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There had been e settledebts The remainder of the duchess’s substantial dowry had been tied up in trust by the girl’s father—the funds to be released on a regular schedule, so long as the duke kept his wife happy

Alas The duchess had decao

Clermont pouted There was no other word for it; his shoulders slue of the carpet like a petulant child “And here I thought all my money worries were over What do I hire you for, if not to—”

“All your ers on the table “And how many times must I rees”

Hugo knew tooso futile as a proers, on the other hand, sanctified by the betting book at White’s, were inviolable

“Yes,” the duke groused, “and about that You said that all I had to do was find an heiress and say whatever it took to make her happy” He scowled at the carpet underfoot “I did Now look where it’s got ht to harp at me, over and over When will it end?”

Hugo raised his head and looked Cler—just a few seconds of an intent stare—and the man dropped his chin and looked away, as if he were the eo his master

It was ee But no; Cler others bow before his title that he’d never learned to command by force of personality

“There appears to have been a ers “I never told you to say whatever it took to make her happy”

“You did! You said—”

“I told you to do whatever it took to make her happy”

Sometimes, Clerht hi At this, he wrinkled up his nose “What’s the difference?”

“What you said was that you’d love her forever What you actually did was er three weeks later You knew you had to keep that girl happy What were you thinking?”

“I bought her a bracelet when she complained! Hoas I supposed to know she wanted fidelity from me?”

Hugo focused on the papers on his desk Even his own late, unlaed fidelity: sixteen children worth of it, to be precise But this was no tihed

“Win her back,” he said softly It was his future at stake, too After all, he wasn’t an e a salary for his hard work He operated on a fore of the financially incoh the end of this year in one piece, he’d win five hundred pounds That wasn’t just in his own empire

He’d worked three years on that hope When he considered, briefly, the possibility that he ure of his father standing over hiit You’ll never be anybody

He shook his head, sending those darker thoughts scattering He wasn’t going to be just anybody He was going to be the wealthiest coal land