Page 28 of Devoted to the Duke (The St. Clairs 1)

Sobs broke from her, causing her head to ache, but she couldn’t stop them. Mama was gone and she had to face the possibility that Papa might die, as well.

“Leah,” she whispered. “Where is Leah?”

“Her governess is with her,” Tilly assured Catherine.

“Bring her to me. Now,” she ordered.

“Why don’t you eat your—”

“I said now, Tilly.”

“Yes, my lady.” The maid scurried from the room.

Minutes later, Leah ran through the door. She froze in her tracks only feet from Catherine’s bed.

“I know I must look a fright,” she apologized.

“No, you don’t,” Leah said, wringing her hands, something she did when she was uncertain or nervous.

“Come up on the bed with me,” Catherine urged. “I need you, Leah.”

Her sister gently climbed onto the bed and lay next to her. She took Catherine’s hand.

“Mama is gone,” she whispered.

“I know.”

“Papa is... he’s... not good. What if he dies, Catherine? What will we do?”

She squeezed Leah’s hand. “Whatever happens, we will always have each other.”

*

Cor’s words stunnedJeremy. He’d long known of his father’s gambling. The entiretondid. He’d also heard whispers that his grandfather had done the same.

“How can we be penniless?” he demanded. “We have dozens of estates filled with tenants and servants. Investments in companies. The St. Clairs are worth a fortune in land alone.”

“That was in the past,” she said gently. “Your grandfather also gambled and started this downward slide. The cost of Stephen’s gambling, coupled with bad investments, spiraled out of control. Of course, keeping up several households while paying for servants’ salaries, horses and carriages, fine food, and respectable wardrobes, tipped the scales. His lines of credit have been run up to excess all over town and beyond. Your father has slowly been selling off land and properties. There’s still a good half-dozen left but in order to pay his debts, you’ll need to sell most of what’s left—or end up in debtors’ prison.”

Jeremy reeled from hearing all of this. “I never would have taken off for a year of travel had I known. Why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t you?” he accused.

“It wasn’t my place,” Cor said. “I chastised Stephen and told him you must be made aware of the dire situation. Instead, he encouraged you to leave England, knowing after your time at Cambridge that you would want to become more involved in the family’s finances.” She sniffed. “He thought he could win back all he’d lost at the tables. Instead, all he did was sink further into debt.”

Bitterness filled him. “Even yesterday, after I returned, I begged him to let me become more involved in estate business. No wonder he pushed me to attendtonevents and make merry. He knew, soon enough, my life would be one of misery as I spent the remainder of it cleaning up his mistakes.”

He stood and began pacing about the room. His bitterness turned to rage against a man he’d barely known and had never respected. One who’d selfishly pursued his own delights to the detriment of his family. It would be the surviving St. Clairs—and chiefly, Jeremy—who would suffer.

Cor urged him to sit again and he did, exhaustion filling him.

“What am I to do?” he asked dejectedly.

“First, we must bury your father at Eversleigh. It’s our duty. Once word of his death reaches others, his creditors will present you with their bills. That will give you a good idea of what is owed. It’s also possible that other gentlemen he gambled with might present papers of debts he owed from various card games. I’ve learned what estates Stephen already parted with. Meeting with his solicitor and banker will clarify what’s left.”

Jeremy nodded. “Once I know those figures and the status of what we still owe, I will know which estates and land must be sold off. It worries me that even then, what we receive from those sales won’t be enough.”

She lay a hand atop his. “Something that would help immensely would be for you to marry well. Immediately. You need a bride with an extremely large dowry. It won’t totally save the family fortune but it would give you fresh capital to invest. I know how you have a head for business and have been eager to apply your knowledge.” She smiled. “A plethora of anxious mamas will eagerly push their daughters your direction, all for the opportunity to marry a duke. Surely among them, you can find one that will bring a prodigious dowry.”

Jeremy wondered if Catherine Crawford’s dowry would suffice. Knowing he must marry to keep the St. Clairs from ruin, he couldn’t see himself with anyone but Catherine.

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