Once Upon a Time in Bath (The Brides of Bath #7) - Cheryl Bolen Page 0,3

those sisters of yours will die old maids.”

Appleton would rather them die old maids than be united to the devil himself.

Wolf stalked toward the door.

“Do I have four weeks in which to buy back my debts from you?”

Wolf turned. “I know you have no more money, and none of your friends can get their hands on that much in four weeks.”

Appleton nodded. “That’s true. It’s a million to one, but last night proved I’m a gambler.”

“Very well. You’ve got four weeks. With one caveat.”

Appleton lifted a brow.

“I will demand an introduction to Annie.”

It was a moment before Appleton could answer. “One dance and one dance only Tuesday night at the Upper Assembly Rooms.” He would make sure Annie, his favorite sister, was well apprised of Henry Wolf’s ineligibility.

But he’d not tell her about the bizarre proposal. Annie was just tender hearted enough to try to sacrifice herself for her brother.

* * *

Even though Sir Elvin Steffington was his closest friend—and only other friend who was still a bachelor—Appleton still got Elvin mixed up with his twin, Melvin. If they had not appeared to be identical duplicates of one another, the brothers would never have been taken for twins, owing to the vast differences in their personalities. Bookish, scholarly Melvin had not discovered women until he was nearing thirty while Sir Elvin abhorred books and was considered by many to be Bath’s resident rake—along with Appleton.

Both Steffington twins and their friend Gregory Blankenship, known as Blanks, were ensconced with Appleton in the Blankenship library to discuss Appleton’s seemingly hopeless situation.

“It seems the easiest solution is to just let Annie marry the man,” one of the twins said. That’s when Appleton knew without a doubt the speaker was Melvin.

Three sets of eyes stared at the younger twin as if he had just escaped from Bedlam.

“Do you not remember what Penguin did to that innkeeper’s young daughter in Windsor?” his brother demanded.

Melvin screwed up his mouth. “You know I wasn’t interested in petticoats when I was at Eton.”

“He could never get his nose out of a book for long enough,” Blanks mumbled.

His twin shrugged. “I would never allow one of our sisters to associate with Henry Wolf, and Appleton feels the same about his sisters.”

“The man is unfit to be in the same chamber with respectable ladies,” Appleton said. “I feel beastly that I’m even going to allow Penguin to dance once with Annie, but at least it will be beneath the glow of five huge chandeliers amidst hundreds of spectators.”

“And we’ll all be there to offer protection,” Sir Elvin offered.

Melvin eyed Appleton. “So if you don’t allow Annie to marry this vile man, you have four weeks in which to raise an exceedingly vast amount of money? Is that correct?”

Appleton nodded.

“A pity none of us can get our hands on anything near the amount of money you need.” Blanks frowned. “Buying Jonathan’s house took every guinea I could get my hands on.”

“But. . .” Melvin smiled. “There may be a solution.”

Three sets of eyes riveted to the scholarly twin.

“You’ve got four weeks in which to woo and wed an heiress.”

Appleton harrumphed. “Normally, I would have been opposed to such a plan, but I don’t deserve personal happiness after what I’ve done. I could sacrifice myself for my family. Pity of it, I know no heiresses.”

“Actually . . .” Blanks’ brows lowered, “just this morning Glee was speaking of some dreadful . . . er, unfortunate heiress who’s come to Bath with her ailing father. Glee felt rather sorry for her because she has no friends, and she’s . . . well she’s rather peculiar. They call her the Cat Lady because she goes nowhere without carrying around a cat.”

Elvin brightened. “Yes! I’ve heard of her, too. They say she’s the only child of some vastly wealthy landowner who’s to settle eight hundred a year on her.”

Four sets of eyes widened.

Such a woman would indeed answer his needs, but at the same time the very notion sickened him. An unfortunate cat woman. He would wager—though he was never going to wager again—there were other reasons a woman with a vast fortune was still unwed, and he suspected these reasons had much to do with a most unpleasant appearance.

Was she fat? Or perhaps her figure resembled a flagpole. He wasn’t certain which he would prefer. He wondered if she stunk. Or could she be possessed of a hideously ugly face?

Regardless of her shortcomings, he should put his own feelings aside and be willing to