Between the Devil and Desire Read Free

“Is this some sort of prank?”
    Mr. Beckwith, to his credit, stood valiant against the devil’s advance. “I assure you, Mr. Dodger, this is no prank.”
    â€œYou’re telling me a man I barely knew is leaving me”—he jabbed the ledger with a blunt-tipped finger—“all of this?”
    â€œYou knew my husband?” Olivia asked, stunned by the revelation.
    He had the audacity to wave his hand at her as though she were insignificant, to be dismissed with no more thought than one might give a beggar pleading for coins.
    â€œYes, Mr. Dodger, it appears that is in fact the case,” Mr. Beckwith said.
    â€œAnd what of his debts?” he asked caustically. “I suppose I inherit them as well.”
    â€œThere are no debts. The duke didn’t believe in credit. He paid as he went.”
    That seemed to give Mr. Dodger pause, before he splayed his long, slender fingers over the ledger. “And the final item is more valuable than all of this?”
    â€œAs indicated in the will, its value cannot be measured.”
    â€œDo you know what it is?”
    â€œI do. It’s to remain in my possession until such time as it’s to be handed over.”
    â€œHe trusted you with something of immeasurable worth?”
    â€œHe trusted me with everything, Mr. Dodger.”
    Mr. Dodger seemed to consider that. “An item the value of which cannot be measured could be worth nothing.”
    â€œIf I had to measure its worth, I would declare it the most valuable item the duke ever had the pleasure to possess.”
    â€œBloody hell,” Mr. Dodger said quietly in that raspy voice he possessed. “I need a drink.”
    In spite of the ludicrousness of the entire situation, Oliviafelt all her appropriate upbringing and her need to be the perfect hostess shoot to the fore. “Shall I have a servant bring you a cup of tea? Or some lemonade perhaps?”
    Mr. Dodger glared at her with eyes as black as his unredeemed soul. “I was thinking whiskey, gin, rum. All three if you have them.”
    â€œWe don’t keep spirits in the residence,” Olivia said sharply, her indignation suddenly very much alive.
    â€œOf course you don’t.”
    â€œI don’t appreciate your tone, sir.”
    â€œAs though I give a damn what you appreciate.”
    Oh, the man was infuriating. Then he did the strangest thing. He slowly prowled the room, hungrily glancing around as if about to pluck and tuck everything into his pockets. Although now he no longer had a need to pilfer anything. It had all been handed to him on a silver platter.
    After several long moments, he returned to the desk and stared intently at Mr. Beckwith. “ Everything within this residence is mine?”
    â€œEverything,” Mr. Beckwith said somberly, as though he felt the weight of that single word on Olivia’s heart. “On the condition that you—”
    â€œYes, yes, serve as the heir’s guardian. Unlike the duchess, I have no difficulty comprehending the simplest of terms when they’re laid out for me.”
    She couldn’t let the insult pass, but for the life of her, she could think of no retort that might effectively put him in his place. She did feel like a dimwit. How could Lovingdon do this to her? More important—do this to their son? Did he care not at all what sort of man he would become?
    Jack Dodger turned around slowly, looking at everything once more, as though he were feasting his eyes on a magnificent creation. “Was the duke a raving lunatic?”
    The crack of Olivia’s palm hitting Jack Dodger’s cheek echoed through the room. Since she’d never in her life struck anyone, she hadn’t realized how much her palm would sting. It took everything within her not to yelp or give any indication that she’d probably hurt herself more than she’d harmed him. “My husband was only recently laid to rest and you