Page 57 of A Highland Duke to Claim Her Heart

Chapter 21

“You have cheated me, brother,” Christopher began as he sat down in front of Ewan’s desk, without preamble. “You have stolen from me, cheated me, and now you have robbed me.”

Ewan tried to remain calm, and to still the beating in his heart.

He was not surprised that promising to pay his brother’s debts had not fully settled Christopher’s vengeful entitlement. But he was surprised by the look of pure venom on his face.

“Those are heavy accusations indeed,” Ewan said slowly. “And how, may I ask, have I accomplished these feats?”

“You know how,” Christopher snarled. “You stole the woman I was meant to marry, and along with her, her dowry! And now you offer me small sums to cover some of my debts, rather than giving me what was mine to begin with. What waslawfullymine.”

Ewan frowned at him. “I am not offering you small sums, Christopher. You asked for this money to be transferred to you. You are the one who made the request of me.”

Christopher’s face reddened, but he did not look embarrassed. If anything, he sounded even more righteous when he spoke.

“They may cover my debts, but what of the rest of my living expenses?”

“You have the living that was granted to you,” Ewan began, but his brother only scoffed.

“The living is insufficient! I was promised a dowry, a large dowry, that I would be able to live comfortably on for the rest of my life.”

Ewan said nothing for a long moment. He very much doubted that Christopher would have been able to live comfortably on Cassandra’s dowry for the rest of his life. Not because it was not generous, because it was. A frugal man would be able to live well on it, and if he were smart and invested it wisely, he might even be able to make money.

But Christopher was not a frugal man, and Ewan suspected he might not be smart, either.

“Are you listening to me, Ewan?” Christopher demanded. He leaned forward. “I want what I am owed. What is rightfully mine.”

Ewan took his time in responding. “You mean you want Her Grace’s dowry,” he said. It felt surreal to even say the words out loud.

“Yes,” Christopher said at once, without even a trace of guilt. “She was to be mine, Ewan. The contract was signed. The banns were read. And if I had not almost drowned, then she would have been!”

“You ran off,” Ewan said, some of his frustration slipping into his voice. “It may not have been your fault that your ship was wrecked, but it is your fault that you went on a journey to reclaim your bachelorhood right before your wedding. I had to make a hard decision, Christopher, even while grieving what I believed to be your death. It was not easy for me to do. But I had a responsibility to Cassandra and to her parents, and now it is done, and there is nothing that can be done about it.”

“You could give me her dowry,” Christopher insisted. “Give me the dowry that I am owed.”

Ewan felt a drop of cold sweat slip down his spine. He stared at his brother, thinking. He loved him, of course he did. They had grown up together, and he had always protected Christopher. Always.

But now, there was someone else he had to protect more.

“No,” he said, his voice cutting through the room like the slash of a knife. “I am sorry, Christopher, but I cannot do that. More importantly, I will not.”

Christopher’s face turned bright red, and his jaw clenched. “Why?” he spat. “Lord knows you do not need the money! The estate is thriving.”

“It is not about me,” Ewan said, and he felt his hands curl into fists at his side. “It is about Cassandra. The money is being held in trust for her, to use as she likes. Perhaps on her children, someday, or…” he voice caught slightly. “Or whatever she wishes,” he finished. “And I will not give that money away to a man who abandoned her and ran away when he had the chance to step up and do what was noble and right and marry her.”

Christopher sprang up from his seat. For a moment, Ewan thought that he might actually hit him. His hand was half-raised, and Ewan braced himself.

But then, to his shock, Christopher crumpled back into his seat, tears sprang to his eyes, and he covered his face with his hands. Then he began to weep.

“Brother…” he howled. “You do not know how hard it has been. The debts that are racking up… The creditors who are after me… It is so much more than I can even admit to you. I am drowning, Ewan, drowning, and I have no one to turn to, no one to help me. That money… It might have saved me. But without it, I am doomed, Ewan, doomed.”

Despite himself, Ewan felt a twinge of sympathy. All his life, he had been rushing in to save Christopher, and now was no different.

“You are not alone,” he said gently, and Christopher looked up. His face was streaked with tears, his eyes red. He no longer looked like the handsome, confident man who had strode in here moments ago. “And you are certainly not doomed! You are my brother, Christopher, and I would never allow anything to happen to you.”

“But you will not give me the dowry,” Christopher said petulantly.

“No, I will not,” Ewan said. “And I would advise you not to ask again. That is Cassandra’s, and I will not take it from her.”