Page 79 of As the Earl Likes
“You’re alone?” Jo asked. “Where’s Ellis?”
Min turned from the window. Her expression was tight, and Jo could see there was something wrong. “I came with my maid, but she’s waiting downstairs. Ellis was engrossed in a book. Also, I didn’t tell Ellis why I wanted to come. I haven’t told anyone yet, but I assume the gossip will spread imminently.”
Jo gestured for Min to sit, then took a chair. She clasped her hands on her lap. “What gossip is this?” She braced herself, presuming it could be Sheff. Though, she hadn’t expected him to make his move this soon. The Season was not quite over. There were still enough people in London to make a meal of the gossip.
“I received a letter from the housekeeper at the Grove. She writes to me monthly to tell me what’s happening.” Min shrugged. “We have a fond relationship. She says my father has been in residence, which is shocking on its own, along with Sheff. Did you know he was there?”
“Yes. He’s written to me a couple of times.” Jo had not yet written to him. She didn’t know why. Perhaps it was the short, perfunctory nature of his letters. He wrote of the weather, his travels, the latest history he read concerning the fall of Rome. He had not mentioned his father at all.
Min pressed her lips together. “I know your marriage to him is a business arrangement, but I wonder if you may want to rethink that after you hear what I say.”
Sheff had initiated the next phase of their scheme then. Perhaps he simply hadn’t been able to control himself. He’d made it clear to her that he saw himself as a profligate. Apparently, he was right.
“What happened?” Jo asked. “Please don’t prevaricate. I’m well aware of your brother’s habits.”
“Does your arrangement include him continuing to behave in that way? I should think he would at least try to curb his proclivities while you are betrothed and newlywed. You can’t want to live with that kind of scandal. It’s torture.” She looked away, her jaw working.
“Because of your parents?” Jo asked softly.
Min nodded stiffly. “I would not wish a marriage like my parents have on anyone, even someone going into it with no romantic expectations. I wanted you to hear about what happened from me so that you are not surprised. There was a party at the Grove several days ago. It seems Sheff was with a pair of women.”
“By ‘with,’ I surmise you mean he was intimate with them?” Jo asked, disturbed to feel her chest constricting in an almost painful way.
“He appeared to be. The housekeeper said he was seen in the garden with them. They were draped over him. Then she said she saw a woman outside his bedchamber late that night.” Min’s eyes flashed with ire. “I’m so angry with him for behaving like that. I know you don’t have romantic feelings for him, but I can’t imagine you want to be married to someone like that.”
Jo formulated a reason as to why she would marry him, but was there any reason for her to continue to mislead Min? She could not think of a single one, not when the end of their betrothal was now imminent.
Meeting her friend’s gaze, Jo took a deep breath. “I hope you won’t be terribly angry, but it’s time I told you the full truth. I was never going to marry Sheff. He made me a proposal several weeks ago—that I pretend to be betrothed to him for the remainder of the Season.”
Min gaped at her. “The entire betrothal was fake? With my grandmother’s ring and an expensive ball?”
“Yes.” Jo couldn’t help cringing. She and Sheff had suffered doubts all along the way, but they’d kept on with it. And for what? All it had served to do was make them fall into a torrid mutual attraction that had resulted in a night Jo would never forget. Especially if she had a baby as a reminder.
No, she would not think about that. It was far too early for her to make that assumption. Indeed, she was currently cramping in her lower abdomen. Her courses were likely about to begin.
Min stood and stalked around the room, her hands moving wildly as she talked. “What could Sheff possibly have hoped to gain from doing this? He could at least have chosen someone our mother approved of. Then she wouldn’t have directed her frustration on me and increased her efforts to see me wed.” She put a hand on her hip and faced Jo. “Do you know how many dances and promenades I have had to suffer the last several weeks?”
“I’m so sorry.” Jo hated that Min was upset, that she was hurt. “I value our friendship more than anything. I hated lying to you.”
Min frowned, then threw her hands up in the air before reclaiming her seat in a huff. She glowered at Jo. “What could you possibly have benefited from this escapade?”
“Money,” Jo replied frankly. “Sheff offered me a life-changing sum that will allow me to be independent. I didn’t particularly want to take over the Siren’s Call from my mother, and now I don’t have to.”
Min blinked. “Well. That is both frustrating as the sister of the man who paid someone to pretend to be his betrothed and wonderful as the friend of the woman who now has the freedom she deserves. But mostly, I am envious,” she said quietly, looking down at her lap for a moment.
“Oh, Min, don’t be. Things will work out for you. They must.” Even if Jo had no idea how that would be. It wouldn’t be as easy for Min to choose an independent life, if that was what she truly wanted. “At least you aren’t being forced to wed.”
“Not yet.” She looked intently at Jo. “What will happen now?”
“The plan was for Sheff to do something away from London that would prompt gossip. Something that would make it easy—and smart—for me to cry off. He chose me instead of someone from Society because he believed I would be able to survive the scandal. Someone like you would be ruined.”
“You may be ruined,” Min said.
Jo shrugged. “In what way? I won’t be invited to balls? Boo-hoo. People will give me the cut direct? They already do.”
Min grimaced. “Do they?”
“Quite a few since the fake betrothal.” Jo did not share how much it bothered her, not when she’d invited those reactions by daring to become engaged to marry the heir to a dukedom. And she would not moan to Min about it, not after keeping the truth from her. “I could use your help making it known that I will be crying off due to Sheff’s behavior.”
