Page 38 of The Duke’s Hidden Runaway Bride

“What terms?” Josiah asked.

“Mutual releases,” Ophelia said. “Markham abandons every claim against me and Papa arising from the engagement, settlement, or wedding expenses. Papa abandons any claim concerning Markham’s false representations, provided the creditors are satisfied from another source.”

“I will not pay his debts,” Josiah said.

“No,” Adrian replied. “I will.”

Ophelia turned to him. “Not as a gift to me?”

“No. I would take assignments of the debts. Markham would owe Calder instead of Fenwick, Bellamy, and the others. I could suspend enforcement for as long as he abided by the agreement.”

“And call them if he did not,” Soane said.

Adrian nodded.

Ophelia considered.

“It might work.”

“It may not,” Soane warned. “Markham could refuse and dare us to expose him.”

“Then the creditors learn what he promised them,” Adrian said.

“And London learns why,” Josiah added.

Ophelia’s face tightened. She shook her head.

Adrian understood. A public battle would spread Markham’s words about her through every drawing room. And her name had been bandied about quite enough already.

Josiah sat down heavily. “I should have heard you before, my girl.”

Ophelia looked at her father. “Hear me now.”

“I am trying.”

It fell short of an apology, but it marked a beginning all the same.

Soane gathered the documents into order.

“I will have counsel draft the releases. No debts will be purchased until Miss James and Mr. James approve the language. In the meantime, I shall continue tracing the remaining creditors.”

“And Markham?” Adrian asked.

“Someone must offer him the terms.”

“I will.”

Ophelia’s gaze sharpened. “Do not fight him.”

“I had planned to crush him with the weight of my moral disapproval.”

“I mean it, Calder!”

“So do I.”

She held his gaze a moment longer, then nodded.

It felt less like permission than trust. Adrian intended to deserve it.