A look flashed across the Duke’s face, but it was gone too quickly for Lydia to decipher. “I will not agree to this.”
“Your Grace—” Lydia began, but the Duke held up a hand for silence.
The Duke’s hand clenched into a fist and loosened. “You said you would do anything to save your brother. Then let us see how true that is.”
Lydia said nothing, eyeing the Duke the way someone might watch a wolf.
“I have no wish to leave you destitute and without prospects. I will accept your dowry as payment only if you marry me.” Lydia could see the challenge in the man’s eyes, the certainty that he had called her bluff.
“That is my final offer. There will be no bargaining.” The Duke’s voice was full of steel.
“Lydia, don’t—” Landon began, but before he could finish, Lydia took a step towards the Duke and held out her hand as though to shake his. “Yes.”
The only glimpse of surprise Lydia caught in the Duke at her gesture was a slight widening of his eyes. He took her hand in his, fingers clasping around hers, warmth filling Lydia at his touch.
“Do not think to break your promise, My Lady.” The Duke’s eyes searched her face. “I do not tolerate betrayal.”
“My word is my bond, Your Grace.” She felt lightheaded, her eyes tracing the hard lines of his face, the strong set of his jaw.
“Then you will be my wife.” The words echoed around them.
What have I done?
Chapter Two
“Isuppose you are going to tell me how much of a mess I have made of things. How father would be disappointed in me.” Landon flopped into a nearby chair as they entered his study, the frown on his face highlighting his youth. “Or how you could have done it better.”
Lydia closed the door behind them, and glanced at the dwindling fire in the hearth, deciding that it would be best to save the wood and not bother rekindling it.
Their journey home from Hyde Park had been silent, but she had known it would not last. She swept a lock of dark hair from her face, taking a seat in the armchair across from her brother.
“You have just saved me the trouble.” Lydia gave him a hard look and sighed. “I just do not understand how it has gotten this bad. The estate was turning a tidy profit before Father died. Tell me you did not gamble it all away.”
“What? Of course not!” Landon scowled. “I have been trying to run the estate—there was this really promising venture that a friend at Eton told me about. With the war in France, well, vineyards are cheap, and French wine sells for a premium?—”
“For good reason, Land! French wine is so expensive because getting it is so unpredictable.” Lydia looked at her brother, his boyish face, and wrestled with an urge to shake him.
“But I thought that would be an advantage! We could get it cheap and sell it for a tidy profit. It would solve all of our problems and solve them quickly,” Landon shot back, folding his arms across his chest.
“For goodness’ sake, how many times have I told you that a quick fix will often cause a bigger problem later? It is like you did not even read any of the notes I had! I had everything planned out for the next ten years. I have been running this estate for nearly half a decade, ever since Father first became unwell.” Lydia could not keep the bitterness from her voice as she gestured to the shelves of books behind the desk.
The books that had been meticulously organized when she had been running the estate for their father and that were now strewn about the desk with abandon.It is a wonder he can find anything in here.
“I will be eighteen in a few days.” Landon swallowed as his shoulders slumped. “I just wanted to prove that I could do this. That I did not need any help. I am the man of the house now; I am supposed to look after you.”
In her mind, the gangly figure of her brother shrunk. His face became rounder, his hazel eyes—so like hers—full of a delighted joy and laughter. She put a hand gently on his shoulder. Even though he inherited adult responsibilities, Lydia could hardly see her little brother as an adult.
“Oh, Baby Brother, you do not have to do it all alone. You were only thirteen when Father died.” Lydia made her voice soft with an effort, seeing the despondence in Landon’s body. “I tried to help you; I wanted you to have a chance to grow into your responsibilities. If you had only told me what was going on, I would have helped you.”
“And how was I supposed to look you in the eye knowing that I destroyed everything you worked so hard to build?” Landon’s lip quivered. “How could I bear to disappoint you like that? You are the only family I have left. I just wanted to make you proud.”
Lydia did not know what to say. Her heart ached at the pain on her brother’s face, just as it ached for the estate he had broken.
“I cannot let you marry the Duke. I will think of some other way to pay him,” Landon said into the silence.
“There is no other way.”
“I can talk to one of the men at the club; Danbury is always full of?—”
