her anywhere near it?
Or perhaps, she only used it as an excuse because she wanted a man with a title. Seeing how she’d stayed with him the past week and her words of love, he assumed she was over the idea of marrying a lord. Maybe he’d been wrong. Perhaps she hadn’t changed at all.
One thing she was about to learn was nothing stopped him when he had his mind set. Hearing her tell him she loved him had set his course. She would understand what made him a successful man: Determination.
He was not about to live his life without her.
“Simon, are you awake?”
“Come in, Duchess.”
Louisa swept into the room with a scowl on her face. “Raymond told me she left.”
Remembering how she conspired with Emma over leaving Worth Hall, he had to ask, “Did you know?”
Louisa’s face fell. “No, Simon. Now that I know you both love each other, I would never have let her leave.”
Simon blew out a long breath. He believed her.
Louisa paced the room. “What is wrong with her, Simon? She loves you. Why can’t she forget about what Mamma wants for her?”
Simon held up the note for her. “I’m not sure that is the issue. Read your note and let me know what she told you.”
Louisa grabbed the paper and tore it open. Her blue eyes widened as she read the missive. Slowly, she started to giggle, which turned into a great laugh.
“What the bloody hell is so funny?”
She looked over at him with tears in her eyes from chortling. “She thinks Hell is the only thing you have. If you sell it, you will be left with nothing and have nowhere to live. Even with the ten thousand from Harry, living in town is so dreadfully expensive that once the money was gone, you’d come to hate her.”
Simon chuckled. “Does she have no idea what the duke left me? And about the house in Berkeley Square. And the house in Kent. I could keep her in silks for the rest of her life.”
“No, she most likely doesn’t know. But I don’t think she’s concerned about herself, only you. She also fears you will have no purpose in life without Hell.”
Simon relaxed for the first time since watching Emma walk out the door. Warmth spread from his heart to his entire body. He couldn’t remember the last time someone cared for him, much less loved him.
“Duchess, I do believe we need to show your sister that not only do I have a purpose, but I also have more than enough funds to achieve that goal.” A devious plan came to him. He would show her exactly what he was worth and how she was instrumental in his design.
“What are you planning?”
Simon related his plan to her. He couldn’t stop grinning.
“I like the idea, but I do believe you should wait a few days.”
“I am well, Duchess,” he said, annoyed that she couldn’t see how much he’d recovered.
She gave him a mischievous look. “It’s not you that I’m thinking of. Emma needs to feel miserable for a few days to appreciate all that you are about to give her.”
Simon did love his sister-in-law, but he wasn’t sure about her part of the plan. “Wouldn’t it be better to strike now?”
“No,” she slowly said as if realizing something else. “Besides, she wasn’t feeling very well yesterday. Delaying will give her time to recover.”
“As in, when we do reconcile, her monthlies will be finished.”
“Simon Kingsley, I would never suggest such a thing.” Louisa couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course, that is the reason. I need another niece or nephew soon to be close to George.”
“George? Or another son or daughter?”
Louisa shrugged with a hint of a smile. “At some point, yes.”
“You are devious, Duchess.”
“I always have been. And I will do whatever it takes to see my sister happy.”
“Good, because so will I.”
They discussed their strategy in detail. As much as Simon didn’t want to admit it, the extra few days would give him more time to gain his strength back and get a few things in order. “What is today? I’ve been in bed for so long I have no idea what day it is.”
“It’s Monday,” she replied.
“What day would you suggest?” He didn’t know an awful lot about a woman’s time other than what Meg and Melissa complain about at Hell.
“Saturday should be fine.”
“Very good. Where is my brother? He and I have several things to do today.” And the first was to sign the paperwork