Page 69 of The Earl's Bluestocking Bride
“And do you?”
“Nothing quite as long as the one I sent them, but I have a few, and I’m working on another.” How exciting would it be if she had not only one book published but a multipart collection of Joceline’s adventures?
“Excellent.” He looked down at his hands, his expression turning uncharacteristically shy. “I’d like to read them sometime, if that’s all right with you?”
She sucked in a breath. “Really?”
She’d never imagined he’d be that interested in her work.
“Of course.” He frowned as if the question was ludicrous. “You were willing to make a massive life change to dedicate yourself to pursuing your craft. Why wouldn’t I want to know more about something that means so much to you?”
Her heart couldn’t take this. Honestly. Why did he have to be so thoughtful?
“Very well,” she said quietly. “I have a copy in my bedchamber that you can read. I’ll get it for you.”
“You do that.” He grinned. “And then you and I are going to Babbington’s. This calls for a celebration.”
That evening,Andrew was sprawled on a chair in the library, reading Amelia’s manuscript—and being entirely impressed by her talent and thoroughness—when Boden announced that Mr. Fisher was waiting to speak with him in the drawing room.
His gut flipped over. He had no idea whether Mr. Fisher’s visit was a good sign or a bad one. Perhaps Mr. Smith had been apprehended. Or perhaps there were yet more catastrophes waiting to be uncovered.
“I’ll be there momentarily.” He marked his page, placedthe manuscript carefully on a small table, and stretched. His muscles protested the movement after being locked in place for so long.
With his heart in his throat, he made his way down the corridor to the drawing room. One of the maids had lit the candles in their sconces, but the flickering light did little to alleviate the dimness. The walls were such a dark shade of blue that they seemed to absorb the light.
Mr. Fisher stood in the center of the room, his posture perfectly straight, a stack of papers in his hands and his eyes weary. He bowed. “My lord, I’m afraid I bear unwanted news.”
His heart sank. “Mr. Smith has not been captured?”
“No, and it seems he participated in even more ill dealings than we were aware of. Over the past week, I’ve received several bills and notes for collection of funds owed that he signed for on your behalf.”
Andrew buried his face in his hands. Dear God, when would it be over?
“How much?” he asked dully.
“Not a lot, all things considered.” Mr. Fisher shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “In the order of several hundred pounds.”
“Damn.” He didn’t know how to feel about that. While the situation certainly could have been worse, this was still more debt he hadn’t anticipated. He’d hoped that Amelia’s dowry would fix everything, but Mr. Smith’s actions continued to hang above his head like the sword of Damocles.
Not that he didn’t deserve it. This hell was of his own making. He should have paid more attention to how his estate was being managed. If he’d only taken a more active role in handling the Longley financials, this might all have been avoided.
“Here.” Mr. Fisher passed him the stack of papers he held. “I am sorry, my lord. I can assure you that steps are being taken to ensure this never happens again.”
Andrew clenched his jaw and tried to get his breathing under control. There was no point losing his temper at Mr. Fisher. They were equally to blame. Mr. Fisher should have noticed that his partner was involved in fraudulent activities, and Andrew should have noticed that he no longer owned two damn properties and most of his fortune.
“I’m sure you’ll understand that I will be hiring someone else to manage my finances in future,” Andrew said.
Mr. Fisher nodded, clearly unsurprised. “Just let me know the details, and I will ensure that all the necessary documentation is taken care of.”
“Thank you.”
Mr. Fisher bowed again. “I’ll take my leave.”
As he showed himself out, Andrew collapsed onto a chaise and looked at the paper on the top of the stack. He shifted it to the bottom and read the next one and then the next.
Exhaustion settling into his bones as he finished, he hauled himself to his feet and set about arranging payment to all the relevant parties.
Once that was done, he knew he could no longer delay. It was time he honored his agreement with Amelia, and that meant facing up to her father and asking for his help.
