A Scandalous Bargain (The Pretenders #2) - Darcy Burke Page 0,42
did tonight, only worse.” She hated the flash of confusion and dissatisfaction in his gaze, but there was nothing to be done for it. Not here, not now. Not ever.
She needed to get out of there before she completely broke down, something she hadn’t done in a very long time. It was far easier for her to be positive and enthusiastic. This sense of failure and dread was much, much harder.
“Goodbye, Tom,” she said for the second time that night. Taking her hand from his arm, she hurried away, heedless of where she was going. As she left the ballroom, she ran straight into the one person she really didn’t want to see: her half brother.
“There you are, Miss Whitford. I’ve been waiting for your dance to finish. Might I say you are better at the waltz than the quadrille? I will remember that in future.”
“Er, thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She continued past him through the adjoining room where ballgoers were gathered with refreshments.
Unfortunately—and irritatingly—he went along with her. “I plan to call on you tomorrow. And I’ll be speaking with your brother later.”
Beatrix stopped short. She turned to face him, her eyes wide as anger overtook her earlier despair. She gave his sleeve a tug and jerked her head toward a doorway. Spinning about, she stalked into a smaller room.
He followed her, and once they were clear of the threshold, she turned. His lips curved into a pleasant smile. “Should we move somewhere a little more private?”
“What?” The word shot out of Beatrix’s mouth like a pistol firing.
He moved close to her, his lids drooping over his too-familiar hazel eyes. “We should find a more secluded location—to kiss.”
For a moment, Beatrix couldn’t speak. And during that moment, he leaned toward her. She put up her hands and pushed at his chest while taking a step back. “No. I don’t want to kiss you.”
His features crinkled into a state of utter bewilderment. “You don’t?”
She gaped at him. “Has no one told you no before?”
He seemed to ponder her question. “No? Not in this instance, because I’ve never attempted to kiss someone like you. But I’m generally well-liked by the fairer sex.”
Someone like her. She nearly laughed. He had no idea what she was like.
Instead, she made a very unladylike sound in her throat. “I do like you, but not in that manner. For heaven’s sake, I’m your sister.”
After blinking once, he swallowed. He blinked again. Then he opened his mouth only to snap it closed again.
“Half sister,” she clarified. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t allow you to continue to pursue me. That’s why I pulled you in here. Not so we could…kiss.” She made a face.
Worth stared. And stared. Finally, he recoiled, taking a step back. “How is this possible?”
“I’m sure you know how,” she said sardonically. “But allow me to provide you with the pertinent details. Your father had a mistress—my mother. She lived in Bath, and her name was Charlotte Linley. He visited us often and always spent a month at the end of summer with us.”
The flash of understanding in his eyes told her he believed her. “He was never around.”
“No, because he was with me and his beloved Lottie. You had no inkling?”
Worth shook his head. “I mean, I knew he wasn’t faithful to my mother—later, when I was older and paying attention to that sort of thing. You say he loved your mother?”
Beatrix could distinctly hear his voice saying, “I love you, my dearest Lottie.” “He told her so often enough, yes.”
There was a long moment during which Worth stared at some spot behind Beatrix’s head. When he returned his gaze to hers, he frowned. “Why didn’t he tell me about you?”
“You’d have to ask him that.”
Worth cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re certain he’s your father?”
Beatrix wanted to kick him. Instead, she grabbed his forearm and dragged him to the other side of the room, where there was a looking glass above the fireplace. “Take off your mask.” When he complied, she said, “Look at my eyes. Now look at your eyes. See anything similar?”
His gaze met hers in the mirror, then moved to his own and slowly widened with recognition. “Holy hell.”
Beatrix let go of his arm and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I can’t believe I was attracted to you.” His expression filled with horror. He pivoted toward her. “I’m so sorry.”