Page 52 of When a Marquis Chooses a Bride
What the hell was Worthington about suggesting that Thea keep all her property in a trust for her use only in addition to receiving an allowance? Thea would be Dom’s marchioness. Of course, he planned to be extremely generous. She would have no need for her own money. What woman did? And stating that she would have her own coaches and horses. It was unthinkable that she would not have her own phaeton or whatever type of sporting carriage she wanted as well as a team and a hack, with his approval naturally. Or did Worthington expect her to set up her own stable? No woman was capable of choosing good horseflesh.
He snatched the offending document from his desk and strode out the door. Walking should calm him down. A few minutes later, the door to Worthington House, where his cousin still kept his office, opened as Dom stalked up the steps.
The butler bowed. “Good morning, my lord. I believe his lordship is expecting you.”
Dom reined in his rage and inclined his head. “No doubt.”
Expecting him indeed. A footman opened the study door, depriving him of the satisfaction of slamming it back against the wall.
He waved the document in front of his cousin. “What the devil is the meaning of this?”
Worthington leaned back in his chair and slid a file from the side of his desk to the space in front of him. “Good morning to you as well.” He motioned with his hand to a chair. “Take a seat.”
Dom gritted his teeth, but remained standing. “I will not agree to this.”
His cousin smiled humorously. “Are you planning to jilt Dotty?”
Jilt her?Never. She was his. “No.”
Worthington shrugged. “Then you’ll sign it.”
Dom clenched and unclenched his hands. His desire to punch his cousin was almost overwhelming. “Has she seen this?”
Worthington raised a supercilious brow. “No. I’ve told her what’s in it, but she, of course, has no experience dealing with marriage settlements. What is important is that Sir Henry has approved it.” Worthington tapped the folder. “Dotty is merely happy that you are being so generous. In fact, even my stepmother is inclined to look more favorably upon you.”
Dom couldn’t keep the scowl off his face. “You did this to embarrass me and for no other reason.”
His cousin leaned forward, putting his elbows on the desk. “On the contrary. I did it to protect Dotty. As a matter of fact, my agreements with Grace are almost identical.”
Suddenly, he felt like one of the hot-air balloons that crashed down in the trees. He was so startled, he could only croak out, “Yours?”
Worthington reached over to a small table with a decanter and two glasses on it. After pouring some of the amber liquid into both tumblers, he offered one to Dom. “Brandy?”
“Yes, thank you,” he said, taking it gratefully.
“Grace and I aren’t the only ones to change the way we look at agreements and what a woman might need. Several of my friends have as well. It is a modern age, Merton. You might want to try entering the nineteenth century.”
He took a drink, savoring the smoky flavor and the burn as he swallowed. He did not need a lecture from his cousin, but he also didn’t need a fight. “I’ll sign it.”
Worthington smiled, and this time it was genuine. “I thought you might. By the way, I understand your mother wrote to Lady Stern, inviting her and Sir Henry to stay at Merton House until after the wedding.”
Dom nodded. Mama had told him of her idea, but he didn’t know if she’d received a response yet.
“They will arrive at the end of next week. That is the soonest the doctor will allow Lady Stern to travel.”
Of course they would come as soon as they were able. “I’d expected nothing less.”
Worthington raised a brow. “Do not make the mistake of thinking Sir Henry and Lady Stern care about your rank. All they are concerned with is Dotty’s happiness.”
Had the whole world gone mad? Sir Henry was a baronet. He should be strutting around like a bantam cock.
Something of what Dom had been thinking must have shown on his face, because Worthington added, “Sir Henry is almost of the opinion that the peerage should be abolished.”
For a moment, Dom was speechless. “But why? Doesn’t he benefit from our system of order at all?”
His cousin nodded. “Yes, but what is more important to him is that a few have so much and still enact laws to make life harder for those with very little. If I were you, I would try to avoid a political debate with him.”
Dom’s mind quit working. He had always assumed that only supporters of the French rebellion and the former American colonies held those beliefs. “Does he disparage you?”
