Page 70 of A Stranger’s Gamble

Adam regarded her. “Forgive me, my lady”—she winced at the address—“what difference does it make? I thought you cared nothing for money.”

“I do not care if a man has money—but when a man marries me for money, I want to know if he plans to leave me in squalor while he lives in luxury.”

Adam gave her a smile she felt certain had dazzled many a lady. “Rest easy, my dear. I have no intention of doing either.”

“What does that mean?”

“You will find out soon enough.”

“I shall have your belongings moved into the Blue bedchambers, Sophie,” Aunt Maddie said.

“Whatever for?” Sophie demanded.

“We cannot have you and Lord Monthemer sharing that small bedchamber.”

“What?” Sophie blurted. “I have no intention of sharing my bedchambers with him.”

“He is your husband, Sophie,” her father said. “We cannot have his lordship staying in a boarding house now that you two are married.”

“Surely Sophie does not have to move,” Adam said. “I can stay in another room.”

To Sophie’s surprise, her aunt shook her head. “Do you want the servants telling everyone that you are not sharing a room?”

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “I take your point, but we needn’t move Sophie. I can sleep in a chair in her room.”

“No husband sleeps in a chair in his own bedchambers,” her father growled.

“These are my bedchambers,” Sophie said. “Do you truly plan on leaving me with this man?”

“I do,” her father replied. “You two will live as husband and wife.”

“Then I wish for my finances to remain my own,” she said.

“That is acceptable,” Adam said. “As I said earlier, I have no desire to spend your money.”

“Even once you have squandered my dowry?” she demanded.

“That will take some time to do, so you need not concern yourself.”

She scoffed. “I have found that it is easy to spend money.”

“Then perhaps I should inform you that once you have squandered your money, I will give you an allowance of fifty pounds a year.”

“Me, squander my money?” She stared at him. “It is you who will squander my money.”

“Your father’s money,” he corrected.

“Did you hear that, Father? I shall be responsible for all my personal expenditures, and when my money is gone, I will be given a generous sum of fifty pounds a year.”

“Then I suppose you had best be careful how you spend your money,” her father replied.

“Oh, I will. In fact, I have already spoken with my man of affairs about investments.” This was a lie—she didn’t even have a man of affairs—but she would hire one before they knew otherwise.

“What kind of investments?” Adam asked.

She smiled sweetly. “None that need concerning you, sir.”

“If those investments include gaming hells that does concern me.”

“Gaming hells?” She grimaced. “Good God, no. Who in their right mind would invest in a gaming hall?”

“No one,” he murmured.