Improperly Wed (Aristocratic Grooms 3)

“And it will. The proceeds from the sale of the Elmer Street address will be well-spent on upgrades to the other Wentworth properties.”

“What guarantee do I have that you’ll actually use the money to renovate the other properties? After all, you sold the Elmer Street house without informing me.”

Colin felt his annoyance spike. All he was trying to do was help her loony relatives out of their financial quicksand. “I didn’t promise a day-to-day update on the management of the properties.”

“There is nothing to say, then, is there?” she countered.

Belinda turned on her heel and walked toward the door.

Belinda watched Uncle Hugh frown.

“There are rumors and gossip in the press that you left Colin,” Uncle Hugh said, grasping the arms of his chair, “and they depict you in an unflattering light, I’m afraid.”

Her mother, sitting gingerly to Uncle Hugh’s right, nodded in agreement.

Frankly, Belinda didn’t give a fig about rumors. She was more miserable than she could ever remember being, including when she’d bolted from a certain Vegas hotel room.

They were in the parlor of Uncle Hugh’s Mayfair town house—or rather, her husband’s Mayfair house. It was all such a tangle.

After leaving Halstead Hall yesterday, she had spent the night at Tamara and Sawye

r’s empty London flat. Tamara hadn’t hesitated to lend her the apartment as a place to stay, particularly since she, Sawyer and the baby were back at the family seat in Gloucestershire.

Her friend had been a bit curious about the reasons behind Belinda’s unexpected phone call, but the emotions had been too raw for Belinda to talk about them.

She was fortunate, Belinda thought, that no one had been witness to her sleepless, teary night. She’d tossed and turned to no avail, and the tears had continued to seep from under her lids.

By dawn, she had been unable to escape the truth.

She loved Colin’s intelligence, his humor, and, yes, his sexual skill. They had common interests, but more importantly, they complemented each other in personality. He made her feel more alive.

She had fallen in love with Colin.

It was why his betrayal was like a dagger to the heart.

But obviously, she was nothing more than a conquest to him. If he cared for her, he wouldn’t have been so cavalier about his disposal of the Elmer Street property.

Uncle Hugh drummed his fingers on the arms of his chair.

He had come down to London from Downlands earlier in the day. Upon learning that Belinda was in town, too, he had suggested that she take tea with him and her mother.

Uncle Hugh glowered. “I’m sure the stories in the press were planted by the Granvilles. Well, they might have gained the initial upper hand in the media, but we’ll win the war.”

Belinda felt her heart squeeze. Had Colin retaliated in the press, making sure he fired the first salvo in a divorce battle?

Uncle Hugh rubbed his hands together. “We’ll hire the best lawyers to contest Colin’s sale. We’ll claim he violated your postnuptial agreement. We’ll request that you be granted all of the original Wentworth property in a divorce. When the property is back under my stewardship, I’ll see to it that the Granvilles aren’t allowed to touch it again.”

“No.”

The word caught her by surprise almost as much as it did her uncle and her mother. Everyone stopped.

“No?” Uncle Hugh asked, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean, no?”

Belinda took a deep breath. “I mean I’ll never give up control of the Wentworth estates.”

Uncle Hugh relaxed. “Well, of course not, dear girl. Isn’t that what we’re trying to arrange, with any luck, and the help of a few good solicitors?”

Belinda suddenly saw things with a clarity that had hitherto eluded her.