The Earl of Davenport: Wicked Regency Romance (Wicked Earls' Club #7)(15)

“I—That is—I cannot—” Jed visibly swallowed before trying again. “You’re marrying Claire?”

Davenport sighed. “No, not Claire. As I was saying, I am prepared to pay off your debts but I don’t believe your actions should go unpunished. Therefore—”

“Who are you marrying?” Jed’s brow was furrowed in confusion. He clearly had not been paying attention to the terms and would not until he explained.

Davenport was not used to having to explain himself and he resented having to do so now. Nevertheless, time was of the essence. “I am marrying your youngest sister, Anne,” he explained slowly, so even a dimwit could understand. “She has already agreed so I am here to ask your permission.”

Though it could be noted that he had not, in fact, asked permission. Asking permission was perhaps even more odious than having to explain himself. “I assume you’ll approve of a marriage to Anne if it means saving your family from destitution?”

Jed stared at him for another long moment, his eyes wide with shock. “A-Anne? You want to marry Anne?”

He struggled for patience. But really, he had no time for this. He gave the other man a pointed look. “Might we return to the topic at hand? I believe we were discussing your finances.”

“But,” Jed interrupted, “did Anne agree?”

“Ask her yourself when we are done here,” he said. Though as he spoke, he felt a twinge of fear that perhaps she would change her mind while talking to her brother. Jed was clearly not up to the task of convincing her since he looked appalled by the idea.

All the more reason for him to hurry this process along and get the wedding over and done with. He leaned forward. “Now then, back to your financial concerns.”

A short time later, they had a deal. Davenport would save them, but Jed would pay him back for the gambling debts once he was back on his feet.

Davenport had no need for the money but it was the principle of the matter. Besides, how could the foolish man ever learn his lesson if he never suffered the consequences of his actions?

Jed agreed to the terms. Of course he did—he had no other options.

Davenport raced home to tell his servants about this last-minute departure and to get preparations underway for the journey. As he went about preparing he rationalized his hasty actions. A rushed marriage was a bit extreme, even for him. However, if he was caving to the ton’s expectations by marrying, surely he would do it on his own terms and in his own way.

He became aware of his great aunt in the doorway to the foyer as he oversaw the preparations. “A bit soon, don’t you think?” she asked. “Don’t tell me there’s a little devil on the way.”

He grinned at his aunt’s dark humor, then his smile grew as he thought of how he would be consummating his marriage soon. Not soon enough, but it was the fastest elopement he could manage.

His aunt was watching him with a mix of amusement and concern. “Tell me, nephew, what is the hurry?”

He smiled at his aunt. He wished he knew. But he couldn’t admit that he was acting on some sort of primal instinct. She would surely have him committed. “Why wait?” he returned. With a shrug, he added, “What better way to shock the ton than with a hasty marriage?” He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before adding, “Their tongues will be wagging.”

She rolled her eyes. “As always. Don’t you think it’s time you stop acting for their sake? There’s no one to impress with your devilish ways anymore, you know that, don’t you?”

He cast her a quick look. He knew she wasn’t referring to society at large. She was talking about his parents. It was something she’d mentioned often in the years since his parents lost their lives in a carriage accident.

She seemed to think he’d taken on the devil moniker just to shock them. To give them what they expected of him. She still didn’t understand that they had been right all along. He was a curse, incapable of the kind of good she expected from him.

And now you’ve gone and cursed Anne.

He tried to shake off the thought, but it persisted. She was kind and pure, surely she deserved the same.

He growled as he grabbed a wrapped parcel of food from one of the servants and carried it to the carriage. It was too late to question his decision now. Besides, Anne was strong as well as kind. She could hold her own in a home with the devil. That was why he’d chosen her, wasn’t it?

Was it? the voice taunted.

He shook off the question, along with the multitude of doubts that were threatening to swarm his mind if he didn’t act quickly and efficiently. This sudden marriage might be rash and it was definitely selfish, but those two traits described him perfectly. Anyone who knew him would say he acted on impulse and base desire.

His mind conjured an image of Anne with her soft, sweet lips and her luscious curves. A smile tugged at the edges of his mouth. There was no denying that this decision had been largely affected by base desire.

But there was reason involved as well. This would give Anne and her family the security they needed—surely they deserved that after being friends to him and his family all these years.

The other reason was self-explanatory, yet he found himself saying it nonetheless. “I require a countess, Aunt. You said so yourself.”

She was watching him with a knowing smile. “Indeed I did. And you do require a wife.” She reached over and patted his cheek as though he were still a boy and not the wicked earl he’d come to be. “I can only hope this Miss Cleveland will give you what you need most.”