Page 88 of A Sight to Behold
“I’d like to request your daughter’s hand in marriage,” Nick said solemnly. Pippa took his hand and squeezed tightly.
“Denied.” Her father downed the rest of the water and set the glass on the table with such a thump that it left an indentation in the elegant, polished mahogany.
The Earl of Langley didn’t even flinch. Pippa was still as a flag on a day without wind. Apparently, this was no storm to the aristocrats.
“Who do you think you are, cornering me in a study that’s not mine and asking for my daughter?”
“This is the library, and nobody cornered you. It’s rather difficult to get your attention these days,” the archbishop said. “My lord, what’s wrong with you? If Dorothea saw you like this, she’d return from her grave—”
“Don’t speak my wife’s name!” Pippa’s father roared at the archbishop. “How dare you?”
“Lower your voices, gentlemen. We’re here for a shared goal and that’s Pippa’s future,” the earl said calmly. Ever the diplomat, Nick thought. He had more to show for those years of fostering international relations than the damage to his youthful body. And he’d earned Nick’s respect in more ways than one.
“I’m here because your wife promised mine an opportunity. She went on about it all week.” Pippa’s father ignored his daughter, and Nick formed a fist. He must not punch his future father-in-law, if it ever got to that, but he wished for nothing more than to sink his hard fist into his soft flesh and knock him out with a single blow.
“I have a document here you ought to see,” the earl said as he opened the drawer of his writing desk and took out a stack of papers. Nick blinked. Was that a royal seal?
The earl offered them to the duke, but he grunted again, then burped. The archbishop jerked his head back and fanned himself.
“It’s a noble cause and has my full support, as well as that of the regent,” the archbishop said.
“What is it?” The duke asked, still ignoring his daughter—or did he just give a disapproving look at Nick holding her hand?
Nick stepped closer to Pippa.
“A brigade of soldiers recently came back from the continent and there were several noble sons among them, including my brother-in-law.” The Earl of Langley spoke slowly, and Pippa’s father set a sausage-fingered hand on the table, leaving a contour of sweat on the polished wooden surface. “You do remember that I married Violet? You were there.”
“Yes,” the duke growled. “Scott is back then?”
“Indeed, he is. But he’s been injured as has the son of the Czar, a Prince from Romania, and several third and fourth sons of peers.”
“Hmpf!” Pippa’s father truly had the grace of a calving cow.
“I’m letting them rent Cloverdale House for two years,” Pippa said. “They need the bedchambers upstairs, servants, and the receiving areas on the lower level. The orangery can provide them with medicinal plants for their recovery, and the access to the gardens will offer them places to reconstitute.”
The duke interrupted Pippa, “What’s this? You’re leasing my house?”
“I’m leasing themmyhouse. It’s for a good cause and Prinny signed a decree as you can see. The rent will be backed by the Crown.”
Her father scratched his face and a rough sound of nails on stubble made Nick’s skin curl. “Pippa, you’re such a clumsy goose. You can’t rent my house to anyone!”
Nick let go of Pippa’s hand and balled both hands into fists, but the Earl of Langley stepped in front of him. “That brings us to the second issue we hoped to discuss with you.”
“Hmpf!”
The earl nodded and closed his mouth. A putrid smell emerged from the direction of the duke. It was almost time. Theyhad to hurry before he’d miss the chance to run to a secluded place.
“Pippa wishes to marry Dr. Folsham, and I happen to think it’s a marvelous idea. Give your blessing.”
“Never.” Her father belched again and then a gurgling sound came from his midsection. Ah, the ipecac was taking effect.
“Why don’t you want her to marry for love?”
“I don’t care who and what she marries for because I won’t allow it.”
“Because you’ll lose access to her trust and the moneys from managing the estate?”
“I’d lose my home if she rented out the castle. I’m sick, but not stupid.”
