Read Online Her Officer and Gentleman by Karen Hawkins - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Hawkins
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awakened to find his dreams just that—dreams and nothing more.
Christian caught the butler’s gaze now. “Never again compare me to my father. I will not be insulted in my own house.”
Reeves sighed deeply. “I can understand why you would harbor ill feelings toward your father, but he did care for you and your brother, in his way.”
“His way is too little, too late.”
“Very true, my lord. Your father was not a responsible parent in many aspects. Nor was he as caring as he should have been. But you cannot hold him responsible for your mother’s death. He was out of the country and was unaware of her predicament.”
“Had he cared, he would have made certain she could reach him. That we could reach him.”
“The late earl had many, many faults. I cannot defend him as a parent, for he failed so miserably. However, he did know what was due his title and name. I think you should learn the same. It will help you secure the fortune from the trustees.”
“I have already met the trustees, and they were duly impressed with my elegant manner and tonnish ways,” Christian said a bit bitterly. “They are a pack of fools, the lot of them, impressed with the fold of one’s cravat over one’s character. Providing I do not make a total cake of myself, they will approve the release of the fortune.”
“I hope you are right, my lord. I fear your assessment of the trustees is painfully accurate. Your father’s cronies were not, perhaps, the best choice to oversee the disbursement of his funds.”
Yet another example of Father’s innate selfishness, to foist such silly conditions upon his will. The titles were Tristan’s and his to keep no matterwhat, but the fortunes were tied up upon the approval of the trustees.
It irked Christian to have to deal with such weak men. Not a one of them would have lived more than a day had they been forced to take care of themselves. Christian, on the other hand, had honed his abilities. He had also developed a hard shell where his heart had once been. In a way, his father had done him a favor by staying away. Life was a hard teacher, but a thorough one.
Christian supposed he should be thankful for Father’s unexpected change of heart. At an advanced age, the late earl had married a young woman in the hopes of producing some heirs, but no issue was forthcoming. The thought of seeing his title and funds dispensed to distant relatives had been too much for the man’s overly stiff pride, so he’d deftly fabricated documents and found a “witness” to attest to a supposedly secret marriage between him and Christian’s mother. In this way, the earl had secured the family lineage through the children he’d so far successfully ignored—his illegitimate sons.
However, as both boys had been left unattended since the delicate age of ten, the earl feared that they did not possess the social skills necessary to maintain a place in society without garnering the ridicule of the ton. And that was something the earl would not countenance. So Reeves, the earl’s most loyal servant, was sent with a packet full of money and instructions to civilize Christian and his brother.
Christian hated the trustees and despised beingforced to become a part of their hypocrisy. Unfortunately, he needed his father’s fortune, and not just for himself. His brother, Tristan, was counting on him as well.
As the oldest son, Tristan had inherited Father’s title but none of the trustees would have approved Tristan’s choice of wife. By virtue of the circumstances of her first husband’s death, Prudence had been involved in a horrid scandal that had precluded her from ever being considered an acceptable countess.
Thus, Tristan had handed the fortune on to Christian, secure in the belief that his brother would win it for them both. This added responsibility had put quite a crimp in Christian’s plans. Now he was forced to play by societal rules.
Reeves seemed to catch Christian’s thinking, for he
Christian caught the butler’s gaze now. “Never again compare me to my father. I will not be insulted in my own house.”
Reeves sighed deeply. “I can understand why you would harbor ill feelings toward your father, but he did care for you and your brother, in his way.”
“His way is too little, too late.”
“Very true, my lord. Your father was not a responsible parent in many aspects. Nor was he as caring as he should have been. But you cannot hold him responsible for your mother’s death. He was out of the country and was unaware of her predicament.”
“Had he cared, he would have made certain she could reach him. That we could reach him.”
“The late earl had many, many faults. I cannot defend him as a parent, for he failed so miserably. However, he did know what was due his title and name. I think you should learn the same. It will help you secure the fortune from the trustees.”
“I have already met the trustees, and they were duly impressed with my elegant manner and tonnish ways,” Christian said a bit bitterly. “They are a pack of fools, the lot of them, impressed with the fold of one’s cravat over one’s character. Providing I do not make a total cake of myself, they will approve the release of the fortune.”
“I hope you are right, my lord. I fear your assessment of the trustees is painfully accurate. Your father’s cronies were not, perhaps, the best choice to oversee the disbursement of his funds.”
Yet another example of Father’s innate selfishness, to foist such silly conditions upon his will. The titles were Tristan’s and his to keep no matterwhat, but the fortunes were tied up upon the approval of the trustees.
It irked Christian to have to deal with such weak men. Not a one of them would have lived more than a day had they been forced to take care of themselves. Christian, on the other hand, had honed his abilities. He had also developed a hard shell where his heart had once been. In a way, his father had done him a favor by staying away. Life was a hard teacher, but a thorough one.
Christian supposed he should be thankful for Father’s unexpected change of heart. At an advanced age, the late earl had married a young woman in the hopes of producing some heirs, but no issue was forthcoming. The thought of seeing his title and funds dispensed to distant relatives had been too much for the man’s overly stiff pride, so he’d deftly fabricated documents and found a “witness” to attest to a supposedly secret marriage between him and Christian’s mother. In this way, the earl had secured the family lineage through the children he’d so far successfully ignored—his illegitimate sons.
However, as both boys had been left unattended since the delicate age of ten, the earl feared that they did not possess the social skills necessary to maintain a place in society without garnering the ridicule of the ton. And that was something the earl would not countenance. So Reeves, the earl’s most loyal servant, was sent with a packet full of money and instructions to civilize Christian and his brother.
Christian hated the trustees and despised beingforced to become a part of their hypocrisy. Unfortunately, he needed his father’s fortune, and not just for himself. His brother, Tristan, was counting on him as well.
As the oldest son, Tristan had inherited Father’s title but none of the trustees would have approved Tristan’s choice of wife. By virtue of the circumstances of her first husband’s death, Prudence had been involved in a horrid scandal that had precluded her from ever being considered an acceptable countess.
Thus, Tristan had handed the fortune on to Christian, secure in the belief that his brother would win it for them both. This added responsibility had put quite a crimp in Christian’s plans. Now he was forced to play by societal rules.
Reeves seemed to catch Christian’s thinking, for he
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