Page 5 of Pride: The Rogue
“Your siblings at The Devil’s Den all married respectable and cut ties with the world they were born to.” How…typical.
“Not all of them.”
Dynevor didn’t offer anything more than that about which of his brother or sisters remained with their foot in the Dials.
“As for your nameless lady, Dynevor, given the fact you didn’t let me walk out, I take it to mean she doesn’t have the amount of money you require.”To fix the state of disrepair.
He didn’t say it. They’d already established Dyvenor’s club needed saving. Insulting the man on the cusp of becoming a partner didn’t do Latimer any good.
“No, but she’s loaned me a good sum.”
“How deep is your debt?” Latimer probed.
There was, after all, no point in taking on a sinking venture.
“If I ceased accepting monies from her, I’d be able to repay within a fortnight. I’d just need to reduce my liquor purchases by half, for two months.”
“That’s sizeable.”
“But I’d have a way,” Dyvenor said. “If I wanted it.”
“Does she have a stake?” Latimer asked bluntly. There was also no point carrying on if he’d become a third partner. “Because I’m not looking to play the third wheel.” He’d already played third and fourth and it’d brought him to this humbling moment.
“She isn’t a formal partner. She wouldn’t—” the earl clarified.
“Ah, your family connections.”
“Exactly. If the lady were joined in marriage to a proprietor of The Devil’s Den, then there’d be an…understanding and acceptance of her involvement.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Given you aren’t yourself already married to the lady, I’m going to have you state what exactly it is you’re proposing, Dyvenor.”
“You don’t need me to state it,” the young man rejoined with a matching directness. “Youknow.You’llmarry the lady.”
Latimer was already shaking his head. “The hell I—”
“It’d benefit us all: I’d get the funds needed to restore this place to its once great glory, while also inheriting a partner with not only a skill of the business but a fortune to his name.You’dbuild the club of your vision.”
“I’m not interested.”
In fact, he’d rather tie a noose around his neck than tie himself to one of those fancy ladies with their golden twats and sense of superiority.
“Come, Latimer,” Dynevor said impatiently. “We both know how easily business alliances fall apart; that the only thing to hold them together is through forging actual alliances, inthe same way all the most powerful emperors have since the beginning of time.”
“I’d rather slit my throat than marry a lady.”
The earl chuckled and gave a wry shake of his head. “That’s a rather…strong take.”
“It’s the only ‘take’. We’re at an impasse, Dyvenor.”
“I don’t think we are.” The young man let that dangle there.
“I’m not looking to play games,” Latimer warned.
“This lady might be more appealing than you are thinking.”
His ears caught something in the earl’s tone. He nodded slowly. “Go on.”
“This silent financier is a duchess…the Duchess of Argyll.”
