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Phineas glanced down at his drink. “I thought the idea was rather far-fetched, as well.”
“Then why did you propose it?”
“I don’t rightly know,” Phineas replied, “but the thought of you marrying and having someone else claim the money that is rightfully mine is quite maddening.”
“It is not rightfully yours.”
“Of course it is,” Phineas declared. “I am her closest male relation.”
“None of her property is entailed, so it can be passed to a woman.”
Phineas took a sip of his drink. “Don’t remind me,” he muttered, lowering the glass to his lap. “I suppose I shall be forced to seek out a woman with a large dowry.”
“You could always marry for love,” Daphne suggested.
He scoffed. “Love is unattainable in our circles,” he said. “Men generally marry for beauty or money, and women marry for security.”
“Isn’t it worth trying for?”
Phineas was silent for a long moment. “Did you know that I had an understanding with Lady Elizabeth Blakely?”
“I did not.”
“She was quite lovely,” he remarked wistfully, “and she made me want to change my philandering ways.”
“Is that so?”
He nodded. “I naïvely thought I loved her, but it was not meant to be.”
“Why was that?”
“She broke off our understanding when I informed her that I was no longer Grandmother’s heir,” he shared. “She said that she couldn’t marry a poor man.”
“You are hardly poor.”
“I am well aware, but Lady Elizabeth was not impressed with my small estate,” he said. “It made me realize that love has no place in marriage.”
“That is most unfortunate.”
Phineas took another sip of his drink. “Without Grandmother’s inheritance, I have nothing to offer.”
“That is hardly true,” Daphne countered. “You do have an estate.”
“Which is failing.”
“You could always hire a new steward,” she suggested.
Leaning forward, Phineas set his empty glass on the table. “That won’t make a difference,” he argued. “We have had a few bad crops, and now I’m struggling to pay my workers.”
“You must not give up hope.”
“What is the point?” he asked. “You sit in this grand manor and have no idea about the harsh realities of life that await you.”
“I have had my fair share of tragedies,” Daphne defended. “You seem to forget that I came to live with Grandmother because my parents died.”
Phineas gave her an apologetic smile. “I believe I spoke out of turn,” he said. “Please forgive me.”
“You are forgiven.”
