Page 15 of The Baron Takes a Bet
“It was different when it was John. He was a family friend.”
“If anything, that made it worse.”
“Why?”
“Because you aren’t supposed to be a burden to your friends,” Holly said.
“Regardless, John should have left you a sum, so that you could manage things on your own.”
She agreed, actually—but it was a moot point. “It doesn’t really matter now, does it?”
“Still. A widow is expected to be taken care of. This is nothing more than… than…”
He had puffed out his chest.
“Than what?” she argued.
“Than begging on the street.”
Holly’s eyes widened as her temper flared.
“You ungrateful child,” she snapped. “If you’d like to know exactly what begging on the street feels like, then I suggest you continue losing at card games and milking our family’s coffers for your own gratification. You’ve no care for anyone in this family except yourself, and I have had it.”
“That’s not true,” he countered, blinking at her harsh criticism. “I care. I care a hell of a lot more than you think. And I can manage us.”
“Oh? Then, by all means, Jasper, how would you like to fix the house? How do you think we should remove the tree that’s been on our roof for half a year?’
He gave her a smug look.
“We hire someone, obviously.”
“With what money?”
“The money from your inheritance.”
Holly rolled her eyes, her hand coming to her forehead.
“I’ve told you, we don’t have any sort of inheritance. I was married by proxy. Legally, I am married to the current baron.”
Jasper sighed.
“Then I don’t know!”
“No, you don’t, yet you’re more than willing to criticize me without offering any sort of support.”
Jasper’s mouth slammed shut, his eyes blazing. Then, he inhaled and puffed his chest out slightly.
“I am the man of this family, and I should have some say in how it operates.”
Holly let out a frustrated laugh.
“Oh, you think so, do you? Tell me, how often have you gambled away monies that could have been better used in our home? Do not pretend that John didn’t send you extra coin, even though I told him he shouldn’t. Katrina is about to be presented to society and she hasn’t had any new dresses in over two years. Yet you ask me for a hundred pounds to pay off your debts at a school paid for by the patronage of this very house?” Holly shook her head. “You’ve no right to tell me that you could manage us better, particularly when you’ve been funded for as long as you have. Frankly, it’s insulting. Lord Bairnsdale has very graciously offered to let us stay here while Felton Manor is being renovated—out of his own pocket, I might add. Once the renovations are complete, we will return to our home, and you will inherit an estate thanks to everyone around you. Everyoneexceptyou.” She glared at her brother, shaking her head. “I loathe to think what Mama would say of your behavior.”
Jasper dropped his gaze, evidently ashamed of himself, but the redness of his cheeks spoke to his mounting anger.
“It’s not fair that I shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions for myself. As a man, I have the right—”
“Start behaving like one, and perhaps I’d take your opinion into consideration,” she bit out, unwilling to let him finish. She was exhausted from fighting him about everything. Particularly when he had zero foresight. “Now, please leave.”
