Kanewood’s. The Earl of Talbot, as was his father’s title, had significant holdings. His country home was magnificent, if in need of repair. Paul wouldn’t think about what that might mean to today’s matter.
He rapped on the door and the butler answered, surprise on his face.
“My Lord.” He bowed. “Is the earl expecting you?”
“No, Reese,” Paul said. “Is he in?”
“Yes, My Lord,” Reese said. “He’s in the breakfast room.”
Paul nodded and strode down the hall to the breakfast room. His father sat at the table, a large plate of eggs and ham in front of him.
“Good morning, Father.”
The Earl of Talbot looked up in surprise, then smiled. “Paul, my boy! Do come in.”
They exchanged a hearty handshake and Paul sat. His father gestured to the sideboard. “Help yourself, son.”
“Thank you, I’ve eaten.”
His father nodded and patted his mouth with his napkin. He set it aside and lifted his cup to his lips.
“Are the girls about?” Paul asked.
“They’re still asleep, the little slug-a-beds,” his father said. “So what brings you here so early in the day?”
“I have some news, Father.” Paul smiled. “News that couldn’t wait.”
“Hmm,” Talbot said, eyeing his son closely. “News, eh?”
The two men looked very similar, but for the eyes. All of the earl’s children had their mother’s beautiful blue ones. The earl’s were a deep shade of brown which now watched Paul with interest.
“Well don’t keep me hanging, boy,” he laughed. “Out with it.”
“I plan to offer for a young lady’s hand, Father. Today.”
“What? Why, this is splendid news, son. Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Lady Michelle Thomas.”
“Thomas,” his father said to himself. “Thomas… The Earl of Thomasham’s daughter?”
“The very same.”
The earl raised his brows. “Well. I hear the girl was left quite well-off.”
Paul leaned forward. “Her money isn’t important.”
“Yes, yes,” his father allowed. “But it can’t hurt, can it?”
Paul swallowed a sigh and let the matter drop. “I wish to speak to you this morning, Father. Concerning my finances.”
“Your finances?” Talbot asked, his brow furrowed. “What has happened?”
“Nothing has happened,” Paul said. “May we discuss this in your study?”
“Yes, certainly,” his father nodded, pushing away from the table. “Lead the way.”
Paul walked down the hallway and into his father’s study. Two leather wing-backed chairs faced the desk, and Paul settled into one of them. His father closed the paneled doors leading from the hallway and walked behind his desk. He sat down and faced his son, worry creasing his brow.
“It’s nothing dire, Father.” Paul could only hope. “I assure you.”
“Well what is it, then? Are you having difficulties?”
“No, sir,” Paul said. “But I feel with my plans to wed, I have need to know precisely what my prospects are.”
His father set out a heavy sigh. “Son, I thought you understood this. Your title and the land attached to it are all you can expect at the present time.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Paul tried to keep his irritation in check. “I was referring to my inheritance.”
His father’s gaze skittered away. “Your inheritance?”
“Yes,” Paul said. “How does it stand, looking into the future?”
His father faced him. “Paul, you have to understand. All I have left is this house and the country estate.”
Paul’s stomach dropped to his boots. “What?” He surged to his feet. “What happened to… to all of the land? To the leased properties?”
“I no longer have access to them. I… I own them on paper only.”
The room tilted and Paul splayed his hands on his father’s desk. “But, what will you pass down to me? To my sisters? To my children, damn it?”
His father rubbed his hand over his face. “I have your sisters to dower, Paul. You’ll have to provide for your heirs on your own.”
“I can’t
He rapped on the door and the butler answered, surprise on his face.
“My Lord.” He bowed. “Is the earl expecting you?”
“No, Reese,” Paul said. “Is he in?”
“Yes, My Lord,” Reese said. “He’s in the breakfast room.”
Paul nodded and strode down the hall to the breakfast room. His father sat at the table, a large plate of eggs and ham in front of him.
“Good morning, Father.”
The Earl of Talbot looked up in surprise, then smiled. “Paul, my boy! Do come in.”
They exchanged a hearty handshake and Paul sat. His father gestured to the sideboard. “Help yourself, son.”
“Thank you, I’ve eaten.”
His father nodded and patted his mouth with his napkin. He set it aside and lifted his cup to his lips.
“Are the girls about?” Paul asked.
“They’re still asleep, the little slug-a-beds,” his father said. “So what brings you here so early in the day?”
“I have some news, Father.” Paul smiled. “News that couldn’t wait.”
“Hmm,” Talbot said, eyeing his son closely. “News, eh?”
The two men looked very similar, but for the eyes. All of the earl’s children had their mother’s beautiful blue ones. The earl’s were a deep shade of brown which now watched Paul with interest.
“Well don’t keep me hanging, boy,” he laughed. “Out with it.”
“I plan to offer for a young lady’s hand, Father. Today.”
“What? Why, this is splendid news, son. Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Lady Michelle Thomas.”
“Thomas,” his father said to himself. “Thomas… The Earl of Thomasham’s daughter?”
“The very same.”
The earl raised his brows. “Well. I hear the girl was left quite well-off.”
Paul leaned forward. “Her money isn’t important.”
“Yes, yes,” his father allowed. “But it can’t hurt, can it?”
Paul swallowed a sigh and let the matter drop. “I wish to speak to you this morning, Father. Concerning my finances.”
“Your finances?” Talbot asked, his brow furrowed. “What has happened?”
“Nothing has happened,” Paul said. “May we discuss this in your study?”
“Yes, certainly,” his father nodded, pushing away from the table. “Lead the way.”
Paul walked down the hallway and into his father’s study. Two leather wing-backed chairs faced the desk, and Paul settled into one of them. His father closed the paneled doors leading from the hallway and walked behind his desk. He sat down and faced his son, worry creasing his brow.
“It’s nothing dire, Father.” Paul could only hope. “I assure you.”
“Well what is it, then? Are you having difficulties?”
“No, sir,” Paul said. “But I feel with my plans to wed, I have need to know precisely what my prospects are.”
His father set out a heavy sigh. “Son, I thought you understood this. Your title and the land attached to it are all you can expect at the present time.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Paul tried to keep his irritation in check. “I was referring to my inheritance.”
His father’s gaze skittered away. “Your inheritance?”
“Yes,” Paul said. “How does it stand, looking into the future?”
His father faced him. “Paul, you have to understand. All I have left is this house and the country estate.”
Paul’s stomach dropped to his boots. “What?” He surged to his feet. “What happened to… to all of the land? To the leased properties?”
“I no longer have access to them. I… I own them on paper only.”
The room tilted and Paul splayed his hands on his father’s desk. “But, what will you pass down to me? To my sisters? To my children, damn it?”
His father rubbed his hand over his face. “I have your sisters to dower, Paul. You’ll have to provide for your heirs on your own.”
“I can’t
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