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gave me the box,” he paused and
cleared his throat, “she made me promise to protect you. It was not
a difficult promise to make.” His nose had turned a suspicious
pink, although she doubted it was from the brandy.
    “Had you heard of Lord Whittingham before
that time?” she asked him.
    “No, but when I realized he existed I made a
point of finding out as much as I could.” He grinned then. “I may
not have the power of an earl, but I do have ways of discovering
what I need to know. And I have a great deal more money than he
does.” He seemed to take considerable satisfaction from the
thought.
    “Were you aware he was searching for me?”
That was a tricky question, and she knew it.
    He sobered but did not immediately answer
her. “I’ll not lie to you, sweetheart,” he said at last. “I was
informed of his search. But what would you have had me do? You were
fourteen. Your mother had just died, at least the woman you thought
of as your mother. I admit I had everything to lose. But I swear it
was you I was protecting.”
    “Oh, Papa, I wasn’t being critical. At any
rate, now lawfully I’m an adult. I mean, what can they make me
do?”
    He gave her a level stare. “You are leaving
in seven days for the Whittingham estate, are you not?”
    Cassandra felt a chill of misgiving. “I’m
curious,” she said. “That’s not so hard to understand, is it?” But
she avoided looking at him.
    “I know Lord Whittingham has a purpose for
you,” he said in a hard voice. “I don’t understand what it is yet
but, mark my words, he will try to force you to do his
bidding.”
    “How can you be so certain?” She was
becoming genuinely alarmed.
    “Cassandra, lass, I’ve had dealings with the
aristocracy since I first went into trade. Their whole lives are
devoted to the generation to come. Attention to the bloodlines is
critical. The earl doesn’t think of you in terms of a lost
granddaughter. You are a possession found which belongs to his
family. He has aspirations—don’t doubt it.”
    “Then I’ll have to disappoint him because
I’m not staying any longer than I have to.”
    “Child, I do not want you to go into this
situation blinded by your ignorance.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Have you wondered why he is willing not to
pursue charges against me?” When she nodded, he continued. “He
knows you love me. It is the one thing he has to keep you in check.
He will be ruthless in wielding that power. His lordship does not
expect you ever to come back here.”
    She felt a momentary shiver of fear.
“Why?”
    “Aside from his sense of what is right?” He
shrugged. “He wishes to punish me for having the gall to interfere
with the interests of a peer of the realm. He is outraged and no
explanation will appease him.”
    “How do you know this, Papa?”
    “Mr. Peters gave me a letter from him.
Basically, Lord Whittingham has warned me off.”
    “Has he threatened you?” She gasped the
question.
    Her father hesitated for so long she thought
he did not intend to answer her. He sighed. “It’s not my intention
to send you to your grandfather so hostile that you can’t
communicate with him at all. Let us say, he indicated there will be
repercussions if I meddle.”
    “If he does anything to hurt you, I swear I
will do all I can to thwart him.” Her nostrils flared with
indignation.
    “Ah, my darling girl, don’t you see?” He
chuckled, clearly delighted by the turn in the conversation. “His
power over you has a thorn in it, and don’t think he doesn’t know
it. For the very hold he has on you is the same hold you have on
him. You do nothing then he does nothing, but it also works the
other way around. There’s a perverse form of justice at work here,
and I’m damned glad of it.”
    She smiled back at him. “I rather like it,
also.”
    He turned serious. “You just stand up for
yourself, lass, do you hear? Don’t worry about me. If I didn’t
believe you would be the one who would be hurt