Page 78 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
“I do not expect it, Your Grace. I am prepared to provide for Juliana without it.”
“Are you able to?”
Matthew hid his ire. “Yes.”
“Are you positive that you love her?”
Matthew paused for a moment — not because he needed to think about his answer, but because he needed to choose words that the duke would completely understand. In a low voice, he said, “With every piece of my heart and soul.”
Giles nodded before returning to his seat.
“Good. I give you my blessing.”
Matthew blinked, uncertain if he had actually just heard the duke correctly.
“Pardon me?”
“I said I give you my blessing. Are you what we expected for Juliana? No. Will my mother approve? No. But fortunately for you, I am not my father. I married for love myself, and while you may not be of noble birth, I know that you will make Juliana happy, which is more than I can say for most of the other potential matches my mother would have chosen for her. You not only have my blessing, but you have her dowry as well.”
He turned around a sheet of paper and slid it across the desk to Matthew. Matthew read the number on it and was already shaking his head. The amount was more than he would make in five years, but he could not imagine accepting such a sum when he had done nothing to earn it.
“I cannot accept this, Your Grace.”
“Of course you can,” the duke said, eyeing him. “In fact, if you don’t take it, I will remove my blessing.”
“But… why?”
“Juliana’s dowry is not for you. It is for her. While I have every bit of faith that you will provide for her, this will always be there for her if she needs it. You are not the type of man who will spend it all yourself, I know that. So use it to take care of her.”
Matthew swallowed hard. It still stung to have to take the money, but he couldn’t see any other way around it. He would just leave it to Juliana to do with as she pleased.
“Very well. Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Now, we just have to determine the nuptials.”
“Not to worry!”
The door flew open, and Juliana burst in. She rounded the desk and wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck, obviously much to his surprise. “Thank you, Giles,” she said. “Thank you very much.” She looked up and met Matthew’s eyes. “And thank you, Matthew, for not fighting Giles on his wishes.”
He nodded at her, knowing as he stared at for her that he would do anything she ever asked of him.
“This was to be a conversation between me and Mr. Archibald,” Giles said dryly, to which his wife, standing near the door, snorted.
“You have been home long enough, Giles, to know that will never be the case.”
He nodded before sighing.
“I suppose I do.”
“As for the wedding,” Juliana said, her eyes on Matthew, “I was thinking that perhaps we should get married at St. Andrew’s.”
“In Holborn?” Matthew asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes. It is where we shall live, is it not?”
They heard an exclamation from the hall that was clearly the dowager duchess, but Juliana didn’t appear to have any time for that at the moment.
“As you wish,” Matthew said, “but let us set the date for the near future, now, shall we?”
