Page 93 of Falling Into Bed with a Duke
“You can’t mean that. Your estates, your legacy—”
“Can go the devil.” He grimaced, shook his head. “They won’t. I’ll make sure they don’t. You were wrong when you said that I didn’t care about my responsibilities, that I squandered my inheritance. The estates were not bringing in the income they once were, so I made some investments that, unfortunately, proved to be unwise.” He walked to the desk, placed a slip of paper at its edge, picked up her father’s pen, dipped in an inkwell, and held it toward her. “Write down three numbers, small ones, in a vertical line that I can tally.”
“I don’t see what this has to do with anything.”
“Just do it. Please.”
With an impatient sigh, she walked to the desk, snatched the pen from between his fingers, and redipped the pen in the inkwell. She looked at him askance. “You seem to have recovered from my knee’s causing you to double over.”
“I’m surprised you were able to maneuver so well.”
“I’d left my petticoats at the dressmaker, so I had more room to maneuver. I was hoping for a chance to deliver a decisive blow.”
“You’re a bloodthirsty wench.”
“You shouldn’t be surprised. I told you that first night that I would take joy in killing a man who hurt me.”
“So you did. Three numbers.”
She did as he requested.
5
7
9
Putting a finger on the edge of the paper, he dragged it closer to himself and stared at it. Closed his eyes. Opened them. Squinted. “I can’t tally them. In my head, all I see is chaos. I know they are numbers. I know they form a sum. But I can’t understand them. And I can’t explain why I have such trouble with them. Lord Marsden told me my father was the same way. Numbers made no sense to him. He trusted Marsden. I only found out a few days ago when I went to Havisham. I’ve been too proud to admit that I have this difficulty. So when my man of business gathered information on various investments, I had him explain the risks verbally, I listened to his recommendations, and I made what I thought were the best choices. What he considered an acceptable risk, had I been able to analyze the numbers, I might not have. When I returned to England, I discovered the investments were losing money and, with very little income at my disposal and a ghastly amount of upkeep needed on my estates, I had very little left in my coffers.”
“How can you not understand numbers?”
“I’m at a loss, Minerva. Although I feel stupid, I’m not. I master other things. But numbers baffle me.”
She sighed. “So you lost your fortune and decided you needed to marry a woman with a substantial dowry. And you pursued me.”
“Not exactly. I met a woman at the Nightingale who intrigued me. Then I discovered her at a party and was further taken with her. The fact that she had a dowry hardly mattered. I wanted to get to know her. Then I fell in love with her. I didn’t realize it until she walked out on me.”
With his declaration, Minerva’s heart slammed against her ribs. She had longed for a declaration of love, and yet she was hesitant to believe them. He’d studied her book. He knew the correct things to say. But she couldn’t quite bring herself to toss them back into his face. Rather, she needed to remind him of the reality of the situation. “Except now she doesn’t have a dowry.”
He grinned. “But she knows how to invest. I have a little capital. Whether or not she marries me, I want her to help me rebuild my fortune.”
“Perhaps we could stop talking about her as though she weren’t in the room?”
His smile grew. “Will you help me figure out what I need to do to get back on my feet?”
“I suppose I could see my way clear to do that.”
“When I have no need of a dowry, will you marry me?”
She cradled his jaw. “Ashe—”
“Tell me what I must do to convince you that I love you.”
“I want to believe you. It just seems too incredible to me that someone like you could love me.”
“Because you don’t see yourself as I do. Here, I want to show you something.” He reached into his pocket, withdrew a small rectangle, and handed it to her.
It was a photograph of a woman sitting near a pond. Her face revealed such strength, such character, such invincibility, and yet there was a vulnerability to her as well, a delicateness—
