Page 9 of The Duke and the Scarred Bride

“Surely, it can’t be you.” His butler laughed.

If Tobias hadn’t been with his family for as long as he had, and if Percival didn’t trust him with his life, he would have sacked him right then.

“Apparently, it was a ruse,” he said. “She wanted to end her engagement.”

Tobias placed the letter on the desk and nodded. “It is not a bad idea, Your Grace,” he remarked. “It is high time you took a wife.”

Percival shot him a glare and turned to throw the pile of unopened invitations into the fire. They had come in droves since news of his return had spread, and he knew everyone wanted to be the first to host him in their homes. They were all looking for a story for the gossipmongers, and he wasn’t in any mood to be their topic of discussion even though they gossiped despite him not indulging them.

“I might ask you to retire early if you keep making such senile decisions, Tobias.”

“I assure you, I am of sound mind,” Tobias sniffed. “It is high time you did. One, to secure your family’s fortune, and two, to make your re-entry into Society as smooth as can be, considering how rude you have been.”

He pointed to the pile of letters that were now ash on the ground.

“Even if I were to agree with you, what makes you think she would be the best candidate?” Percival asked, folding his arms across his chest. “A lady who enters a bachelor’s home uninvited and unchaperoned doesn’t seem like she has very good breeding.”

“It shows bravery, considering the reputation you’ve managed to earn yourself and us, by extension,” Tobias retorted. “Plus, she didn’t run off screaming or swoon after seeing your face. She is the only woman in England’s nobility who wouldn’t.”

Percival resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but he was sure that if the butler kept waxing lyrical about the young lady’s qualities, then he surely would.

“You do not know that.”

“Oh, but I do,” Tobias asserted. “Serving a noble family for as long as I have has enlightened me on the characteristics of the ton.”

“A match with her would draw too much attention to us,” Percival tried. “She and I are scarred. What do you think they would say about that?”

“She has their sympathy. No one would fault her for her choice,” Tobias reasoned. “If she wrote that letter to escape a match, it must be for good reason. Her options are limited toold widowers or desperate gamblers who need her dowry to pay off their debts—none of which would give her a chance at happiness.”

Percival snorted. “How many matches end up happy, Tobias? Now, you’re just being ridiculous. Do you think she’ll have much of that with me?”

“If you’ll let yourself.”

“I need to think, Tobias.”

“While you do, consider the estate. She might just have a large enough dowry to help restore it.”

Percival sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You do not intend to make this decision easy for me, do you?”

“Not at all,” Tobias answered with a broad smile. “You have always done the right thing, Your Grace. Do not stop now.”

Tobias was right about Percival needing a wife with a large dowry to at least start the repairs to the estate… among other things. Percival had been appalled that his brother had let the estate fall into such disrepair. But then again, Michael had not been particularly adept at managing finances. Thankfully, he wasn’t a gambler, so they hadn’t accumulated debts beyond what was reasonable.

Percival frowned again, remembering the letter that had labelled his brother’s death an unfortunate riding accident. He found the notion inconceivable as Michael had been a skilled rider and would never drink if he was going to be on his horse.

Yet even though he suspected foul play, he wondered who could harbour such malicious intentions for his brother who had been society’s darling for as long as he could remember.

Since childhood, Michael had been the more sociable of the two of them, garnering a following that he had maintained even in Oxford. He had a quick wit and was handsome by all standards, which added to his appeal.

Pain lanced through Percival’s heart as he remembered his brother and the childhood they had shared. Thick as thieves they had been. He still had to carry out a private investigation, and what better way to do that than to be in the thick of Society, where his brother would no doubt have been. He wouldn’t be able to get information outside of it. Even Eli, despite his rank, would be unable to help get the information he needed.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered, realizing that marriage was the only option available to him.

“Language, Your Grace,” Tobias scolded. “That kind of language is fit for the barracks, but it won’t be welcomed among polite society.”

“I’m not there yet, Tobias.”

“But you will be soon. You need to start early.”

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