Thomas sat in his office trying to pen a letter to the duke. How could he get the man to meet Shay, so she could make her apologies? He looked up at the sound of a knock on the door. "Come."

Emerson coughed into his gloved hand. "I'm very sorry to disturb you, master. You have a visitor."

"Visitor? I wasn't expecting anyone, Emerson. Who is it?"

Emerson coughed again. "He says he is His Grace, The Duke of Irvine, sir."

Thomas bolted to his feet. "Good, God man. What are you doing? Where have you put him?"

Thomas paced. "For goodness sakes, Emerson. Bring him in."

"Yes, sir."

Thomas couldn't believe that the man who was in his thoughts, was now standing in front of him. He had certainly changed from the gangly young teenager he had met six and a half years prior. Now he was a formidable man who moved like a predator. Thomas took his hand, bowed and kissed the back of it. "This is an honour, Your Grace. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Thomas smiled. To what did he owe the pleasure? What a stupid statement. Surely this had to do with Shay and her unpleasant mouth.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion, Master Lytton." Samuel tilted his head. "May we sit?"

"Certainly. Please do." Thomas indicated a chair and waited for the duke to sit before he sat himself. "Please, call me Thomas."

"Thomas. Thank you. I hope you will call me Samuel."

"Yes. Of course, Samuel. It will be an honour."

"I have a business proposition to put to you, Thomas." Samuel watched the man's nervous face relax. He wondered what the look had been all about.

"A business proposition?" Thomas sighed with relief. He thought for sure this had to be about Shay's rudeness, but now thought it had more to do with horses.

Samuel clasped his hands together in front of him. "It concerns, Shay."

"Shay?" Thomas' stomach lurched. He felt his face drain of colour. Not horses, and he was calling Shay's unladylike manner, a business proposition. "I don't understand your meaning, Samuel, but I am aware of Shay's rude behaviour. She will most certainly be making her apologies."

"Sorry." Samuel almost smiled at the distressed look on Thomas' face. "Let me be clearer. I present myself to you today, Thomas, not for an apology, but to ask for Shay's hand in marriage."

"What?" Thomas shot to his feet and stared down at Samuel. "Shay? She was so rude to you. I am so sorry. I found out last night of her behaviour, when you came across my daughters on the Ludgershall Road. Surely, it's an apology you are after?"

"Thomas." Samuel smiled and stood up. "Please. Let us set that aside. Shay was not to blame. She was defending her sisters, and though her words were a surprise, I found the whole situation amusing."

"Surprise. Amusing." Thomas' mind was awhirl. "How can you offer marriage when this has happened? She hid from you last night, when she realised who you were. I was just at this very moment penning a letter of apology to you, sir. Shay is a very strong, determined young woman. I'm not sure she would be a suitable wife for a duke." Thomas paced and ran his hand through his hair. He stopped and looked back at Samuel. "She was not born to this family. You do know that, don't you?"

"Yes." Samuel nodded and smiled. He would have some explaining to do with his uncles, but he didn't care. His mind was made up. "I spoke at length with Edmond, last night, about many things. Shay was the subject of one of those conversations. He told me of her unwillingness to marry, and of your concerns." Samuel indicated the chairs. "May we sit? Please. This could take some time."

"I'm sorry. Yes, of course." Thomas was confused, yet curious.

Samuel leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees, and then looked up at Thomas. "I am under pressure to marry. To be honest, I have similar feelings to Shay's on this subject, which is why she appeals to me." He sighed and sat back against the chair. "I have attended more than enough events this Season, in the pursuit of finding a suitable lady to become my wife. None have attracted me. Without seeming ungentlemanly, they are all a little too eager to please. I want a wife who will stand her ground. A wife with a mind of her own. A wife I can have a real conversation with. I put this offer of marriage to you, as a business deal. I marry Shay. She will be well looked after. I will allow her to continue her work with the poor. I will become a benefactor. She may do whatever she pleases within boundaries that I approve of. The marriage will not be consummated, so she will have no fear of me forcing myself on her."

"Bu... bu... but," Thomas stuttered. "You will want an heir."

"Eventually." Samuel tilted his head. "It is my hope, by the time an heir is the subject of discussion, that Shay and I will have grown to respect each other, and we will move forward in this direction." Samuel sighed. "Thomas. The truth is I don't want to marry. As you will have heard, I have not spent the last three years of my life in comfort. I speak to you with complete openness and honesty. I hope you will treat what I have to say with the greatest respect to my privacy."

"Certainly, Samuel. You have my word." Thomas studied the young man and could see pain on his face.

"I have spent my three stolen years as a slave. I was beaten, whipped and tortured many times over. I was forced to do things no man should ever have to do. I lost who I was. Omar saved me. He taught me to remember who I once was. He had to teach me how to let others come back into my life. He had to teach me to tolerate touch. This is something I am still not very comfortable with, Thomas. Intimacy is not high on my agenda. I do know my body functions as it should, however, to be with a woman the way a man ought." Samuel shook his head and lifted his shoulders. "Shay is a solution, and I hope I can be yours, and hers also." Samuel swallowed. He had never spoken of his intimacy issues to anyone other than Omar. Even though there had been Farah, he was an animal then, and the fear of turning a woman away by the sight of his scars, was something he had yet to conquer.

"I see." Thomas sat without speaking for a moment. Shay would be well looked after. A duke for a husband, was so much more than he had ever wanted for her. How would she feel about this? She had begged him not to force her to marry a man she did not love. Thomas looked up at the young man before him. From memory he was a very pleasant person. He had been very accepting of Shay, the day she had tumbled from the tack room. "Do you remember Shay at all, Samuel?"

"Yes," Samuel chuckled. "I remember a bald little girl who lifted her skirts and asked if I was an angel. The truth is, Thomas. Shay, is the angel."

That was enough for Thomas. He stood and bowed. "Your Grace. You have my permission to marry my daughter, Shay."

Samuel took Thomas by the hand. "I promise you will not regret this. I will treat her with the utmost respect." Samuel smiled. "I will have the bans read as soon as I return to London."

"For now." Thomas sighed. "We will have to pass this news onto Shay. I am afraid, Samuel, that we might have a storm ahead of us." He closed his fingers around Samuel's hand and shook.

"I thought as much." Samuel laughed. "I have weathered many storms. This is one I look forward to."

Thomas rang the bell. Emerson bowed and looked from his master to the duke and back again. "Yes, Master Lytton."

"Emerson could you please ask Mistress Lytton and Shay, to come to the drawing room. We will have tea served there. Thank you."

"As you wish, master."

The two men stood waiting for Rebecca and Shay. Samuel hadn't expected to be asking for a woman's hand this early. He had lain for many hours the night before thinking about Shay. The solution had hit him like a brick. Marry her. Her image was never going to leave him. The fact that she had been a constant presence in his years of hell, now had him thinking she was meant to be his. That she was always meant to be his. Right from when he had first laid eyes on her, and though, he would not be with her intimately, didn't mean he had no urges for her. Yesterday at the stream and last night had been proof of that. His body had strained for release while thinking about her, and for the first time since Eton, Samuel had had to satisfy that need with his hand. He had not told James, Mathew or Omar of his plan. If Thomas had said no, Samuel was never going to mention it, and would have asked Thomas to keep the request a secret. Now to face Shay.

The door opened. Rebecca came into the room. "Thomas what is...?" Her hands flung to her mouth. "Your Grace." Rebecca curtsied. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't told you were here. If I had known I would have..."

"Mistress Lytton." Sam cut her off, bowed and kissed the back of her hand. "Please do not worry yourself. It is I who should apologise. I should have sent a letter requesting an audience."

A furrow formed on Rebecca's brow. She looked from one man to the other. They both looked stressed. "Is there a problem?"

Thomas coughed and shook his head. He looked over at Samuel to see if he preferred to wait until Shay arrived. "No. Not yet, Rebecca. Where is Shay?"

"Emerson has sent for her. I believe she's..." Rebecca swallowed. "Out in the pig sty. One of the piglets was having trouble suckling. Izzy told me earlier, that Shay stayed to make sure it got its fair share." Rebecca blushed. "I'm terribly embarrassed, Your Grace. You must think us a much untamed family. Shay has a caring nature, and has always loved animals. Especially pigs."

Sam burst into laughter. The more he found out about this girl, the more he wanted her. He couldn't help thinking about his dance with Lady Josephine. A thought struck him. "Mistress Lytton. May I ask you a question?"

"Of course, you may," Rebecca said with a smile on her face. She loved the way he took the news of Shay being in the pig sty.

"Did you and Shay happen to be at Sir Gibbons' ball, and Shay didn't want to dance with a viscount, who had very bad breath?"

Rebecca's eyes opened so wide. She sucked in a lungful of air and clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Rebecca?" Thomas stared at her.

All she could do was nod. Samuel laughed again. This just kept getting better and better. He cocked his head at Thomas. "This is a story your lovely wife can tell you about later, Thomas."

Rebecca released her breath and smiled. "Yes, a story for another time, Thomas. I take it that you overheard our conversation that night, Your Grace."

"Yes." He tipped his head. "I enjoyed it very much. Please call me Samuel."

"If you will call me Rebecca?"

"It is done, Rebecca." Samuel smiled again.

"Now," said Rebecca as she looked from one to the other. "What is this all about?"

Shay paused in the kitchen and watched Pavey fluster here and there preparing the tea tray. "What's the matter with you?"

Pavey gasped, "It's quality, miss. Visiting the master and mistress. In the drawing room. Emerson said he's a duke, and your parents want you in there straight away." Pavey looked Shay up and down. "Perhaps you should go and wash, Miss Shay. You have muck on your hems, and on your face. He is a duke after all. Not the likes of Mr. Witherspoon or Mr. Patterson."

Shay's stomach tightened. What was he doing here? She suspected her father had summoned him, so she could apologise. No, that couldn't be right. No duke would come on the beck and call of a country squire. She drew in her breath. If she had to apologise, then it would be on her terms. She would present herself as she was. "Thank you, Pavey." Shay closed the door behind her, and headed toward the drawing room. She flung off her sun hat, her hair hanging in untidy tresses around her face.

As she opened the door, Samuel looked up. He drew in a deep slow breath. She was the most stunning woman he had ever seen, even if she was dressed in a muslin skirt and peasant top. Mud stained her hems, and a streak ran down her face. Something inside of him snapped into place. Ownership. He wanted to possess her in every way possible. His words to Thomas of an unconsummated marriage, gone from his head.

"Shay." Thomas moved forward. "Did Emerson not tell you we had a visitor?"

"Yes. He did, Papa." Shay's heart filled her mouth. Melissa's words came to her instantly. This dark man scared her. His essence seemed to fill the entire room.

"Why did you not change? Wash your face at least. This is His Grace the Duke of Irvine. A very important visitor. Did you not want to present yourself as a lady?"

What should she say? She was going to be forced to apologise for something she was in her rights to say. Why would she want to present herself as a lady to this man, who now looked like he was going to tear her limb from limb? "No, Papa. I did not want to. His Grace does not see me as a lady, but rather, as a shrewish woman. I do not believe the way I present to him, would make any difference."

"Shay!" Rebecca and Thomas both gasped. "You are being very rude," Rebecca added."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be. I am just trying to be honest." Shay looked from her parent's distraught faces to the duke's. Even though he was not smiling, she had the sense that he was finding this very humorous. She held her head high. "As you know, the duke and I have crossed each other's paths recently. You may ask him what he thinks of me, so you can have his thoughts settle your minds on the subject, of if I am presented suitability."

Samuel stepped forward. She was challenging him already. He loved nothing more than a good challenge. She was perfect. No matter how dirty she was, or how she dressed, she was exactly what he wanted. "Thomas, Rebecca. If you please. May I?" Samuel indicated that he would like to approach Shay.

"Yes, certainly." Thomas stepped back so Samuel could come closer.

"I am pleased to finally meet you in the proper manner, Miss Lytton. I am Samuel Denyer." He took her hand, kissed the back of it, and bowed.

Shay had no other choice but to curtsy. She watched him lift his head and smile. His eyes seemed to have the ability to change in an instant. At first, they glimmered, and then, as though he had commanded them, they changed to black giving her the impression he wanted to consume her. His look sent a shiver down her spine. Shay's stomach muscles clenched. A sensation she had never felt before rippled from her core to the tips of her breasts making her nipples bloom. She gasped as if she had just been burnt. Shay pulled her hand from his grasp and stepped back.

Samuel dragged his eyes from hers and looked over at Thomas and Rebecca. "It is true, I did say it was a shame the pleasure of looking at Shay's beautiful face, was detracted by her unpleasant tongue." Sam chuckled. He glanced at Shay's affronted face and cocked his head. "You did say I should voice my thoughts of that day." Samuel tilted his head and tweaked an eyebrow. "As for the way you have presented yourself today, I find it a refreshing change to see a woman as she really is. If you thought you were going to distract me from my task, you are sadly mistaken, Miss Lytton."

The hide of the man. Shay had never met anyone like him. How did he guess she had wanted him to dislike her more? "May I ask what your task is, and why I have been pulled away from mine, so I can be made a joke of?"

Thomas went to chastise Shay again. Samuel put his hand up to stop him and took a step closer to her. "I have asked your father for your hand in marriage."

Shay stopped breathing and stared at his face. She looked at Thomas with fear.

Samuel took her hand. "He has done me the honour of saying yes."

"No." Shay yanked her arm back but couldn't free it.

Samuel gripped her wrist and chuckled. "He also said you would say that."

Shay tried to back away again. She pulled at her hand once more, and looked from one man to the other. "Papa, no. Please tell me you didn't."

"I'm sorry, Shay. I have said yes. The duke has made an offer to good to refuse." Thomas stepped forward. "It is time for you to marry."

"Mama?" Tears ran down Shay's face. Rebecca stepped towards her and wrapped her arms around her. Samuel let go of Shay's hand.

"Shush, dear heart. Please don't make this a bad day. You are engaged to be married. It is a time to celebrate."

"Thomas." Samuel took hold of his hand. "I would like to marry as soon as possible. Four to six weeks. I will have the bans read when I get back to London, then I will try to return before the chosen date, so Shay and I can learn more of each other, if you will permit it."

Shay sobbed into Rebecca's neck. She could hear the men talking. Their words muffled by the dark cloud hanging over her head. "I need to go to my room, Mama," she whispered, and then bolted through the door, and up the stairs almost knocking Julia over. Shay threw the bolt on her door, and flung herself down on her bed burying her face in the pillows.

Yikes! Poor Shay.  I'm so mean.  Sorry, Shay.  It had to be done.  There was no way else to get you to marry Samuel.  xoxox

I wonder how this is going to work out.  Any ideas?

Top photo from ThoughtCo.

2nd photo from Simple English

3rd photo from Shutterstock