“Wonderful. Fetch me some more of those delightful salted cheeses, my good man,” Lord Suttington instructed, not even looking at Richard as he held out a small plate on which there were already some crackers and meat.
The Duke sighed and kept his hands in his pockets, waiting for the man to face him. He didn’t have to wait too long because Lord Suttington grew annoyed quickly when he discovered his plate wasn’t taken from him the moment he had given the orders and whirled around to face the person behind him.
“How dare you?—”
“Good evening, Lord Suttington.”
Lord Suttington paled considerably and stepped back. “Your Grace! I apologize. I thought you were?—”
“The matter is insignificant and has therefore been forgotten. I have been trying to speak with you all evening,” Richard said, leading them to a quieter corner of the ballroom. “And I would much rather not waste any more time.”
Lord Suttington nodded uncertainly. “All right, Your Grace. Might I ask what this is about?”
It irked Richard how the man appeared to have no clue as to why he had approached him, as though there were a myriad of reasons to seek out the greedy bastard.
“As the new Lord Suttington, you have not only inherited the properties and fortune of my wife’s late father but his responsibilities as well. It seems to me that you have neglected your duty towards the late Lord Suttington’s family.”
“That is hardly my duty, Your Grace,” Lord Suttington scoffed.
“The settlement you provided when you kicked them out of their own home without a second thought is pitiful. You are now the Marquess of Suttington. Do not waste any more of my time arguing about it, and just do what is required of you,” Richard said blankly.
The man shifted uncomfortably, then sighed. “All right, Your Grace. Would a thousand pounds suffice?”
Richard couldn’t help but let out an incredulous laugh. “You must be joking.”
Lord Suttington blanched. “How much did you expect?”
“Nothing less than what we had agreed upon before the wedding—ten thousand!”
“With all due respect, Your Grace, that is a ridiculous sum. Far too much to ask for a widow and three unmarried women. I am willing to pay six thousand and nothing more.”
“What is ridiculous, Lord Suttington, is that you’re acting as though this matter concerns an object, not a person. You did not do right by her family.”
Lord Suttington was silent for a moment then he said, “The best I can do is six thousand pounds, Your Grace.”
Richard’s patience was wearing thin rather quickly. It was grating on his nerves how Lord Suttington was acting as though they were at a vegetable market, discussing stale produce and not funds meant to be directed to the upkeep of three women.
“You were quite eager to marry her off when I came to propose, and now that is in out of your hair, you refuse to fulfill the rest of your duties towards her family. Have you no shame? Do you have no concerns over your ungentlemanly, opportunistic behavior?”
Suttington sputtered, his cheeks growing red with anger and embarrassment.
“I cannot, in my good faith, pay any more than that. Not with all the rumors I have heard surrounding the legitimacy of your marriage.”
Richard’s gaze darkened, and he asked quietly, “What rumors?”
“People have been saying that perhaps you have not consummated your marriage yet. That would explain why you have not been seen with your wife all night. I find it pointless to pay of my pocket for a family connected to a false marriage.”
“You greedy, selfish bastard.”
Anger filled Richard’s veins, and he stepped closer to the Marquess, barely managing to raise a clenched fist before someone interrupted them, greeting him with a bright grin.
“Your Grace! What a splendid evening this has been!” a man called cheerfully as he approached them.
Lord Suttington slipped away quickly.
Richard turned to glare at the newcomer before grunting something random as he walked away.
He knew that his marriage would attract all sorts of chatter, but he had not thought anyone would have the audacity to bring the matters of their bedroom to their pointless rambling. He hated the vileness and lack of tact people were willing to display for the sake of gossip.
