Page 5 of A Sinful Viscount's Mistletoe Affair
Sebastian nodded. “I am grateful for that.”
“And I am sure you have plenty of friends who would be delighted to welcome you to join them for the festive season. I would prefer you not to be alone in this big house while we are away. But I must say to you this, Sebastian. This house party presents a great opportunity for your stepfather and Adrian.
An introduction to the Duke of Wexington and a possible alliance with Lord Evermere could really boost our business interests here in Bath and could greatly increase Adrian’s inheritance and his future prospects.” She paused for a moment and looked at her son closely.
“I know your suspicions of the earl, and I confess that at one point, I shared them. But I am convinced, now, that he played no part in what happened to your father. He would never have betrayed him; I am sure of that.”
Sebastian sighed. “Mother, how can you be so sure?”
She shrugged. “You were very young when all this happened. There are things that you did not understand. George was one of our closest friends. He would never have done such a terrible thing. I am sure of it.”
Sebastian stood up and walked across the room to the window, looking out over the gardens. It was dark outside now, with only a shaft of moonlight illuminating the ornamental hedgerows and flowerbeds, now sparsely populated in the cold winter weather.
“I do not know what to think, Mother, I must confess,” he said, looking up at the indigo night sky. If only there was a way to find out what really happened, and then he could lay his doubts to rest once and for all.
Lucinda sighed. “I know you miss your father terribly, Sebastian, but wasting your energy thinking about what happened will not bring him back.”
“I know that, Mother,” Sebastian replied.But if only I could find out the truth, he thought.If only I could find out what really happened on that ship all those years ago.
He reached a decision and turned to face his mother. “I will come, Mother,” he said, with a finality almost surprising him. “I want to support Adrian. I know he is not so fortunate as me, having no title of his own and only a small fortune. If this alliance will help him make his way in the world, I want to be by his side. And who knows, perhaps there might be some young lady at the house party too who takes his fancy?”
Lucinda laughed. “And perhaps there might be one there who takes your fancy, too, Sebastian?” She paused and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. “You will be considered a very eligible bachelor, you know. You should prepare yourself. You will receive considerable attention from the young ladies present at the house party; I have no doubt about it.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I am far too young to think of marriage, Mother. There is the whole world to see before I will consent to settle down!”
“You need to be careful, Sebastian, that your reluctance to marry does not make people think you are a rake!”
Sebastian scoffed. “Mother, I am the last person in the world anyone could suspect of being a rake, no matter how desperate the ladies of the ton may be for gossip and scandal.”
“Well, I know that, my dear, but you must be cautious. And in any case, your father was younger than you are now when we were married,” Lucinda retorted. “And we saw plenty of the world together before …” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes misted over for a moment before she shook her head and returned to the present.
“Anyway. I am glad that you have agreed to join us. I do think we will have a pleasant time together in the lead-up to Christmas. And what a pleasure to have someone else manage all the plans, too!”
Sebastian smiled, glad to make his mother happy by acquiescing to her wishes. “Give me a few moments, Mother,” he said quietly. “I will rejoin you in the dining room shortly.”
She nodded. “Of course, Sebastian.” She crossed the room, stood before him, and embraced him gently. “Your father would be proud of you, you know,” she said softly, her voice choking a little.
“I hope so,” Sebastian said but did not trust himself to say more.
Lucinda left the room, leaving Sebastian alone again. He returned to his display case, and his eyes fell once again upon the statue of Marcus Aurelius, one of his most prized possessions.
“The best revenge is to be unlike him that performed the injury,” he whispered. As he thought through the events that would come over the next few days and weeks, he realized that the Christmas house party was the perfect opportunity to achieve two things.
He would support his stepbrother in advancing his own business interests. What he had said to his mother was true; he had always been acutely aware of his own advantage in comparison to Adrian’s.
He knew that if he absented himself from the house party when the rest of his family was in attendance, it would draw attention and curious comments, and that would only serve as a distraction to the connections that Adrian and Thomas were seeking to build.
So, there was a clear reason why he should go. And it was his stepfather’s particular wish, too. Thomas had always treated his mother well and was glad his agreement to the festive plan would please him.
But alongside that, he realized that this house party offered another opportunity. He had not spent any time with the Earl of Evermere before, never observed him at ease in his own home and amongst his friends and family. Perhaps this gathering would allow Sebastian to find out what had really happened all those years ago.
George Langley might seem like the perfect gentleman on the outside, the perfect friend and business partner, but Sebastian was sure there was more to it than that. And perhaps this Christmas might be when he discovered the truth and uncovered the secrets of the past at long last.
Chapter 2
Isabella sat at her dressing table, brushing out her long hair. Dinner had been very pleasant, and she had enjoyed listening to Faith and Benedict’s tales of their travels. The party had been small compared to the large group that was to come together to celebrate the lead-up to Christmas at the Evermere estate. But the atmosphere had been cheerful and festive.
It was getting late now, though, and Isabella was beginning to feel tired. She was just about to climb into bed when there was a gentle tap on the door of her room. She had already sent her maid, Clara, to bed, having said that she could get herself ready for bed by herself tonight, as she knew that Clara had had a busy day and would have more to come in the next few days as preparations were made for the ball that would mark the opening of their house party.
