The Diabolical Baron by Mary Jo Putney Read Free Book Online Page A

other than himself.
    The handsome fortune he had in herited was seriously depleted by years of self-indul gence and poor investments. While he had wisely refrained from mortgaging his estate, he had been fi nancially embarrassed for some time now, and was ready to check on the progress of his other “investments.”
    “Well, Louisa, you promised that spending all of this money launching the oldest girls would pay a hand some return as well as getting them off our hands. How do matters stand?”
    “Quite well, Alfred. In fact there is a surprising de velopment taking place at this very moment. I have al ready informed you of Gideon Fallsworthy’s interest in Gina. I am sure he is on the verge of offering for her, and he seems so besotted he will probably take her without a portion.”
    “Yes, yes, I know all about him,” Sir Alfred said im patiently. “But I do not scruple to say our financial sit uation has worsened. The East India trading ship I invested in is far overdue, and almost certainly lost. I had counted on the profit of that to pay for ... never mind what. Is there any chance a richer man may offer for Gina? If so, I’ll refuse to let Fallsworthy have her.”
    Lady Hanscombe was revolted by her husband’s ca sual greed, but she knew better than to argue the issue on romantic grounds. “I really do not think that is pos sible. She and Gideon have been so absorbed in each other that her other suitors have looked elsewhere. E ven if there were some one else, I fear she would elope rather than give Gideon up.”
    “What kind of doxies have you been raising, madam?” Sir Alfred bellowed. Like many men of ca sual morals, he demanded that his daughters behave with a propriety that he would have abhorred in a po tential mistress.
    “Watch your language about your daughter, sir! She is no doxy, she just knows what she wants. Fallswor thy is a very amiable young man, and I’m quite sure the minx would be able to persuade him to run off,” her proud mother said. “If you disliked the match, you should have said so when they first met. You approved at the time, you might recall.”
    “Aye, I was not at a standstill then.”
    “I had hoped the substantial portion Caroline will inherit from her mother will make her more marriage able—”
    “Don’t be counting on that,” Sir Alfred interrupted.
    “You haven’t spent the money? That would be em bezzlement!” his wife gasped.  “It was left in trust for her.”
    “Don’t be so anxious to send me to jail,” he snapped. “I invested it in a surefire canal scheme, but the director ran off with the funds. It was a legitimate investment for her trust money,” he added defensively in the face of his wife’s glare. While she had her share of faults, Lady Hanscombe was scrupulously honest, and her hus band’s actions appalled her.
    After collecting herself, Louisa said coldly, “Then it is just as well Caroline never knew the size of her in heritance. The other news I have for you could not be better timed. I had begun to despair of finding some one for her. She has no countenance or vivacity, and seems quite uninterested in attaching anyone. But it is the most amazing thing—Lord Radford has taken a marked interest in her. He sought her out at Almack’s last night, danced only with her, and called for her this morning for a drive. Hard as it may be to understand, he seems quite smitten with her.”
    “Lord Radford? The man has had some of the most dashing mistresses in London. What interest could he have in a milk-and-water miss like Caroline?”
    “Mysterious are the ways of love,” Lady Hanscombe said sententiously. “He probably wants a well-brought-up young lady who will bear him a son and not curb his pleasures. Caroline should suit him very well. And she won’t present any problems if he comes up to scratch. She’s always been a most obedient girl.”
    “Well, see she stays that way!” her loving husband barked as he ended the interview