His Mistress By Christmas (10 page)

Sebastian looked up from the pages before him on the desk and stared. “What in the name of all that’s holy are you doing?”

“You have guests.”

“Then . . . ,” Sebastian said slowly, “shouldn’t you show them in?”

“I’m your friend. Your partner.” Sinclair shook his head. “And I don’t think showing them in is a good idea. In fact . . .” He nodded toward the window. “I think escape is a much better idea. There’s a vine right outside that window, and even if it doesn’t hold, it’s a short drop to the ground.”

“What?” Sebastian stared.

“Out the window with you. Go now. Quickly.” Again Sinclair indicated the window. “I’ll try to hold them off.”

“I appreciate the offer but . . .” Sebastian choked back a laugh. “You’ve gone mad, haven’t you?”

“Me? Ha.” Sinclair narrowed his eyes and approached the desk. “I thought we had an arrangement, you and I.”

“An arrangement?”

“About women coming here.” Sinclair crossed his arms over his chest. “Women are permitted only if they are in our company. It was expressly agreed that neither one of us wanted unexpected female visitors popping in without a moment’s notice. Something like that could be extremely awkward, even dangerous.”

“I—”

“Especially if said female visitors are”—he shuddered—”singleminded, determined, obstinate, and unyielding.”

Sebastian stared in confusion. “I don’t . . . oh.” He chuckled and got to his feet. “You’ve met Veronica.”

“Good God, for your sake, I hope not.” Sinclair huffed. “Besides, neither of these women has red hair.”

“How many are there?” Sebastian said cautiously.

“Two.” Sinclair winced. “Frightening, terrifying termagants. But admittedly, not unattractive. Quite pretty, really. Especially the shorter, fair-haired one. Although she also appears to be the most irate.”

“Did these terrifying creatures give you a name?”

“I didn’t have the chance—”

The library doors flew open, and two young women stormed into the room in a flurry of cloaks and furs and indignation.

“There you are!”

“How long did you think you could hide?”

Sebastian stared at the women, then chuckled. “I have no idea what you are talking about, although I can’t imagine the need to be quite so adamant.”

“I told you.” Sinclair glared at the women.

Both women cast the American looks that would have made even the most stalwart gentleman cringe. To his credit, Sinclair didn’t so much as flinch.

“I don’t believe you’ve met my sisters,” Sebastian said smoothly. “Miranda, Bianca, this is my very good friend Mr. Fordham Sinclair. Sinclair, may I present Miranda, Lady Garret, and Mrs. Bianca Roberts.”

“We are his
younger
sisters,” Miranda said pointedly. “He has an older sister, Diana, as well.”

“How fortunate for him. It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Sinclair said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

“We’ve heard a great deal about you.” Bianca’s gaze slid over Sinclair in a suspicious manner. Sebastian suspected his friend no longer found the shorter Bianca as pretty as he had. “Most of it quite disgraceful.”

“Then you have me at a disadvantage,” Sinclair said smoothly. “As I have heard nothing whatsoever about you.”

His sisters aimed outraged glares at Sebastian.

He chuckled. “That’s not entirely true.”

“If you will excuse me.” Sinclair edged toward the door. “I shall leave you to your happy family reunion.”

“Impudent American,” Bianca said under her breath.

“English witch,” Sinclair murmured as he stalked past her.

Bianca sucked in a sharp breath and looked as if she had every intention of following Sinclair out the door to thrash him thoroughly with her bag. She took a step, but Miranda caught her arm.

“We have other matters to attend to,” Miranda said firmly. Miranda was the younger of the two, but by only a year. She and Bianca were as close as if they were twins.

“Indeed we do.” Bianca turned her attention to her brother. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“I’m not sure.” He propped his hip on the corner of his desk and studied his sisters. “What have I done?”

“We saw you,” Bianca said.

“Dear Lord, not that!” He gasped in mock horror.

“Now is not the time for sarcasm, Sebastian.” Miranda sniffed. “We saw you last night at the theater.”

“And we want to know what you were doing with Lady Smithson,” Bianca added. “She is not one of your trollops.”

He raised a brow. “How did you know her name? Do you know her?”

“No, but we asked,” Bianca said. “We know a great deal about her, and she is not at all the type of woman you usually pursue.”

He frowned. “What do you mean, you know a great deal about her? You only saw her last night.”

“Goodness, Sebastian.” Miranda cast him a disparaging look. “It’s already mid-afternoon.”

“We know she is a widow and eminently respectable,” Bianca began. “She has a sizable fortune at her disposal—”

“From her late husband and her own family, as we understand it,” Miranda added.

“—a grand house here in town and an estate in the country as well,” Bianca finished.

“My.” Sebastian looked from one sister to the next. “You have been busy.”

Bianca ignored him and continued. “While she has never been involved in any notable scandal, as far as we can determine, she is known to be outspoken and supportive of any number of women’s causes.”

“Which we quite admire, by the way,” Miranda said quickly. “But we want to know why someone like her was with someone like you.”

“How very flattering of you to be so shocked,” he said mildly.

“Don’t put words in our mouths,” Miranda said sharply. Then her tone softened. “We were quite pleased to see you with a lady who isn’t . . .”

“An actress or a dancer or someone not at all suitable.” Bianca’s eyes narrowed. “Lady Smithson is most suitable.”

He chuckled. “I think so.”

The sisters traded glances.

“Sebastian.” A conciliatory note sounded in Bianca’s voice. “Do tell us what your intentions are toward Lady Smithson.”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

Bianca scoffed. “Why else would we be here?”

“Very well, then.” He paused, relishing in the drama of the moment. “I intend to make Lady Smithson my wife. By Christmas.”

Miranda’s eyes widened. “Christmas is a scant few weeks away.”

“I am well aware of that.”

“Surely you haven’t known this lady very long,” Bianca said.

“When I see something I want, I see no need to waste time.” He paused. “When I know something is right, I do not hesitate.”

“How . . . how . . . ,” Bianca began.

“How utterly romantic,” Miranda said with a sigh.

“And terribly exciting.” Bianca cast him a reluctant smile.

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Oh, we do, Sebastian, we do. Some of us thought you would never marry.” Bianca turned to her sister. “Wait until the family hears.”

Miranda nodded. “Mother will be ecstatic. She had hoped, of course, but she thought you’d never marry. She has very nearly given up on Hugh marrying again. Wait until we tell her.”

“Oh no.” Sebastian shook his head. “I don’t want a word of this to Mother or anyone else. I will tell everyone when the time is right.”

Miranda stared. “And when is that?”

“After Veronica and I are married,” he said firmly.

His sisters stared.

“In sheer numbers alone, we are a most imposing lot. I do not wish to scare her off.”

Miranda scoffed. “That’s absurd. We are not the least bit frightening.”

“Perhaps.” He narrowed his gaze. “But this is the way I wish it.”

“It would be a lovely Christmas gift, you know,” Bianca said. “And, if you recall, as you are usually absent, we always gather for Christmas together in the country.”

“Not this year.” Miranda shook her head. “It’s to be a smaller group at Waterston Abbey than usual.”

Bianca’s brows pulled together. “Why?”

“Mother has decided to accompany Portia to Italy for Christmas, although why Portia wishes to go to Italy is beyond me. She’ll miss any number of parties and gatherings.”

“Perhaps she wants to avoid any more of the matchmaking I hear she has been subjected to of late.” Sebastian smiled innocently.

Both sisters looked at him as if he were mad.

“As I was saying,” Miranda continued, “Diana’s mother-in-law is insisting they spend Christmas with her. You know how demanding she can be. Adrian and Evelyn will be there, of course.”

“As it is their house,” Sebastian said wryly. His older brother, Adrian, was the current Earl of Waterston and took his position as head of the family very seriously.

“Hugh will come, as will you and I.” A slight wistful note sounded in Miranda’s voice. No doubt she was thinking of past, more joyous, family gatherings with everyone present. She had lost her husband nearly two years ago. Hugh’s wife had died some five years ago. Bianca’s husband no longer shared a house with his wife. His brothers had filled him in on that situation, although neither Adrian nor Hugh knew what had caused the rift between husband and wife. For once, Bianca hadn’t said a word, although he suspected Miranda knew the truth of the matter. Miranda met her brother’s gaze directly. “It would be lovely if you and your new wife could join us as it has been a very long time.”

“Not this year, I’m afraid,” he said gently. “Perhaps I am being selfish, but I plan to spend Christmas in my new country house with my wife. Alone.”

“It’s not selfish at all,” Bianca said staunchly. “I think it’s quite romantic. We shall bravely carry on without you.” She paused. “And do you plan to spend your birthday alone with your wife as well?”

“Oh, do join us, at least for your birthday.” Miranda smiled at her brother. “That would be wonderful.”

“I promise to give it a great deal of thought. But, this is not the only Christmas I will be in England, merely the first. You know I have bought a house. What you don’t know is that I plan to curtail my travels and concentrate on my lectures and writing.”

“How very . . .” Bianca chose her words with care. “Adult of you. And quite like a responsible Hadley-Attwater. It’s somewhat frightening, and I’m not sure I believe it.”

“We all change, Bianca, with the passage of time. What we want and how we wish to live.” He smiled. “Now then, if you would care to take off your wraps, I would be happy to call for tea and we can have a nice chat.”

Miranda laughed. “You’ve never been one for a nice chat.”

Bianca studied him curiously. “If all this is the result of Lady Smithson’s influence, you have our wholehearted support.”

“And best wishes,” Miranda said quickly. “We only want you to be happy, you know.”

He grinned. “I fully intend to be.”

“You should probably know, if you had chosen an actress or dancer or someone completely unsuitable”—Bianca blew a resigned breath—”we would have accepted it. All of us. Even Mother.”

“I know.”

“But it is much easier this way,” Miranda said with a grin.

“Then it is fortunate that I had the good sense to fall in love with a suitable lady.”

“Most fortunate,” Bianca said firmly. “And as much as we would love to stay for tea, as, God knows, such invitations from you are unknown, we have a great deal to do. Christmas is fast approaching, and there are parties to prepare for and dinners to arrange—”

“And presents to decide upon for nieces and nephews and everyone else.” Miranda paused. “I have a short list of what I might like, should you be so inclined.”

“We both have lists.” Bianca’s eyes sparkled. “Should you be so inclined.”

He chuckled. “I shall keep that in mind.”

They chatted for a few moments more; then his sisters took their leave amid hugs and promises on both sides. He did hope they would stay silent, although no one in his family had ever been good at keeping secrets. In truth, it scarcely mattered, although he would like to be the one to tell his family, if only to see the looks on their faces.

The idea of spending Christmas with Veronica at his new house had popped into his head at very nearly the moment he had said the words. And why not? His first Christmas back in England in years spent in his new house with his delectable new bride sounded very nearly perfect. Alone, with no one to bother them, save the small staff he had hired when he bought the house. And perhaps, after Christmas they would travel to Waterston Abbey, where he would introduce his wife to the rest of the family. And claim his inheritance, of course. It would be a Christmas to remember.

He brushed aside the thought that perhaps Veronica would not wish to marry a man she scarcely knew. They knew each other far better than many couples he could name did when they’d wed. And she couldn’t deny that there was something unique and intense and quite wonderful simmering between them. He had no doubt the woman wanted him as much as he wanted her. Why, she’d kissed him and with her aunt scarcely out of sight.

As brief as it was, that kiss lingered in his mind. The feel of her lips against his, the warmth of her body pressed close to him, the erotic scent of her perfume conjured up all sorts of wicked images of her lying naked in his bed. The kiss was no more than a taste, really, a hint of the delight yet to come. Delight he intended to savor for the rest of his life. Desire shivered through him, and he drew a deep breath. He wasn’t entirely sure how long he could continue to be on his best behavior when all he really wanted was to take her in his arms and have his way with her. He chuckled at the thought. Or let her have her way with him. After all,
she
had kissed
him
.

Oh yes, Veronica would soon be his wife. He loved her, even if he hadn’t realized it himself until he’d told his sisters. He should have told Veronica first, but that was an omission easily corrected. He loved her, he wanted her, and he would have her.

Yes, indeed, this would be a Christmas to remember.

“I think it’s all going remarkably well, don’t you?” Veronica leaned closer, her voice low and innocently seductive. “It was very brave of you to invite my aunt.”

Sebastian stared into her sultry brown eyes and marveled that he wasn’t drowning. Although, perhaps, he was. Or he already had. In the two days since he’d seen her, he could do little but think of her. And his determination to make this woman his wife had only grown stronger. “There is a fine line between bravery and foolishness. I’m not sure what this is yet.”