‘You’ll need to reserve an entire afternoon,’ Wick said dryly. ‘Possibly two.’
‘I wouldn’t be averse to meeting your Lady Louisa, either. Rumour has it that she is a very lovely young woman.’
Matthew tried to elbow Wick again, but this time he wasn’t driving his carriage. He grabbed his brother’s elbow and twisted his arm behind his brother’s back, pushing his face against the wall. ‘Not another word from you.’
‘No fisticuffs in the office, boys,’ their grandfather said, as if they were still children.
Wick released Matthew’s arm and they sat down in chairs set on opposite sides of the room.
Grandfather Stubbs held up the document on his desk. ‘I am particularly good friends with the head of Fordham’s Bank...’ he said. In other words, the man was terrified of his grandfather. ‘He has been kind enough to send me a copy of the late Earl of Rockingham’s will. I’ll have my solicitors comb over it later, but it is straightforward. The late Earl’s wife left her personal fortune of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds to her only daughter, Lady Louisa Bracken.’
Matthew let out a low whistle. ‘You really do know how to choose them.’
Wick was scarcely less surprised. He’d thought Barnabas was exaggerating when he’d said that his cousin was set to inherit such a large fortune.
‘She was meant to receive a yearly allowance of seventy-five hundred pounds for her maintenance While she was left in the guardianship of her uncle, the new Earl of Rockingham. Over the last ten years the amount would have come to seventy-five thousand pounds.’
Wick clenched his hands into fists. Her aunt and the current Earl had been stealing her allowance. ‘The way Lady Rockingham has treated Louisa is robbery. She must have used the funds to support her own family and lifestyle, while keeping her niece in penury.’
Grandfather Stubbs set down the paper. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t think we will ever be able to recover those funds. The late Earl didn’t seem to realise that his brother and sister-in-law would treat his daughter poorly. He must have known that they were not good with money, for he appointed three trustees to invest her fortune: Mr Pickett, Lord Waller and Mr Biggs. As far as I can tell, they have done a bang-up job. Lady Louisa’s fortune has grown under their management to one hundred and eighty thousand pounds.’
This time Wick whistled. ‘No wonder Lady Rockingham wanted to keep Louisa in the family—or at least her fortune.’
‘Yes,’ Grandfather Stubbs said, rubbing the end of his beard. ‘According to the will, Lady Louisa’s fortune becomes her own when she reaches five-and-twenty years of age or when she marries someone of whom her guardians approves.’
‘What can we do?’
Matthew cleared his throat. ‘Nothing until she is married. The will is quite clear that she is to have no control over her fortune before her marriage or until she is five-and-twenty. I have sent letters to all three of Lady Louisa’s trustees. Mr Biggs has already responded by sending a note with his servant. From what he says, that they will agree not to send this quarter of her yearly allowance to the Rockinghams, but they will not allow her to touch a penny of her fortune until there is a ring on her finger.’
Wick’s hands curled into fists. This was not the answer he’d hoped for. Wick had wanted Louisa to be in full control of her fortune immediately. He didn’t wish her to have to marry a rotter like Lord Norwich to receive her inheritance.
‘At least the Rockinghams won’t get their grimy fingers on another shilling of her fortune,’ he said.
Matthew slumped in his chair. ‘It might turn into a nasty scandal. I’ve heard rumours of the Rockinghams’ financial difficulties in certain less respectable quarters. The Earl’s heir seems to be drowning in gambling loans. He’s tangled with a particularly villainous moneylender named Marcus Sullivan. If Lord Barnabas isn’t careful, he’ll end up being murdered and thrown into the Thames.’
Wick’s grandfather grunted. ‘The head of Fordham’s also hinted that the Earl of Rockingham is in debt. He would not tell me how much. I could put pressure on him to do so...’
Wick shook his head. ‘It doesn’t matter. Perhaps it is best for Louisa to make a clean break from them.’
Matthew tapped his fingers on the wooden armrest of his chair. ‘I wouldn’t want to let them off that easily... We could threaten legal action if Lord Rockingham refuses to approve of the man Lady Louisa wishes to marry.’
Wick knew they meanthim.
Grandfather Stubbs smiled and Matthew smirked.
He blushed like a blasted debutante at her first ball. ‘I have no intention of marrying Lady Louisa. Of marrying anyone.’
‘Then you haven’t asked her yet?’ his grandfather asked.
‘Wick has always been a bit slow.’
He jumped out of his chair and charged at his annoying little brother. Matthew might be taller, but Wick was broader and stronger. His brother tried to push Wick off as he got to his feet. But Wick wrapped his arms around Matthew and, after receiving a few hits to the shoulder and face, soon had him in a choke hold.
Matthew tapped the arm that was around his neck. ‘Give!’
Wick released his brother. They were both breathing hard. Grandfather Stubbs chuckled. Matthew shrugged and then laughed, clapping Wick on the back.
And then Wick couldn’t hold it in any longer—he laughed too.