A Wish Upon a Duke: A Maypole in Mayfair by Madison Katherine Ann & Dallen Maggie

Author:Madison, Katherine Ann & Dallen, Maggie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Swift Romance Publishing Corp
Published: 2021-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

What Tidewell needs is a good clip on the jaw. Drew’s fists curled into tight balls at his sides.

He’d very much like to see the man who delivered such a blow. Or perhaps he’d prefer to give the hit himself.

Aubrey sat serenely at his side, talking little, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying her company.

Just her proximity was enough to make the dinner worthwhile. When she rose to play the pianoforte, the music was…delightful.

They had a perfectly nice dinner, despite Tidewell’s constant self-important prattle. And then the moment he’d dreaded arrived.

With dinner done, he and Tidewell made their way to the smoking room. Without Aubrey’s presence, her brother’s company would be unbearable.

They settled into the large, overstuffed chairs in the darkly paneled room and Drew had to confess, it was the one room in the house that he actually liked.

Dark leather abounded and the walls were made of a rich mahogany.

Tidewell frowned. “This is one of the rooms I’ve yet to renovate.”

Drew hid his smile behind his cigar. “I’m sure you’ll see the job done soon enough.”

“Quite right.” Tidewell cleared his throat as he leaned forward. “I suppose we should discuss Aubrey while we’re here.”

“We should,” Drew answered, glad that they were going to make this short and sweet. The sooner he returned to Aubrey’s company, the better. “I’d like your leave to court her.”

“You have it,” Tidewell waved his hand. “My mother would have my head if I didn’t allow it.”

Drew gave the man a long look. Something in the statement implied that Tidewell might not have approved of Drew’s suit otherwise. “Good. Are there any other particulars we need to discuss at this juncture?” He didn’t expect there was. He’d like to finish this cigar, say goodnight to Aubrey, and return home. He had every intention of seeing Aubrey tomorrow without the annoyance of her brother.

“There is one,” Tidewell answered, sitting forward in his chair. “I know we’d usually wait to discuss this until we were negotiating a more formal contract, but I thought it best to see this out of the way now.”

“Very well,” Drew answered, his chest tightening. Whatever they were about to discuss, he knew he wasn’t going to like it.

“My mother came to my father with a prodigious dowry, a percentage of which was set aside for daughters, Aubrey being the only one.”

Drew’s brows lifted, surprise surely lighting his features. This was not at all what he’d expected. Did Aubrey have a very large dowry attached to her hand? Not that he cared. As a duke he had a vast fortune of his own, which he’d managed quite well. “I see.”

Tidewell shook his head. “You don’t. Not yet. It started with my father, but the dowry will have to be paid…” Tidewell hesitated, for the first time looking insecure. “That is to say, that money has been invested back into the estate.”

For the span of a second he processed those words. “You’ve spent the money on the renovation.”

Tidewell’s jaw jutted forward. “It’s my right.

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