Page 46 of A Scandalous Bargain
Someone like her. She nearly laughed. He hadnoidea what she was like.
Instead, she made a very unladylike sound in her throat. “I do like you, but not in that manner. For heaven’s sake, I’m yoursister.”
After blinking once, he swallowed. He blinked again. Then he opened his mouth only to snap it closed again.
“Half sister,” she clarified. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t allow you to continue to pursue me.That’swhy I pulled you in here. Not so we could…kiss.” She made a face.
Worth stared. And stared. Finally, he recoiled, taking a step back. “How is this possible?”
“I’m sure you know how,” she said sardonically. “But allow me to provide you with the pertinent details. Your father had a mistress—my mother. She lived in Bath, and her name was Charlotte Linley. He visited us often and always spent a month at the end of summer with us.”
The flash of understanding in his eyes told her he believed her. “He was never around.”
“No, because he was with me and his beloved Lottie. You had no inkling?”
Worth shook his head. “I mean, I knew he wasn’t faithful to my mother—later, when I was older and paying attention to that sort of thing. You say he loved your mother?”
Beatrix could distinctly hear his voice saying,“I love you, my dearest Lottie.”“He told her so often enough, yes.”
There was a long moment during which Worth stared at some spot behind Beatrix’s head. When he returned his gaze to hers, he frowned. “Why didn’t he tell me about you?”
“You’d have to ask him that.”
Worth cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re certain he’s your father?”
Beatrix wanted to kick him. Instead, she grabbed his forearm and dragged him to the other side of the room, where there was a looking glass above the fireplace. “Take off your mask.” When he complied, she said, “Look at my eyes. Now look at your eyes. See anything similar?”
His gaze met hers in the mirror, then moved to his own and slowly widened with recognition. “Holy hell.”
Beatrix let go of his arm and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I can’t believe I was attracted to you.” His expression filled with horror. He pivoted toward her. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. I felt quite bad for you, actually. I wanted to tell you straightaway, but I haven’t even told our father I’m in London yet.”
He stroked his hand along his jaw. “He saw you earlier tonight, when we were speaking. He didn’t seem to know you.”
And now her pain and humiliation were exposed. “No, he didn’t. I don’t know if he didn’t recognize me or chose to ignore me. I haven’t seen him in a very long time.” She decided to tell him the rest, or part of it, anyway. “My mother died when I was eleven, and our father sent me to a boarding school. I was there for four years, during which time he never once wrote or visited.”
“What an utter blackguard.” Worth shook his head. “I’m sorry, Miss Whitford.”
“Beatrix, if you please.” She shrugged. “It seems as though you should call me that.”
“I’ve always been Worth, but my sisters—my other sisters—called me Jamie. You can choose whichever one you prefer.”
His other sisters. Did that mean? Warmth spread through Beatrix, and her chest constricted as her throat grew raw. “Jamie, I think,” she managed to say, hoping he couldn’t hear the croak in her voice.
“I can’t believe he just abandoned you at that school. I’ll say it again. What an utterblackguard.” He looked at her in concern. And sympathy. She’d never imagined this reaction. “What did you plan to do?” he asked.
“I’d hoped to impress him. Clearly, that hasn’t happened.” She put her hand on her waist. “I loved him very much when I was younger. I missed him and hoped there was a reason he didn’t visit. Perhaps he just missed my mother so much that he couldn’t bring himself to see me.”
Jamie snorted. “My apologies. You must not remember him very well. He’s not the sort to harbor such tender feelings. The fact that you heard him telling your mother he loved her is astonishing to me. I think I recall him telling me that perhaps once.”
Beatrix felt sick. She’d spent years planning for an impossible fantasy. “Honestly, I don’t know what to do.”
His features hardened with determination. “You’re going to go and see him, and I’m coming with you. Tomorrow, unless you’d prefer to wait.”
He wanted to accompany her? “You’d really come along?”
