The Rakehell Regency(332)

Pamela felt her heart warm at his words. "Thank you, Your Grace. So, having disgraced myself, I determined after Bath that I would do my utmost to stay away from him, not see him ever again if I could help it.



"But that fact is I still love Jonathan. I love him now, more than ever. Even hearing what he has supposedly done, I still love him.



"I know he told me there's no chance for us to ever be together because of some impediment, but I would like to help if I can. I just thought you ought to know why I came to Town with the Earl even though I shouldn't have. I hope you can forgive me."



He leaned forward to pat her clasped hands. "There's nothing to forgive, my dear."



"I've been such a blind, vain, selfish twit. The one good man I ever met, I looked down upon. Toyed with in a silly bid for yet another conquest. It was unworthy of me. Jonathan deserved better for all the friendship he has shown me. If I can do anything to help him now, I will. You have only to say, and I'll do it whatever is required without regard for the consequences."



The Duke nodded. "Thank you for your candor. I hope it shall not come to that. And if I may say so, a great deal can change in only a few weeks. You, for example. You made a mistake in Bath, and have tried to correct it, have you not? You have admitted your own failings, and tried to improve."



"Yes, I have. I want to. I want to be worthy of Jonathan."



He grinned. "Jonathan has had failings too. Hard to believe, but he does." He sobered. "More importantly, though, his circumstances and feelings may have altered since he last spoke with you about such personal matters. But I will not say any more at present, for I still don't know what has you so worried that you came tearing over here without even a proper escort."



He sat forward and poured some tea into a cup for her. He pressed it into her agitated hands. She stilled, took a sip, then began her tale.



"There are two main points. The first is that I have been informed that my stepmother will have to leave Ashton Manor because Jonathan is the rightful heir, not her son Bertie. Jonathan is said to be a distant cousin. I've been told that he has deliberately had the will overturned."



"Overturned you say? Jonathan's your cousin?" the Duke said in obvious surprise.



She nodded. "If he needs the income or home, fine. I can understand that he has to make his way in the world. But to think he was toying with me just to get hold of my money to run the Manor? That's not possible."



Thomas raised his eyebrows heavenward. "It would appear that way to most people. Why then do you doubt it?"



Pamela shook her head. "Because he could have proposed to me in Bath, married me, and then been sure of both house and fortune. I know it's rumored that he quarreled with his father, reconciled with him just for the sake of money, and then gambled his inheritance away and was forced to sell all his holdings. But that doesn't sound like him either.



"Maybe love is blind, Your Grace, but I know Jonathan better than that. He's not a fortune hunter. And I'm sure he loves me. And I don't give a fig if he's penniless."



Thomas smiled, and sat back in his seat to sip his tea. "You're right. He is none of those things. His father disowned him for going to war, and being ordained. He settled matters with Jonathan before he died, but the damage had already been done.



"Between that and Jonathan's attitude about the unfairness of inherited wealth, he sold everything, lock, stock and barrel, and divided it into five parts, four for he and his sisters, the rest for other family members, old retainers, and so on. He has a very good fortune, actually, despite the division. He would have been one of the wealthiest men in England had he kept it all for himself, but he's never been interested in money or material possessions, only helping people."



She let out a sigh of relief. "So then why was the will overturned?"



The Duke shrugged. "I'm only guessing, but I think the Earl must be a distant cousin of yours as well. He was certainly no earl when we knew him in the Army. He was a prize wart of the first order called Edward Murphy. Never liked the chap. Untrustworthy, loose of morals, and a liar.



"He has inherited, from what I can tell, little more than an impoverished title and a mountain of troubles. He must have pretended to be Jonathan, and won the case to make him look bad in your eyes.



"As for the other rumors, which I'm sure originated from Murphy, he probably has no idea that Jonathan was reinstated by his father before he died.



"Also, he might well have a better claim, and can simply have the case re-tried in light of new evidence. He would know with absolute certainty that Jonathan would give up his claim rather than see your family thrown out into the road.