Page 54 of A Scandalous Bargain
“She is more my sister than you are my father. Blood means nothing, as you’ve just demonstrated.” She stood, her legs surprisingly sturdy beneath her despite the roiling of her insides. “I do want one thing from you. My mother had a demi-parure of emerald jewels she promised would one day be mine.”
“You want me to give you a valuable set of jewelry?” He chuckled. “Absolutely not.”
She ground her teeth together. “They belong to me.”
“If they did, you would have them.” He rose, tugging his waistcoat down over his paunch. “You do look rather like your mother. I was fond of her.”
Fond? “You said you loved her. Many times.”
He shrugged. “That was a long time ago. As I said, I was fond of her, and of you by extension, I suppose.”
Beatrix stared at him. “Then she died and your…affinity just evaporated?”
“Precisely.” He yawned. “You should be glad I sent you to school, but then you left before you were finished, so perhaps you were not. I am not inclined to reward those who aren’t grateful and who don’t apply themselves to finish what they start.”
“So if I’d stayed at school and gone on to be a dutiful governess, you would give me my mother’s jewels?”
“Perhaps.”
She didn’t believe him, not that it mattered. After Selina’s disastrous experience as a governess that had resulted in her being raped by her employer,nothingcould have made Beatrix take such a position.
“You’re a heartless blackguard,” she whispered. “I’m glad my mother didn’t live to see you treat me like this.”
He looked down his nose at her. “If your mother had lived, everything would have been different. The moment you think this life is fair is the moment you lose, my dear. Don’t be defeated. You’ve survived this long, and you should be proud of what you’ve been able to accomplish. Just as you should be careful not to ruin your fortune. And if you do, well, your mother was an excellent courtesan. I’ve no doubt you could do quite well for yourself in that endeavor.”
Beatrix stared at him, incredulous at his audacity and crudeness. Before she could formulate a response, he’d stalked from the room. It occurred to her that she could steal from him. There were a great many things in this room that she could easily pocket.
Only he would know she took them. Just as he would know if she stole her mother’s jewels.
Nevertheless, she was considering it. How could she not? He was pompous, horrible, rotten, and so many other things. The demi-parure was hers. It was all she would have of her mother. She should have told him that. He’d given her nothing, and she’d never imagined that when the coach had arrived in Bath to take her to Mrs. Goodwin’s that she wouldn’t return home again.
He owed her those jewels.
Beatrix strode from the room and hurried downstairs. Selina stood near a bench in the staircase hall, her features creased with deep concern.
“Are you all right? Worth left without speaking to me. He looked upset.”
“We’ll discuss it in the coach,” Beatrix said tightly.
Selina came forward and took Beatrix’s arm. They left the house without sparing a glance for the footman who opened the door.
When they were situated in the coach and on their way, Beatrix finally released her pent up emotions. “Bollocks. Bloody hell. Damneverything.”
Selina frowned deeply. “I knew I shouldn’t have left.”
“It wouldn’t have changed anything.” Instead, it would have only made things worse. Selina would have been upset by his threats. Beatrix had one regret—that she hadn’t asked him specifically what he knew.
“What happened?” Selina watched her cautiously, her features a mix of warm support and disappointment, not for herself but for Beatrix. She alone understood how badly Beatrix had wanted a happy reunion with her father.
“He doesn’t care for me at all. He has no desire for any sort of relationship or connection. As I expected, he would never acknowledge me.”
“He wasn’t even pleased to see you?”
“On the contrary. He was quite put out. Jamie, bless him, tried to advocate on my behalf, but the duke banished him.”
Selina clucked her tongue. “He did not look pleased when he passed me on his way out.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Beatrix. Did you even bother asking about your mother’s demi-parure?”
“I did, but that was also pointless. He refused to consider it.” She thought back over his words, growing angry at how awful he’d been. “He had the nerve to tell me life wasn’t fair—as if I don’t already understand that—and that I should be proud I’d made it this far.” Before going on to suggest she could always be some man’s mistress if needs must. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Selina what he’d said.
