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“I will marry, Grandfather,” he said quietly, “but not now.”
The corners of Julius’ mouth fell. “What prevents you from marrying now?”
Devlin could not reveal the reason to him, and he sighed. “I am seeking the right woman.”
“Are you even looking?” Julius’ tone was a little forceful, and Devlin’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes, I am, and no woman has managed to capture my interest.” He raised a hand when he saw that his grandfather was going to protest. “I want a woman I am compatible with. You were miserable in your marriage to my grandmother, and I will not suffer the same.”
“There is an heiress on the list,” Julius suggested weakly. “Miss Mills.”
“I have more money than I know what to do with, Grandfather, and so do you.” He wanted this conversation to be over.
“Gaining more wealth would benefit the coming generations.”
“I do not—"
Julius clutched his chest and began to cough again. Devlin wrapped an arm around his grandfather’s shoulders until the convulsions mellowed. When he released him, he saw something white, like powder, on the sleeve of his black coat. Devlin stared curiously at Julius, noticing an oddness in his pallor that he had not seen before, which made him suspicious.
Devlin went to light the rest of the candles in the room. “What are you doing?” Julius asked after he had lit four candles on a candlestick that held six, and Devlin could hear a nervous note in his voice.
“I need better illumination to see the names on the list you gave me,” Devlin replied, lighting more candles before returning to sit beside his grandfather on the bed.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Julius asked, blinking and swallowing as if he had been caught doing something he should not be doing.
“Say, what is this you have on your face?” Devlin touched his grandfather’s cheek, his fingers collecting the powder he had noticed before.
“Medicine,” Julius said, sounding positively defensive.
Raising his finger to his nose, Devlin sniffed the sweet-smelling powder, and something angry immediately began to stir inside him. “You never saw a physician, did you?”
A guilty look passed over Julius’ wrinkled face. “Let me explain.”
Devlin shot to his feet and turned toward the door. His grandfather’s sickness had been a lie to get him to agree to take a wife, and he was furious because he had been afraid the man would die.
“Dev, wait!” Julius jumped from the bed and caught his arm.
“Such vigor for a man who is unwell,” Devlin murmured, looking down at Julius. He would have laughed at the sight of his grandfather if he were not angry. The man was in a nightshirt that stopped at his skinny calves, and his face was ridiculously white, matching his feathery white hair which pointed in every direction.
Devlin turned and continued toward the door but Julius ran around him to block his path. “You must listen to me. This is the only way I can be sure you will marry.”
“By pretending to be ill?” Devlin asked incredulously.
“Oh, Dev, my boy,” Julius sighed. “Nothing less can get through your unyielding mind.” He smiled sheepishly and waved a hand. “I had to be creative.”
“Unbelievable,” Devlin whispered, walking around Julius to open the door. Someone stumbled into the room and Devlin quickly stepped sideways to avoid being run into. Sam, his adopted brother, smiled stupidly as he caught himself and tugged down his waistcoat.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Devlin asked.
“Er…no. I was listening so I could call the physician if Grandfather’s condition—” Sam’s eyes widened and he sucked his lips in. “I sound stupid, do I not?”
Devlin closed his eyes for a moment. “You arranged this with him,” he stated, and Sam nodded. “Evans and Mrs. Hopper, they knew too, did they not?” Sam nodded again. Their expressions had been genuine.
“We had to do this to help you,” Julius insisted. Devlin opened his mouth to speak but his grandfather quickly said, “I will disinherit you if you do not consider the women on the list.”
Devlin raised a brow. “You expect me to take you seriously after this nonsense?”
“You will thank me one day. I hope I live long enough to see that day.”
