The Sinner by Madeline Hunter Read Free Book Online Page B

moment.”
             
    It was the money that swayed him. He would have been an idiot not to grab for it.
    Dante told himself that many times over the next few days while he contemplated why he had accepted Fleur’s offer.
    He had agreed because the marriage would rescue him from dire straits, but he confessed that her appeal had touched him in other ways.
    She trusted him. It was a novel notion, and a surprisingly compelling one. So it was really about the money, but the flattery of her trust may have nudged him a little.
    It was an unusual arrangement, but in many ways ideal. The day-to-day coexistence would not be unpleasant. He would have every freedom he had ever had, but now with the blunt to pay for it properly. He would finally be free of his dependence on his family.
    Yes, financially speaking, he had done very well.
    The only cloud on the bright horizon, and it was a very small cloud to be sure, was that while Fleur was indifferent to men, he was not indifferent to Fleur.
    In that backyard, while the chickens pecked around his boots and he weighed her offer, that part of the agreement had struck him as rather dismal. When he had held her hand in acceptance, it had taken some strength of will not to pull her into a very different kind of kiss from the one she had just permitted.
    That should take care of itself, however. Once he was back to his old life, his attraction would pass quickly. It rarely settled in one place for long.
    Even though it was all about her money, she had made it clear that it was not about
all
of her money. Therefore, when the Duclaircs’ solicitor, Julian Hampton, arrived at the gaol to discuss the settlement, Dante did not quibble over the three thousand a year that would be his free and clear, even though in a normal marriage he would have much more.
    He did not blink when Hampton explained that the land would also be at Fleur’s disposal and that Dante would be agreeing to permit her to use it and its income as she chose.
    He even remained impassive when Hampton explained that he could leave the gaol. The solicitor had already spoken with Thompson on Fleur’s request, and informed the creditor that Dante’s bride would be paying the outstanding debt of fifteen thousand pounds in full.
    After itemizing Fleur’s terms, Hampton moved on to a fuller discussion of the matter.
    “As your family’s counselor, I advise against this marriage.” Hampton spoke in his most formal tone. He had been a friend of the family for years, but signaled with his voice and demeanor when he fully assumed his occupational role.
    “The terms are unusual, but not ungenerous. I am unlikely to do better.”
    “You are promising to agree to financial decisions even if they are unsound. She could squander the entire fortune not in trust, and you would have no authority to prevent it.”
    “Then we will live on the trust income. However, I think it unlikely that she will squander all the rest.”
    Hampton rose and paced over to the grimy window of the gaol’s tiny bedchamber. This time Dante had paid Meg the ten pence for some privacy. As Hampton gazed out on the scrubby yard, his entire demeanor was that of a tall, dark pillar of professional responsibility. One would never guess that they had played together as boys, when Dante tagged along during Hampton’s visits to Vergil.
    “The private agreement has no standing in the law, of course. If you conclude she is not acting sensibly, or break it for other reasons, no judge will uphold it. I explained that to her,” he said.
    “I think she understood that risk already.”
    “Yes. It will be a matter of your honor. So she said. I would prefer it only be words on paper. Those can be interpreted and argued. If you promise these provisions on your honor, there will be no recourse except acting dishonorably.”
    Hampton turned, his face impassive, his dark eyes enigmatic beneath his tousled dark hair. One rarely knew what Hampton was thinking. He was a