Page 49 of Reading the Viscount
“Father did not live a pathetic life. He had a full life with friends, family, and many hobbies.”
“Yes. He lived it despite his family, hurting Mother, and runningthrough the family money until you had to marry just to save the house over our heads.”
Andrew stood. “I married Amelia because I love her.”
“And to save the estate, though you could have sold Sommerset House in Town. Does Mother know? Am I the only one you kept it a secret from?”
“You were content to play at being a scholar and enjoying your mistress. It wasn’t a difficult secret to keep from you. Keeping it from Mother was much more difficult. She doesn’t know, and you don’t need to tell her. She’s been through enough heartache.” Andrew ran his hand through his hair. “How did you find out about our circumstances?”
An age-old hurt built in Christopher’s chest. “I read the ledgers. I’m not as naïve as you want me to be. I know Father died of syphilis. He bought so many horses and paintings that there was barely money enough to pay our creditors. But instead of telling me, asking for my ideas, my advice, you kept it all hidden, as if I was of no use.”
“That’s what I’m supposed to do!” Andrew walked past a settee and two tables before turning around to face him. “I’m the oldest. When Father died, it was my responsibility to ensure you and Mother had a home and a life you were accustomed to. I knew one day you would choose either the law or the military. That was all you needed to worry about, but instead you stayed at Oxford mentoring students. That is when you weren’t drinking and whoring.”
Christopher took a deep breath, the urge to pummel his brother far too strong. They were equally built and evenly matched. The effort wouldn’t accomplish anything. “You’re wrong. I was doing neither.”
Andrew’s hand came down hard on the closest table. “I had to pay a bill for the lodgings of your mistress.”
“Is that what Harewood told you?”
“I saw the bill,” Andrew ground out between gritted teeth.
Christopher smirked, now enjoying his brother’s anger far toomuch. “The bill was for theFortune’s Fate, a ship, not an inn. It was for my investment in cargo, which, by the way, tripled my money. You see, brother, if you had confided in me, I could have helped improve our circumstances long before you had to marry Lady Amelia. But you insisted on treating me as if I were a child. When I realized you planned to marry to improve the estate coffers, I decided to take advantage of what little was left, in case you failed.”
Andrew stared at him, his brown eyes emotionless. “You knew our difficulties, and instead of helping, you took more from us.”
“I did. I needed to be sure we could at least rent a home in Town for Mother in the event you had to sell Sommerset House because you couldn’t charm anyone into marrying you. Town was Mother’s escape from Father’s infidelity. She deserved to keep her friends and activities. After all, you did wait until the last possible moment.”
“What do you know of Father’s infidelity?”
“Much. You were abroad buying artwork. I was with Mother trying to keep her occupied while Father went roaming from bed to bed. I swore then that I would never do what he did.”
As if all the air in his lungs left him, Andrew sat in the chair closest to where he stood. “You knew.”
Christopher nodded. Though a part of him felt guilty for not advising his older brother, he was also absolutely sure Andrew would have never listened to him. Andrew had been raised to take over the estate, as every firstborn was meant to do. Meanwhile, Christopher felt as if he wasn’t important enough to be told anything. It wasn’t in him to sit back and allow fate to rule his life.
“Then I failed.” Andrew’s shoulders hunched as he stared at the table’s surface.
Exasperated, Christopher cracked his knuckles on one hand, then the other. His brother still didn’t understand, at least not completely. Maybe he never would. “You didn’t fail. You not only saved the estate, but you found the perfect lady for your wife.”
Andrew looked up at him. “That’s true. But I also was trying to protect you.”
“I don’t need protection. I never did.”
Andrew’s gaze moved past Christopher to where he’d placed the ledgers. “And that estate?”
Christopher hesitated. Only one person knew about Stoneleigh House. Then again, maybe it was time to reveal all. “It’s mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yes. I purchased it with funds from my investments and a few well-placed bets.”
“Your bet with Harewood.”
“Yes. That was the last of the funding I needed. The estate is run-down, but I plan to bring it back. It will take a couple of years.”
Andrew rose. “That’s why you don’t wish to marry until after you’re thirty. You’ve been planning to own your own estate, and as a titled peer, you could have your choice of women.”
“I will only need one woman.”
