The Heiress (Madison Sisters 2)

Once he'd read the contents, Daniel hadn't bothered visiting the townhouse where George was now installed, a pretender to his brother's name and title. Instead, he'd booked a cabin on the first ship heading to America to fetch Richard back.

"Really?" Suzette asked. "You're poor?"

Daniel blinked at her amazed expression, once again recalled to their talk. He then decided to embellish a bit and said, "Yes, really. In fact I am supposed to be here tonight seeking out a wealthy bride to marry. The money is needed to repair Woodrow as well as to pay what little staff is left." He feigned a sigh. "I do not suppose you know any lovely young ladies with bags of coin and a desire to marry a fellow down on his luck?"

"Me!"

Daniel's jaw dropped. Not only had she squealed the word as if it were quite the most wonderful thing in the world, but she was looking as excited as a child at Christmas. This was not the response he'd expected. He'd truly thought his words would have her stomping off back into the ball, or at least trying to since he hadn't finished seeking to worm information from her yet and would have prevented it. He'd just hoped that as a woman in search of a rich husband, his response would get her thoughts off his being a prospect. Instead, she was now looking at him as if he were the answer to her prayers.

"But this is perfect," she said happily. "I need a poor husband and you need a rich wife. It's as if it was meant to be."

"I highly doubt--" Daniel swallowed the rest of what he'd been about to say and nearly swallowed his tongue along with the words when Suzette suddenly grasped one of his hands in both of hers and raised it to squeeze excitedly between both of hers. It wasn't the fact that she was squeezing his hand in hers that startled him so much as the fact that, in her excitement, she was also pressing it against her chest. He didn't think she even realized what she was doing. Truly, the woman was beyond excited and it left him completely bewildered until what she'd said sank in. Frowning, he asked, "You're rich?"

"Oh, goodness yes. My grandfather Sefton divided his wealth between myself and my sisters when he died, leaving it to be dowers for each of us. So you see, I have that fortune you need. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Sefton you say?" he asked slowly, recognizing the name at once. Everyone knew the name Sefton. The man had surpassed even Richard for having the Midas touch and had earned the name Old Money Bags Sefton decades ago. They said he'd amassed more wealth than the king himself. There had been some rumors when he'd died that he'd left his money to his dead daughter's husband and his daughters. What was the name? he wondered, but found it hard to think with his hand nestled in the valley between Suzette's breasts. It was clasped in her hands and he wasn't actually touching any flesh, but just the sight was rather distracting. Fortunately, she eased her hold on him then and let his hand slip away and he was able to think again. A name came to him then. "Madison?"

"Yes, Suzette Madison." She nodded, practically dancing on the spot with a glee he didn't quite understand. "And my sisters are Lisa and Christiana."

Daniel frowned, thinking back over what she'd said. She needed a poor husband? That just didn't even make sense. A woman only married a poor man for love, and then most noble women wouldn't even allow love to sway them into such a marriage. Wealth was everything in the ton. So why would a rich woman need a poor husband? There was no reason he could think of . . . unless she was in dire straits and needed a man who was poor and desperate enough to marry her at once. Which led him right back to the first reason he'd supposed she needed to marry so quickly.

"You are with child?" he asked uncertainly, his eyes dropping to her petite waistline. She didn't look pregnant, and that wouldn't explain how the father was involved.

"What?" she asked with surprise, but rather than be offended, merely snorted and rolled her eyes. "No, of course I'm not with child. What kind of woman do you take me for?"

A good question, Daniel thought dryly because really, he hadn't a clue what kind of woman she was. He'd never met anyone quite like her and all he really knew so far was that she was in some sort of trouble and full of surprises. "Then why do you need a poor husband? And didn't you say you needed to find one tonight? What other reason is there for such a need than to avoid the scandal of an illegitimate pregnancy?"

Suzette sighed, some of her excitement slipping away as she admitted, "To avoid a different kind of scandal."

When Daniel raised one eyebrow, she hesitated and then said, "I suppose I really should explain if you are going to marry me."

His other eyebrow flew up at that, but Suzette didn't notice. She was looking about, and spotting a bench under a tree a little further into the garden, caught his hand and dragged him that way, saying, "Come, I shall explain all."

Chapter Two

"So you see, I need to marry and claim my dower so I can pay off Father's gambling debts before they become common knowledge and we are all sunk in scandal," Suzette finished in a rush. Truthfully, she had rushed through the entire explanation of the trouble their father had got them into as quickly as she could. Fast as she had been though, she'd included everything, even that Robert Langley's letter had drawn their father to town to check on Christiana. Now she bit her lip and waited, watching as Daniel Woodrow considered all she'd revealed.

Suzette was desperately hoping that he wouldn't be put off by what she'd told him, but had seen no way to avoid explaining it all to him. Besides, he had a right to know, she supposed. Still, she'd rather not have had to tell him. Daniel was the first man tonight who had matched the imagined suitors she'd dreamed of before the ball. Well, she supposed there was Danvers. He'd been about the same age as Daniel, but while he'd been average in looks, Daniel was . . . well, she supposed he wasn't much more than average in the grand scheme of things, but now that he was no longer dragging her about, there was just something about him that appealed to her for some reason. Perhaps it was his lips, she thought, peering at his full lower lip below the thinner upper one and wondering what it would be like to be kissed by him.

"Why you and not your sister?" he asked. "Lisa was it?"

"Yes, Lisa," Suzette answered and then shrugged. "I am the older of us by a year. It seems more responsible for me to take on the task this time."

"Hmm." He was silent for a moment and then murmured, "So Christiana married Geo--Dicky to claim her dower and pay off your father's first round of gambling debts?"

"Well, Dicky paid them off himself, but got it back through the dower when he and Christiana married," she said slowly.

"And that was the first time your father had ever gambled in his life?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Suzette sighed and nodded. "Yes, he'd never bothered with things like that before then."

"But now he's gambled again for only the second time, and for the second time lost so much that one of his daughters--you--need to marry to claim your dower and pay off those debts again?" he asked. When Suzette nodded, he frowned and asked, "And you say Geo-Dicky took your father to the gaming hell where he lost the money this last time?"

Suzette nodded again, her mouth twisting bitterly. She really wished the man was dead. It would only be justice considering that what he'd done was forcing her to marry so hurriedly.

"Did he take your father to the gaming hell the first time?"

Suzette blinked with surprise. "No," she said at once and then frowned and said, "Actually, maybe."

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "Which is it?"

Suzette bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I was reading in the attic when Dicky arrived at Madison and I overheard his conversation with Father." She paused to explain, "The attic stretches across the house and for some reason you can hear what's said in Father's office in one spot up there and it just happened to be where I was reading."

"It just happened to be, did it?" he asked with an amused grin.

Suzette blushed, but continued, "Anyway, I heard when Dicky offered to pay Father's debts in exchange for Christiana's hand in marriage and he did say something about feeling responsible

for Father's gambling that night." She frowned. "I don't recall him saying why he felt responsible though . . . but it could have been because he took him there that time too, don't you think?"

"It's possible," Daniel agreed quietly, his expression turning thoughtful.

Suzette sat fidgeting for a moment, but finally asked, "So? Will you marry me?"

Daniel seemed startled by the question and suddenly sat up straight. "Oh . . . er . . ."

"It is the perfect solution for both of us," Suzette pointed out anxiously. Truly, she was almost desperate to convince him. She simply abhorred the idea of having to marry Lord Willthrop or any of the others she'd danced with tonight. This man, however . . . Well, she found him attractive at least. And so far he hadn't displayed any unbearable habits like picking at spots, though to be fair, he didn't seem to have any spots to pick at. But he also hadn't leered at her once, there was no incessant sniffling and she hadn't noticed him having bad breath.

Frowning at that last thought, she leaned a little closer to him on the bench seat, put her nose by his mouth and sniffed delicately, but didn't notice any unpleasant smells.