Page 39 of The Notorious Lord Sin
Paris fought not to react to her ladyship's words. While she did not want to marry again and had told Dominic that multiple times, to hear that he had informed his mother, wanted to win her hand still, that he loved her soothed a little of the panic within her.
For all her denial of him, her anger, and the hurt she wanted to cause him, she could not deny that he had wiggled under her skin, and she loved him too. And while she had not admitted such a thing to him, she knew it was only a matter of time before she did. Before she allowed how she felt to run free and give him what he wanted. What they both wanted.
Marriage to each other.
"I’m certain hearing such a statement from his lordship filled you with pleasure, my lady," Paris taunted, not wanting the dowager to know how her admission made her feel. She had never been warm or offered the hand of friendship, and she deserved no insight into her heart now.
"My son's a foolish man, and that has been made even clearer to me from my discussion with him but hours ago. You will not marry him, Miss Smith, and it's because of what I'm about to tell you that you will not."
"Really?" Paris stated, raising her brows. "Do enlighten me as to why I cannot make this choice for myself." At this moment, she may even say yes to Dominic merely to spite his parent.
"Because my son has nothing to offer you. He has his title and estates, yes, but very little money to fund any of it. In fact, he has asked that I return to Surrey with his sisters and stop spending funds he has none of."
Paris swallowed the bile that rose in her throat, and she fought not to react. The glee in the dowager's cold eyes told her she had failed and had given something away as to how she felt. "What do you mean his lordship has no money exactly?" Paris asked for clarification. The thought of such truth was unbelievable.
"He made several terrible investments in France from what he explained and is now penniless, but for the small amount of funds we make from cropping and farming, of course. But that is not enough to keep us from having to downsize our staff and limit our living expenses. All very common and similar, I should think, to how you grew up in Grafton, but that is not how I shall allow my life to proceed. And so you see, he must marry Lady Esme, for even as poor as we are right at this time, I still will not allow my son to make us even poorer still by marrying a woman with no family, no people, no link to titles or connections. You will only bring us further down in rank, and I shall not allow such a travesty."
Paris cleared her throat, certain she was going to be sick. Was that why Dominic had courted her so relentlessly? Because she was a wealthy widow, separate from the fortune that had been left to her son and daughter? Did he need her money now?
Unable to sit a moment longer, she stood and walked to the mantel, leaning on the cold marble for support. "Why did Lord Astoridge return to England?" she asked, in truth not wanting to know the answer. Not really.
"He needed a rich wife and, with your past courtship, thought you would be an easier conquest than any other, and from what the rumors are about London, you have been too. He was not wrong in that. But I come here today to warn you of my son's plan. While I have my own reasons for not wanting him to marry you, I'm certain you also do not wish to be used. If you were to remarry, I'm certain, as any woman would want, you would like to have some modicum of affection in your union, not one built on lies and merely sought for what you bring to a marriage. Money," the dowager clarified.
Paris glanced up at the portrait of her and Lord Hervey and wished right at this moment that he was here with her again. To protect her from men who broke women's hearts and their mothers who wished to gorge on their pain.
"I thank you for being so honest with me, my lady. I shall not stoop to your level and tell anyone of your family's financial woes, but I will ask that you never call on me again. We have nothing to say to one another from this day forward, do you understand me?" she asked the dowager, having never loathed anyone as much as she loathed this woman right now. Not merely because she was cruel and took pleasure in her vicious manner, but because with her words, she also tore what little hope she had of a future with Dominic.
There would be no tomorrow now.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Paris sat at the dining table that was set for two for the evening and smiled across at Dominic. After his mother's call this afternoon, she had thought a great deal about how she would conduct the dinner they had planned.
The first course of stewed mushrooms was placed before them, and for several minutes she let the silence grow between them. If Dominic sensed something was erroneous, he did not say, and she could bide her time before she confronted him over what his mother had revealed.
The thought made her appetite wain, and she picked up her glass of wine, taking a fortifying sip.
"Thank you for inviting me this evening, Paris. I'm pleased that we're able to dine alone, just you and me. There is much I want to discuss with you."
She raised her brow. Did that mean he would bring up the notion of marriage to her without her prompting him first? For her agenda to work, she needed him to do exactly that, and then she could confront him over the truth as she knew it.
"Indeed?" she said, spooning a little mushroom into her mouth. Not that her appetite had been with her after the atrocious things the Dowager Viscountess Astoridge had said.
She watched Dominic, remembered back to his superfine coat that had a tear, his determination for his sisters to marry well. Even this evening, his suit was not the height of fashion. If Lady Astoridge said one thing accurately today, it was that Paris wasn't so up with the latest designs, but she could spot a suit well past its usefulness.
A little part of her hurt that he had fallen so low. But then another raged at the idea that he would only marry her now, offer such a sacred union merely because he had fallen so low. A way of saving himself from financial ruin when she had not been good enough when the opposite had been the case.
"You know how much I care for you, and I think these past weeks in London have been enjoyable," he said.
Paris nodded and turned to the footman, who stood waiting to serve them. "You may go. I shall call you if you're needed again," she said.
The young man left and had the smarts to shut the door behind him. Paris turned to Dominic and fought not to state what she thought of the enjoyable Season he was having with her. How he was a liar, and she did not want to hear any more of his untruths.
"Go on," she said, throwing him a small smile that hurt to form. She did not feel like smiling at all. In fact, she felt like glaring at the fiend.
He cleared his throat, adjusting his cravat. Was he nervous? She supposed he might be since he was going to ask for her hand. Not that he hadn't asked before, but tonight was different. His asking again and pursuing her felt as though her answer would either solidify or conclude their future.
How terrible his night was about to become, and he did not even know it.
