Page 25 of A Scandalous Bargain
“Will you? If it comes to that, I mean.”
“I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to see what happens when I finally meet my father.”
“Well, you’ll meet him on Friday at the masquerade. Hopefully, you will have a private interview shortly thereafter.”
“Yes, then I can determine how I will go on.” This entire journey to London to have a Season had been for Beatrix to reconnect with her father and forge a future. She just wasn’t sure what that future looked like.
“Did you like any of the other gentlemen you danced with?” Selina asked. “The Earl of Daventry seemed nice.”
“He was.” Except the only man that came to Beatrix’s mind was Rockbourne. She desperately wanted to tell him how tonight had gone. Because he’d asked and was clearly interested. And since he knew who her father was, she could tell him about the awkward interlude with Worth.
When they arrived at home, Beatrix quickly went upstairs to her room to discover what she’d stolen.
Alone in her chamber, she removed her gloves and kicked her slippers off. She reached into her pocket and withdrew a small, oval, silver snuffbox. She ran her thumb over the design on the top—a stamped, diamond-shaped pattern—then turned it over looking for any identifying marks such as initials. There were none. And she had no idea from whom she’d taken it.
Scowling, she closed her hand around the object and stalked to her dresser. Crouching down, she opened the bottom drawer and reached into the back, where she’d put a piece of wood as a false backing. Pulling that out of the way, she located the wooden box and extracted it from the drawer.
She sat on the floor, her skirts billowing around her as she put the simple oak box on her lap. About five inches wide and five inches tall, it provided the perfect place for Beatrix to stash the objects she’d stolen without realizing.
Opening the lid, she gazed at the collection of odds and ends. There was jewelry, writing implements, silverware, and now a snuffbox. The items were familiar to her now, but each one had been a mystery as to where she’d gotten it and to whom it truly belonged.
Not quite all of them were familiar. She put the silver snuffbox inside and picked up the last thing she’d added—an ivory-handled penknife with the initials DC carved into an intricate design.
Beatrix set the knife back into the box and frowned at the contents. Why was she keeping all this?
A light knock on her door made her slam the box closed and thrust it back into the dresser. She shut the drawer and got to her feet. “Come in.”
Selina slipped inside, closing the door behind her. “I thought you might need help with your gown.”
Of course. They didn’t have a lady’s maid. “Yes, thank you.” She presented her back to Selina, who unbuttoned the garment.
“Are you all right?” Selina asked. “You came upstairs so quickly.”
“I just wanted to change out of this gown.” But had apparently forgotten to request assistance.
“Are you disappointed your father wasn’t there tonight?”
Beatrix pulled her arms from the sleeves. “A little.”
Selina helped pull the gown over Beatrix’s head. Turning, Selina took it to the armoire. “Now that I’m to be married, I can imagine you want to map your own future.”
Beatrix supposed that was true. “I’m not concerned, if that’s what you’re wondering. Things will work out.”
“You’ve always been so optimistic.” Selina smiled warmly. “It’s one of the things I love most about you. And it kept me from becoming too lost.”
Beatrix thought of what Rockbourne had said—that he needed people like her in his life. She suddenly wanted Selina to leave.
“I wanted to ask you about Rockbourne,” Selina said.
Freezing, Beatrix wondered how Selina had managed to read her mind.
Selina untied the petticoat at the back of Beatrix’s waist. “You seemed interested in him the other day.”
“I wasn’t—not specifically.” Beatrix stepped out of the petticoat, and Selina took it in hand. “I suppose I just found his story fascinating.”
Selina walked the petticoat to the armoire too. “Harry told me Bow Street is investigating his wife’s death.”
Beatrix’s fingers fumbled as she unlaced her stays. Giving up before she finished, she went to sit at her dressing table. “Why would they investigate?”
