“I believe you’re mistaken,” he said tightly.
She met his gaze without flinching. “I believe I am not.”
Turning back to Richard, Mr. Benson asked, “And you believe her over me? A man who served your father loyally and has stood by you since you came of age?”
Richard met his eyes squarely. “Yes. I do.”
Mr. Benson’s composure slipped. “This is absurd. She is not qualified?—”
“I’ve heard enough,” Richard cut in. “I will be contacting the constable shortly. You would do well to use the time to put your affairs in order. I daresay I am being exceedingly generous, considering the circumstances.”
Mr. Benson paled. “My lord, surely you are not in earnest,” he said, taking a hesitant step backward. “This is all a misunderstanding—nothing more than a series of innocent errors. You must see that.”
“I see clearly for the first time,” Richard replied. “Miss Theodosia uncovered the inconsistencies. I reviewed them myself and I came to the same conclusion as her.”
The older man’s composure began to unravel. “But… surely you must realize the consequences of making this public,” he said, his voice turning desperate. “What will people say when they learn awoman—a mere companion, no less—was entrusted with managing your estate accounts? Think of the scandal. Not only for yourself, but for her.”
“That is not your concern,” Richard said. “Nor will I allow you to use societal opinion as a shield for your deceit.”
Mr. Benson’s expression contorted into a frown. “Your father never would have allowed a woman to interfere in such matters.”
“Did you steal from him as well?”
Mr. Benson bristled. “Never,” he said with a sharp swipe of his hand, as though the very notion were offensive.
“Only from me, then?” Richard asked, the accusation laced with bitter irony.
There was a pause, then a sigh—wary, evasive. “You’ve never been comfortable with numbers,” Mr. Benson said carefully, his tone sliding into condescension. “I fear Miss Theodosia has preyed upon that weakness. She’s misled you, whether intentionally or not.”
Richard’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “Do not speak of her as though she were a scheming opportunist. She has done nothing but assist me with patience and clarity—something you, for all your years of service, never did.”
“I meant no insult,” Benson said quickly. “It’s just that managing an estate of this size is no small feat, my lord. The ledgers alone—balances, projections, investments—those are complex matters. A woman cannot possibly be expected to?—”
“You would be wise to stop right there,” Richard interjected. “If you insist on underestimating Miss Theodosia, then that shall be your downfall. She is every bit as capable of running an estate as a man.”
Mr. Benson’s mouth opened, then closed, as though searching for a retort he no longer believed himself capable of defending.
Richard took a breath and said more quietly, “You took advantage of me. You believed I would never notice. You relied on my limitations. Butshenoticed. And now I see you for what you are.”
The silence that followed was thick and damning.
Mr. Benson stared at the floor, his shoulders beginning to sag. “You would see a man ruined by the word of a woman?”
“I would see a man ruined by his own actions, and I expect you to return the funds you stole from me,” Richard replied. “Now get out of my sight.”
Mr. Benson did not wait to be dismissed a second time. With his face pale and his dignity in tatters, he bowed stiffly and exited the study in hurried strides.
Richard exhaled slowly, then turned towards the woman who had made the confrontation possible. “Thank you.”
Miss Theodosia’s eyes searched his. “Did you mean what you said… about me?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Every word.”
Her eyes glistened with the barest sheen of emotion, and the corners of her lips curved upward. “Then I believe it is I who should be thanking you. Very few men—particularly men of your rank—would have spoken so openly in a woman’s defense. Let alone a companion with no wealth or consequence.”
“You are a woman worth defending,” he said, taking a step closer.
Her smile grew. “Careful, my lord. I could grow quite accustomed to such compliments.”
