Page 51 of The Duke’s Hidden Runaway Bride

Adrian kept his voice even.

“You mistake vulgarity for strength, Crispin. You always have.”

“Do I? Ask the room which of us it believes.”

“I do not think we need ask them.” Ophelia’s voice was low but clear as she stepped forward, putting herself at Adrian’s side, facing up to Markham directly again. Adrian did not try to push her back.

Markham looked at her with open irritation. “This is not a matter you understand.”

“I understand it better than you hoped I would.”

A small space had formed around them. Guests pretended to speak while listening without disguise. Across the ballroom, Adrian saw his mother turn towards them. Lady Elise was already advancing, her expression furious. Adrian hoped his aunt had not heard Markham’s insinuations; the mere suggestion of impropriety having occurred under Elise’s roof would have her incandescent with rage.

Ophelia did not look at the gathering crowd.

“You are correct that His Grace does not yet hold enough of your debts to break you,” she said. “I told him so myself. You have been dunned too often to be frightened by one more creditor, even a ducal one.”

Markham’s smile returned. “At least one of you has sense.”

“But the debts are not your difficulty.” Ophelia continued in the calm, dry voice Adrian had heard her use over the accounts at Plas Eira. The voice of a clerk detailing numbers, cold facts which could not be manipulated or altered.

“The final marriage articles placed my capital in trust. You would have received the agreed income and allowances after the marriage, but the principal would never have belonged to you. You knew that when you borrowed from Sir Hugh Fenwick in October.”

Sir Hugh stepped into the circle. “He did.”

Markham glanced at him. “Fenwick, this is a matter we had...”

He got no further.

“You showed Sir Hugh an earlier draft,” Ophelia continued, “one my father’s lawyers had rejected. You promised him first claim upon capital you knew you would never own. You later promised the same priority to Mr. Bellamy.”

The amusement had gone from Markham’s face. “You have no proof of what I knew,” he said quickly. Too quickly.

“The rejected draft bears your lawyer’s endorsement. The signed articles are dated nine days before Sir Hugh’s note. My father’s correspondence records your acceptance of the amended terms.”

Josiah came to stand on Ophelia’s other side.

“I have brought the letters,” he said. His voice was rough but audible. “And my books. If this matter goes before a court, I will produce all of them.”

Markham stared at him. “You would destroy your own credit to indulge her whims?”

“No.” Josiah looked at his daughter. “I nearly destroyed her to preserve it. I shall not make the mistake twice.”

A murmur ran through the listeners.

Ophelia took one measured breath. “You may bring your suit,” she told Markham. “If you do, we will place the final articles, the rejected draft, Sir Hugh’s note, and Mr. Bellamy’s before counsel and the court. Your creditors will learn that each was promised priority against money you knew would never be yours. They may decide for themselves what your promises are worth. A court may decide what name to give your representations.”

“You would never endure the publicity.”

“I am enduring it already.”

Markham’s eyes went to the faces surrounding them. Expressions had begun to change, and quite a number were now looking at him with condemnation in their eyes after hearing Ophelia’s dispassionate description of his actions. He was doing the sum. Adrian could see the calculation on his face; could he still turn this to his advantage?

Ophelia did not permit him time to reconfigure events in his favour.

“You threatened my father’s credit because you believed your own conduct would remain hidden. It will not. Sign the releases, and His Grace will arrange terms upon which you may continue to meet your debts. Refuse, and Sir Hugh and Mr. Bellamy will call their notes. Mr. Soane will inform the other creditors that you offered them security you never held, and we will defend whatever action you bring by producing evidence that you had sought to defraud others using our assets as surety.”

She held Markham’s gaze steadily.