Page 74 of Any Rogue Will Do
She looked between him and her father, clearly confused. “But Father knew I was expecting you. I told him all about how you’d helped me that day—saved me from the mob.”
“I asked tae court you. The earl rejected my suit and sent me home with an earful.”
The earl piped up, “He wasn’t worthy of you. I wasn’t going to give my daughter to some fortune-hunting shepherd.”
Ethan bowed his head in agreement. “You were right tae turn me away.” The earl gave him a surprised look. “I didn’ love her. I saw Lottie as an easy, beautiful solution tae the financial mess I’d inherited.”
“I didn’t get a say in that decision, I suppose?” Lottie said, but her father ignored the comment.
“And you think you’re good enough now? What’s changed? My sources tell me your estate is still practicing economies and you’re sinking the title into trade.”
“I wish I could tell you all was right and prosperous, but Mr. Montague indulged in a wee bit of sabotage. We will need tae rebuild and find a supply of grain for the winter tae replace our losses.”
Beside him, Lottie said, “Then Montague kidnapped me and tried to force an elopement. The man is a villain, Father.”
“I hardly believe it. Why would Mr. Montague do such a thing? I gave him my blessing. He didn’t have to kidnap you.” Finally returning to his desk, the earl carried three books from the shelves.
“Why would you endorse such a man? Where is the consideration for my safety? What about what I want?” Lottie said.
“What you want?” The earl slammed a book on the desk, and the sharp clap made Lottie jump beside Ethan. “I am giving you what you want! Your dowry, that house by the sea—everything you want, handed to you. Just say the word, and I’ll have Rogers purchase that house today.”
“But I want Ethan.”
Such a simple statement, but it meant the world to him. Clearly, they had things to discuss, but the hope grew until it filled in the missing areas of his heart.
The earl talked to Lottie as if speaking to a child. “Charlotte, I’ve made my opinion regarding this young man abundantly clear.”
Straightening his shoulders, Ethan took a deep breath. “Milord, I know there’s history between us. I’d welcome a chance tae make it right, in hope that you’ll eventually bless our marriage.”
“No. I told her no. This is the problem with the younger generation. No onelistensanymore.” The earl flipped open the first book in the stack and began to read.
Ethan rubbed the base of his skull with one hand and studied his filthy boots. This whole thing had been a losing endeavor from the beginning. Huffing out a laugh devoid of humor, he said, “You never approved of me, milord. Is it Scotsmen in general or me in particular you hate?”
The earl gave him a withering glare. “Being a member of the peerage, sitting in the House of Lords, and ruling our nation is a privilege and should be about far more than clinging to the last branch of a noble family tree. To be a lord, one must be raised to do it—formed and shaped and trained to move about in society. One must attend the right schools with others of his class—nothing you’ve done, because your parents did not prepare you for this life. Your grandfather was a black sheep, but his brother was a good man who raised his heirs properly. You were never supposed to inherit.”
There was little he could argue with there. “You’re right. Fate put me here, and I often wonder why.”
The earl gestured toward Ethan’s clothing. “You don’t dress like a lord, carry yourself like a man of quality, or think like one.”
“I apologize for my informal dress. Two days on horseback, then another two in the carriage tae get here took its toll.” The tension from his hands spread up his spine to his shoulders. He glanced down at the dried mud he’d tracked onto the carpet. He was an absolute wreck, and now the library smelled vaguely of dried horse shite. Brilliant.
“Are you telling me that your dislike for Ethan stems from basic snobbery? Lord, Father, that’s mighty narrow-minded of you. None of that matters.”
“None of it matters? Charlotte, of course it does. Why do you think we trained you so tirelessly? Deportment lessons, dancing lessons, voice lessons. Not that it did much good, because look at you now.”
An ormolu clock ticked on the mantel, filling the silence. Lottie caved first to break the quiet. “So that’s it? You’re going to look me in the eye and hold on to your judgmental attitude, even though it hurts your only daughter?”
The earl assessed Ethan with cool, dark eyes. The resemblance to his daughter was suddenly uncanny. “My decision stands. You can have him, or you can have your dowry.”
***
They’d tried. She turned to Ethan, guilt eating her alive. “Montague never would have hurt you if not for me. I’m so sorry. I owe you an apology for everything else too. Can we rebuild without my dowry? If we leave now, will you still want me if I don’t come with a fortune?”
His smile reassured her. “We may have tae change the schedule for a few things. But we’ll make do, love. We can work together tae restore Woodrest.”
He spoke with such unshakable confidence, she believed him. They would make it work, and build something new from their efforts.
Father cocked his head, looking at Ethan. “If this isn’t about money for you, then what is it?”
