How to Heal the Marquess by Sally Forbes
Chapter Twenty-six
When guests started filing out of the ballroom, Tobias was all too happy to blend in and let himself get swept away in the crowd, until he was safely outside the manor and awaiting his mother’s company inside the carriage.
But he saw his mother walking with a small group of women who were heading for the drawing room of the manor, and he understood that he was meant to join the gentlemen who were staying. With a little luck, he would be able to sit by himself while the men drank some port and played whist and pass the rest of the evening in peace.
However, as soon as he entered the parlor, he saw just how wrong he was. A blow, he thought with sinking regret. Of all the luck.
“Lord Penwell,” Lord Alwater said with excitement, making a beeline straight for him as soon as their eyes met.
It felt as if Tobias’s entire body groaned in protest as the duke approached. The whole night had been a strain on Tobias, and the last thing he wanted was to find himself in conversation with Lord Alwater. But seeing he now had no choice, he bowed stiffly, meeting the duke’s gaze with polite, but cool, resolve.
“Good evening, Lord Alwater,” he said as the duke reached him. “You and your wife have hosted a magnificent party this evening.”
The duke chuckled humbly.
“My dear wife deserves all the credit, I am afraid,” he said. “My only contribution was of the financial type.”
Tobias laughed dutifully, both unable and unwilling to come up with anything witty in response. He didn’t dare hope the duke merely wished to engage in small talk, but Tobias prayed he would get straight to the point concerning his reason for approaching him. That would allow Tobias to plead concern for his grandfather and leave the manor.
The duke seemed nonplussed by Tobias’s silence. In fact, his smile only widened, as though reading something pleasing in Tobias’s lack of response. He put a firm, friendly hand on Tobias’s shoulder, gesturing toward a secluded table at the far end of the parlor. Tobias dutifully followed the duke, taking the seat opposite him. He was not surprised to see that a game of whist was set up on the table. He was, however, surprised when the duke did not seem interested in playing.
Stiffly, Tobias reluctantly smiled. He glanced toward the doorway to the parlor, noting how full the room was. It was unlikely he would be able to make a fast exit, so he resigned himself to merely staying sane until the duke was finished with him.
After a pause that was almost uncomfortable, the duke at last began to speak.
“It is a terrible shame, what has happened to your grandfather, Lord Penwell,” he said, his expression changing to one of genuine sadness. “I have known Lord Berbrook for many years. Since we were young men, in fact.”
Tobias nodded, beginning to feel guilty for wanting to hurry away from the duke.
“Grandfather speaks very highly of you,” he said.
The duke nodded.
“As I always have of him,” he said. “I always enjoy doing business with Lord Berbrook. In all my years, I have never had a partner quite like him.”
Tobias chuckled softly. He had heard his grandfather boast of his business exploits throughout his life, and he always enjoyed the stories. It warmed his heart to hear from his grandfather’s peer that the old man really was every bit the businessman his tales made him out to be.
“My grandfather certainly knows business,” he said, his heart aching as the image of the duke, weak and frail in his bed, came to mind. “I hope I shall one day become as proficient as he is.”
Lord Alwater looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking.
“I believe you are well on your way to that already, Lord Penwell,” he said. “Word among London businessmen is that you have had a great many successes, even before inheriting the duchy. I am hoping that you and I can become good business partners, as well.”
Tobias flushed under the duke’s praise. He was doing well enough for himself, more so than many other men of his status of the ton. He wanted to thank the duke for his humbling words, but the last thing he’d said suddenly registered with Tobias and stopped him in his tracks.
“Business partners?” he asked. “You wish to offer me, of all the noblemen here, a partnership with you?”
The duke nodded, looking as though Tobias’s question shocked him.
“Why not?” he asked. “You are, after all, the grandson of one of the best businessmen I know, and you show greater promise than many of the younger gentlemen of the ton. I have extensive interests in the coffee, tea, and sugar trades, and I feel a young man with your talents would be a great asset to my interests.”
Tobias’s eyes widened. He had not expected to even consider entering those lucrative trades until he inherited his grandfather’s title. In truth, he had given little thought to business, apart from the ventures he had already established. But having a well-established, and well-respected partner would make such a transition easy. But Tobias thought the offer came a little too easily. He looked at the duke with cautious optimism.
“And what would be the terms of our deal?” he asked.
The duke’s eyes brightened.
“I knew you would be interested,” he said. “They are simple. We would be equal partners, as we would have equal shares and equal say in all future investments. We would discuss all major business decisions together before any are made. And I would require you to put an amount upfront, upon which you agree before any official documents are signed, which would go into expanding further into these trades.”
Tobias nodded. The more the duke talked, the better the deal sounded. But he had learned over the years to not jump right on any deal, no matter how promising, without asking many questions and taking time to consider it.
“I must say this all sounds like a deal too sweet,” he said. His tone light, but his eyes held a glimmer of suspicion as he held the gaze of the duke.
The duke laughed.
“The mark of a true businessman,” he said, clapping Tobias on the back. “Well, I can assure you, the deal I offer is every bit as sweet as it sounds. And, for you, it might be sweeter still.”
Tobias raised an eyebrow, now as curious as he was wary.
“Oh?” he asked.
The duke nodded matter-of-factly.
“You see, I have attached a substantial dowry to my dear Selina,” he said. “One which any gentleman would find more than ample.” He paused, leaning toward Tobias. “And were you so inclined as to come on board in this business with me, you might find her dowry sufficient to cover your initial investment, and still have a small fortune left over.”
Tobias’s heart sank. There it was; the true reason for the duke’s desire to discuss business with him. It was a business, all right. A deal that included his daughter’s hand in marriage. He supposed he should have expected such a turn of events, as he had been spending a fair bit of time with Lady Selina. And his grandfather had surely discussed the possibility of a marriage between Tobias and Lady Selina with Lord Alwater. Still, with the blatant hint now dropped at his feet, Tobias knew he was not ready to consider such a thing.
“That is quite a considerable offer, indeed,” he said, barely suppressing the sarcasm as he spoke.
The duke nodded again, thankfully only hearing Tobias’s words and not his aversion to the idea.
“I hoped you would think as much,” he said, almost proudly, as though Tobias had as good as agreed. “I do hope you will consider marrying Selina. The two of you would make a terrific match. Half of London is already awaiting seeing your engagement announcement in the newspapers any day. And I believe my Selina has taken a fast liking to you. But, of course, the decision is up to you.”
It was all Tobias could do to not rise and storm from the room. My decision, indeed, he thought, mulling over a scenario in which he rejected the offer right then and there. The duke would be far from pleased, and it might even create problems between him and Lord Berbrook.
Tobias could not take such a risk. But nor could he outright accept the offer either. He was not at all prepared to ask for Lady Selina’s hand. Deep down, he doubted he ever would be. He was already sure she would not make a good wife for him, even if she was highly regarded among the ton. She simply was not the kind of woman he was seeking to marry.
When he realized the duke was still watching him with eager expectation, Tobias gave him a small smile.
“I will need some time to think about it,” he said. “I would like to talk it over with Grandfather on a day when he is feeling well enough for such discussions.”
To his surprise, Lord Alwater’s smile widened.
“Of course, Lord Penwell,” he said. “I would think very little of a man who accepted any deal without taking the time to think about it and talk it over with his mentor. Please, take all the time you need. You may speak to me again whenever you feel ready to discuss the matter further.”
Marginal relief washed through Tobias, though it was outweighed by dread. He had, perhaps, avoided the discussion for the moment. But it would still be there, always lingering over him, until he gave the duke his final decision. Wherever he went in London, if the duke was there, he would be watching Tobias with an urging eye, silently trying to will him to accept his offer.
“However,” the duke continued, causing Tobias’s stomach to knot once more, “I must warn you that there are several other potential suitors vying for Selina’s hand. I have thus far only made this offer to you, because of my longstanding friendship and partnership with your grandfather. But it won’t be too long before I must consider extending it to another fine gentleman.”
Tobias nodded, pretending to carefully consider Lord Alwater’s words. Instead, however, all he could think of was Daisy. At first, it puzzled him as to why she would come to his mind right then, of all times. But in an instant, he knew he could no longer lie to himself. There was more than one reason why he was so reluctant to marry Lady Selina. In any life, she would be too shallow and boring to be Tobias’s wife. But in his life, as it was now, he had met a woman who possessed all the fine qualities he sought in a wife.
She was a physician’s daughter, of course, and most noblemen would never consider such a thing. But Daisy was also beautiful beyond compare, intelligent beyond competition, and compassionate at a level Tobias knew he would never see again, even if he lived to be a hundred. He allowed himself to at last admit that he had developed strong feelings for Daisy. For good or ill, the feelings existed, and he was helpless to stop them.
As he considered saying as much to the duke, someone rushed into the room unannounced. Tobias’s heart stopped when he recognized the footman, and he realized the man was searching the room with frantic, wild eyes. Tobias rose and waved to the man, who came rushing over to him at once.
“Milord,” he said, panting. “Lord Berbrook. He has taken a turn for the worse.”
Tobias’s stomach twisted into knots as his fear was confirmed. He looked over his shoulder, mumbling a pardon to Lord Alwater. Then, without waiting for a response, he followed the footman out of the manor, ignoring the curious gazes following him, and raced to the carriage, where his mother was already waiting. She embraced him tightly as the coach pulled away from Alwater Manor at an impressive speed, and for several moments, neither of them spoke.
When the dowager marchioness released her son, she patted his cheek, which he only then realized was streaked with hot tears.
“Darling,” she murmured, brushing some of his hair away from his face. “Everything will be all right. Bertram is strong, and his health was perfect before this. Most of all, he has the two best medical professionals in town attending to him. You will see.”
Tobias nodded, forcing a small smile, though he could not bring himself to speak. He wanted to be as sure about what his mother said as she seemed to be, and he was glad she seemed to find a bit of comfort in her belief. But the cold knots of fear in his stomach were quickly transforming into boulders of dread.
In all the time his grandfather had been ill, Daisy had never had to send for Tobias while he was away, even when he suddenly developed another fever or relapsed back into the coughing spells. Deep down, he felt sure he should brace himself for bad news when they arrived home.
