Beauty Tempts the Beast (Sins for All Seasons #6) - Lorraine Heath Page 0,37
as she glided into the parlor, anticipation in her eyes, color in her cheeks. He set aside his glass. “Let’s go make this agreement between us official.”
After which, there would be no turning back.
Chapter 8
As they waited in the receiving room for their audience with the solicitor, Althea struggled to calm her fraying nerves. It was one thing to negotiate scandalous terms, conditions, and outcomes with Benedict Trewlove in the privacy of his front parlor. Quite another to have them put in writing by a decent man whose job it was to uphold the law, to know he would bear witness to her not only signing her signature but also condemning her soul to the eternal fires of damnation. But then according to the ton, her father’s actions had already secured that end for her simply by virtue of her being a product of his loins. Ever since yesterday, she’d begun to see the advantage to embracing the freedom his sins afforded her. She might as well embrace her own.
“Mr. Beckwith will see you now,” the secretary said, holding open the oaken door that loomed like a great maw threatening to swallow her whole.
Her legs weren’t quite as steady as she would have liked when she rose in tandem with Benedict, but then his hand landed on the small of her back with a surety and a strength that coursed through her and calmed all quivers.
She preceded him into the office where a much smaller man, slender of stature, stood behind his desk. He bowed his silver head. “Miss Stanwick, Mr. Trewlove.”
It remained a bit incongruous to be addressed in such a manner, rather than as Lady Althea.
“Mr. Beckwith, you have the agreement ready?” Benedict asked.
“I do, sir. Please have a seat.” He indicated two leather chairs set before his desk.
Benedict directed her to the one on the left while he took the other. If the solicitor thought anything at all regarding her relationship with the man beside her, he kept his thoughts closely guarded. She suspected Benedict paid him a good deal for his ability not to disclose his judgment on matters.
He looked at them through piercing blue eyes that appeared all the larger because of the spectacles resting on the bridge of his patrician nose. “I have a copy for each of you, and one that I shall keep on file. If you’ll read them, ensure all is to your satisfaction.”
She did hope neither man noticed the slight tremor in her fingers as she took the sheaf that he offered her and began reading. It was all so formal, so precisely spelled out just as they’d discussed the day before.
Her salary of one hundred pounds per annum to be paid out weekly, the balance to be paid in full should she leave his employ for any reason before the full fifty-two weeks had occurred. If he dismissed her or she decided to leave of her own accord, she was guaranteed that one hundred pounds even if the fault for her departure rested with her. They’d not discussed the little detail regarding how they would handle an acrimonious parting of the ways; she hadn’t even considered that they might have one, that a reason might arise that would see her leaving before she’d anticipated. It seemed Benedict had more experience at drawing up contracts than she, leaving nothing to chance. She found no fault with the terms favoring her.
The payments for reaching the three-month, six-month, and twelve-month goal were spelled out. Succinct and to the point.
But it was the wording of her addendum to their negotiations that had her heart pounding so hard she was fairly certain the solicitor could hear it.
Mr. Trewlove shall provide to Miss Stanwick lessons in being an accomplished temptress. When their association comes to an end, should Miss Stanwick deem Mr. Trewlove failed in his endeavors, the only proof required being her opinion on the matter, Mr. Trewlove shall immediately hand over the sum of one thousand pounds.
She looked to her right where he sat so calmly in the chair beside hers, his sheaf already returned to the desk to indicate he’d read it. “This last part regarding my deeming your efforts a failure . . .”
He shrugged one large shoulder. “If I’m going to penalize you for not meeting my expectations, it seemed I should be penalized if unable to meet yours.”
“You’re trusting I won’t lie simply to acquire that thousand pounds.”