Page 67 of A Scandalous Bargain
“The bloody rich,” Rafe muttered.
“Which is now you,” Beatrix said with a laugh.
“You won’t see me building a ridiculous folly—it’s the perfect name for such a useless thing. And you definitely won’t find mepayingsomeone to live in it. Jesus.”
“But you remember a folly,” Selina said insistently, her gaze fixed on Rafe.
“And a lake,” Beatrix added.
“Was that where we lived?” Selina sounded incredulous.
“I don’t know.” Rafe paced to the window. He’d been five when their parents had died and they’d been taken in by a “relative.” A decidedly not rich relative who would not have been anywhere near a lake with a folly. The man who hadn’t really been their uncle had taken them to East London and used them to swindle people.
“But I can distinctly see the folly and the lake.” He inclined his head toward Selina. “And that pendant.”
“This exact pendant?” Selina asked, and Beatrix could hear the wonder in her voice.
He turned to Beatrix. “Where did you get that?”
Oh hell. She’d hoped to avoid mentioning the receiver shop. But she could believably explain why she’d bought a gift there. “The Golden Lion.”
They both directed surprised looks at her. “Why did you go there of all places?” Rafe asked.
Beatrix shrugged. “I wanted to find something nice, and those are the best places to do so without paying a fortune. And since you recently owned the shop, I thought it the smartest choice.”
“Did Tillman help you?”
“If he’s the wiry gentleman with an excessively lined face, then yes.”
“That’s him.” Rafe shook his head. “I’ll go and speak to him, see where this came from.”
“Do you really think this belonged to our mother?” Selina sounded as if she couldn’t believe it. Beatrix didn’t blame her. It would be beyond astonishing.
“I don’t know.” Rafe blew out a breath. “It’s been an awfully long time. But if it isn’t that pendant, it’s bloody close. I still want to talk to Tillman about it.”
Selina brushed her hand over the coral. “Yes, please. I may hold my breath until you do.”
“Don’t do that,” Rafe said with a smile. “You need to breathe on your wedding day at least.”
“Of course.” Selina rolled her eyes. “Speaking of that, we should be on our way to church.”
“Ready?” Rafe offered her his arm.
“As I’ll ever be.” She put her hand on her brother’s sleeve. “I never envisioned this day. Not once. I still worry something may happen to spoil it.”
Rafe put his hand over hers and squeezed. “It won’t. I wouldn’t let it, but it won’t.”
Selina nodded. He kissed her forehead before guiding her from the room.
Beatrix lingered a moment, watching them precede her. Unlike Selina, Beatrix had envisioned a wedding day for herself. One where her father would give her away to her groom.
That dream had died when her father had rejected her. Now it was up to her to find a new one.
