Chapter 16 #2
Selling to Varley could be to their advantage, and especially his.
The man was ridiculously wealthy but unfairly unlucky in his disapproving mother-in-law.
“Selling Mama’s property had always been a possibility once I had the deed in hand.
But there is a chance that one of my brothers might want the property.
I’ll have to speak with them first before I make any announcement that it is for sale.
However, I’m prepared to lease it to you immediately. ”
“You are, as ever, the best friend a beleaguered husband could ever hope for. If there’s not going to be a proposal, I’d like to hurry home to tell my wife the good news.”
“There won’t be here,” he whispered.
Varley rushed off grinning, but Lady Kent smoothly took his place. “Would you care to sit down, Your Grace?”
“I prefer to stand,” he answered, wishing he’d left with Varley.
“You’ve been distant tonight,” she murmured. “Is something on your mind?”
“Yes.”
“You’re thinking too much, Your Grace,” she said, giggling. “I demand you stop.”
Her giggling laughter grated on his nerves. “I often do think.”
“But it’s my party.” She laughed and patted his arm when he didn’t laugh along with her. “What is it that distracts you so much tonight?”
He drained his brandy glass.
She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You know, you can always confide in me. We worry about the same things, I’m sure.”
“What do you worry about?”
“Well, I cannot imagine it is easy having your brothers and their wives staying at Ravenswood for so long.”
He raised a brow at her remark. “It is their home.”
“But it must be vexing that the younger ones have taken such scandalous brides, and now the first one has returned, secret babe on hip. You must have been shocked like I was.”
“Surprised, but I happen to adore their wives.”
“Of course you do,” she said, smiling. “I look forward to meeting them all soon. Perhaps at Christmas,” she asked, brow arching in question.
Algernon was planning a quiet Christmas with just his immediate family, and Maggie at the heart of the festivities.
Lady Kent sighed as her young footman turned lover walked past bearing another full tray. “I shall be sad to never host another party here for you.”
“Will you be sad to dismiss that young footman, too?”
Her gaze flew to her lover as he stood watching them across the room, ignoring the other guests.
She gulped. “Not at all.”
“Husbands want no doubt that their heirs will be theirs alone.”
Lady Kent blinked rapidly, and then her face paled. “Of course, Your Grace.”
“Well, now that that’s out in the open, I trust there’s no more that needs to be said about the matter,” he warned.
She failed to meet his gaze and edged away a little. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“Neither do I, madam. Seeing you pawing a servant outside an inn was not what I expected from you.”
Her gaze flew to his.
“We will never speak of it or marriage again.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Algernon didn’t remain to hear another word. He stayed another half hour for the sake of appearances, enduring several conversations with men who tried to pry into his plans regarding Lady Kent. Some were blunt, some outright rude.
“When’s the wedding to be?” one foolish, drunken fellow asked.
“Wait and see,” Algernon answered, finishing his drink but setting the glass down harder than he’d intended before he headed for the door.
At half past ten, he said good evening to a transparently frightened Lady Kent and escaped.
His carriage swiftly delivered him back to Grosvenor Square, and it was long enough to provide clarity of thought.
Lady Kent was a facade. Polished, smiling, composed—but an empty choice within. He didn’t feel sorry for her. He didn’t even particularly care what happened to her now. She was what his father told him he should want in a wife. What his debts demanded he acquire.
And yet, every time he thought of marriage, he thought of Maggie.
He stepped into his town house and breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered light shining beneath the library doors despite the late hour.
He paused in the doorway, gratified to find it occupied by his favorite houseguest. Maggie had waited up for him.
She was curled up on the settee under a large woolen blanket, hiding the dreary round gown she’d worn every second day, since she appeared to have only the two. She had a book open on her knees, and her brows furrowed in pretend concentration.
She only ever frowned when she pretended.
Maggie glanced up when he cleared his throat and smiled hesitantly. “You’re home early.”
“I was done.” He came toward her slowly, removing his coat and rolling up his sleeves. “You waited up for me.”
“I wasn’t tired.”
He admired her openly, his heart melting a little more. Her eyes were bright, but her fingers were smudged faintly with ink. He wiggled his fingers. “You’ve been working on our project again tonight, I see.”
“Yes,” she said, glancing at her ink-stained fingers, then reaching for a square of paper. “A note came from Lord Varley while you were out.” She held it out, folded and still sealed.
He took it, broke the seal, and read it out loud to Maggie.
Your Grace,
I need to discuss an immediate lease of the town house next door for my mama-in-law, whether you sell or not. I’ll call on you tomorrow morning to discuss terms.
Sincerely, Varley
Algernon folded the note with deliberate care and then laughed out loud. “Something disastrous must have happened when Varley got home tonight.”
“Oh?”
“Lord Varley was at the party I just left. He slipped away early to tell his wife about the deed you found for me. His wife and mother-in-law must have started squabbling again. Poor man.”
“I thought you planned to sell it.”
“I probably will sell to Varley in the end, but first, I must discuss the matter with my brothers. It occurred to me they might wish for the house to settle some of the debt.”
“But you could keep it when you marry?”
He could if he wanted to. “Perhaps I could.”
Maggie nodded slowly. She rose, smoothing her skirt down and looked up at him. “Selling is a good idea if you have no further use for it.”
“I thought so, too. We, my brothers and I, each had our own little cottages in the countryside, but we all sold when the truth about my father’s death was discovered.”
“That was a sensible decision at the time.”
Algernon dragged in a slow breath. Even with a short-term lease, before the sale of a town house, he still had insufficient funds to repay his brothers in full.
But it was a good start. There would be other smaller opportunities to exploit in the months and years to come.
He did not feel pressed down by the same panic he’d initially felt now he would marry Maggie.
“Maggie, I haven’t proposed to Lady Kent.”
“But you will.”
“No, I don’t think so. It was Lady Kent I saw with that young footman on our way to London. Her lover is in her employ. A servant I saw tonight, in her home.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “Oh dear.”
“I require my heirs to be my own offspring, without any doubts in my mind.”
“So you would have to begin your search for an heiress again?”
“No, I won’t,” he promised. “I want you.”
Maggie stepped away from him, her body tense.
He followed her across the room, turned her about, and tilted her chin up. “What do you want from me, Maggie?” he murmured. “Because I think I’d give anything to provide it.”
“What I want is for you to be happy.” She reached up and laid her hand on his chest.
He brought her hand to his lips. He didn’t argue. He just looked at her until her cheeks turned red. “I can survive the loss of a great many things, Maggie. But not a life without you.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “Don’t say such things.”
He kissed her forehead. Gently. Reverently and then looked deep into her eyes. “Tell me this: would you be content living in the shadows of my life? As a secret?”
Her lips parted, but no sound came for a long moment. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Are you asking if I want to be a kept woman?”
“No.” His tone was firm. A mistress was the last thing he wanted. “I am asking what price I must pay for you. For your happiness, your pride, your company. Because I have decided that the cost of marrying for duty or wealth alone is too high for me.”
The silence stretched between them.
Then she stepped closer. “I don’t want to be a secret. I don’t want to be a kept woman.”
“I don’t want you to be either one, but I want you.”
He took her hands in his, the connection simple and searing all at once.
He nodded. “I’ve been afraid to reach for what I want. You. Only you. You were always enough, Maggie. You are much more than I ever deserved and all that I hope for.”
Maggie’s eyes widened and then she stepped back. “I’m going to bed.”
He sighed, disappointed that she didn’t want what he did…yet. Tomorrow, he would begin a proper courtship. Flowers and gifts. He already had the little figure from the toy shop in his room. He would convince her to imagine a much better future with him.
“Good night, Maggie.”
“Will you join me, Algernon?”
He gaped at her in surprise.
When he ruined Maggie tonight, he would have to marry her. And when he married Maggie, he would gain so much…
He would be richer than he’d ever dreamed.
And that, finally, felt like his decision had been made.