Page 162 of His Grace, the Duke
“You changed my mind,” he replied. “All your talk of marriage as a cage, your outspoken loathing of the institution. And then there was the way you panicked and groused every time I spent so much as a shilling on you in any way you deemed frivolous. I knew you’d never take a settlement you hadn’t earned... but what if there was money youhadearned?”
“I don’t understand.”
He nodded, drumming his fingers on the folder. “You mentioned your father had a brother, a John Harrow? He emigrated to India some thirty years ago, and the family never heard from him again.”
“You found him,” she whispered.
“I tracked him down, yes. I hope it does not pain you to learn that he died four years ago.”
“Oh, well that is... I never knew him.” She glanced at the others. “Is it wrong to say I feel nothing for his passing?”
“I knew my father well, and I felt very little at his passing,” Burke replied with a shrug.
“What did you learn about him?” said Tom. “You must have learned something.”
“Aye, he died without wife or child,” James explained. “Since his younger brother is also dead, you are his sole heir. Having tracked him down, I next had to track his assets. I found he has a business partner still living, a Mr. Occum. He provided a full accounting of your uncle’s business affairs. He’swilling to keep you on as a silent partner. Otherwise, he will buy you out of your share. I have his offer here, and I can set you up an appointment with my lawyer and an accountant so you can understand all the particulars before you decide.”
Rosalie’s head was spinning. “James, please—”
Tom leaned forward, eyes wide with interest. “How much is it?”
“His savings total about forty thousand pounds, and his half of the business is easily worth another eighty, less if you choose to liquidate your share,” he added for her. “The point is that it is yours. Sign the top paper in this folder, and we can make it official. Perhaps, when my mother joins us in the spring, she can give you lessons on how to double it. You’re tenacious and clever, I have no doubt you could manage it.”
This was all too much. “James, when?”
He raised a confused brow. “When, what?”
“When did you do all this?” she cried. “This is... investigating assets and meeting business partners and reports and...when?”
“The moment we arrived in London.”
She sat back, heart pounding in her ears. The moment they arrived, when he sent her alone into his house wearing his evening coat, his rejection of her still ringing in her ears. That was the moment he began finding her a fortune so his best friend could marry her. “James...”
“We need to talk about our situation,” he went on. “We need to come to a decision. The chaos with George changes everything. We cannot go on as planned.”
“Why not?”
“Because with George as the duke, and with his marriage to Piety, Alcott would have been a safe space for you. Youwould have had my mother, the new duchess, her sister, their friends, quickly there would have been children. All these feminine touches would excuse all whispers of impropriety.”
Her heart sank. “And now?”
“And now Alcott is home to a bachelor duke. I believe my mother refused to join us on purpose. She wants to create as untenable a situation as possible. You cannot stay here as my ward. It would be scandalous.”
“If I cannot stay, then I wonder why you dragged me along at all,” she said, rising to her feet. “You should have left me in London!”
“Rosalie, you’re not listening to him,” Burke soothed. “Did you not just hear him say I cannot stay—”
“As hisward,” Tom pressed. “Sweet girl, he’s right. Everything is changed. We said we’d not push the marriage issue unless we all thought it right. Protecting you is paramount, but to protect you, we mustalsoprotect James. Marry James, and you can stay at Alcott as his wife, not his ward. There will not be a hint of impropriety then.”
“This is the best course,” Burke agreed. “Marry James, and we all get what we want.”
“And what is that?” she said, glancing from one to the other.
“To love and cherish you for the rest of our days,” Burke replied. “Between the three of us, we will give you a life so full of happiness. There will be children, a family. Adventure if you want it. Tom can sail a boat, James is rich as Croesus, and I promise to make you laugh every hour of the day.”
“You’d never be alone again, Rose,” Tom added with a smile. “Never worry. Never struggle. No bars and no limits. Just... freedom.”
Her heart was racing out of control. “This is madness. This cannot be happening. You talk of children?” She spun to face James. “You cannot possibly be willing to accept this.”
