“Am I?” The earl picked up his teacup and paused before taking a sip. “Tell me, Stratton. What’s your financial situation like these days?”
11
Achill descended upon Callum’s shoulders. He stared into Rosemont’s demanding eyes while uncomfortably aware of Emily’s presence. She’d stilled in response to the question and seemed to hold her breath now while waiting to see how he would respond.
He wouldn’t lie, but he did have a question of his own that needed asking.
“It sounds as though you believe I might be struggling. You’re not wrong, but I’d like to know how you found out.”
“It’s difficult not to notice when a duke begins using hackneys in favor of his own carriage.” Rosemont tilted his head while studying Callum. “That aside, you and your reprobate friends have all been selling off various items in recent weeks. A source tells me you’ve put the furniture at your country estate up for auction. Adding two and two together isn’t hard when one can recall the foolish excess that governed your lives just one year ago.”
Callum hung his head in defeat. He’d worried his situation would become public knowledge as soon as he’d started ridding himself of his belongings, but what other choice had there been? He’d had expenses and no income. It wasn’t until he’d received his share of the advance on the book he and his friends had written that things had started looking up. If only a little. The funds had provided some peace of mind but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be cautious. He’d learned a valuable lesson from his mistake and intended to take better care of his money from now on.
“You’re right.” He lifted his gaze while doing his best to ignore Emily’s presence. How disappointed she must be in him. It didn’t bear thinking about at the moment. Later, when they had a chance to speak privately, he would explain. “I spent more than I could afford and have had to face the consequences, but you’re wrong if you think me a fortune hunter. My only interest in Lady Emily is in Lady Emily herself. I do not care about her dowry, my lord.”
“I wish I could believe that.”
Callum dipped his chin. “You’re free to craft the marriage contract in such a way that I’ll have no access to her fortune.”
“I can assure you that already crossed my mind,” Rosemont told him. “What I wish to know is what you will be bringing to this marriage, Your Grace. Besides a title, that is.”
“Most people would think a title enough,” Callum said, his muscles tensing in response to the thinly veiled suggestion that he had nothing to offer besides that.
“I am not most people,” Rosemont informed him. “I don’t subscribe to the idea of buying a title through marriage. As an earl, I’m also of the opinion that my daughter will do just fine without becoming the Duchess of Stratton. So if that’s your only asset, I must say I’m quite unimpressed.”
“Naturally, I’m also offering myself, Lord Rosemont. I’d like to think that I am worth more than a title. Having spent a decent amount of time with your daughter lately, I believe she and I will suit each other well. We get along and seem to enjoy each other’s company tremendously. Beyond that, I’m incredibly fond of her.”
Rosemont exchanged a look with his wife before glancing at his daughter. “What say you, Emily? I’m sure we can find a way out of this for you if you desire.”
Callum froze. His heart started pounding. This entire debacle, from going to Seaton Hall, to pretending they were courting, to him going down on bended knee, had been a colossal mistake from start to finish. But, it had also made him certain of one thing: he wanted Emily for his wife. Desperately.
He turned to her for the first time since this conversation began and saw the stunned look on her face. Her eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted, as though she were lost and had no idea of the direction in which to turn.
Callum took her hand and willed her gaze to meet his. Once it did, he told her gently, “I will always be your friend, ready to offer support and guidance whenever you need it. I’ll do what I can to ensure your happiness, and while it is true that I’m not as wealthy as one might expect, I’m no pauper either. Stratton House is a fine place to live and although I’ve had to be frugal lately, I’m not yet in debt.”
Thankfully this was something he’d managed to stay out of by refusing to take loans.
Indecision swam in Emily’s eyes. “I worry this isn’t the only thing you’ve been hiding.”
“I wasn’t hiding anything. It simply wasn’t relevant until this moment.”
“When my father brought it up.”
She had him there. Even though he’d intended to be transparent with her about his finances, it was impossible for him to prove it. She’d always think he’d attempted to trick her into marrying someone who couldn’t afford to keep his own carriage. Especially now that her father had questioned if he’d been after her money all along.
“Your grandparents will understand your reason for breaking off the engagement as soon as we tell them the duke tried to trap you,” Rosemont said.
The insult stabbed at Callum’s pride. Anger burn at the base of his skull. He fisted his hands and sent the earl a disdainful glare. “I did no such thing, my lord!”
“The evidence says otherwise.” Rosemont huffed a breath and scrubbed his jaw. “Thankfully, no public announcement has yet been made.”
“And I trust there have been no compromising acts in public,” Lady Rosemont said.
“Of course not,” Emily promised her mother.
“In other words,” Rosemont said, “the engagement can be easily undone.”
The earl’s words clawed at Callum’s heart. This couldn’t be happening. Although it was true that he’d had no aspirations of marriage that morning, he was suddenly eager to cling to them with dear life.
