Page 66 of Disguised Desires of a Scarred Duke
“Oh! Oh my! If I understand you correctly, that’s wonderful news, Mr Montrose. I dare say it might even be splendid! In fact, I think this year has been one of my favourite years so far. Such a splendid year indeed. Do you have a favourite year, Mr Montrose? Itrustthat your favourite year is one with a bounty of life’s manyriches, yes?
Edward grinned and took a sip of his tea. “Indeed I do, Miss Whitfield. I’d have to say that my favourite year was when I turned five and twenty. My guess is it could end up becoming your favourite year, too.”
When Edward winked, Eleanor’s ribcage nearly broke open from all the butterflies that fluttered within.
Regina and I are saved from a life under Margaret’s control!
Or they hopefully would be when Eleanor figured out a way to get to the Montrose Savings and Loan to speak with Edward’s father on her own.
She had to find out the details of the trust, but these funds must be what Margaret had been trying to obtain without her daughters knowing about it.
Eleanor guessed that Lady Whitfield wanted to control the trust by pulling Cecil Phillips’ puppet strings. She also likely offered him a portion of the funds to do with as he wished.
Regina tilted her head and looked back and forth between Eleanor and Edward. “Why was that your favourite year, Edward? Did something special happen?”
Mr Montrose smiled at his favourite woman and responded with the kind of sweetness from a man in love. “I think that was the year that I knew I’d meet a beautiful redhead someday and never be the same again.”
Regina blushed and giggled. Edward beamed.
Eleanor peeked at Royce again and saw him roll his eyes. She giggled and felt like hugging the footman. She felt like hugging everybody! Edward had brought the kind of life-changing news that could change her and Regina’s lives, at least for a while.
Yet having money of her own was only one means towards happiness out from under her stepmother’s thumb.
It was Anthony she wanted the most. Without him, the money her father left her was only a way to survive. It wouldn’t bring back the love she wanted from the man she craved.
“You said you saw two great men today. Who was the other one?” Regina asked Edward.
“Ah, yes. I spoke with the Duke of Ashbourn this morning, William St Clair.”
“The duke is finally back in London? Oh, how exciting! What was your business with such a mysterious man?” Regina clapped her hands, and Eleanor couldn’t help smiling at her sister’s excitement.
However, she also wondered if Anthony’s employer would keep him busier now. Maybe that’s what kept him away from her now.
Perhaps it would be even harder to see Anthony with the duke taking up all of her love’s time.
“It’s an unfortunate bit of business, I’m afraid. His Grace has lost something precious to him and has tasked me with helping him get it back.”
“Oh? What has he lost, Mr Montrose?” Eleanor asked.
Edward smiled and pointed at the eldest sister, then whispered his reply.
“You, Miss Whitfield. He’s terrified that he has lostyou.”
Chapter 27
It took William and Edward two agonizing days to compare the Duke of Ashbourn’s ledgers with the other copies and learn what they already assumed was true.
Lucas Filch had been stealing from the St Clair family for years and covering it up. Not all the evidence was clear, but there was enough to report Filch to the authorities and assume a criminal conviction was in his near future.
William insisted on being present when Filch was arrested. Just before they hauled the crook away from his very comfortable hillside home, William stepped out of the shadows and introduced himself.
“Filch! Remember me? I am the late Duke of Ashbourn’s only son. It’s a pleasure to see you pay with jail time for stealing from my family.”
“What? How dare you! This man framed me! I’m innocent! I have never stolen a thing in my life!”
Mr Filch continued to shout accusations and claim his innocence from the carriage window as he was driven away.
When William showed up again at his mother’s doorstep, this time, she knew to expect him. There were multiple family members in the dining room that he hadn’t seen since he was a child. It was a wonderful gathering that reminded him again that it was more than his love for Eleanor that made him finally happy to be home again.
