“Which is?”
“He requires that once the marriage is settled, you will no longer remain at Rosemere House. You are unmarried, you have no independent income, no inheritance, and no guarantee of protection once I am gone. I am trying to ensure you are not left without stability in a world that will not provide it freely.”
“So I should be grateful for this. Is that what you are trying to say?”
“It would do you no harm to thank me. I am making sure you’ll survive, and not all mothers do that for their daughters.”
“Yes, thank you for telling me to pack my things and go rather than giving me several years before your loss. I truly am so pleased that I shall have… Well, how long do I have before I am no longer part of this house?”
Her mother could no longer meet her eyes.
Anne wished that she felt powerful because of it, but it only made everything worse. Her mother had always been so shameless in her actions, so if she had feelings of guilt, it had to be because she had finally done something utterly reproachable.
“Not long. A month, perhaps.”
CHAPTER 2
Dorian had never liked mornings that began with paperwork.
At Ashford Hall, years of effort had turned the estate into something that functioned, whether he cared for it or not, but there were still hours that demanded his attention in ways even he could not charm away.
That morning, the study felt colder than usual, the fire still catching while a stack of correspondence sat untouched beside his desk.
His solicitor, Mr. Harrington, stood opposite him as though about to deliver terrible news, which he was growing accustomed to.
“I have reviewed the trust terms again,” Harrington said.
Dorian did not look up from the letter in his hand. He was yet to read it, but he preferred to have something in his hands when having such discussions.
“You only reviewed them last month.”
“Yes, Your Grace, and I am reviewing them again because your circumstances have changed.”
That made Dorian glance up.
Harrington adjusted his gloves slightly, a gesture that suggested he had already decided this conversation would not improve with any delay.
Part of Dorian was grateful for it, because he did not wish to have it all dragged out for longer than necessary, but he also wished that such conversations did not have to take place. He was doing what was expected of him, so why would everything not go as planned?
“The estate is under strain,” Harrington continued. “The racing division, in particular, faces difficulties. The loss of your champion horse has created a gap in both performance and investor confidence that has not been filled, and that new stallion of yours does not seem likely to be a replacement.”
Dorian’s jaw tightened. That horse was already more trouble than he was worth, but he had the qualities of a perfect horse if not for how temperamental he was.
“The investments will recover once the next season begins. Once I have control over Diamond, the investors will be on side once again.”
“That is not the concern. There is a clause, and it is going to become bothersome.”
Of course, there was. There always had to be something.
Dorian was growing weary of there always being a caveat despite his efforts, and yet with this, he knew it was going to be even more difficult than usual.
“Summarize it,” he sighed.
“If you do not establish clear stability in both conduct and household structure within the next year, control over a significant portion of the racing division will pass to the Northbridge branch of your family.”
For a moment, there was no movement in the room at all. Then, Dorian released a short, humorless laugh.
“My cousins,” he said.
