An Honorable Wish

Chapter One

He had finally lived up to his brother Nathaniel's low expectations of him.

Tony Matthews stared through the veil of newly budded leaves to the village of Beetham below. The cold stone of the Fairy Steps seeped into his bones from his perch at the top. Spring fought against the winter chill in the air in the faint green of the grass and the blooms of early flowers. New life.

God, how he wanted a new life, a different direction.

What seemed like a good idea at the time, in hindsight, was now a nightmare.

Usually, the rolling hills of the southern portion of this part of England soothed Tony's soul unlike any other place. The restlessness inside him eased with each breath of the fresh clean air.

Not this time. This time he was trapped in his own stupid arrogance. This time he'd finally lived up to his father's legacy.

He'd taken a man's estate in a card game. A game he wasn't even planning to play except for alcohol-fueled bluster and a dare from a friend. He'd played and lost a fortune, then played again and won an estate.

The man, Chelsworth, ended up being a neighbor of his brother's home, the Lodge.

Honor and pride wouldn't let Chelsworth back away from the bet. No, the man had signed away his estate and his livelihood to Tony. It was a matter of honor, even as Chelsworth's hand shook while he penned his name.

Tony hadn't wanted to take the estate. The alcoholic stupor had started to wear off with the realization that he'd stepped into his father's shoes. Only this time on the winning side. Tony had sunk to the lowest depths of vile.

Nathaniel, was never going to forgive him. Hell, Tony would probably be thrown out of the family and left to his own devices. He had money. He had the reputation of a rake and a gambler, well-earned at this point.

But it wasn't who Tony really was. His entire life was an act. One he didn't want to maintain any longer, an act that was beginning to become a reality.

The fact that it had taken no effort to become this vile man scared the hell out of Tony. When he looked in the mirror, he didn't know who he saw any more.

He wanted the house, but not this way. The estate must be in a bad way already, given the owner was willing to wager it in a card game. If it was making any living at all, Chelsworth would not have been at the tables.

Unless the man was sick with gambling. Tony knew that sickness existed. His sister-in-law's brother was addicted to gambling, always pushing for that next win.

Tony could walk away from the games without looking back. He was sure of it, at least on most days.

His problem was infinitely more difficult. He needed a way to repair the mistakes he had made without alerting Nathaniel. Tony could not disappoint him again.

Nathaniel was a man of high regard in Beetham and in Town. His business prowess was legendary. Nathaniel had a lovely wife, a child, a house, and the respect of his peers. He had everything Tony wanted but hadn't been able to achieve.

And now Tony had lived up to his brother's greatest fear: He'd become their father.

Hence the trip to Beetham. Tony needed to convince Chelsworth that he meant to tear up the vowels. He would not take a man's livelihood. He would not allow gambling to define him as a man.

Chelsworth had to be desperate. Tony could offer to buy the estate. He had wanted to invest in property. He wanted to do something with his life other than what he was doing: drinking and gambling.