“I’m a widow and, no, I’ve never come here to see Mr. Keswick before.”
“So why the urgency today?”
Caroline sighed as the warmth of the fire swept over her. “Because I couldn’t find the rent when he called, and I promised to bring it to him later.”
“Ah.” The man sipped his brandy again. “Keswick obviously takes his responsibilities very seriously.”
“Mr. Keswick…” Caroline just stopped the rash words from spilling from her mouth, and stared down at her work-roughened hands. “I believe Mr. Keswick enjoys his job, sir, if that is what you mean.”
“Your tone implies that he enjoys himself a little too much.”
Caroline shrugged. “I can hardly blame him for that. He is only the rent-collector, not the owner of the properties. I suspect his desire to collect every penny owed is to avoid angering his master.”
“What makes you say that?”
She looked up to find his amused gaze fixed on her. “Because Mr. Keswick is a bully, and only a bigger bully would be able to keep him so anxious to please.”
This time the man’s smile reached his eyes, and made him look almost approachable. “Have you experienced Mr. Keswick’s bullying nature yourself? You do not seem the sort of woman who is easily cowed.”
“I am not, sir.” A flicker of hope coalesced in her chest. Was it possible that she could persuade this aristocrat to feel sorry enough for her, a woman of obvious class, who had fallen on hard times, that he would intercede with Mr. Keswick on her behalf? “But even I cannot survive without a roof over my head.”
“Keswick threatened to throw you out even though you have the rent?”
Caroline opened her eyes wide, and tried to look wistful. “I fear I do not have quite enough money to pay him, sir, but he suggested…” she looked down in what she hoped he would interpret as maidenly confusion. “He suggested that, I, a poor widow, might make up the rent by sharing my favors with him.”
“He did what?”
The gentleman’s obvious fury gave Caroline even more hope. And, as if he’d been primed to arrive at exactly the right moment, Mr. Keswick came through the door, and stared in surprise at Caroline.
The gentleman rose to his feet, his expression lethal.
“Keswick, what is this I hear about you letting tenants off rent if they’ll bed you?”
Mr. Keswick flushed a dark red, and cast a hostile glance at Caroline who tried not to smile.
“I never said that, sir, I would never…” Mr. Keswick blustered, and stuttered until the man cut him off with a decisive gesture.
“That is not acceptable to me in any circumstances. No one, no matter how pretty they are, gets away without paying their rent in full.”
Caroline’s smile froze, and she stared in horror at the dark-haired man as a horrible suspicion wormed its way into her head.
He turned to her and bowed. “Perhaps I should have introduced myself to you earlier, ma’am. I’m Captain Francis Grafton—your bully of a landlord.”
Purchase The Lord of Lost Causes
About Kate
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kate Pearce was born in England in the middle of a large family of girls and quickly found that her imagination was far more interesting than real life. After acquiring a degree in history and barely escaping from the British Civil Service alive, she moved to California and then to Hawaii with her kids and her husband and set about reinventing herself as a romance writer.
She is known for both her unconventional heroes and her joy at subverting romance clichés. In her spare time she self publishes science fiction erotic romance, historical romance, and whatever else she can imagine.
Visit Kate at her website
Join Kate’s newsletter
Visit her Facebook author page
Join her on Twitter @kate4queen
Visit her at Pinterest
Visit her at Goodreads
Other Books by Kate
Historical Romances
Eden's Pleasure
Antonia's Bargain
The Ties That Bind
Jilted in January
Millcastle series
The Lord of Lost Causes
Master of None
Diable Delamere series
Educating Elizabeth
Redeeming Jack
Loving Michael
Awakening Amelia
House of Pleasure Series
Simply Sexual
Simply Sinful
Simply Shameless
Simply Wicked
Simply Insatiable
Simply Forbidden
Simply Carnal
Simply Voracious
Simply Pleasure
Simply Irresistible
The Sinners Club
The First Sinners
The Sinners Club
Tempting a Sinner
Mastering a Sinner
Sci-fi/Futuristic Romance
Triad Series
The Power of Three
The Power of Persuasion
Viking Unbound
Viking Claimed
The Power of Fate
Triad
Valhalla Series
Planet Mail
Secured Mail
Captive Mail
The Tribute Series
Sacrifice
Retribution
Triumph
Tribute
Paranormal Romance
Soul Justice Series
Soul Sucker
Contemporary Romance
Raw Desire
Some Like It Rough
Branded, Dirty Sexy Cowboy Shorts
Sexy Shorts
Turner Brother Series
Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?
Roping the Wind
Riding the Line
The Morgan Ranch Series
Once a Seal
The Reluctant Cowboy
The Maverick Cowboy
The Last Good Cowboy
The Bad Boy Cowboy
The Billionaire Bull Rider
The Rancher
Copyright Page
THE DUKE OF DEBT
Copyright © 2019 by Kate Pearce
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Kate Pearce.com