St. Albans cleared his throat. “Ah, you are in love with her. I know she won’t marry without that. It was on their list.”
Love? List? Leo’s cravat was suddenly too tight. “What list?”
“Alice, Eleanor, and Madeline had a list. I assume Theo must have one as well. It’s normal things. For them. But I do know that none of them will wed unless it’s a love match.”
Love. Leo hadn’t thought of being in love. He wanted her and admired her and would not wed another. Was that being in love? Who could tell him?
“I had to ask my mother about it.” St. Albans flushed as if he was embarrassed. “She called me a great fool for not knowing.”
Leo might have to ask his mother as well. “Once that’s established, I suppose the only other hurdle is the settlement agreement.”
“Don’t bother. Worthington has an agreement he uses for all the sisters. He won’t diverge from it.”
That was odd. “How is that possible? Everyone has different assets and levels of wealth.”
“It works on percentages. Trust me when I say that he will have a very good idea of your holdings and liabilities.”
He understood. “His man of business.”
St. Albans nodded. “And that’s not all. My father almost choked when he discovered that if we had a child and anything happened to me that Alice would have guardianship.”
As much as Leo’s father trusted his mother, he knew for a fact that she would not have had guardianship over him. From what Stanwood had said, Worthington’s father had not given his sisters’ mother guardianship over them. “How did that come about?”
“From what I’ve been told, it began with Merton and Dotty.”
“Dotty?”
“Lady Merton. I forgot that you aren’t in the habit of calling the ladies by their first names. At any rate, Merton is a cousin and he and Worthington didn’t get on well at all. Her father was still in the country, and Worthington was designated to draw up the agreements. With Sir Henry consenting to certain parts.” They turned a corner, and St. Albans stopped talking.
“Go on.”
“Worthington wanted to make sure that Dotty would be treated well. So, Merton had to sign the agreement if he wanted to wed Dotty. That is how it’s been ever since.”
“And in order for you to be able to wed your wife your father had to agree?” Leo couldn’t see it. St. Albans’s father was as difficult as they came.
“Had to if he wanted me to produce an heir. Alice and I made a decision that we’d present a united front. Along with Worthington, of course.”
“Interesting.” If Leo could win Theo, he didn’t care what was in the damned agreements. It was the love thing that bothered him.
Fortunately, they arrived at Worthington House and the conversation ended. Or was it fortunate? Leo still didn’t know if what he was feeling was love or not. He’d better work it out damned soon.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Theo and Charlotte arrived back at Worthington House before the gentlemen’s meeting broke up. They divested themselves of their hats, gloves, and coats, then repaired to the morning room.
“So, tell me.” Charlotte lowered herself onto one of the smaller sofas. “What are you looking for in a husband?”
Theo shrugged. “I do not really know. I suppose what we all look for. Love. Kindness. Someone who is interested in being a partner and will listen to me.” She sat on a chair next to the sofa. “How did you know Con was the one?”
“I had my first glimmer when he offered to drive me to fetch a young woman who was in trouble. He also told me I was correct about an issue we had been arguing about. And he corrected his behavior.”
“Was he a rake?”
Charlotte tilted her head as if she was considering the question. “He was very much like Chandos. He had mistresses. That is what we were arguing about. And he was not interested in marrying. Not then. However, young ladies were safe around him. No. I do not think he could be called a rake in the sense that he would harm an innocent.”
What she had said about Chandos struck Theo. “You do not believe Chandos is a rake.”
“He is definitely a man around Town, but not a rake. When he gets ready to wed, he will make the changes that he must.” Her sister stared at her for a moment. “I have come to believe that all men must make changes even if they are not rakes. Take Montagu. He originally wanted a wife who would leave all the decisions to him and simply make his life more comfortable.” Charlotte tapped her finger against her thigh. “Or Rothwell. He had a secret. One he kept from Louisa. He almost lost her before he realized he had to change.”
