Two days later, with all of Lord Dunmere’s vowels in hand, Cooper paid him a visit during a time when he knew Emily would be out. A bleary-eyed, more masculine version of Emily peered at him from across a walnut desk that seemed to be the only quality piece of furniture in the study.

“To what do I owe the honor of another visit from the esteemed Lord Brougham?”

Cooper wanted to smack the fool. Instead, he opted for a little shock value. He held up the pile of chits he now possessed. “I should think you would be a bit more cordial to the man who currently holds all seventy-eight hundred pounds of your debt in his hand.”

Dunmere sat up, his already pale face now ashen. “All of my debt? What do you want?”

“Besides payment?” Cooper let his annoyance shine through.

“I assume there is something more at play here than a man looking to turn a profit. I doubt debt collection is the most profitable of investments.”

Apparently, her brother, when cornered, showed small flashes of the steel found deep within his sister.

Perhaps the man was salvageable? He decided to get straight to the point. “You are correct, Dunmere. I am here because I want your sister.”

The once-pale man turned flush—with laughter. He literally bent over himself guffawing.

Cooper sat and waited for the man’s humor to subside. It took longer than he liked.

Finally, Dunmere straightened in his chair and leaned back, once more the insouciant lord, with the exception of the occasional chuckle that still burst free. “I’m afraid you may have misspent your money if you think you can buy my influence over my sister. She’d be far more inclined to sell herself in a direct transaction than to bend to my will.”

Bloody hell! Cooper wanted to throttle the foolish man. “I do not need your influence so much as I need you to cease being a burden on your sister.”

The last vestiges of the man’s good humor dissipated in the blink of an eye. “Here now, I shall not have a man, one whose reputation for debauchery far outstrips any vice I may have, sit in my home and question my manhood.”

“Good God, man! You have no idea what your hellion sister has been up to, have you?” Cooper was incredulous. He’d assumed the man simply had turned a blind eye to serve his own purposes. He had not expected him to be so deep in his own world that he was oblivious.

Dunmere sat forward. “What do you mean by calling Emily a hellion? She is a wonderful woman who does her very best to care for me and manage this household under rather difficult circumstances.” He snorted. “The woman practically blends into the woodwork at balls!”

Cooper made a tsking sound as he shook his head. “Lord Dunmere, your sister is a master at getting people to see what she wants. Or, more correctly, presenting the appearance of what they wish to see.”

“Do not be ridiculous.” The man waved his hand in punctuation.

“Are you aware that your sister knows of your gambling debts?” Cold determination filled Cooper as he started down the path of truth with Emily’s brother.

The man looked down at his hands. Cooper assumed he was hiding his shame.

“I am. You may have noticed she has stripped this house bare to try to raise the funds for me.”

“Are you also aware that she has visited Mr. Lucifer multiple times in relation to your debt?” Cooper waited as he gauged the man’s response.

Her brother’s face first drained of all color then. After a moment of sheer terror, he turned purple with fury. “You dare suggest such vile things about my sister?”

“I speak only the truth. A rather unsavory one, though not of the nature you are thinking.” Cooper paused to draw a breath. “Arthur… Do you mind if I call you Arthur? I believe we shall be brothers-in-law soon enough. The point of fact is, she visited the man to assess your debt and try to get it lowered. Failing in that, she has since set out on her own to clear your marker. At least the large one she knows about.”

Confusion clouded strangely familiar blue eyes. “If you aren’t suggesting something salacious, then how is she paying off my debts? The house is barely standing, she has stripped it so clean, and I know it barely covers our month-to-month expenses, let alone pays back what I now owe you.”

“Precisely. How do you think your sister has managed to pay off fifteen hundred pounds of your debt?” Cooper let one brow rise.

“I don’t know, and I am not sure I wish to.” Arthur blanched, a shadow of fear flitting across his haggard features.

Cooper wasn’t sure how the man was still upright with all the wild swings in temperament on top of the headache and dyspepsia he was clearly suffering. He’d have cast up his own accounts if he hadn’t been sober as a judge at the moment. “No, you don’t, but I shall tell you anyhow. Your sweet wallflower sister is a thief.”

“The hell, you say!” Arthur snarled as he shot forward across the desk to grab for Cooper.

Seated more than far enough back to avoid being touched, he pressed on. “In fact, your sister is the Waltzing Thief the papers have been writing about of late.”

“You lie.” Arthur slumped over his desk and slithered back into his chair. “Please tell me you are lying.”

But there was no doubt in Cooper’s mind her brother knew he was not lying, even as he still tried to deny the truth. “I wish I could. As it stands, I cannot. Returning to your earlier question of what I want besides the money you owe me. Through circumstances that I shall not delve into, I have become quite enamored of Lady Emmaline. I daresay I love her.”

Arthur looked up after yet another shock, though this one appeared to be far less disturbing. “And what of her? Does she love you?”

“Ah, you see, that is the quandary. Your sister, being of a stubborn bent, would not likely admit she did, even should it be the truth. I am slowly working her toward being comfortable with the notion. However, that will take time. Time I do not have if she continues to steal from hostesses during the balls she attends. What I need is for you to cease your childish behavior. Stop the gambling. Cut ties with those bad seeds you call friends, and take your estate in hand.”

“You call my friends bad seeds? What of your lot?” Arthur glared, clearly not pleased with Cooper’s demand.

“My friends are all bricks to a man. They have been and will continue to be reliable sorts who come when called, and sometimes even when I have not asked. They may enjoy the fleshly pleasures, but they do not allow such endeavors to interfere with their obligations to their titles and their families. You would do well to ape them.”

Arthur sighed. “And if I refuse?”

“If you refuse, I shall begin proceedings to take what remains of your holdings to satisfy your debts. I shall tell your sister the full scope of the debt you owe, and then I shall give her all your holdings and the monies I seize. You, my lord, will then be beholden to your younger sister for every scrap you eat, every piece of clothing on your back, and every farthing you spend.”

Cooper waited and hoped the man would see reason.

Silence stretched out between the two, almost a battle of wills. Which was ridiculous, because clearly, Cooper was the stronger of the two. Finally, Arthur caved and groaned in defeat as he let his head plop into his hands.

“You’re right. I have been a wastrel of man. When my father died, the estate was so deep in debt, it wiped everything out to bring us back into the black. At first, the gambling went well. I was winning, able to fund my sister’s first season. But then my luck turned.” He shook his head. “It was a slow slide into the gutters, but it was inexorable. One day, I looked up, and things were so bad, I had no idea where to start to fix them.”

Cooper let his disdain for Arthur slip away. The man seemed to want to do better if given the chance. “Consider your debt absolved. As long as you head down the right path and stay true, your debt is forgiven. Should you slip, I shall do as promised and take everything and give it to your sister.”

“You realize she’d never marry you then.” Arthur’s point was one Cooper had considered.

“But she would be happy, and that is all I care about.” Cooper rose. “I suggest you join me at White’s tomorrow for lunch. I shall introduce you to my friends, and I promise you, things will begin to turn around. You may also have your man of affairs call on mine.”

Arthur also stood. “I’m afraid I had to let my man go a few months prior.” He turned a bit pink as he admitted yet another failing.

“Very well, then. I shall have my man send one of his junior associates over to begin getting your situation sorted. I am sure he has a young enterprising man amongst his staff who might be just what you need to turn things around.” Cooper nodded and turned to go, but stopped. “One last thing. Not a word of any of this to Emily. She is not to know I am the one who bought your debt out. She will see it as manipulation, not assistance. Also, you should escort your sister to the Landstones’ ball and stay out of the card rooms. Perhaps with you there and paying attention, she will be less…reckless.”

“Of course, Lord Brougham.” Arthur nodded solemnly.

“Cooper will do in private. As I said, I aim for us to be in-laws. No point in standing on ceremony.”

And then he departed, leaving behind the man he had torn down humbled. He hoped rebuilding him into the man he should have been would prove to be easier.