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“Where is my uncle?” Tobias asked the butler.

“In the drawing room, my lord.”

“Very good.” Tobias handed the man his hat and coat. Then he turned to Maggie and said, “It’s upstairs. Come along.”

She followed him up the wide staircase, which was covered in the same faded red carpet that flowed from the hallway. The second floor was as dark as the ground floor. Maggie shuddered. She didn’t like the idea of Lettie in this house. Something about the place felt wrong.

Her unease increased tenfold as she followed Tobias into the drawing room where his uncle, a man well into his eighties by the looks of it, sat on his settee surrounded by three young women, who looked to be Lettie’s age. One pretty redhead massaged his shoulders. Another young lady, this one brunette, was curled up beside him, reading out loud from a book. And a third young woman sat at his feet, her head resting on his knees while he caressed her blonde ringlets.

Maggie’s heart began to thud. Something was terribly amiss in this house.

“Uncle,” Tobias said cheerfully.

The man looked up and then waved the young ladies away. All three promptly scattered to the other end of the room. “Aah, nephew. I see you have brought me a new prize.” He eyed Maggie in a manner that made her feel nauseous.

“Indeed I did,” Tobias said. “But you shall have to pay a high price for her, I’m afraid.”

Maggie glared at Tobias but said nothing. Her main concern was finding Lettie.

The uncle struggled to his feet, using the cane that rested next to his settee. Then he hobbled closer to Maggie, who recoiled. The man had an evilness about him, one greater even than Tobias’s.

“She is a beauty,” he said. “What does she cost?”

“It’s a trade. The new girl, Lettie. This is her sister. She wants to take Lettie’s place.”

Maggie sucked in her breath, absorbing the shock of what she’d just heard. She was a countess! They couldn’t keep her prisoner. She opened her mouth to protest, but Tobias shot her a warning look. She understood, without him needing to tell her, that if she breathed a word about being an earl’s wife, he would not make the swap, and Lettie would be trapped in this house forever. She could survive it. Lettie could not.

“I see. Well, I think that can be arranged. This one is far superior, even if she is a bit too old.”

Tobias’s uncle snapped his fingers, and the red-headed young lady came dashing forward like an obedient pup. “Fetch Lettie and bring her downstairs.”

She nodded and promptly went to do as she was told. Then Tobias’s uncle turned his attention back to Maggie. “Lovely eyes,” he said, gazing at her face. “Lips like rosebuds, a pert nose, and soft…” He reached out and stroked her hair, making Maggie flinch. “Skin is supple.” He ran his hands down her arm. Maggie could not stop herself from retracting it. The uncle frowned. “I hope she’s not difficult. That won’t do,” he said to Tobias.

“No, indeed. You are not difficult, are you, Maggie?”

Maggie gritted her teeth and shook her head.

Just then, the young redhead returned with Lettie. Maggie’s sister looked fearfully around the room. She was even paler and more frail than Maggie had remembered. How frightened she must have been these past few days.

“Lettie,” Maggie opened her arms to her sister. “It’s me, Maggie. Don’t worry. You are safe now.”

Lettie hesitated, and Maggie understood that she did not trust her. Why should she? She thinks I abandoned her.

“Come on, girl!” Tobias snapped. “Don’t keep your sister waiting!”

And with that, Lettie flew into Maggie’s arms. They clung to each other, and Maggie could feel Lettie shaking. “Don’t worry,” she whispered in her sister’s ear. “All will be well. You’ll be going home now.”

“Not so fast.” Tobias pulled Lettie back, yanking her out of Maggie’s arms. “Before she goes, there’s something you’ll need to do.”

Lettie sobbed violently.

“Anything,” Maggie said. “Just leave her be.”

“Sit there.” Tobias pointed to a desk near the window on which sat some paper and an ink pen. Maggie obeyed him.

“Now,” Tobias said, “write a letter to that dear husband of yours and tell him that you have left him and returned to me.” He gave her a malevolent smile. “And make it convincing.”

Jude was shocked by the sight the Wentworths’ shabby cottage, which he found easily by asking a local farmer where the family resided. If he’d known his wife’s family was in such dire straits, he would have done something to help them. But Maggie had never said a word. He supposed he should have guessed, given that Maggie’s papa had let Tobias take her for a bag of coins, but he’d chalked that up to the man being callous rather than desperate. After all, many wealthy men in Mayfair did the same to their daughters. The only difference was that they called it an arranged marriage.