The Gentlemen Authors Series by Sophie Barnes EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Sophie Barnes
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 4 MB
- Price: Free
London, June 1817
Slouched in his favorite armchair, Anthony Gibbs, Duke of Westcliffe,
balanced a glass of brandy between his fingers while doing his best to
ignore the problem hanging over his head. His good friends, Brody Evans,
the Duke of Corwin, and Callum Davis, the Duke of Stratton, kept him
company.
Anthony was grateful for it. There was no one else with whom he’d rather
share his woes than these two men. They’d grown up together, had attended
Eton together, and had even been together when the tragic news of their
fathers’ deaths had been delivered. Furthermore, they found themselves in
similar straits and were able to relate.
The light from a nearby oil lamp illuminated Anthony’s drink. He peered
through the crystal, allowing the amber liquid to fracture his view of the
parlor. If only he could sit here forever, snubbing life and the endless duties
stacked on his shoulders. If only he could find the answers to his problems in
the numerous glasses of brandy he’d been enjoying these past five hours.
If only…
“I need a solution,” he muttered. Lord, he was tired. Perhaps he should
tell his friends to go home so he could go find his bed.
“Don’t we all?” Brody asked. He was stretched out on the floor, arms
folded behind his head while he stared at the ceiling. His dark blonde hair
was as rumpled as his clothes. “Finn’s gambling addiction isn’t helping with
my financial predicament.”
Finn was Brody’s younger brother and he was forever getting himself into
worse trouble than Brody, which was saying something.
“My concern is for Peter’s future. His education will be costly.” Callum
pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what my cousin was thinking
when he and his wife made me their son’s guardian.”
“You’re a duke,” Anthony pointed out. “As such, they probably expected
you to provide their son with endless possibilities.”
Callum gave an unhappy laugh and went to refill his glass. His black hair
was darker than Anthony’s and made him look slightly dangerous in the dim
lighting. “The poor boy won’t have any unless I find a way to replenish the
coffers. My investments haven’t made the returns I’d hoped for.”
“Neither have mine,” said Brody. “Quite the opposite.”
Anthony could only concur.
The truth was they were all in a terrible bind. Managing estates and
securing their futures had not been their priorities when they inherited their
titles. Shock and grief had strengthened their bond, but it had also made them
reckless. Instead of embracing responsibility, they’d spent the last three years
on roguish pursuits. The need to block out the pain of losing their fathers in
that terrible accident had led to excessive spending and extreme negligence.
“Keeping up appearances is becoming a chore,” Anthony said. When he’d
descended to breakfast that morning, his secretary had handed him an
unpleasant stack of bills. Apparently, several shops had chosen to revoke his
line of credit and were now demanding immediate payment. “With my
sisters’ debuts next season, it’s time for me to stop being so damn
irresponsible. I’ve got to do better. For their sakes.”
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