Page 100 of A Scandalous Bargain
Chapter 18
Thomas rose and moved to stand on the other side of Beatrix. He took her hand, which felt cold even through the thin glove she wore. The urge to pull her into his arms and never let her go was nearly overwhelming. Instead, he would endure whatever nonsense her father wanted to spout.
“I have sense enough to recognize this woman’s strength and loyalty,” Thomas said. “Pity you don’t have the same.”
Ramsgate’s nostrils flared as he looked to Beatrix. “He knows?”
She nodded. “As does Harry.” She inclined her head toward Sheffield. “They are the only ones, however.” Lifting a shoulder, she added. “As well as my sister and brother, of which you are already aware.”
“They are not your sister and brother.”
“Careful, Ramsgate,” Harry said in a low voice.
Beatrix wished Selina was here to see how wonderful her husband was. But of course she already knew that.
“Beatrix has done an excellent job keeping the reality of her parentage a secret,” Thomas said, squeezing her hand. “You should be grateful. You should also be regretful. What kind of father abandons his daughter after her mother dies?”
“I didn’t abandon her,” the duke said defensively. “I sent her to school. I could have turned her out into the street.”
“That school was awful,” Thomas continued, eager to slay the dragon who would hurt his beloved. “Did you ever once write to her? Visit?”
Ramsgate waved his hand. “Bah. Fathers don’t do that.”
“I would have.” No, Thomas would never have sent Regan in the first place.
“She ran away before her education was finished. That was hardly my fault.”
Thomas’s anger boiled. “She was miserable. The other girls knew she was unwanted and took every opportunity to remind her.”
Ramsgate’s eyes narrowed. “She was also a thief.”
“I couldn’t help it,” Beatrix snapped, drawing both Thomas and Harry to look at her. “I can’t always…control myself. I never stole anything until I went to that bloody school.”
“Are you saying you couldn’t help stealing your mother’s demi-parure?” the duke asked snidely.
“Oh no, that I took on purpose.” There was a pride in her voice that nearly made Thomas smile, but he thought better of it. “Those emeralds aremine. She said they would be. How did you know the ones I left were fake?”
“The bracelet had a very small inscription—the date Lottie and I met.”
Thomas felt a tremor pass through Beatrix and pulled her closer to him.
“You left fake jewels in place of the real ones?” Harry looked at Beatrix with a mix of incredulity and admiration.
“It seemed wise since I assumed he would know I stole them if they just went missing. He’d already accused me of being a thief.”
“Very wise,” Thomas murmured, and this time, he did smile.
Beatrix took a small step toward Ramsgate. “If you knew they were fake, why didn’t you report the theft?”
The duke looked away and coughed. Clasping his hands behind his back, he returned his cool attention to Beatrix. “If you were going to go to that much trouble to have them, I decided you deserved them.”
Her jaw dropped. Then she snapped it closed.
“Very kind of you, Ramsgate,” Harry said. “What is unkind, however, is your interference in Beatrix’s life. If Rockbourne wishes to marry her, why would you try to stop it?”
“He ought to know what he’s getting into—who she really is.”
Thomas let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders. He drew her tight against his side. “I know precisely who she is and what I’m getting into. And I go willingly,joyfully, my eyes—and my arms—wide open.” He glanced over at Beatrix and saw a tear sliding down her cheek as she looked up at him.
