hear it from her anyway.
“The duke’s son, Michael,” Isabella finished churlishly.
Phillip scowled. He’d known the Pembroke heir during his school years. Astley had been a fair-haired, dim-witted, spoiled Adonis who’d spent his days drinking, whoring and gambling away his family’s fortune. He’d had more money than brains and liked to split his time between the track and the brothel. Once he started seducing married women, his recklessness and temper culminated in the duel that cost him his life.
Phillip was annoyed beyond reason by the thought of Bella falling for Michael Astley. Something odd and primal reared up within him, and Phillip quashed it ruthlessly. This unexpected—and unwanted—emotion made him uncomfortable, so he lashed out at her.
“One look at his family’s coffers and his future title and it was easy to shed your morals. And your skirts,” he sneered.
“It wasn’t like that!” she snapped. “There was genuine affection—”
“Of course,” Phillip quipped. “You
genuinely
loved his wealth and position.”
Bella rose to her feet and stepped toward him. Her lower lip quivered with ill-suppressed anger and her eyes flared furiously. She jabbed a sharp finger into his chest and hissed, “You know
nothing
about me. How dare you judge me?”
Somehow, her heated response muddied his thoughts. There was something very appealing about Isabella North when she shed the façade of starchy spinster. She wasn’t aloof or icy at the moment...in fact, she seemed quite beautifully responsive. He could even see how this Bella might give in to an ill-fated passion.
He smirked lasciviously and murmured, “I’ve known my share of women like you.”
Phillip expected to be slapped. He undoubtedly deserved to be slapped. In fact, he hoped she
would
slap him. It might clear his head.
Instead, Bella drew herself up to her full height and stared him down. “And I know all about men like you,” she stated derisively, pushing past him to the door. “You’re the one who wanted to know why I was on your ship,” she said over her shoulder. “Now that you know, I’ll see myself out.”
He beat her to the door in three ground-eating strides and shoved it closed. “You’re right,” he said, moving between her and the exit. “Apologies for my rudeness,” he offered grudgingly.
Isabella pursed her lips. “Apology accepted,” she said at last.
“So, the boy is Pembroke’s heir,” he stated dispassionately.
“Not yet,” she stated.
Phillip narrowed his eyes. “Wasn’t Astley married to Charlotte St. Giles?”
“I believe so,” Bella said through her teeth.
Phillip nodded, immediately jumping at the chance to aggravate Bella. “I remember Charlotte,” he drawled. “Quite lovely actually. I believe she was one of the toasts of the Season in her day.”
“I’m sure,” Bella said acidly.
“Am I safe to presume that the lovely Lady Astley was not able to produce an heir to carry on the family name?”
Bella sniffed and lifted her nose. “That is my understanding. I believe Charlotte and her brother are distant cousins to the duke. Her brother is next in line to inherit.”
Phillip mulled this over. “If the Duke does intend to recognize Charles, the Saint Giles siblings stand to lose a windfall. Between the Pembroke lands and investments I imagine it’s a rather large sum.” He looked at Bella thoughtfully. “Perhaps large enough to make sure anyone with a claim to the title never steps forward.”
“That is my suspicion as well,” Bella admitted. “Given that the attempts on our lives started shortly after we learned of Michael’s death, I believe the duke has been entertaining the notion for a while.”
Phillip scratched his jaw while he thought. Isabella was eyeing him uncertainly. Phillip let her stew a few minutes longer and then said, “Miss North, in light of your situation, not only will I get you to England but I will also arrange for an introduction
“The duke’s son, Michael,” Isabella finished churlishly.
Phillip scowled. He’d known the Pembroke heir during his school years. Astley had been a fair-haired, dim-witted, spoiled Adonis who’d spent his days drinking, whoring and gambling away his family’s fortune. He’d had more money than brains and liked to split his time between the track and the brothel. Once he started seducing married women, his recklessness and temper culminated in the duel that cost him his life.
Phillip was annoyed beyond reason by the thought of Bella falling for Michael Astley. Something odd and primal reared up within him, and Phillip quashed it ruthlessly. This unexpected—and unwanted—emotion made him uncomfortable, so he lashed out at her.
“One look at his family’s coffers and his future title and it was easy to shed your morals. And your skirts,” he sneered.
“It wasn’t like that!” she snapped. “There was genuine affection—”
“Of course,” Phillip quipped. “You
genuinely
loved his wealth and position.”
Bella rose to her feet and stepped toward him. Her lower lip quivered with ill-suppressed anger and her eyes flared furiously. She jabbed a sharp finger into his chest and hissed, “You know
nothing
about me. How dare you judge me?”
Somehow, her heated response muddied his thoughts. There was something very appealing about Isabella North when she shed the façade of starchy spinster. She wasn’t aloof or icy at the moment...in fact, she seemed quite beautifully responsive. He could even see how this Bella might give in to an ill-fated passion.
He smirked lasciviously and murmured, “I’ve known my share of women like you.”
Phillip expected to be slapped. He undoubtedly deserved to be slapped. In fact, he hoped she
would
slap him. It might clear his head.
Instead, Bella drew herself up to her full height and stared him down. “And I know all about men like you,” she stated derisively, pushing past him to the door. “You’re the one who wanted to know why I was on your ship,” she said over her shoulder. “Now that you know, I’ll see myself out.”
He beat her to the door in three ground-eating strides and shoved it closed. “You’re right,” he said, moving between her and the exit. “Apologies for my rudeness,” he offered grudgingly.
Isabella pursed her lips. “Apology accepted,” she said at last.
“So, the boy is Pembroke’s heir,” he stated dispassionately.
“Not yet,” she stated.
Phillip narrowed his eyes. “Wasn’t Astley married to Charlotte St. Giles?”
“I believe so,” Bella said through her teeth.
Phillip nodded, immediately jumping at the chance to aggravate Bella. “I remember Charlotte,” he drawled. “Quite lovely actually. I believe she was one of the toasts of the Season in her day.”
“I’m sure,” Bella said acidly.
“Am I safe to presume that the lovely Lady Astley was not able to produce an heir to carry on the family name?”
Bella sniffed and lifted her nose. “That is my understanding. I believe Charlotte and her brother are distant cousins to the duke. Her brother is next in line to inherit.”
Phillip mulled this over. “If the Duke does intend to recognize Charles, the Saint Giles siblings stand to lose a windfall. Between the Pembroke lands and investments I imagine it’s a rather large sum.” He looked at Bella thoughtfully. “Perhaps large enough to make sure anyone with a claim to the title never steps forward.”
“That is my suspicion as well,” Bella admitted. “Given that the attempts on our lives started shortly after we learned of Michael’s death, I believe the duke has been entertaining the notion for a while.”
Phillip scratched his jaw while he thought. Isabella was eyeing him uncertainly. Phillip let her stew a few minutes longer and then said, “Miss North, in light of your situation, not only will I get you to England but I will also arrange for an introduction
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