Chapter 18

Chapter 18

How could she turn her chair back around and face the man behind her? She could not stomach it. Not right away. Just a few moments were needed to compose herself and let the news sink in. He should have told her when it happened. The duke ought to have informed her what the weaselly man was attempting to do the day that it happened.

They had been alone together so many times since it had happened. He could have told her the night of the ball that they attended instead of quickly ushering the lot of them out of there and bringing them back home.

Through the window in the office, she could see a good view of the sprawling grounds to the back of the property and a lovely view of the gardens which were so lovingly cultivated. Even better, was the sight of her younger sister Kitty, walking beside William. Even from here she could see the bright way that the pair of them were smiling at one another.

There was absolutely nothing that she was not willing to do for her sister and her girls. Of course, it would not have been her first choice to have been placed into a marriage for profit, but it turned out just fine. She had even come to be very fond of Jacob.

Kitty deserved the chance to be happy, in whatever form that came for her. Just like when her girls come of age, Lydia did not have any true desire to marry them off without their consent. Those were patterns that she was unwilling to repeat.

“Are you planning on giving in to his request?” Lydia asked, dreading the answer.

“Of course not,” the duke answered, his voice heavy.

Lydia’s eyes closed, letting his words settle over her heavily for a long moment. There was no way that she was going to allow that terrible man into this home. He would not take up residence here and he certainly was not going to encroach upon her girl’s lives or her own. He had no right.

That terrible leech of a man would keep every penny for himself and not allow them a living. It would ruin them and her girl’s chance of future marriage. Or, worse, he would attempt to marry one of the four women himself. Be it now or when they were of age. Lydia’s stomach soured at the thought.

Over her dead body.

“I thought that I might take a visit to London for a short while. There is some research that I would like to conduct that might give us some options for handling Cassian. I would like to see what I can do to try to get ahead of this whole situation, ahead of the story or discredit him in some way before he has a chance to act on things.” Weston offered.

Lydia wondered what good it could possibly do? Was there a point? Kitty would have to be informed that her reputation might be ruined… or worse. A scandal coming out like this was going to bring shame to her late husband’s memory for being the one to fund everything that needed to happen at the time.

Jacob had paid off all of father’s debts as well as the silence of those who wished to ruin Kitty. All of that would be undone with a few words. Though, she could not imagine what sort of proof that the leech thought that he could actually have.

After another long moment of silence, she finally spun back around to face the duke, his remorse and concern etched into his handsome face. “I understand why you did what you did. I wish you would have told me, but I appreciate that you are telling me now. I certainly do not expect you to give up your inheritance just to save my sister.”

“You think that my concern is the money?” Weston half smiled, but it was not an amused expression.

“I do not care about the money, my lady, for I have more than enough funds for my life. I will not cave to his demands because I do not wish to see the estate to be taken out from under you. I cannot bear it. You have proven that you belong here, as do your daughters. This is their father’s home, and they love it. They will grow and thrive here; it is the only future that I will allow.”

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “I would have hoped that you did not think so lowly of me in the time that we have gotten to know one another.” He trailed off for a moment and then shook his head, lifting out of the seat entirely.

If he had said such a thing to her yesterday, then she would have had an answer ready for him. She would have probably smiled at him, or even teased him about being unsure of her feelings when she thought that she had been perfectly clear about her desires even if she was not willing to act upon them.

She still fell asleep to fantasies of him each and every night. She awoke in the morning knowing that she had been dreaming of him. It was a restless, constant sort of desire that felt like an hourglass just waiting for the moment that the sand would run out and she would surrender to those impulses.

“The best way to ensure that the estate will be able to be left in your capable hands when this contestation is finished, will be to ensure that Cassian can never place a thin, greasy finger on the place.” Weston tried to smile down at her then, but the reality of the situation was truly starting to sink in.

“What if he comes here while you are away, Your Grace? What am I supposed to do then?” Lydia asked as Weston came closer. He took a seat on the edge of the desk, so close that if she just turned the chair slightly, she would be able to feel his thigh against her own.

“He will not. At his core, he is a coward. That is why he is doing this. He does not have the honor or ability to seek his own fortune, and he would much rather steal the fortune of others. I shall do my best to return quickly.” Weston assured her. “He is the sort of man that my father would call ‘worm-bellied’. Though, perhaps if he had been raised by parents as strict and cold as my own, then he would wish to be a better man. A protector.”

Lydia bit down on her bottom lip softly. She nodded once, accepting his words even though the prospect of him leaving made her nervous.

“I will make this better, my lady, I promise it.” Weston said.

Lydia believed him. Emotion threatened to choke her as she leaned forward and grabbed Weston’s hand. She pressed her forehead into his hand, then let her cheek rest against it, savoring the contact for as long as she could allow it. Weston squeezes her hand softly in return.

“I should ready my things. I shall depart this evening after dinner.” Weston said.

It felt too soon. Such an influx of information so quickly that she could not absorb it. More than that, she did not wish to see him go. “Do not—” Lydia swallowed back the words, unsure if she trusted herself to keep speaking. She was angry, of course, but she was more afraid.

Frightened of losing this deal, frightened that Weston might decide that this was too much of a burden and simply never return from London—frightened for her sister and everything that might come crashing down around them.

Whatever was to come, she wished to face it with him at her side. It was such a simpler thing to think of having him here to support her, to hold her perhaps. Was she willing to give that up? No.

Lydia’s eyes flicked upward to his, softening as she pulled on his hand slightly, urging him closer to her. “You cannot leave without a proper kiss goodbye.”