Page 24 of King of Rogues
Monsale moved in for the kill. He screwed up his face. “On paper, yes. But…”
“But what?” exclaimed Lady Shadbolt.
“If you deduct the amount of money, I owe my creditors and the bank you will find there actually isn’t much left. To be frank with you, I was kind of hoping young Miriam’s dowry would see some of the more pressing creditors away from my doorstep for a time. After that, who knows. We may well have to go and live in a cheaper part of town. Or even move in with you.”
Lord Shadbolt pushed back his chair and got to his feet. His wife and daughter did the same. “So, what you are saying is that you are flimsy with your money?”
Monsale remained seated. “Steady on old chap. It’s not entirely my fault that everything in this house is mortgaged.”
He waved a hand grandly about in the air. “It doesn’t really matter that one day the bank will probably come and take the carpets, the furniture, likely even the salt and pepper shakers. As long as Miriam and I are happy that’s what truly counts. Don’t you agree?”
The Shadbolt’s moved as one toward the door and out into the foyer. Lord Shadbolt bellowed for his carriage to be made ready for their departure. “We are leaving immediately.”
He turned to Monsale, slowly shaking his head. “You and my daughter would never suit. Thank you for this evening. Good night, your grace.”
Lady Miriam hurried to her father’s side. “But Papa, you said he was the one. He had deep pockets.”
Her father put an arm around his daughter’s shoulder. “Don’t you fret my dear. Papa will find you a rich, elderly baron to marry. With luck, he won’t have more than a few years in him and once he has slipped off you will be set up for life.”
Monsale painted a pained and disappointed expression on his face. But inside he was dancing a jig of glee. As the Monsale House butler escorted the guests out, Adan stepped into the foyer.
“That ended rather early and abruptly, your grace. The second course is yet to be served. Didn’t they enjoy the food?”
He shook his head slowly. “More like Lord and Lady Shadbolt didn’t appreciate the size of my bank account. Told them I had a few financial problems which their daughter’s dowry might help to alleviate. When they discovered that I wasn’t flush with money, they couldn’t get out of here fast enough.”
Adan snorted. As he had been overseeing the accounts for many years, the steward knew to the exact penny how much was in both the official and secret bank accounts of the Monsale estate.
“That reminds me. You will need to make a trip to Garrard’s in the morning and order a new set of silver salt and pepper shakers. We appear to have misplaced some this evening.”
“The nerve,” muttered Adan.
The table pieces were easily replaced. And while he had been fortunately spared from a life of forever keeping a wary eye on his light-fingered in-laws, Monsale was still without a wife.
Two down, one to go.
One name was now left on the list. All his hopes pinned on a woman he had never met and who might just transpire to be as terrible an option, or god forbid worse, as the first two had been.
And all of this because Naomi is too bloody stubborn to throw her hat in the ring.
If she could just see her way to bend a little, give him but an inch, he might still be able to save the Monsale title and fortune.
Some things are easier said than done.
Chapter Nine
Ten Days to go.
Redditch House, Grosvenor Street
* * *
Excitement bubbled in Naomi’s stomach. Tonight, Gus and Evangeline Jones would get to celebrate their recent marriage with his English friends and family. The couple had been wed in France earlier in the year but had decided to delay their wedding party until their arrival in London.
Having met the charming Evangeline earlier in the week, Naomi could well understand why Gus had left his country to start a new life with her in Brittany. The French beauty was certainly captivating.
Her own delight in hearing the news that Lady Miriam Shadbolt was not going to be the new Duchess of Monsale also added to Naomi’s buoyant mood. There was only one name now left on the list of potential brides. One woman who stood between her and having Monsale finally admit his mistake and beg for her hand in marriage.
Tonight however, she was going to do her best to set aside all worries of the tall, brown-haired noble who constantly teased and tempted her. This was Evangeline and Augustus Jones’s night to shine.
