With a blank stare, William replied, “I don’t know. I didn’t ask her.”
“You didn’t ask her?” he repeated back. What was wrong with his brother? Was he so self-absorbed that he didn’t even seek out Ruth’s thoughts before the wedding?
“It wasn’t like I forced her to marry me,” William defended. “Her father procured the special license and she stood up with me at the chapel. She could have said no if she didn’t want to go through with it.”
Harred couldn’t believe the audacity of his brother. He had done some stupid things over the years, but this was the worst one yet. He’d married a young woman- that he didn’t know- just to have access to her dowry.
William abruptly rose and walked over to the drink cart. “You don’t have a right to judge me. Did you forget that you stabbed me in the back yesterday?”
“I hardly stabbed you in the back,” he replied. “I just took Lady Octavia on a carriage ride through Hyde Park.”
“You knew I was interested in her, but you pursued her anyways.” William picked up the decanter and poured himself a drink. “I think you are jealous of me.”
Harred looked heavenward. Not this again. “Why, pray tell, would you think that?”
“I am rich and I didn’t have to do a single thing to earn the money,” William said as he retrieved the glass. “Whereas you have to work your fingers to the bone to ensure your estate is profitable.”
“I am not jealous of you, but I do feel bad for Ruth. Does she know you just married her for her dowry?”
William scoffed. “Of course she knows!” he shouted. “Why else would I marry the daughter of a merchant? Someone who is so clearly below us.”
Harred couldn’t quite believe William had said something so high-handed. “Need I remind you that is your wife you are talking about?”
“Don’t try to take the moral high road, Brother,” William mocked. “We both know that Father would be rolling over in his grave with my choice of bride, but this wasmychoice. Not yours. Not his. Mine. And you have no right to say otherwise.”
“Have you considered that thetonmight not be so eager to accept her into their ranks?” Harred asked.
“Then we won’t attend their stupid balls and soirees. It doesn’t matter much to me anyways.” William tossed back his drink and slammed the glass onto the tray. “Is this interrogation over or may I go see to my wife?”
“This is hardly an interrogation, but I am worried about you,” Harred said. “You can hardly take care of yourself. How are you going to take care of a wife?”
“How dare you stand there and lecture me when you don’t even have a wife!” William exclaimed. “At least one of us is doing our duty.”
“You cannot be serious?” Harred asked. “My entire life is about doing my duty while I watch you do whatever the blazes you want to do.”
William looked unaffected by his words. “Do you want me to apologize for being born after you? I am just the spare, the afterthought. You are the heir and inherited all that Father had. I was just given a paltry sum for my inheritance.”
“It was more than generous and you could have lived on it for the remainder of your days had you been somewhat frugal. But you chose to spend it all on gambling and your mistresses,” Harred contended.
“What else was I supposed to do with my life?” William asked. “I had no desire to be a vicar, barrister, or any of theother acceptable professions for a second son of a marquess. I had no real options afforded to me.”
“I offered you a job—”
Wiliam huffed. “That was an insulting offer and you know it. You think you know what is best for me, but you don’t. I am my own man.”
Harred was at a loss for words. His brother had done something that would forever alter the course of his life. He couldn’t undo what he had done, no matter if he came to regret it later. Which he would. His brother had always been impulsive.
“Don’t look at me like that,” William growled. “I know you think I made a mistake but I knew what I was doing the whole time.”
“You married a young woman that you hardly know. You don’t know her likes, or dislikes. How do you even know you two will be happy together?”
William looked amused by his question. “You are overthinking this. Ruth is my wife. That doesn’t mean we need to live happily ever after. We just have to have mutual toleration for one another.”
“Is that all that you want?”
The humor left William’s expression as he replied, “Talk to me after you take a wife. Besides, I never had the luxury of marrying for love anyways.”
“You are wrong,” he contended. “Our parents would have wanted more for you than just a marriage of convenience.”
