Page 21 of As the Earl Likes
“She has.” Sheff found lying about their relationship distasteful, and that surprised him. It wasn’t as if Jo hadn’t agreed to every aspect.
“I must speak with her first,” Harker said, straightening his spine. “You plan to call on her tomorrow? I’ll arrive before you and speak with her. If she tells me she wants to marry you, I’ll give my approval.”
Why was this so bloody difficult? Sheff never imagined a fake betrothal would require this much work. He’d write Jo a note and drop it off at the Siren’s Call so she could be prepared for her father’s visit.
“An excellent plan,” Sheff said with a forced smile. “Thank you for your time.” He started to turn, but Harker stopped him with a question.
“You really do love her?”
Sheff met the man’s gaze. “With all my heart.”
Harker smiled widely, his joy evident. “I’m so pleased. This is truly a marvelous development. Surprising, but marvelous indeed.”
Sheff feared the man would not be able to contain his excitement when he returned upstairs. “You must keep this private until I propose tomorrow. Can you promise me you’ll do that?”
“Of course.” Harker waved his hand again. “You can trust me to keep a secret.”
Except that Sheff knew the opposite to be true. He had to expect that a portion of London would be talking about his engagement tomorrow.
He’d need to speak with his parents as soon as possible after meeting with Jo. He’d write notes to them too, requesting a meeting. Addressing them together filled him with an anxious dread, but he’d rather suffer their reactions at one time than separately. They could manage to be in the same room together for a brief period. Especially if it meant their son was finally betrothed.
“Thank you,” Sheff said. Then he turned and started out of the dining room.
Harker followed him. “You really aren’t going back up to the party?”
“No.” Sheff continued toward the entrance hall.
“Perhaps my daughter really has set you on a new path,” Harker said. “Love can change a person. It did me.”
Sheff bid the man good night. As he left the hedonistic soiree, he contemplated what the man had said and dismissed it entirely.
Love changed nothing for those who couldn’t feel it.
Chapter 5
Jo woke up to a note from Sheff telling her that he’d tracked her father down at Lord Gerard’s soiree, and that he had not yet given his approval for their marriage. That would come, Sheff had explained, after her father called on her today and ensured she wanted to wed.
Now Jo not only had to tell her mother about the betrothal scheme with Sheff, but also that her estranged husband would be calling. It was nearly enough to make Jo want to take the money Sheff had already given her and flee London.
Instead, she knocked on the study door, knowing her mother was inside working, having returned from Marcel’s house a few hours earlier. Jo took a deep breath as her mother bade her enter.
Jo’s mother sat in the chair at her desk with her eyes closed and waved a fan with considerable vigor over her face and chest. The windows had been thrown open, and the overall temperature of the room was quite cool. Jo concluded that her mother was having another one of her “heat intolerances,” which had started a year or so ago.
Jo was especially sorry to bother her mother after she was already discomfited. “Pardon me for interrupting, Mama, but I’ve an important matter to discuss with you.”
“I do hope Weston will be cooler in the summer than London,” Jo’s mother said, opening her eyes. “Marcel assures me there will be a lovely ocean breeze.”
“That sounds restorative,” Jo said, going to sit in the chair situated next to her mother’s desk.
Her mother straightened in her chair, but continued to ply her fan as she addressed Jo. “What is your important matter?”
Jo had rehearsed what to say—she did this often when she wanted to discuss something important or when she wanted to remember certain points she wished to make—but at the moment, she was struggling to recall how to begin. “I’m going to accept a marriage proposal.”
Brows drawing together tightly and lips pursing, Jo’s mother stopped waving the fan as she spoke. “Who has proposed?”
“He hasn’t yet, but he will be here shortly. There is a caveat, however.” Jo smoothed her hands over her lap. “This will be a fake betrothal for the remainder of the Season.”
Her mother employed the fan once more. “Explain.”
