“Firstly, he is in no position to bargain. Eleanora has no use for peers of any stripe, while Elsmore would not have asked for our help unless he had no alternatives. Secondly, they must sort themselves out without an audience lest somebody be needlessly humiliated.”

“If Elsmore belittles Mrs. Hatfield, even implies a casual slight…”

“Joshua, it isn’t Mrs. Hatfield’s dignity that’s imperiled. Have another biscuit and tell me what you think of this lease.”

The exchange from the conference room continued in muted, emphatic tones. Joshua brought the tray of biscuits to the desk, picked up the lease, and took a seat.

*  *  *

The common view of dukes was likely that they were refused little and indulged much.

Ha.

Mrs. Hatfield glowered up at Rex as if he’d threatened to burn the Union Jack, curse out loud in the nave of St. Paul’s, and—high crime, indeed—announce that two plus two equaled five.

“I am not up to the challenge you put before me.” She hurled that thunderbolt with such absolute certainty that Moses would have scampered down Mount Sinai intent on scribbling her words at the bottom of his stone tablets.

Or possibly across the top.

“You audit this entire bank,” Rex said. “I’m told you not only audit the ducal estate books, but you also supervise the ledgers for every member of the Wentworth family. His Grace of Walden—not noted for praising anybody or anything except that family—has sung rhapsodies to your acumen.”

Great brown eyes framed in long lashes and swooping brows showed momentary confusion.

“You exaggerate, sir.”

Most women adored honest compliments and didn’t get enough of them. “Walden himself claims you have saved Wentworth and Penrose much embarrassment and even more liability. You are the conscience of this whole institution and the confidante of a fabulously solvent dukedom. You can help me. You simply choose not to. Why?”

She clearly had her reasons. Mrs. Eleanora Hatfield likely did nothing without at least three sound reasons rounded to the nearest unassailable conclusion.

She subsided into her chair. Rex stayed on his feet.

“I know the Walden dukedom,” she said. “I’ve had years to learn its patterns and peculiarities. I know the people who populate it. His Grace has taken me with him back to Yorkshire, so I can make the acquaintance of the staff at the ducal seat and instruct them on proper accounting. His sisters, Lady Althea and Lady Constance, have established their accounts in keeping with my guidance. Your situation, however…”

Her gaze fell to a dozen pages of meticulously penciled notes.

“That you don’t know my situation is an advantage,” Rex said. “I am familiar with the patterns and personalities. You will bring the fresh eye.”

“I would help you if I could, but your financial picture is very different from the Walden holdings.”

“Certainly it is. Walden’s duchess could buy and sell me with her pin money.”