Devoted to the Duke by Alexa Aston

Author:Alexa Aston
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2019-04-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

JEREMY READ THROUGH the morning papers while he breakfasted. Rachel quickly downed her meal and asked to be excused. He nodded in agreement, not looking up. Once he finished, he folded the last section and placed it on the top of the correspondence Cor shuffled through.

Rising, he said, “I will see you—”

“Sit,” she commanded.

He did so without thinking and then eyed her warily. “You haven’t used that tone with me in quite a while. Not since I became the Duke of Everton.”

“We need to talk.” Cor set aside the letter in her hand. “More than a year has passed since Mary’s death. It’s time you find another wife.”

Jeremy stood. “We are not having this conversation.”

Her steely gazed seemed to pierce his soul. “Oh, but we are, Grandson. Sit,” she said firmly.

Once more, he returned to his chair.

“Your daughter needs a mother. And you need a woman who can provide you with an heir. A spare would also be nice.”

“I’m too busy, Cor. You know that. Besides, Luke is my heir now.”

“Jeremy, you have done the impossible. You paid off all of your father’s debts. You put Mary’s dowry to good use. You invested in businesses at the right time and made profits beyond what I could have imagined. The St. Clairs are now on firm financial footing and will be for generations to come.” She paused. “I’m putting my foot down, though, as the matriarch of this family. I want to see you wed again before I’m gone. And I want more grandchildren from you.”

“That’s nonsense, Cor. You’ll outlive us all.”

She sniffed. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. My bones creak every time I move. Too many of my friends have gone and died on me.” Her gaze locked on his. “I’m getting old, Jeremy, whether you want to admit it or not. Please, do this for me. The Rutherfords are having a ball tonight to open the Season. Go. Find a wife. Make me—and yourself—happy.”

She placed her hand over his. “You haven’t had happiness in your life for years. Not since Timothy died. It’s time you found some. Or someone.”

“I’ll go,” he conceded. “If only to please you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have matters to attend to.”

He left the breakfast room and went to his study. Closing the door, he sat behind the large desk, covered in papers. Contracts. Files. Information about his competitors. Ignoring it all, he walked to the window and stared out at the April day.

Cor was right. He’d spent the last five years doing everything he could to pull the St. Clair name and fortune from the mire. He’d worked long days, sometimes twenty hours or more at a stretch. He’d made the right investments. Bought the right shares. Scooped up properties and sold them for three times their worth after making improvements. He knew ton gossips must discuss him with glee, dirtying his hands in business, but he’d kept his family from going under.

He was lonely, though. Not that Mary had been a witty companion.

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