Page 40 of Ruthless with a Rogue
Livy's nerves danced uncomfortably.She didn't understand what hid beneath those words, butsomethingdid.
“I do.I truly do,” Lady Pennington murmured softly, her gaze sharp as she swept it over the man in question.“It is a rare sight to see Lord Dunmore actingproperlywith a lady.It makes one wonder if perhaps it is possible to bring the beast to heel.”
She turned to Livy, dark red curls flying.“A word of advice.If you have caught the Marquess’s interest, do not take it lightly.The mamas of the ton have been throwing their daughters in his path for years, to no avail.”
Livy opened her mouth to deny the statement, but Lady Rutledge's snort cut her off.The marchioness leaned over and squeezed Lady Pennington's arm.“Ohmygoodness,” she said on a laughing breath.“Isn't that the truth?Remember when poor Georgiana ended up in the Serpentine when her mother tried exactly that?”
The women tittered and two sets of dancing eyes landed on Livy.She shook her head, and an awkward laugh bubbled out of her.“I appreciate the advice, but I don’t foresee a courtship between the Marquess and myself.I am hoping to gain the attention of another gentleman.”
“Well, whoever he is, I do hope there is some intelligence rattling around in his head.Otherwise, you’ll end up like me, listening to him chatter on about his so-called lucrative investments.”Lady Pennington snorted and muttered, “Pretending every other word out of his mouth isn’t completely daft.”
Lady Rutledge bit back a smile.“They’re not all so bad.You don’t want to scare the poor dear.My Rupert turned out to be a fine husband, and we were an arranged marriage.”Lady Rutledge’s green eyes glowed as she stared fondly at her husband.
Livy’s heart squeezed.That was exactly what she wanted.That look on Lady Rutledge’s face.The love and adoration.The ease and happiness that so clearly flowed between them.
“And I was nothing like the wife he wanted.”
Livy almost missed Lady Rutledge’s soft whisper, her words nearly lost in the hubbub of the park revelers.Something akin to hope sparked in her chest.It was so close to Livy’s situation.Perhaps Lady Rutledge’s story would hold true for her and Warren as well.
The men paused up ahead, and the women strolled up to join them.Lord Rutledge shifted uncomfortably, his polite smile forced.Lord Dunmore gazed absently around the park, his mouth set in a flat line.
“What fool would pay 975 pounds over five years when one could pay 930 pounds at the end of two years instead?”Lord Pennington chuckled.“They tried to spin some fanciful tale of interest yields at five per cent and annual installments, but I didn’t budge.Do they take me for a fool?”
Lord Rutledge wrinkled his brow.“I don’t believe they were attempting to deceive you, Pennington.”
“Of course they were.Crooks, the lot of them.”
It comes out to the same thing.
All eyes turned to Livy.Fiddlesticks.She groaned inwardly.She had said her thoughts aloud again.
“Pardon?”Lord Pennington peered down at her.
“Apologies, my lord.I meant that there is no difference between the two options.Assuming the five per cent annual yield, of course.”
Lord Pennington chuckled.“Are you trying to tell me that 975 pounds and 930 pounds are one in the same?”He glanced around the group.“I fear for this young lady.Ladies are known for their delicate minds, but this may be the most extreme case I’ve witnessed.”
Livy blinked at the man’s outrageous rudeness.Keeping a smile plastered on her face, Livy gritted her teeth and tried to swallow down her frustration.But it was too thick, too dry.Don’t say anything further, Livy.Do.Not.
“Theirpresent valueis the same,” her traitorous tongue said.“You must take into account the time value of money.I’m assuming they said you would pay roughly 195 pounds per annum for the five years.If you discount those payments back to today and discount the 930 pounds back two years, you get roughly 844 pounds and 5 shillings in each case.So, if you simply discount each payment back to today and then invest in the funds with a guaranteed return of five per cent, there would be no difference.”
Silence descended upon the group.Lady Pennington and Lady Rutledge stared at her with slack faces and wide eyes.
Shame licked across her cheeks, and a heaviness settled in her chest.Why couldn’t she have ignored his patronizing comment?He was clearly incompetent.Honestly, she felt bad for the man.His state of affairs was probably atrocious, considering his incomprehension of basic finance.
“Dear girl,” Lord Pennington snapped, his face turning a deeper shade of red.“It is clear that no one has taught you when to hold your tongue, but it is best not to speak to subjects one does not understand.I’d tread carefully in the future.There are those who might not be so forgiving of such impertinence.”
She toed the ground underneath her skirts, properly chastised, and did her best not to squirm too visibly.She was supposed to be ingratiating herself to these people.Instead, she had ruined it like a complete ninny.
“You would do well to heed your own advice.”Lord Dunmore’s cold voice sliced through the tense silence.“Everything Miss Forester said was correct.Ironically enough, I recently entered into a similar contract for a debt I just acquired.I chose the five-year repayment.I suppose you believe I am an idiot, then, Pennington?”
Looking up, Livy caught Lord Dunmore’s gaze.His teeth flashed, but no one would ever mistake that for a smile.He was angry…on her behalf?A fluttering broke through the heaviness weighing on her.
“I… Well…” Lord Pennington stumbled slightly.
Lord Dunmore leaned forward.“See, what I did—because I amfarfrom an idiot—was took the present value of each payment I am due to pay and invested that amount in a fund guaranteeing 7%.Do you know what that means, Pennington?”
Lord Pennington’s mouth pressed tight, something ugly burning in his dark eyes.He didn’t respond.
