type of person. Proof was the fact that she took the other wives home with her.
He rested his head against the window and closed his eyes. The amount of two hundred pounds felt like a burr under his skin.
The type of woman Meri was attracted to would’ve had money. That’s why his attraction to the likes of Miss Howell or even Miss Lysander made more sense.
Why did his brother marry Katherine Greer? Who was she?
More importantly, why had she wanted to marry his brother, the biggest wastrel in all of England?
* * *
Katherine poured another cup of tea for Beth while Constance’s aunt watched Kat’s every move. She wouldn’t call it rude, but it definitely set her nerves on edge. “Mrs. Hopkins, may I offer you another cup of tea? Perhaps another lemon tart?”
“No, thank you.” With neat gray hair and startling dark blue eyes, the older woman daintily pressed a napkin against her lips. “You must call me Aunt Vee.” She chuckled slightly. “After all, we are living together now.”
Constance patted her aunt’s hand. “We’re only staying until we resolve this business about the dowries.”
“And the marriages,” said Beth, who had appeared relieved once they’d arrived at Katherine’s house. When they’d entered the carriage for the ride home, Beth had insisted she sit in the middle between Willa and Aunt Vee. It was almost as if she were hiding from someone.
“You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like,” Katherine added.
“Oh, that’s lovely. We’re running away from my brother. He wants to have me committed.” Aunt Vee turned to her niece. “We can live here forever if need be, Constance. At least until you have the baby.”
Constance’s eyes widened. “No, Aunt Vee. We can’t live here forever, and you shouldn’t tell that story.” She rested her hands on her swollen belly. “We’re not running from anyone.”
Willa entered with a tray of iced biscuits in her hands but stopped when she heard the conversation. “Why does he want to have you committed?”
The older woman shrugged. “Seems my brother is bothered when I have tea with my husband.”
“Aunt Vee, please,” whispered Constance.
Before Katherine could change the subject, Willa asked, “Why does that bother your brother?”
“My husband has been dead for twenty years,” Aunt Vee said earnestly. “We have tea once a month. I always serve my apricot tarts from the jelly I make. They were his favorites.”
The room fell silent. No one even blinked.
When Willa started to laugh, Aunt Vee joined in.
“Ack, my relatives do that all the time with their dead spouses. That’s not madness.” Willa set down the tray, then wiped her eyes. “However, the majority of them like to imbibe in a bottle of whisky before they invite them to tea.” She walked to Aunt Vee’s side, then took her arm, leading her from the room. “I want to hear more about your husband and this brother of yours.”
Katherine set her cup and saucer down. Leave it to Willa to find a way to give her time alone with Meri’s other wives. She reached over and took Constance’s hand. “Is it true what your aunt said?”
Constance nodded, and her reddened cheeks grew even more scarlet in color. She stared at their clasped hands. “If my uncle has her committed, he has control over her house and her modest allowance. The house is what he wants. It has a lovely view of Portsmouth and the sea. There have been stories told in our family that our ancestors hid fortunes found from shipwrecks in underground cellars on the property. Of course, no one can find any of it, but the legends continue.”
“Do you have any other relatives?” Beth stood and took Aunt Vee’s vacant seat on the sofa next to Constance.
“No. My parents are gone, and I promised my mother before she passed that I’d protect her oldest sister. Aunt Vee can’t live by herself or my uncle would throw her into an asylum, so she lives with me.” She took a deep breath and lifted her gaze to Katherine. “She’s not insane. Just a little above the clouds.”
Katherine nodded. “I’ve three hundred pounds in the bank for operating my business. If you need part of it, I’d be glad to help.”
She would have had five hundred pounds available if she could get her dowry back. Though a modest amount, it allowed her to be seen as a lady, one whose loving family had provided for her. Though Katherine’s mother was the best mother in the entire world in