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sometime during the last weeks of his life he had gone through a great sum of money. Indeed, his estate was on the very brink of bankruptcy.”
    “You had counted on inheriting a fortune?” Leo asked. “No, it is vastly more complicated than that.”
    “I am prepared to listen.”
    “I told you that Uncle Reggie could be very generous.” Beatrice turned and started back in the opposite direction. “A few months before he died, he announced his intention to finance a Season for my cousin Arabella. Her family has very little money.” She broke off. “Actually, no one in my family has a great deal of money.”
    “Except Uncle Reggie?”
    “He was the exception, and the inheritance he came into last year could be called only modest at best. Nevertheless, it amounted to considerably more than any of my other relatives could claim.”
    “I see.”
    “In any event, Arabella is quite lovely and. perfectly charming.”
    “And her parents have hopes of marrying her off to a wealthy young gentleman of the ton?”
    “Well, yes, to be frank.” She scowled at him. “It is not exactly an unusual sort of hope, my lord. It is the fondest dream of many families who are somewhat short of funds.” “Indeed.”
    “Uncle Reggie graciously offered to pay for the costs of a Season and to provide a small but respectable dowry for Arabella. Her family arranged for her and Aunt Winifred-” “Aunt Winifred?”
    “Lady Ruston,” Beatrice explained. “Aunt Winifred has been widowed for several years, but at one time she moved in the lower circles of the ton. She is the only one in the family who has any claim to social connections.”
    “So Arabella’s parents asked Lady Ruston to take your cousin into Society this Season.”
    “Precisely.” Beatrice gave him an approving glance. “My aunt and my cousin are staying with me. I have a small town house in London. In truth, everything was going rather well. Arabella managed to catch the attention of Lord Hazelthorpe’s heir. Aunt Winifred was in expectation of an offer.”
    “Until Uncle Reggie collapsed in a brothel and you discovered that there was no money to pay for the remainder 11 of the Season or to fund Arabella’s dowry.”
    “That sums it up rather neatly. Thus far we have managed to conceal the true facts of Uncle Reggie’s estate from the gossips.”
    “I believe I am beginning to perceive the outline of the problem,” Leo said quietly.
    “Obviously we cannot hide the situation indefinitely. Eventually my uncle’s creditors will come knocking at our door. When they do, everyone will discover that Arabella no longer has an inheritance.”
    “And you can all wave farewell to Hazelthorpe’s heir,” Leo concluded.
    Beatrice grimaced. “Aunt Winifred is beside herself with worry. Thus far we have managed to keep up appearances, but our time is running out.”
    “Disaster looms,” Leo murmured darkly.
    Beatrice stopped pacing. “It is not amusing, sir. My aunt may view the alliance in financial terms, but I fear that Arabella has lost her heart to the young man. She will be devastated if his parents force him to withdraw his attentions.”
    Leo exhaled slowly. “Forgive me if I do not seem overly concerned about your cousin’s heart, Mrs. Poole. In my experience, the passions of the young are not necessarily strong foundations on which to build the house of marriage.”
    To his surprise, she inclined her head. “You are quite right. I am in complete agreement. As mature adults who have been out in the world for a number of years, we naturally have a more informed perspective on the romantical sensibilities than does a young lady of nineteen.”
    They were in full accord on the subject, but ‘for some reason Beatrice’s ready willingness to dismiss the power of passion irritated Leo.
    “Naturally,” he muttered.
    “Nevertheless, from a practical point of view, one cannot deny that an alliance between Arabella and Hazelthorpe’s heir would be an