is a minor sin, perpetrated by children and a few overindulged adults who don’t like to lose. Which is why I didn’t make a fuss about your little…infringement. However, I’m aware gentlemen regard such matters differently, and I understand why you sought this talk with me.”
Her eyes refocused on his face to find him smiling faintly. He didn’t look remotely troubled. She hoped that was a good sign.
“Here is my bargain,” she said boldly. “My continued silence. Your secret goes to the grave with me. In return, you have your pet scandal sheet retract the entire story in print, proclaiming they were mistaken about the presence of all four ladies whose initials were previously published. You stop fanning the flames of scandal and admit you might have been mistaken if and when the subject comes up. In this way, to the satisfaction of all, our scandal dies away, and yours never sees the light of day.”
He regarded her with amiable fascination. It was not an expression she cared for.
“That is really quite good,” he allowed. “But I’m afraid it is you who are mistaken. I would only ever have been prepared to retract your name. Frankly, you weren’t important enough to merit all four. In fact, I nearly passed over you toward my larger goal. But that is all behind us. Because, my dear lady, you changed everything when you married Christopher Halland.”
At the sound of his name, alarm clawed at her stomach, but she managed to maintain her calm. “I don’t see that it changes anything at all.”
“Well, you haven’t had time to think it through,” he said kindly. “I have. So here is my bargain. The removal of your name from the scandal, in return for your silence to the grave as you have already offered.” From his pocket, he took a torn piece of paper and pushed it across the table to her. “Plus, this sum of money to be delivered to me immediately.”
She stared at him, the heat of anger flooding into her face. “You would extort money from me? And still call yourself a gentleman?”
“Of course, I would. You now have it in large quantities, and I am in need of it to pay my servants and travel south.”
“I will not give you my husband’s money!”
“Then you give me his good name and his parliamentary career—for which I’m sure more men than I will be grateful. Personally, I never liked the man, so I shall be quite happy to destroy him.”
She tilted her chin, regarding him with clear contempt. “You could not if you tried.”
He laughed. “Oh, my dear, you have a very odd idea about what I can and cannot do. But in this case, I would barely need to do anything at all. The foundations are laid. His wife is ruined. A few reminders of the fact will reduce his influence to nil. I expect he will lose his seat at the next election, but by then, it will be a blessing to him. I suppose you could live abroad, but with the British spilling all over Europe in our new era of peace, I’m sure the scandal will follow him.”
The last of her confidence drained to nothing. Her face felt cold with shock. Would Barden, could Barden, really do such a thing?
He had already destroyed the reputations of four innocent gentlewomen, including the daughter of an earl and the child of a duke. Scandal was a vicious enemy, and it could destroy men just as easily. But was Christopher’s career really in such danger? Hazel had married Sir Joseph Sayle, a wealthy baronet and highly respected diplomat. Christopher and his family seemed to be winning against the rumors already.
But that was in the bubble of Gosmere. Hazel would leave the country with Sir Joseph for Vienna. Christopher would return to London, to Parliament, where his true life lay. And his friends there would not be so forgiving. As for his enemies…
Barden was right. If the rumors were not scotched, Christopher’s influence would wane. To fan the flames would at best make him a laughing stock. The proud man who had married a fallen woman.
But Christopher would have known this when he married me, her mind pleaded.
And gambled on the rumors dying down under the weight of his family’s influence. Which would still happen if she paid Barden for his silence.
She reached out and snatched the paper from the table. When she turned it over, the figures danced before her eyes.
“I am living