Your Grace."

"Excellent." Devil headed for the door. "I'm going riding, Webster. I'll be back in an hour with our guest."

"Very good, Your Grace."

Two grooms ran up as Devil strode into the stable yard. "Saddle up the bay and get Melton to saddle Sulieman."

"Ah-we've not sighted Melton since early, Y'r Grace."

Devil raised his eyes to the skies. "Never mind-I'll get Sulieman. You fig out the bay."

When he led Sulieman into the yard, the bay was waiting. Mounting, Devil accepted the bay's reins and rode out. Six days had passed since Honoria had dispatched her summons to her brother.

Cresting a low rise, he saw a carriage halted in the road ahead, one of his grooms chatting to the coachman. Beside the carriage, a gentleman paced impatiently. Devil's eyes narrowed, then he sent Sulieman down the road.

The gentleman glanced up at the sound of hooves. He straightened, head rising, chin tilting to an angle Devil recognized instantly. Drawing rein, he raised a brow. "Michael Anstruther-Wetherby, I presume?"

The answering nod was curt. "St. Ives." Michael Anstruther-Wetherby was in his mid-twenties, of athletic build, with the same steady assurance, the same directness, that characterized his sister. Used to sizing men up in an instant, Devil rapidly readjusted his image of his prospective brother-in-law. Honoria's smugness had painted her brother as weaker than she, perhaps lacking the true Anstruther-Wetherby character. Yet the man eyeing him straitly, challenge and skepticism very clear in his blue eyes, had a decidedly purposeful chin. Devil smiled. "I believe we have matters to discuss. I suggest we take a ride beyond the reach of interruptions."

The blue eyes, arrested, held his, then Michael nodded. "An excellent idea." He reached for the bay's reins, then he was in the saddle. "If you can guarantee no interruptions, you'll have achieved a first."

Devil grinned, and set course for a nearby hillock. He halted on the crest; Michael drew up alongside. Devil glanced his way. "I've no idea what Honoria wrote, so I'll start at the beginning."

Michael nodded. "That might be wise."

Gazing over his fields, Devil outlined the events leading to Honoria's presence at the Place. "So," he concluded, "I've suggested that getting married is appropriate."

"To you?"

Devil's brows flew. "Whom else did you have in mind?"

"Just checking." Michael's grin surfaced briefly, then he sobered. "But if that's the case, why have I been summoned to escort her to Hampshire?"

"Because," Devil replied, "your sister imagines she's so long in the tooth that a reputation is neither here nor there. She plans to be the next Hester Stanhope."

"Oh, lord!" Michael cast his eyes heavenward. "She's not still set on Africa, is she?"

"It's her dearest wish, so I've been informed, to ride in the shadow of the Sphinx, pursued, no doubt, by a horde of Berber chieftains, then to fall victim to Barbary Coast slave traders. I understand she believes she's starved of excitement and the only way she'll get any is to brave the wilds of Africa."

Michael looked disgusted. "I'd hoped she'd grown out of that by now. Or that some gentleman would appear and give her mind a new direction."

"As to the first, I suspect she'll grow more determined with age-she is, after all, an Anstruther-Wetherby, a family renowned for its stubbornness. But as to giving her mind a new direction, I already have that in hand."

Michael looked up. "Has she agreed to marry you?"

"Not yet." Devil's expression hardened. "But she will."

There was an instant's silence, then Michael asked: "Free of any coercion?"

Devil's eyes met his; one brow lifted superciliously. "Naturally."

Michael studied Devil's eyes, then his features relaxed. He looked out over the fields; Devil waited patiently. Eventually, Michael looked his way. "I'll admit I would be glad to see Honoria safely wed, especially to a man of your standing. I won't oppose the match-I'll support it however I can. But I won't agree to pressure her into any decision."

Devil inclined his head. "Aside from anything else your sister is hardly a biddable female."

"As you say." Michael's gaze turned shrewd. "So what do you want of me?"

Devil grinned. "My brand of persuasion doesn't work well at a distance. I need Honoria to remain within reach." With a gesture, he indicated that they should ride on, and touched his heels to Sulieman's flanks.

Michael cantered alongside. "If Honoria's set on returning home, I'll need some reason to gainsay her."

Devil shot him a glance. "Is she her own mistress?"

"Until she's twenty-five, she's in my care."

"In that case," Devil said, "I have a plan."

By the time they cantered into the stable yard, Michael was entirely comfortable with his brother-in-law to be. It appeared that his sister, usually an irresistible force, had finally met a sufficiently immovable object. He matched his stride to Devil's as they headed for the house.

"Tell me," Devil said, his gaze roving the house, checking for impending interruptions. "Has she always been frightened of storms?"

He glanced at Michael in rime to see him wince.

"They still make her twitch?"

Devil frowned. "Rather more than that."

Michael sighed. "Hardly surprising, I suppose-I still get edgy myself."

"Why?"

Michael met his eyes. "She told you our parents were killed in a carriage accident?"

Devil searched his memory. "That they were killed in an accident."

"There was rather more to it than that." Michael drew a deep breath. "Neither Honoria nor I are frightened of storms-at least, we weren't. On that day, our parents took the other two for a drive."

"Other two?" Devil slowed his pace.

Michael looked up. "Meg and Jemmy. Our brother and sister." Devil halted, his expression blank. Michael stopped and faced him. "She didn't tell you about them?"

Devil shook his head; abruptly, he focused on Michael. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Michael looked away, across the lawns toward the house. "The pater wanted to take Mama for a drive-it started as a lovely day. Mama had been ill-she was going through one of her better patches-Papa wanted her to get some air. The little ones went with them. Honoria and I stayed home-we couldn't fit and we both had studies to attend to. Then the storm blew up-raced in out of nowhere. Honoria and I loved watching the clouds roll in. We ran up to the schoolroom to watch."

He paused, his gaze distant, fixed in the past. "The schoolroom was in the attics, overlooking the drive. We stood at the window and looked out. We never dreamed…" He swallowed. "We were laughing and joking, listening for the thunder, trying to spot the flashes. Then there was a massive crash overhead. In the same instant, we saw the curricle come racing up the drive. The children were frantic, clinging to Mama. The horses had panicked-Papa had his hands full managing them." He paused. "I can see them so clearly, even now. Then the lightning struck."

When he said nothing more, Devil prompted: "The carriage?"

Michael shook his head. "The bolt hit a huge elm beside the drive. It fell." Again he paused, then, drawing a deep breath, went on: "We watched it fall. The others didn't see it at first-then they did." He shuddered. "I closed my eyes, but I don't think Honoria did. She saw it all."

Devil gave him a moment, then asked: "They were killed?"

"Instantly." Michael drew a shaky breath. "I can still hear the horses screaming. We had to put them down."

Very gently, Devil said: "Go back-what happened to Honoria?"

Michael blinked. "Honoria? When I opened my eyes, she was standing, absolutely still, before the window. Then she stretched out her hands and stepped forward. I grabbed her and pulled her away. She clung to me then." He shivered. "That's the one thing I remember most vividly-how she cried. She made no sound-the tears just rolled down her cheeks, as if her sorrow was so deep she couldn't even sob." After a pause, he added: "I don't think I'll ever forget how helpless her crying made me feel."

Devil didn't think he'd ever forget either.

Shoulders lifting on a deep breath, Michael glanced fully at Devil. "That's the sum of it-we sorted things out and got on with our lives. Of course, the loss was worse for Honoria." He fell in beside Devil as they continued toward the house. "As Mama had been so ill, Honoria had become more mother than sister to the younger two. Losing them was like losing her own children, I think."

Devil was silent as they crossed the last of the lawn; he glanced up as they neared the portico, briefly studying the inscription on its facade. Then he glanced at Michael. "You need a drink." He needed one, too. Then he needed to think.

Honoria was descending the main staircase, a frown puckering her brows, when the front door opened and her brother walked in.

"Michael!" Face clearing, she hurried down. "I've been expecting you for hours." Hugging him, she returned his affectionate buss. "I saw a carriage arrive and thought it must be you, but no one came in. I was wondering-" She broke off as a large shadow darkened the doorway.

Michael looked over his shoulder. "St. Ives was good enough to meet me. He's explained the situation."

"He has? I mean-" Her gaze trapped in crystal green, Honoria fought the urge to gnash her teeth. "How very helpful." She noted Devil's expression of guileless innocence-it sat very ill on his piratical features.

"You're looking well." Michael scanned her amethyst morning gown. "Not browbeaten at all."

Even with her gaze firmly fixed on her brother's teasing face, Honoria was aware of Devil's raised brow-and of the color that seeped into her cheeks. Tilting her chin, she linked her arm in Michael's. "Come and meet the Dowager." She steered him toward the drawing room. "Then we'll go for a walk in the grounds." So she could set the record straight.