“After all you’ve taken from her, you have the nerve to ask for more,” Archer snarled at him. “I did not know my brother-in-law would turn out to be such a gull.”
“I am not!” Landon threw his head in his hands, looking pitiful.
“Please, Your Grace,” the butler interceded. “Have mercy on His Lordship. He had not a father to teach him the ways of this world.”
“He may not have had a father, but he had a sister who I know tried to impart in him some kind of common sense.” Archer took a steadying breath and glared at the boy. “Yet all he sees her as is a meal ticket.”
“Your sister has sacrificed everything for you?—”
“I never asked her to.”
“Because you did not have to. That is the kind of woman she is.” Archer shook his head. “Generous to a fault. And all you do is take and take and take until she has nothing left to give. Your foolishness forced her to marry a stranger, and while I am not the monster everyone thinks I am, you had no way of knowing that when you let her throw herself at my mercy.”
“But even that was not enough for you. She gave you a chance to live up to your name. To rise to the challenge, and you have failed.” He picked up the chest full of bank notes. “I am taking this with me.”
“But if you do that, I will be ruined.”
Archer raised his hand. “You did not let me finish. I will be taking back her dowry. In exchange, I will pay off your debts and your servants, but you will come work for me.”
“I will?” His Lordship looked startled.
“Yes, and you will continue to work for me until your debt is repaid in full. You will serve under my direct supervision, and you will not so much as set a toe out of line without my leave. Am I understood?” He looked down at the boy.
“Yes,” Landon nodded enthusiastically. Archer was about to leave, but just as a footman lifted the heavy chest to take it to Archer’s carriage, the young lord spoke again. “Why are you doing this? Helping me, I mean.”
“Without your sister, you are ruined. Financially, socially, and within a couple months, I suspect you would be out on the streets,” Archer said while he looked around pointedly. “You would not survive, and I have no doubt, Lydia would never forgive me or herself if something were to happen to you. So, I will give you one chance.” He held up his finger. “One.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I cannot tell you how much this means to me.”
“And…” Archer cut in. “… I better not hear a single whiff of gambling or spending your money idly. I do not give second chances. I will not say it again. If you are caught gambling or throwing away money on frivolous business opportunities, I will throw you to the wolves.”
Archer glanced back at the butler. “Mr.?”
“McCallough, at your service,” the man bowed before the Duke.
“Mr. McCallough, I assume you are in charge of the house expenses in the Duchess’ absence?”
“I help with supervising. That is correct, Your Grace.”
“Then I would like you to complete a monthly report on Nittinghill’s spending habits. I will have my accountants send monthly funds for food and wood to keep you and your staff taken care of for the remainder of the time in which your master will be paying off his debts. Mr. McCallough, you will be in charge of the house’s budget. Any money taken from the Nittinghill account will be reported to me immediately. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Mr. McCallough said complaisantly.
“If anything should happen that results in Lord Nittinghill’s termination,” Archer stated, “please know that you are welcome at my estate. Or I can provide a letter of recommendation. You and your staff will be secure no matter the outcome.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”.” Though he got the distinct impression that the butler would never leave his master. The McCalloughs were loyal to the Nittinghills. Knowing his wife, he suspected she was the cause of their devotion.
Archer nodded. “Then that’s settled. I will make the necessary arrangements.”
Archer left with the chest in hand. He wondered how his wife would take the sudden reappearance of her dowry.
Chapter Fifteen
“Ibelieve this is yours.” Archer said as he thumped the wooden chest onto the floor of the guest room.
Lydia frowned at the box, her knitting still in her hand as she looked up at the Duke. “What is that?”
“I’m glad you asked, Duchess.” The Duke proceeded without being prompted. “It surprised me to hear your account was nearly depleted, I was sure there had been a mistake, but my accountant assured me that it was true. And more to the point, he told me that the reason your coffers were dry was that you had given your brother all of your money.”
