The earl frowned, setting his glass of port down on the desk with deliberate care. “And yet Stanton holds his seat. Why?”
“Because he knows how to wield fear,” Darcy said. His voice grew harder as he spoke, each word weighted with disgust. “He whispers of disorder, of chaos, of what happens when men abandon tradition. He paints himself as the bulwark against anarchy, and it is enough to keep those who hold the vote in his corner. The farmers may hate him, but the merchants and the landowners who fear losing their stability do not.”
The earl leaned back in his chair. “It is not just the farmers, Darcy. You know as well as I do that Stanton’s corruption extends far beyond the fields.”
Darcy’s jaw tightened. “I have heard rumors.”
“Rumors?” The earl gave a low, humorless laugh. “Do not tell me you think I have been urging you to this only because of rumors. Stanton has made a mockery of his position. His hands are in every crooked deal in the county. Smuggling operations through Derbyshire’s less-traveled roads and waterways have tripled under his watch, and do you know why? Because Stanton ensures that the right palms are greased to turn a blind eye. Contraband comes in by the cartload, and not just tobacco and brandy. Weapons, Darcy. Guns.”
Darcy’s fingers gripped the arm of his chair. “Weapons?”
“Yes,” the Earl said grimly. “Stanton feeds the very unrest he claims to stand against. And then, when violence inevitably breaks out, he demands more power, more authority to suppress it. All the while lining his pockets.”
Darcy’s mind reeled. He had known Stanton was corrupt, but this… This was a deliberate strategy to destabilize the region while enriching himself. It was not just greed—it was manipulation of the worst kind. “Why has he not been exposed?”
The earl arched an eyebrow. “And who, pray, would expose him? The magistrates? Half of them owe him favors or fear his retribution. The other half are too cautious to act without undeniable proof.”
“And the voters? They are caught between their distrust of him and their fear of upheaval. Stanton thrives on division.”
“Are there any who are not swayed by fear?” the earl asked. “Surely there are men of sense among the voters.”
“They are there,” Darcy admitted. “The younger landowners, the merchants, the gentleman farmers—they are beginning to question Stanton. But they are the ones whodistrust the old families just as much as they distrust him. The well has been poisoned. They think we are all the same.”
The earl leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “Then what they need is someone who is not the same.”
Darcy stiffened. “If this is where you suggest I stand for MP—”
“It is not a suggestion. It is a necessity.”
Darcy shook his head. “You are asking the impossible. Stanton has spent years convincing the voters that men like me cannot be trusted. They will not believe me any more than they believe him.”
“That is precisely why itmustbe you,” the earl countered. “You have the resources, the connections, and, most importantly, the integrity to counter Stanton’s lies.”
Darcy drummed his fingers on his thigh. “How?”
“We will find the proof. There are men in London who suspect Stanton’s dealings—customs officials, traders who have suffered at his hands. If you stand for MP, you will have the platform to bring these matters to light.”
“I… I do not…”
“I can rally the old guard to your side, and you can inspire the younger generation to believe that change does not have to mean chaos.”
Darcy sighed. “I would inspire nothing but resentment. An unmarried man with only a young sister for family? They would see me as unstable, unreliable—someone who could be swayed by the interests of whichever family I might eventually marry into.”
“Be that as it may, you are the only man in Derbyshire with the influence to bring these factions together. The farmers trust you, Darcy. They know you have protected them where you could. The landed merchants and gentleman farmers are disillusioned with Stanton, it is true, but they will not turn to a revolutionary.”
“You have not been hearing the same rumors I have, apparently.”
The earl grunted. “All talk. No one truly wants anarchy. What they need is stability—someone who can promise change without threatening the foundations of their livelihoods.”
Darcy shook his head. “And yet they will see me as more of the same. To them, I am just another man of wealth and privilege—one of the largest landowners in Derbyshire, who could not possibly understand their concerns. Stanton has made certain of that. They will assume that I will serve my own interestsas he does.”
The earl’s gaze followed him, his expression thoughtful. “Then we must make you more than a name. We must make you a man they trust. Someone they can imagine standing among them, rather than above them.”
“And how do you propose we do that? Paint me in softer colors? Issue apologies for being born an earl’s grandson?”
“You marry.”
Darcy stopped in his tracks, staring at his uncle in disbelief. “Marry?”
