Embarrassed that she had been caught staring at Lord Kendal, Octavia ducked her head and accepted Fredrick’s hand into the coach. Lord Kendal was an intriguing man, that much was true, but she had no interest in taking suitors this Season.
Chapter Four
As the morning sun streamed through the windows, Harred sat at his desk in his study as he reviewed the accounts. It felt like a never-ending task but it had to be done. If not, livelihoods were at stake. It was a great responsibility that had fallen upon his shoulders, and he hoped he was up to the task.
He couldn’t fail. So why did the doubt always creep in? It had become a constant companion as of late, and he would do anything to banish these unwelcome thoughts.
The door flew open and his brother stormed into the room with an irate look on his face. “Why do you insist on ruining my chances with Lady Octavia?”
Harred calmly placed the paper down onto the desk and met his brother’s gaze. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you have no chance with Lady Octavia; you never did. I tried to tell you as much but you refused to listen.”
“You are just jealous of me,” his brother shouted.
“Not this again,” he muttered. “What, pray tell, do I have to be jealous about?”
William came to stand in front of the desk and glared down at him. “If I marry Lady Octavia, then I will be richer than you. You might even have to come to me for money.”
Harred huffed. What a ludicrous thought. He couldn’t believe his brother could even say that comment with a straight face, considering how he squandered his money. “I assure you that will never happen.”
“Regardless, you will not stand in my way. I will have Lady Octavia as a wife and you can continue on with your pitiful life.”
Leaning back in his seat, Harred asked, “Does Lady Octavia have a say in this? I only ask because her brother, Lord Chatsworth, is adamant that she goes nowhere near you.”
William’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What did you say to him?”
“I said nothing that he didn’t already know,” Harred said. “Your reputation precedes you, especially when it comes to the ladies. No respectable young woman wants to associate with you. Surely you know that.”
“If you were a good brother, you would have defended me,” William asserted. “You are no better than the gossips that love to wag their tongues.”
Harred glanced down at the large stack of papers on his desk before asking, “Is there something that you wanted or are you just here to argue?”
William sat down on the chair that faced the desk. “I need to woo Lady Octavia. You are acquainted with her. What should I do?”
Surely his brother didn’t think he would help him. “I only just became acquainted with Lady Octavia. Besides, I will not help you trick her into taking you as a suitor.”
“I saw the way that Lady Octavia smiled around you and I want to be the one that makes her smile like that,” William admitted. “Frankly, I have yet to make her smile.”
This was the last conversation that he wanted to have with his brother. He had no designs on Lady Octavia but that didn’tmean he wished ill-will to fall upon her. And that is precisely what would happen if she married William. His brother wouldn’t treat her with the love and respect that she deserved.
“I’m sorry, but I think it would be best if you didn’t pursue Lady Octavia,” Harred said. “She will never sink so low as to accept your offer of courtship.”
William jumped up from his seat. “You must want her for yourself!” he exclaimed. “That is the only reason why you won’t help me.”
“There are many reasons why I won’t help you, but this is a natural consequence of your disreputable behavior. Perhaps if you stopped cavorting around Town and became more serious in your nature.”
“Like you?” William scoffed. “You work entirely too much and you never have any fun.”
“I have fun,” he defended. “Furthermore, someone needs to see to all this work. It would go a long way if you agreed to help me with running the estate.”
William tilted his chin stubbornly. “I will not lower myself to taking a job like a commoner,” he declared in a haughty fashion.
“It is a respectable position,” Harred said. “You would bring in an income and start maintaining your own accounts. It is time that you grow up and take responsibility for your own household.”
“But it won’t be my household, will it?” William asked.
“You can continue living at the estate or live in one of the properties on the land.”
William pointed his finger at Harred. “You want me to move out and live in the countryside?” he asked. “This was your diabolical plan all along, wasn’t it?”
