An Unexpected Earl (Lords of the Armory #2) - Anna Harrington Page 0,78

I was also missing a fortune.” She lifted her gaze to his, and misery darkened her eyes. “Aaron had gone to the bank and withdrawn every pound and penny I possessed. He took it all, then booked passage on the first ship to Philadelphia.”

“But the settlement—”

“Was never signed,” she admitted with humiliation. “Frederick hadn’t signed it before he left for London. I thought he had. I swear to you that I believed that!”

When she began to gesture emphatically to convince him, she realized what she was doing and stopped, her hand going to her forehead in desolation. Pearce knew not to reach for her, but it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to go to her.

“Freddie had even taken Aaron to the bank, for heaven’s sake, to introduce him to our accountant and the bank manager, to pave the way for settling the dowry and contract. We’d negotiated terms—all three of us. I put my signature to the agreement, so did Aaron. But…” Her pale face twisted with humiliation, and she sucked in a deep breath to gather the courage to continue. “But somehow, in all the excitement of the proposal and the wedding plans, Freddie hadn’t signed it, and without my guardian’s signature, all my property became Aaron’s the moment we wed. Legally, as a minor, my signature meant nothing.” She turned away, too humiliated to look at him. “Aaron told me Freddie had signed it, and I trusted him. Why wouldn’t I? What woman wouldn’t trust her fiancé? I loved him. We were going to share a life together… It never occurred to me that he was lying. About everything.” A hoarse, bitter sound came from her throat. “The only thing he wasn’t able to take in his hurry to flee was Bradenhill.”

A grim realization settled over Pearce. That was why the property was so important to her, why she was fighting the trust tooth and nail. Not because of her charity, although he was certain she wanted to use it for that, but because it was all she had left.

“Did your brother go after him,” he asked quietly, attempting to fill in the blanks, “try to bring him back and force him to return your money?”

She gave a jerking nod. “Freddie hired lawyers and thief-takers, went so far as to hire two men from Bow Street to find him and bring him back by force, if necessary. But it was all for nothing. Aaron had vanished, and my fortune along with him, with no way to get it back even if we found him. Because Aaron had every right to take it. He and I were legally married.” A single tear slipped down her cheek and ripped open his heart as she choked back a sob. “We still are.”

* * *

Unable to bear any look of recrimination or pity from him, Amelia turned her back and lifted her hand to her mouth to physically press down the anguish swelling inside her. How could Pearce understand all that had happened to her, when she could barely fathom it herself?

“He took everything from me,” she choked out. “My fortune, my happiness…my future.” Her shoulders trembled as she pulled in deep lungfuls of air to find the strength to keep from falling to the floor. “Now he’s taken you.”

“No, he hasn’t.” Pearce stepped up behind her and slipped his arms around her, to wrap her securely in his embrace. “I’ll never leave you again, understand? Never.”

She didn’t have the resolve to nod. Emotion overwhelmed her, and she simply gave up, shutting her eyes against the pain and humiliation.

“We will find a way out of this together, Amelia. I promise you.”

Oh, he was wrong! There was no way out of her marriage. She’d pored through her lack of options so many times before that she no longer held any hope of finding one. “It takes an act of Parliament to grant a divorce,” she rasped, “and neither the courts nor the Church recognizes abandonment as grounds.”

“They recognize adultery. I’m certain he hasn’t been faithful to his marriage vows during the years he’s been away. ” His arms tightened around her, but his embrace gave her little comfort. “We’ll hire new investigators, send more Bow Street runners to find him—and find evidence of what he’s been doing. ”

Her heart wrenched. He was trying to rescue her. Even now. “I can’t ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking. I’m giving.” He nuzzled his cheek against her hair. “We’re working together now, remember?