Page 2 of An Unwilling Earl
A bottle of their favorite port appeared, and the servant poured two healthy glasses before moving on.
Armbruster took a swallow of his. Jacob was not in the mood for port. Strangely, the encounter with the boy had shaken him. It wasn’t often that one saved a life. It was a peculiar feeling, and he wondered where the boy lived and what circumstances had brought him so low.
“Have you looked through the rest of the papers?” Jacob asked.
“Some. A woman’s husband was poisoned. That one is simple. She surely has a lover and wanted the husband out of the picture.”
Love and jealousy. It was a common theme. He’d learned that most crimes were solved by looking to the ones closest to the victim.
“What else?” he asked.
Armbruster leaned back and eyed Jacob speculatively. “Word has it you’ve been elevated in Society.” This was said in the bored way that he affected when in fact he was anything but bored.
“You can’t believe everything you hear,” Jacob said, but he couldn’t match the blandness of Armbruster’s tone. His heart had suddenly dropped to his stomach. He was surprised Armbruster had said something and then surprised he’d been surprised. Of course he would say something.
“Oh, I have this from the most trusted source.” He paused. “My mother.”
Jacob winced. If the Dowager Countess knew of the inheritance, soon all of London would know.
“You are an earl. Anearl, Ashland. With all of the benefits it entails.”
Jacob tapped the arm of his chair in irritation upon hearing his title come from his friend’s mouth. “I’m a solicitor, Armbruster. It’s what I’m trained for, and it’s what I want to be.”
“An earl is much better than a solicitor.”
Armbrusterwouldsay that. From the moment the man had drawn breath he’d been trained to be an earl. He’d been groomed for it before he could eat solid food. It was in his blood, and he fit the role well. Helikedbeing an earl.
Jacob knew nothing about any of that and wasn’t sure he was even interested.
“I guess I should give my condolences on the death of your cousin.”
“Thank you, but I never met the man.” And now he’d inherited the title. “I don’t know the first thing about being an earl.”
“Never fear, friend. That’s where I come in. I’ll teach you all you need to know.”
Jacob snorted. “Spending your days at Brooks and your nights in houses of ill repute?”
“I don’t do thateverynight.” Armbruster appeared to be offended, but Jacob knew the opposite was true.
The man had a certain reputation that kept the matchmaking mamas away, for fear their lily-white daughters would be infected with whatever it was that he exuded.
He’d perfected the image of a classic rogue. A wretch who drank too much, slept too late, and was a general ne’er-do-well. But Jacob knew he was so much more. He was a shrewd businessman, skilled at making money. He’d catapulted the Armbruster earldom into one of the most successful and richest of the realm.
“Wasn’t your cousin married?” Armbruster asked.
“He left a wife and young daughter behind. Unfortunately, the wife has proven that she is not in delicate condition with an expected heir.”
Armbruster grunted. “And what will you do with the widow and her daughter?”
“I have no idea what I’m going to do with myself most days. How the hell am I supposed to decide what to do with them?”
“Well, let’s not think about that now.” Armbruster reached for the stack of newssheets. “Let’s find out what London’s underbelly has to offer us.”
Chapter Two
Four days later, the former Earl of Ashland’s solicitor called, wanting to discuss the changeover.
Time was running out, and it wasn’t because the late earl’s wife and daughter were waiting for him to make decisions or because his tenants on his newly acquired land were in a sort of limbo. It was because Armbruster’s motherknewand she wasn’t going to keep quiet for long. So he met with the man and discussed the estate, most of which was far beyond his knowledge. Jacob knew the law like the back of his hand but crops and rents? That was beyond him. He needed to learn much if he wanted to be successful, and there was no question he wanted to be successful.
