All About Seduction(49)

“By all that is holy, you will play your part in this bargain with no further concessions or I will cut off my payments to your brother. I will send the little children back to work and I will petition Parliament for a divorce.”

Icy liquid poured down her spine. She gasped. “You cannot do that.”

“I can. Nesham can fight me in court if he wills it, but no judge will rule that you have upheld your end of the marriage contract. Your bloodline was what I bought and paid for. Now, did you meet with one of the gentlemen or not?”

Was that all she was to him, a broodmare with the right bloodline? Did he have no finer feeling toward her? Reeling, she swallowed hard, then forced herself to meet his eyes with disdain.

“Yes, I had a tryst with one of the gentlemen,” she said with all the wintry coldness she felt. It wasn’t a complete lie, although in her prayers she could pretend she was misleading Mr. Broadhurst into thinking the end had been rather different. Although, a little lie hardly compared to committing adultery, as far as her soul went.

Broadhurst scoffed. “Next time you arrange a tryst, you should not push your paramour into the canal.” He stood and his voice knifed through her aching head.

Surely, Mr. Whitton hadn’t informed her husband about last night’s meeting.

“You are misinformed. He did go into the canal, but it was of his own volition. I am sure he assumed wet clothing would be easier to explain than stained.”

Mr. Broadhurst jerked back.

Her face might turn to cinders; it could only flame so hot so long. “You will not divorce me, because I have not given you cause.”

“Did you not have a tryst with Whitton last night?” Mr. Broadhurst asked with silky smoothness.

Feeling like a mouse caught under a cat’s paw, Caroline kept her movements deliberately slow as she rose and leaned over his desk. He had even involved her entire family in setting her up to have an illicit affair. Had it all been so he had grounds to divorce her? Or did he only mean to hold all the cards in this game he played? More likely he wanted to keep all his options open. If she did not succeed in giving him a child, her adulterous behavior could be used as grounds for a divorce.

A cold rage poured through her, leaving empty channels behind. She would not be so used. She was done with being the perfect lady. If Broadhurst wanted war, he had seriously underestimated her strengths.

He’d destroyed any affection she might have ever had for him. She thoroughly despised him and his underhanded tactics, and she wouldn’t be treated so cavalierly. If he thought all her years of obedience were indicative of her not having a spine, he was dead wrong. She had years of leaders in her blood, before a title was conferred on one of her forebearers, her ancestors had been knights and warriors. Their blood ran in her veins and she summoned it now.

“You will not even think of divorce, or I and my family will do whatever it takes to destroy you. Your contracts will dry up, your goods won’t be shipped, and you’ll be ruined.”

She didn’t know if her family retained enough clout to destroy him, but surely they could inflict damage to his reputation and standing in the business community. If he was willing to pay for their influence, he must think the lack would hurt him. And if they began campaigning against him, so much the better.

She shook with raw fury. She hadn’t endured over fifteen years of marriage to be cast aside like a moldy crust of bread. She hadn’t agreed to this unholy bargain to have it twisted into a means to destroy her.

Her husband regarded her speculatively. “You’d never do a thing that would hurt the millworkers.”

“There are limits to what even I will take, Mr. Broadhurst. Do not think I am without any recourse.” Her mouth felt odd, as if a demon had crawled inside her and was attempting to snarl and snap like a rabid dog. “My family retains enough influence to have you charged with a crime and sent to prison.”

She had probably overstated the case, but Mr. Broadhurst hung his head down like a whipped dog.

“Very well, you have made your point,” he said stiffly.

Her ire was feeding her like a shark in bloody waters. “And you will hire Mr. Applegate to work as a clerk until he can resume his old work.”

“I will try him, but if he can’t do the work, I will not keep him on.”

“What is it you want? A baby or decimation?”

He glanced at her uncertainly. Dear Lord, he must be ill, to be cowing to her disingenuous argument. “A son bearing my name.”