room closed with a soft click

ght deserted her. She sagged against the door, the carved wood pr

e a mask of worry and tear-streaked sympathy. She

Are you

tight throat-and forced the tremor from her hands. She

he said, her voice st

. The courtyard below was bathed in the deep indigo of twilight-

the foyer. Allen's tone was low, pla

would be up here soon. He had gotten what he wanted

sharp knock ec

thundercloud of impatience. He

trum," he snapped. "This is abou

her expression unreadable.

ch about Isabelle's connections, the honor their union would bring, the doors it would open for him

a great act of charity. "You will remain Lady Small. That

g. She was observing a stranger-a particularly dist

at the true purp

le," he said, his eyes meeting hers with a glint of calculation. "You will need

The raw, unv

her's legacy, to fund his new life with his

elle slipped inside, her face a p

"I know this is difficult. But for Allen's future,

on of virtuous appeal. "I will hon

ted front of shameless greed, perf

a had ever felt for Allen evaporate

ue. She did not

re the mirror. She stared at her own reflection-pale, strained,

made her

cut through the

the mirror. "Bring me the ledger with my mother's

a confused glance. They had

her voice gaining streng

ed the authority of the lady of the house, the key to the coff

r as comprehension dawned, his expres

Brianna said, her tone level and precise, "it is only prop

tood. This wasn't a tantrum. This was

snarled, the mask of the

hardened, her blue eyes

g to face him. Her small frame see

her voice dripping with ice. "I must. It is

ir-a death sentence to

ed a small, carved wooden box and retrieved a thick, leather-bound led

They were the chains that had bound her to this family, and

loss, she felt a surge

this hollow man-she would