Page 28 of A Scandalous Bargain
“So she wants to blame you for her death? That’s awful.”
“I’ve survived worse.”
She studied him, her gaze inquisitive. “Such as what?”
Hell.He hadn’t meant to open up that line of discussion. “Her daughter. I promise you, living with Thea was much, much worse.”
Beatrix’s features softened. “I hate hearing that.” She reached over and touched the hand that rested on his thigh.
The contact jolted through him—and perhaps through her as well. Her gaze lifted to his and that connection was just as potent.
“She’s gone now,” he managed to say.
“Yes. It must be a…relief.”
He expended great effort to not twine his fingers with hers. “I shouldn’t say so, but it is.”
“Anything you tell me will be kept secret. We have a bargain, remember?” Her fingers moved across the back of his hand, sending sparks of heat up his arm and into his chest. They spread lower, stoking a long-buried desire. He should get up and put some distance between them. Instead, he let his hand glide a bit lower on the back of the settee toward her neck.
“And anything you tell me will be treated the same,” he said. “Why did you find Almack’s boring?”
“Haven’t you been before?”
“I have, but that was several years ago. There’s no need to go after you’re wed.”
“But some people do.”
“Then I suppose they must like being bored. And gossip.”
She laughed, her dimples creasing half-moons into her cheeks. Her eyes lit with mirth. “You’ve already said you don’t like gossip, and since you stopped going once it became unnecessary, I must assume you also found it boring.”
He cocked his head to the side and nodded slightly. “Just so.”
She swatted at his upper arm and put her hand back on his, as if they sat in this intimate fashion all the time. How lovely that sounded. “Why didn’t you tell me it was tedious? I could have avoided it entirely.”
Now he laughed. “You wanted to go! Who was I to dissuade you? Besides, weren’t you hoping to see your father?”
“Yes, but he wasn’t there. Instead, I had to suffer the attentions of my half brother.” She shuddered in horror.
Attentions? A visceral need to protect—or perhaps claim—her shot through him. “What did he do?”
“He asked me to dance, and I think he was flirting.” She made a face. “I wanted to tell him to stop, but I didn’t. Instead, I stepped on his feet a number of times and tried to behave in a manner that would deter him from finding me interesting.”
“How anyonecouldn’tfind you interesting is impossible, but how I wished I could have seen you try.”
She beamed at him. “You truly think that?”
“In case it isn’t obvious, Beatrix, I am captivated by you.”
“That was the word Worth used. And that was after I all but insulted him.”
This was the most fun Thomas had had in years. Captivated didn’t come close to how he felt right now. “How did you insult him?”
She scrunched up her face. “I may have implied he only received a voucher because he was a good dancer. And that his merits had nothing to do with whether he was invited, that it was because one of the patronesses must like him. In truth, it’s probably because he’s the son of a duke.”
Thomas wasn’t well enough acquainted with Worth to know if he’d been truly insulted. Nor did he care. He’d prefer the man left Beatrix alone. “Not true. I’ve known dukes who wouldn’t be invited. Take the Duke of Romsey. Or the Duke of Clare. Or even the Duke of Kilve. Or the Marquess of Axbridge.”
“Goodness, that’s a great many untouchables who don’t pass muster.”
