An aggravated or perhaps pained sound escaped Daniel. “What can I offer you, then? A vow written in blood? Or—”
“As you have not found a woman who has tempted you into marriage, yet youmustmarry, I would like for you to consider one of your cousins as your bride.”
In the corridor, Alec sucked in a breath. Damn it all. He hoped no one heard him.
“I beg your pardon!” Daniel sounded aghast at the suggestion. “Uncle Henry, you cannot be serious.”
“I am rather,” the viscount said evenly. “Then you’d be my son in name and your obligation to Caroline and my girls will always be secure. Now, Poppy is the oldest—”
“I amnotgoing to marry Poppy!”
A bit of relief washed over Alec at that pronouncement.
“You prefer Laurel?” Lord Halwell continued calmly. “She is a bit more dramatic, but perhaps—”
“I do not want to marry either of them,” Daniel said firmly. “They are like my sisters, for pity’s sake. The same goes for Georgie and Bella too before you throw their names in the mix.”
“Well, they’renotyour sisters,” the viscount returned. “None of them. And I want you to consider the merits of the idea. The viscountcy entailment could very well be a noose around your neck if theunentailed fortune that it takes to run things about here were to be dispersed to various charities or even to the girls themselves instead of landing in your coffers.”
“Are you blackmailing me?” Daniel breathed out.
“I am securing the family line and my daughters’ futures. Some day you may find yourself doing the same thing.”
A scoff sounded from the room.
“Do think on it while your leg heals, my dear boy.”
Less than a moment later, a dark-haired, middle-aged man who wouldn’t have looked like a blackmailer to the average, untrained eye stepped into the corridor and his light gaze landed directly on Alec.
“Ah, Captain Galbraith! Good to see you are conscious and up and about,” he said with an easy smile.
“Lord Halwell, I presume?” Alec said, starting once more toward his friend’s bedchamber now that his position had been discovered.
“The very one,” the viscount said as he stepped past Alec, seeming rather pleased with himself. “Do enjoy your stay at The Chase, Captain. We are glad to have you with us.”
But not as glad as he was to have his nephew over a barrel, Alec would wager. He heaved a sigh and then crossed the threshold into his friend’s bedchamber. He found his friend blinking in his general direction as though an anvil had just landed on his head.
Open mouthed, Daniel pointed to the corridor. “You will not believe what he just said to me.”
“Heard every word.” Alec closed the door behind him and then crossed the floor to sit at his friend’s bedside. “Shall I hire a coach and spirit you out of here in the dead of night?”
Daniel raked a hand though his dark hair as he seemed to contemplate the offer. Then he shook his head in continued disbelief. “What the devil am I supposed to do about that?”
“Assuming you don’t want to marry one of your cousins?” He rested his cane across his lap.
“Very amusing,” his friend complained. He blinked once more in surprise. “The truth is, Idolove my cousins. I do not, however, have any sort of desire to marry one of them.”
Something loosened around Alec’s heart at that pronouncement. He hadn’t even realized his heart had constricted until that moment. Odd, that. He shook the sensation away instead of wondering about it. “When they all find husbands of their own, I’m certain Halwell will be more amendable. Once he believes their futures are secured, he will not cripple the viscountcy.”
Daniel snorted. “Bella is thirteen.Thirteen.”
“I don’t think I’ve met that one yet.” Georgie was the one who’d come upon Alec and Poppy in the attic, wasn’t she? How was Alec to keep anything straight with his mind swirling as it was?
“My point is, I have many years untilshefinds a husband.”
“Life of the heirismore difficult than that of the black sheep spare,” Alec acknowledged, as their earlier conversation on the matter echoed in the back of his mind. “I can honestly say that no one has ever tried to blackmail me into marriage before.” He shrugged then. “You could always buy your commission and head off for the continent. Perhaps when you return, all of this will have sorted itself out.”
“Is that your solution to all familial issues?” Daniel narrowed his eyes on Alec.
