A Scandalous Bargain (The Pretenders #2) - Darcy Burke Page 0,24
Beatrix, she’d felt utterly forgotten. In Rafe’s case, however, he’d been trying to keep her safe. He didn’t want her returning to her old life in London or to him. But now that he had reinvented himself as a prosperous gentleman away from crime, they had reestablished their sibling relationship. Beatrix hoped for the same with her father.
“That doesn’t mean it’s easy allowing him to pay for things,” Selina said. “I hate that, actually.”
“I know,” Beatrix said softly. “But there’s no reason not to. Our lives have completely changed. You’re getting married. You’re in love. You’re secure.”
Selina turned her head toward Beatrix beside her and reached for her hand. “You’re secure too. Always and forever. I will never abandon you.”
Beatrix gave Selina’s fingers a quick squeeze before letting her go and putting her hand down at her side. There was something in the pocket of her dress, she realized. A flash of alarm sparked through her. Had she taken something? She couldn’t investigate it now.
“So how was your dance with your half brother?” Selina asked. “It looked as if you were struggling.”
“On purpose. I was trying to deter his interest.”
“Did it work?”
Beatrix exhaled with disappointment. “I don’t think so. He asked if he could call on me.” She shot Selina a disgruntled look. “Can you imagine anything worse than being courted by your half brother?”
Selina laughed. Eyes dancing, she clapped her hand over her mouth. After a moment, she lowered her hand to her lap. “I can think of worse things, actually, but that would still be rather unpleasant. What do you plan to do?”
“Continue to deter him?” Beatrix lifted her hands and shrugged. “What can I do? Tell him we share a father?”
“Will you? If it comes to that, I mean.”
“I don’t know. I suppose I’ll have to see what happens when I finally meet my father.”
“Well, you’ll meet him on Friday at the masquerade. Hopefully, you will have a private interview shortly thereafter.”
“Yes, then I can determine how I will go on.” This entire journey to London to have a Season had been for Beatrix to reconnect with her father and forge a future. She just wasn’t sure what that future looked like.
“Did you like any of the other gentlemen you danced with?” Selina asked. “The Earl of Daventry seemed nice.”
“He was.” Except the only man that came to Beatrix’s mind was Rockbourne. She desperately wanted to tell him how tonight had gone. Because he’d asked and was clearly interested. And since he knew who her father was, she could tell him about the awkward interlude with Worth.
When they arrived at home, Beatrix quickly went upstairs to her room to discover what she’d stolen.
Alone in her chamber, she removed her gloves and kicked her slippers off. She reached into her pocket and withdrew a small, oval, silver snuffbox. She ran her thumb over the design on the top—a stamped, diamond-shaped pattern—then turned it over looking for any identifying marks such as initials. There were none. And she had no idea from whom she’d taken it.
Scowling, she closed her hand around the object and stalked to her dresser. Crouching down, she opened the bottom drawer and reached into the back, where she’d put a piece of wood as a false backing. Pulling that out of the way, she located the wooden box and extracted it from the drawer.
She sat on the floor, her skirts billowing around her as she put the simple oak box on her lap. About five inches wide and five inches tall, it provided the perfect place for Beatrix to stash the objects she’d stolen without realizing.
Opening the lid, she gazed at the collection of odds and ends. There was jewelry, writing implements, silverware, and now a snuffbox. The items were familiar to her now, but each one had been a mystery as to where she’d gotten it and to whom it truly belonged.
Not quite all of them were familiar. She put the silver snuffbox inside and picked up the last thing she’d added—an ivory-handled penknife with the initials DC carved into an intricate design.
Beatrix set the knife back into the box and frowned at the contents. Why was she keeping all this?
A light knock on her door made her slam the box closed and thrust it back into the dresser. She shut the drawer and got to her feet. “Come in.”
Selina slipped inside, closing the door behind her. “I thought you might need help with your gown.”