Read Online Duke of Thorns (Heiress Games 1) by Sara Ramsey - Free Book Online
Authors: Sara Ramsey
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drawn the first real laugh out of him in ages. Anthony would discover her humor. Anthony would see beyond the wild hair and overly exuberant smile to find the remarkable woman she could become. Anthony would love her as she deserved.
“You can choose Lucretia instead, if you wish,” Thorington said. “Or perhaps you’ll take a liking to Octavia when you meet her. But I am confident that Callista is the most appealing of the three. She may be a barbarian, but barbarians can be civilized. Lucretia would be harder to entertain. And everyone in England knows Octavia is too much trouble after the scandal she caused in London a few years ago.”
Anthony frowned. “My needs aren’t so extravagant that I must marry an heiress. I can reduce my expenditures if you ask me to.”
Thorington snorted again.
“I can,” Anthony insisted.
“Give up your curricle?”
Anthony nodded.
“And the blood bays? You’ll find it difficult to gain entrance to the Four Horse Club without horseflesh.”
Anthony swallowed. “I can find other entertainments.”
“Your tailor? Membership at White’s? The next term at Cambridge? Your Grand Tour?”
His brother fell silent. He had been flushed earlier, but now his face was entirely drained of color.
Thorington could have left it there, but he needed Anthony to see the problem at hand. “You think your needs aren’t extravagant because I pay for your housing and entertainments. Father left you nothing in his will. Your continued survival is solely due to my largesse. And my largesse is coming to an end.”
Anthony looked out the window again. Thorington never mentioned his younger siblings’ disputed parentage — the reference to the will was as close as he ever got to the subject. And he already regretted it. But Anthony had to understand what was at stake.
“I don’t need an heiress,” Anthony said, in a smaller voice. “I would be content with a small cottage and room for a garden.”
“An heiress could pay for someone to maintain that garden for you. And you would miss London if you could not keep a house there.”
“I shall stay with friends when I visit the city,” Anthony said, turning back to Thorington with bravado in his voice.
His breezy confidence broke Thorington’s heart. But it also made him angry. “You haven’t any idea what your life would be if I didn’t take care of you. Now, you will marry one of the Briarley heiresses. If you want me to arrange it so you don’t have to choose between them, I shall. But there will be no more discussion of the matter.”
Anthony gave Thorington a speaking glare, but he knew when there was no point in continuing an argument. After a long moment, he left. But he didn’t slam the door as Thorington expected him to. He shut it softly — as though Thorington wasn’t worth his anger anymore.
Thorington sighed. He turned back to the washstand, stripped off his shirt, and splashed cool water on his face.
It wasn’t enough. He dunked his head in the basin instead. He held his breath until the pressure in his lungs overwhelmed the scream of frustration waiting there.
Then he pulled his face out of the water, gasping. He should have told Anthony before today. Should have given him time to adjust to the idea of marriage. But the last three weeks in Devonshire, rambling over the woods and fields, had very nearly felt like a gift. Anthony had gone with him some days. It was the first time that Anthony had begun to feel like his brother, not his responsibility. The boy had even cracked a few jests. It was little wonder Anthony seemed so popular with his friends, even though Thorington rarely saw that side of him — he had a wicked sense of humor when he forgot that Thorington controlled his purse strings.
They hadn’t discussed anything of importance. But at least their silences had been easy.
They might never be easy again.
He shoved his wet hair out of his eyes and looked out the window at the view Anthony had
“You can choose Lucretia instead, if you wish,” Thorington said. “Or perhaps you’ll take a liking to Octavia when you meet her. But I am confident that Callista is the most appealing of the three. She may be a barbarian, but barbarians can be civilized. Lucretia would be harder to entertain. And everyone in England knows Octavia is too much trouble after the scandal she caused in London a few years ago.”
Anthony frowned. “My needs aren’t so extravagant that I must marry an heiress. I can reduce my expenditures if you ask me to.”
Thorington snorted again.
“I can,” Anthony insisted.
“Give up your curricle?”
Anthony nodded.
“And the blood bays? You’ll find it difficult to gain entrance to the Four Horse Club without horseflesh.”
Anthony swallowed. “I can find other entertainments.”
“Your tailor? Membership at White’s? The next term at Cambridge? Your Grand Tour?”
His brother fell silent. He had been flushed earlier, but now his face was entirely drained of color.
Thorington could have left it there, but he needed Anthony to see the problem at hand. “You think your needs aren’t extravagant because I pay for your housing and entertainments. Father left you nothing in his will. Your continued survival is solely due to my largesse. And my largesse is coming to an end.”
Anthony looked out the window again. Thorington never mentioned his younger siblings’ disputed parentage — the reference to the will was as close as he ever got to the subject. And he already regretted it. But Anthony had to understand what was at stake.
“I don’t need an heiress,” Anthony said, in a smaller voice. “I would be content with a small cottage and room for a garden.”
“An heiress could pay for someone to maintain that garden for you. And you would miss London if you could not keep a house there.”
“I shall stay with friends when I visit the city,” Anthony said, turning back to Thorington with bravado in his voice.
His breezy confidence broke Thorington’s heart. But it also made him angry. “You haven’t any idea what your life would be if I didn’t take care of you. Now, you will marry one of the Briarley heiresses. If you want me to arrange it so you don’t have to choose between them, I shall. But there will be no more discussion of the matter.”
Anthony gave Thorington a speaking glare, but he knew when there was no point in continuing an argument. After a long moment, he left. But he didn’t slam the door as Thorington expected him to. He shut it softly — as though Thorington wasn’t worth his anger anymore.
Thorington sighed. He turned back to the washstand, stripped off his shirt, and splashed cool water on his face.
It wasn’t enough. He dunked his head in the basin instead. He held his breath until the pressure in his lungs overwhelmed the scream of frustration waiting there.
Then he pulled his face out of the water, gasping. He should have told Anthony before today. Should have given him time to adjust to the idea of marriage. But the last three weeks in Devonshire, rambling over the woods and fields, had very nearly felt like a gift. Anthony had gone with him some days. It was the first time that Anthony had begun to feel like his brother, not his responsibility. The boy had even cracked a few jests. It was little wonder Anthony seemed so popular with his friends, even though Thorington rarely saw that side of him — he had a wicked sense of humor when he forgot that Thorington controlled his purse strings.
They hadn’t discussed anything of importance. But at least their silences had been easy.
They might never be easy again.
He shoved his wet hair out of his eyes and looked out the window at the view Anthony had
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