Page 97 of Discovering Her Earl

“By other people, of course,” Hale added in an effort to appease him.

In truth, it wasn’t that Julian hadn’t thought of that option. But only briefly. What kind of future would that be for the woman he loved? He could not be so selfish as to keep her for himself while having nothing to give her in return.

“She will marry and have children and be happy. That is what she deserves. Nothing less.”

“Perhaps I could loan you some money…” his best friend offered.

Julian sniffed. “It isn’t just about the money. You remember the state the mines were in when I took them over. The children. The men missing limbs from accidents that could have been prevented. No. That is no answer.”

“If I can’t help in that way, perhaps I could at the least assist you in digging up your father and we could take a nice long piss on his remains.”

Julian laughed at that.

“I appreciate the offer, but he’s not worth the effort of digging him up.”

“Fathers.” Hale shook his head. “Every day when I hold Verona, I silently promise to be a better father than mine was.”

“You already are.”

“I didn’t know I was capable of such love as what I feel for my wife and child. I almost feel sorry for my father for missing such a wonderful thing as I have.”

“No regrets?”

“Not one. Remember, I was the wary bachelor like you. Trust me when I tell you, whatever I thought marriage would take from me, it has given me so much more.”

Julian nodded. “You don’t need to convince me. I want to marry her. But I can’t.”

“She’s of good breeding, is she not?”

Julian nodded. “She is, unless you believe the gossips, that her mother was sired by a painter instead of the Duke of Renfrew. But despite the rumors, she’s also…” He smiled thinking of the woman who had stolen his heart. “Delightfully improper.”

Hale’s grin practically broke his face.

“The very best kind of wife.”

Yes, Hale’s duchess was rather unpolished. She was a horsewoman who probably rivaled Elaina for having as many pairs of breeches. But Hale hadn’t been saddled with an ultimatum from beyond the grave that dictated whom he needed to marry.

“Life is too precious to spend it with someone you do not love. Find a way, Julian.”

Julian nodded.

He’d been doing nothing but trying to find a way to have Elaina since before he’d even returned to London.

But time was running out. His thirtieth birthday loomed. It was time to admit defeat and give in to Elaina’s plan to find a proper wife before it was too late to save the mines.

*

Lainey watched as Julian danced with another debutante and another. Her stomach twisting in knots each time he graced one of the lucky girls with his distracting smile.

She couldn’t even say it was jealousy that caused the pain in her chest, but rather heartbreak. She felt that Julian would have chosen her if he’d been able. But he could not.

Because she was not trained to be a proper countess. Her blood might be genteel enough, but her reputation was suspect. A spinster known to travel to remote parts of the world where she assisted with manual labor.

The Egyptian sun had tanned her skin and bleached her hair. Not to mention the freckles that no proper woman would have allowed. Her hands were not soft. They were calloused and scarred from working with tools. She didn’t know the first thing about handling a household except to hire a housekeeper who could manage things with little input as her Aunt Rose had done.

She would not make the Earl of Melville a competent wife, but she was perfect for Julian in every other way. The man who loved adventure and wanted more from life than drawing rooms and port.

When the dance was over, he returned the young miss to her mother and fled in Lainey’s direction.