Page 37 of The Notorious Lord Sin
The thought shamed him, and he knew he had to tell her the truth about his situation. Land on his sword as it were and hope that she did not throw him out as a fortune hunter, as he would seem.
"Brother, Lady Hervey, so happy to see you both. Mama has cornered Kate with Lord Cole's oldest son, and I could not abide his droll conversation, and then I saw you two over here and had to come to say good afternoon," Anwen said, smiling up at them both as if she had gained a most terrific prize.
"You should be supporting your sister," Dominic stated, looking for his mother and sibling.
"I thought Lady Kate mentioned being sweet on Mr. Kane. He is here also. I saw him over near the fountain speaking to Lady Astor," Paris stated.
"Mama will not let her speak to him. In fact, she dragged her away as if Mr. Kane was some dirty word not to be spoken. His fortune is not so great, you see, and Mama is determined we both make great matches. Not that I care, either way, so long as I have horses, I do not care a fig how much money my husband-to-be is worth."
"You may regret your decision when you're unable to afford one horse to ride," Dominic stated and regretted his words instantly when Paris glanced at him curiously.
"Money is not everything," Paris countered. "And your brother knows this. He is merely teasing. I'm sure if Mr. Kane came to call and asked for Lady Kate's hand, your brother would agree to the union. Would you not, Dominic?" Paris asked him.
He cleared his throat, nodding, yet the thought of his sister being poor and struggling left a sour taste in his mouth. He knew he should not, for indeed, he needed to tell Paris that, in truth, he was as poor as Mr. Kane and could offer little dowry for his sisters. Their happiness ought to be paramount to him, yet he did not want to see them struggle.
She would think his proposal to her, his attempt to win her heart, was motivated by money. There was no way he could argue that it was not, for he could not change his circumstances. He had lost most of his fortune, only had his good name and entailed estates to show for it. Other than that, he had nothing.
Unless he married a rich woman.
"I shall speak to Mother and explain the situation and will ensure that Kate may choose as she pleases." Paris smiled up at him, and he grinned back, and yet his stomach churned at the thought of what he must do.
It was time he told his family the truth of their situation, and it was their choice who they married, even if those choices came with repercussions that they would have to live with for the rest of their lives.
In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, just as the vows stated.
ChapterTwenty-One
Dominic sat in his library and went through several piles of accounts that had come in just in the last week. Milliners, modistes, and hatmakers equaling hundreds of pounds.
He ran a hand through his hair, panic seizing him before he took a calming breath. How the hell was he going to pay for it all?
"Ah, here you are, Dominic. I have been meaning to speak to you," his mother said, gliding into the room as if nothing was awry. And why would it not be for her? She did not know the truth and carried on as if nothing had changed for the family.
But things were different, and they had changed, and he had to tell her the truth before another day passed. The expenditure for the Season was getting out of hand, and he could not pay what had come in, not by half.
"Please, take a seat," he asked, gesturing to the chair across the desk from him. "We need to discuss some important matters."
She threw him a confused glance before doing as he stated, fussing about with the reticule in her hand. "I was about to take the girls to the modiste. There is a delightful riding gown in the window we saw yesterday, and I think it would go perfectly with Anwen's coloring."
"There will be no outing, and no more new gowns, gloves, shoes, hats, nothing."
Again his mother appeared puzzled and stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "Whatever do you mean? We are just halfway through the Season. The girls cannot be expected to wear the same attire over and over. That would never do."
"They will have to wear the same dresses, and they may even have to wear them next year also."
"I do not understand," his mother stated, her carefree tone of before replaced by one of trepidation. She ought to be fearful of what he was about to say, just as he was. The thought of saying something so heinous aloud was horrific.
"I do not know in any other way to tell you this, Mother, but there is no money. I lost it all while in France. Several disastrous investments put paid to the last of the money, and all we have left is our good name and entailed estates. These bills," he said, lifting several from the desk and dropping them from his fingers, "I cannot pay, and if you have not worn any of the new gowns delivered with these accounts, I suggest you return them posthaste."
His mother gaped at him and turned a deathly shade of gray. "You cannot be serious, Dominic. How could we have no money?" she said, laughing, but the gesture held no amusement. "We're one of the richest families in England."
"Wewereone of the richest families in England, but it would seem in my attempt to make us richer still, I failed and turned us into the opposite instead. I'm sorry to be so blunt, and I do not want to hurt you or my sisters, but you need to know the truth."
"But ... but how will we live? How will we survive?" Her voice broke before tears welled in her eyes.
"In several years, and if we're fortunate with good crop yields, we shall make up some of your money, but we shall have to let go of most of our staff. The gardens may suffer from fewer gardeners to tend your roses, and the girls will have to share a lady's maid along with you. We shall retire to the country and lease out this London home to recoup some money."
"Absolutely not." His mother stood and strode to the windows, looking out over the street. Her hands trembled at her sides, and shame washed through him that he had been so careless. "The girls are having their first Season. Who will marry them now once it's known that they have no dowry?" She turned to him, anger burning in her aged eyes. "I can only assume that you spent their inheritance along with your own?" she spat.
