She Was Sold to an Old Duke — But His Wedding Night Gift Changed Everything
Chapter 4
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The Duke did not move toward the bed. He limped slowly toward two leather armchairs positioned in front of the roaring fire. He sank into one of them with a heavy, rattling sigh, resting his cane against the hearth. He rubbed a hand over his tired face, staring into the flames."Sit down, Josephine," he said.She blinked, confused. She walked stiffly toward the fire and perched on the very edge of the second armchair, pulling the thin linen gown tightly around her knees.The Duke reached into the pocket of his robe; he pulled out a thick, leather-bound portfolio and placed it on the small table between them. He pushed it across the polished wood toward her."Open it," he commanded quietly.Josephine's hands trembled. She reached out, unfastened the brass clasp, and flipped the heavy leather cover back. Inside was a stack of crisp legal documents. She stared at the dense black ink, trying to make sense of the legal jargon."Turn to the second page," he said.She did. Her eyes scanned the words: Deed of Trust, Sole Beneficiary: Josephine Harding.She frowned, her brow furrowing. She looked up at him, the cynical armor slipping just a fraction. "I don't understand. What is this?""It is a trust," the Duke said, not looking at her, but keeping his eyes on the fire. "Established in your name. It contains a principal sum of £40,000. The interest alone is enough to keep you comfortably for the rest of your life. It is entirely independent of my estate. Your brother cannot touch it. No future husband can touch it. It belongs solely to you."Josephine's breath caught in her throat. £40,000. It was a king's ransom; it was impossible."Why?" she whispered.The Duke finally turned his head to look at her. His pale blue eyes were devoid of pity, but they held a strange, hard respect."Because I am an old, tired man, Josephine. I have no heirs. My title will die with me, and I frankly do not care. My extended family are a flock of vultures circling a dying horse. They want my money." He tapped a blunt finger against the portfolio. "Beneath that trust document, you will find an ironclad contract of annulment, already signed by me. It cites non-consummation. It is undated. You may date it and file it the moment I die, or the moment you tire of this arrangement."Josephine felt the room spin slightly. She gripped the arms of the chair. "I don't understand what you want from me.""I want a barricade," the Duke said bluntly. "I want a duchess to stand between me and the vultures. I need a woman to run this massive, dreary house, to sit at the opposite end of my table, to manage the servants, and to host the obligatory dinners so the local gentry leave me in peace. In return, I offer you complete financial independence and absolute safety from your brother."He reached out and picked up a heavy iron key from the table, dropping it on top of the legal papers."That is the key to this room. From the inside," he said, his voice softening just a fraction. "You are 19 years old. You have your whole life ahead of you. I did not buy you to ruin it. I bought you so no one else could."