Mastering The Marquess (Bound and Determined #1)(86)

“It is as simple as I choose it to be.” He turned to look at her. “I am responsible for my family, including my father. I manage the estates and the finances. I make sure the bills are paid and the servants kept happy. What more do you need to know?”

“You are not telling me everything.”

“I do not know what you want me to say.”

“Tell me about Bliss. I have met her several times, and she seems a lovely woman. I am surprised she does not live here, with you.”

“She chooses to live with my father. ” His tone made it clear he was not happy with the situation, although his expression did not change.

“And why do you not live with you father? The duke’s residence is large enough for a whole circus.”

“Given the size of my family, that is a good thing. And it is not unusual for a young man to maintain his own residence.”

She leaned forward slightly. “Yes, but most of them keep bachelor apartments. You keep a house almost as grand as your father’s. And you had it before our marriage, so don’t pretend that you bought it for the family you planned.”

“It actually is part of the ducal estate, but I pay for its upkeep. I can afford it.”

“I didn’t say you could not.”

“And I did want it for my future family. Surely, you know I am a practical man. I often plan things years ahead. It is the way to be sure one achieves one’s goals.”

She raised a brow in imitation of his earlier gesture. “Yes, I do know you like to plan. But this seems to be taking it to extremes.” She gestured about the room.

“I like my comforts.”

“We are straying from the subject. You stated that many young men do not live in the family home. You did not tell me why you do not. Given that you do manage everything I would have thought you would benefit from being there.”

“I do not get along with my father. Is that what you wish me to say?” It was his turn to lean forward, bringing them eye to eye. “You are wrong, however, that I do not like my father. He is an immensely likable man. We simply do not get along.”

“Why?” She would not back off.

“You simply will not give up. I find him irresponsible. You know about the leasing of the estates that led to our marriage. He is currently obsessed with the raising of llamas. You don’t even know what they are, do you? A large South American animal with fine wool. He is convinced that they will make him a fortune.”

“He told me of them at a ball. They do not sound so bad.”

“Not until he spends thousands of pounds on them and then they all catch a chill and die. You were not around when he tried raising rabbits. He kept them everywhere, including the London house. I shiver even at the memory.”

“What happened?”

“He discovered that he didn’t care for killing them. There were over three hundred of the varmints at their peak, and he regarded each one as a pet. We spent a fortune feeding the things and cleaning up after them.”

Louisa shuddered at the thought. She definitely sympathized with the duke’s not wishing to kill them, but … “At least if he is raising llamas for wool they will not need to be killed.”

“That is true, but did you know that they spit? You would be quite amazed at the distance.”

“You are distracting me again. I can see that your father might not be easy to deal with, but I still sense that your feelings are stronger than that.”

He leaned back, patted his lap. “I do think I might feel more like revealing myself if you were closer.”

She considered. He was probably trying to distract her again, but …

“Sit here.” He patted his lap, but this time spoke it as a command, not a request.

Still, she thought about refusing. Giving in to his orders did not come easily to her, at least not during daylight. With some reluctance she stood and turned, perching on his thigh.

“Closer.”

She turned her head and looked up at him. “Tell me more first.”

“Aah, this is all a bargaining match.”

“I believe, sir, that you began it.”

“So I did.” He placed a hand upon her waist. “When I was a young boy I adored both my parents, thought they were the best parents ever. Most of my friends had parents who never saw them or ordered them about, but I was a Danser and all of life was a celebration. I remember endless games and staying up to all hours of the night—and I cannot have been more than six or seven.” His face softened with reminiscence.

“It sounds wonderful.”

“Mostly it was. The servants did a good enough job of running things, and if the manor was not quite clean and we paid three times what things were worth, what did it matter. We had each other and more than enough money.”

Geoffrey’s face grew solemn. “But sometimes my parents forgot to call us down for dinner—and the servants did not consider it part of their employment. There were nights my siblings and I went hungry. And times when a doctor was not summoned until the very last moment. Often our clothes were two sizes too small and our shoes worn. But then my mother would decide to send for the tailors and the dressmakers and within a fortnight there would be rooms filled with clothes. I had no schooling until I was almost ten. My father never had the time to interview tutors, and my mother didn’t see that another year of freedom would hurt.”