Page 102 of Discovering Her Earl

“I will be purchasing the mines from Osborne when they are passed to him. I will then in turn sell them back to you.”

Julian blinked and as the words filtered in, he shook his head.

“Osborne won’t let them go for a pence. He’ll want more than they’re worth. I can’t ask you—”

“You don’t need to ask. It is what friends do for one another.”

Julian rubbed his forehead as he thought it through. It would solve everything, but…

“The expense. It will be astronomical. I can’t take food out of your family’s mouths to help me.”

“I spoke with Gia and she has agreed to part with a few of her horses to cover the expense. Besides, I’ve been doing a bit of reconnaissance, and I’ve learned of a dalliance between Lord Osborne and a certain Regent’s mistress. If leverage is needed, I will go into the negotiations well-armed.”

Julian felt his lips pull up in a grin. The first one since he’d given up on being with Lainey. If Osborne was fooling around with the Prince Regent’s mistress, he surely wouldn’t want anyone to find out. He would probably give up his own mines in the transaction in exchange for silence.

“I knew there would be a way. I had to trust I would find it.”

“Well, I found it, actually.” Hale brushed at his coat as his chest heaved with pride. Well deserved.

“I can never thank you enough for this.”

Hale waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “You can name your son after me and we’ll call it paid.” The man laughed to communicate he was only joking, but Julian thought Jeremy would be a fine name for his heir.

But only if he could find his wife first.

“I must go now.”

“Yes. Go find her.” Hale gave him a shove and Julian took off running down the street.

Back at his home he roused his servants and shouted orders so he could be underway to Calais within the hour.

“Do you wish to come with me, Bentley? I know it is a long voyage and we’ve not been home very long.”

“My old bones prefer the warmth of the desert, my lord. Besides… I go where you go. Always.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, let me pack so we can go catch your intended.”

With a pat on the man’s shoulder, Julian went off to his study to send off a few letters. He hoped to catch her ship, but even if he didn’t, he’d catch the next one. He went to his desk and pulled out the bottom drawer where he kept his mother’s ring.

He would find a way to take care of the mines. But first he needed to make sure the woman he loved knew his heart and how perfect she was for him.

Chapter Thirty-Two

After spending most of the night docked in Calais as they waited for cargo to arrive, they finally set sail at dawn.

Lainey stood on deck as the sky caught fire with the first of the day’s light and remembered that evening weeks ago. The last sunset she’d shared with Julian.

The sun had set on their time together and now it rose on a new life for her.

This day would start like the rest of the days in her future. Without Julian.

As she did each time she thought of Julian, she pressed her fist to her chest and sniffed back tears. The pain seemed to grow worse instead of easier. She didn’t know if she would survive it.

Her aunt and uncle had been supportive of her retreat from London. Though Aunt Rose warned her there was no escape from a broken heart, and so far, she seemed to be correct on that. But in Egypt, Lainey would be able to focus on her work and not have to think of Julian’s marriage.

“Beautiful, is it not?” a voice said from behind her. She froze for a moment thinking she’d conjured up his voice, but when she heard his footsteps approaching, she couldn’t help but turn to see.