“I’m not up to … I’d rather you read to me.” He points to a chair. “Pull it close then read. I’m dying to hear more of this story.”
Bewildered, I do so and pick up the book. “Pride and Prejudice, by A. Lady. This isn’t a joke?”
“I remember you read quite well.”
“Yes, I can read. That’s all you want?”
“I’ve been deprived of how you sound when you’re happy. Since I lack the power to order you to be happy, reading is a good substitute.”
“And my happiness matters?”
“It does. I have said so to Steele. I have him looking for the perfect man for you.”
I sit back and almost stamp my feet. “Picking someone with no input from me? Well, that sounds right.”
“You’ll have plenty of input, but I will make a preliminary assessment. That saves time. You’ll not marry someone poor or ill-tempered or anyone with a history of abuses.”
“Is that so?”
“Da. For the most part—poverty makes men do terrible things.”
“You had means when we met, but you didn’t have the wealth you have today.”
He shakes a finger at me. “See? Strange things, like leaving a perfectly good wife to go fight demons in London.”
Jahleel laughs, but it’s not an easy one. “I know your temperament, Katia. The man for you must have a sense of humor, be secure in his own worth, and allow you to be brilliant and bold. I don’t think I need to say anything about hidden vices.”
Tavis was a gambler. His father was, too. That is an awful defect. Jahleel—they lied about him, saying he had their sins. I was such a fool.
His face blanks. “And he must be in perfect health. It’s the only way to give you forever.”
I lock my jaw purposefully, otherwise it will fall to the floor.
“You don’t agree, Katherine?”
“No, it’s not that … You are having him make a similar exploration for you.”
“Yes, I want a widow, preferably with children. That way we know she’s fertile and has experience with loss.”
I must be red in the face. “This sounds reasonable.”
“That’s why I pick good matches. That’s why you asked for my assistance, right?”
I rub my fevered cheeks. “I’ve been working for three years to beat you, to save my father’s company. And—”
“And it’s Tavis’s fault it’s failing. I mean, if you’d known he was taking money, you’d have stopped him.”
All of my biggest sins are exposed, but not all of Tavis’s. And I’m done with revelations that do nothing but cause more pain. “I managed the ledgers. Wilcox Coal’s situation is my fault. I should never have put Tavis or the company in a position to ruin my father’s legacy.”
“You take the blame. Who’s magnanimous now?” He threads his fingers together. “Tavis was a great many things, but he’d never want you held responsible.”
What was the wise man trying to do? What new had he learned? I shake my head. “Let’s forget about the past. Let’s dive intoPride and Prejudice.”
I flip a few pages. “I’m not sure where you stopped.”
“I’m not sure either. I’ll have to ask Scarlett when she stops by.”
I begin in a random spot—the sculpted words flow.
