Page 41 of Married to the Ruthless Duke

“You are not my only investor, or rather not the only investor I’ve considered,” he answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. “The Dukes of Riverdon and Shampton were more than willing to invest.”

Cecil smiled coldly as well. “But you came to me,” he stated. “Why?”

“Because,” Alexander replied, “I like your business sense more. If I wanted more money, I could have had them invest and robbed them blind.”

The Earl laughed and rose from his seat. “Come,” he said. “We have much to discuss. Let’s not bore the women with our talk.”

Inspired by Alexander, Helen tried to engage Letitia in conversation, but the woman did not seem at all interested. That did not deter Helen, though. She finally won the Countess over and made her laugh.

“Wait… you mean you didn’t want to marry the Duke?” Letitia laughed.

“Not at all,” Helen confirmed. “But he managed to win me over as the Earl did you.”

“Indeed?”

“Indeed.” She laughed. “And I gave my father hell for it. You wouldn’t want to know about the tantrums I threw.”

“Oh my, Helen.” Leticia laughed again. “However did you escape your father’s wrath?”

The men stepped into the room, and Helen met Alexander’s eyes. He gave her an approving nod that turned her insides to mush.

“I didn’t,” Helen replied.

“What are you two beautiful ladies talking about?” Cecil asked.

“Oh, about her attempts to convince her father she didn’t want to marry the Duke.”

Alexander’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he looked at her. Helen sensed his concern that she had given their ruse up, but she shook her head.

“Pray tell, how did you two finally agree to wed?”

Helen smiled. “The Duke was positively charming in his attempts to woo me. He took me on lovely picnics and walks and endured my pranks.”

“And she was a downright harridan. Beautiful but stubborn.”

The older couple laughed.

“But I pursued her even more when she attempted to resist me because I saw her personality. I had initially offered for her sister…”

“No?” Letitia gasped.

“I did. But she thought I would mistreat her sister and offered herself instead.”

“That is very noble of you, Helen.”

“It’s one of the many things I love about her.”

The night progressed as they headed to the theatre, where they all had a great time, laughing and getting to know each other.

The plot of the opera was interesting, and Helen read it over and again just because it deserved it.

When Prince Rowan’s father was killed in an attack on a ride into the town, a special army comprising of the older generation of guards that had served his father before him was put together to fight the growing rebel army.

What Rowan expected was a band of men strong enough to bring down the towers of Einheim and not a bunch of green boys and the fiery-haired lad with insane archery skills who hated his best friend with all his guts.

What happens when he discovers the scandalous secret the young man is hiding? And his fear, not only because of the scandal it would bring but also because they would face a danger that they most likely wouldn’t survive.

What will he do when he has to choose between saving the girl and letting his father’s killer go?

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