The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies)

by Michaels, Maddison

  She’d likely thank him after he told her. At least that’s what he was trying to convince himself of, especially as his sister, sweet and kind though she was, did have a temper when she got riled up.

  “A surprise? Oh, how wonderful! You know how I love surprises, brother.” There was such eager anticipation on her face at the prospect. “Do tell me, what it is?”

  “You are to be sponsored and presented to Society by the Duchess of Calder herself, and she will also teach you some etiquette lessons.” Seb didn’t like the look of annoyance replacing the enthusiasm in his sister’s expression. “You will also have a whole new wardrobe and a friend of mine, Lady Olivia Haliford, who is a duke’s daughter and also goddaughter to the duchess, will arrive here shortly to meet you, and then on Monday shall take you to the duchess to meet with her.”

  “You wish me to be presented to Society?” She took in a deep breath.

  “I do.”

  “And have etiquette lessons?”

  “Yes.”

  Her eyes looked like a tempest was swirling in their depths, the gray deepening dangerously. “Why would you think I would want to do any of those things when you’re perfectly aware I intend to study medicine? I have no need to be launched into Society to do that. All I have need of is to obtain a place at the London School of Medicine for Women, which I know you can help me attain if you have a mind to.”

  Seb walked across to the front window overlooking the street. “I want you to have a better life than I ever did.”

  “I already have a wonderful life, Sebastian. And becoming a doctor, like my father, will make it even better.”

  She walked over and stood beside him, both of them staring out the window. They were the same in that regard; ’twas far easier dealing with emotions when you weren’t looking directly at the person stirring them up.

  “I want more for you.” He turned and glanced across at her profile. “I don’t want you to have to work for a living.”

  “I already have all that I need.” She wrinkled up her nose. “And don’t for one minute think I don’t know what you are trying to do.”

  “I’m trying to give you opportunities, Charlotte.”

  “You are trying to marry me off to the highest bidder!” She swiveled around and glared accusingly at him.

  “If something ever happens to me, you need a man who has the position and the power, not to mention the wealth, to ensure you never have to struggle for a moment of your life.”

  “What is wrong with struggle?” She stomped across the room to the side table and poured herself a glass of cordial. “Look at how well you’ve turned out. You’re one of the wealthiest men in England, and you have had to struggle more than any single person I know.”

  “You have no idea, sister, of what struggle actually is. Of all that I’ve had to do to get to where I am.” Seb followed her across to the side table and poured himself a stiff whiskey. “If you did, you would not be so blasé about it. In any event, it’s been decided. I’ve discussed the matter with your father, and we are in agreement that you will be launched into Society and you will make a suitable match.”

  “How dare you treat me as if I do not have a say in my own life!”

  “In this world, a woman rarely has a say in her own life. You know that.”

  Absolute shock tore across his sister’s face before a black rage replaced the emotion. He’d never seen Charlotte so upset before, and a part of him did feel guilty over dictating her life to her, but her dreams of becoming a doctor were simply unrealistic. “I’m sure you will thank me when you’re older.”

  “Oh, but why wait until I’m older?”

  Seb did not like the expression in her eyes one bit.

  “Let me thank you now, brother.” And with that pronouncement, she threw the contents of her glass straight into his face.

  Red cordial engulfed his head, soaking his hair and dripping down onto his shirt.

  Feminine laughter at the doorway had both he and Charlotte swiveling around, equal glares of annoyance on their faces.

  His whole body braced in anticipation upon seeing Lady Olivia standing there, the biggest grin he’d seen her wear fixed firmly on her lips. Lips that were rosy and luscious, and all but begging to be kissed again.

  “The butler let me in,” she said by way of greeting. She peeked behind her and then back at them both. “Though I think the yelling may have scared the poor fellow off.”

  “Charlotte, this is Lady Olivia Haliford, the Duke of Beresford’s daughter, and she will be taking you to visit the duchess, where you will behave and comport yourself with care. Or else I will see that you are sent to a nunnery!”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The tableau in front of Livie was quite the funniest thing she’d seen in a long time.

  Sebastian was standing there, a scowl on his face, his golden hair dripping wet and plastered against his head, and the top of his gray jacket and shirt soaked from the red liquid thrown at him by the young girl standing to his side.

  This had to be his sister, Charlotte, who had a look of utter mortification in her eyes. Eyes that were uncannily identical to Sebastian’s, though there weren’t the same depths of darkness and shadows in them as in her brother’s.

  “Oh my goodness, my lady, I’m sorry,” the girl murmured, while doing a slight curtsy. “How embarrassing. Um, you’ll have to forgive me and my brother for arguing.”

  “You were arguing. I was telling you how it is to be,” Sebastian said, striding across to the side table and picking up a napkin to dry his face.

  “Yes, you never argue. You simply dictate to us mere mortals how our life is going to be!” Charlotte yelled. “Well, I will not accept your edict. I will attend the London School of Medicine for Women as soon as I turn twenty-one, and I will be a doctor and not some sniveling Society woman. Oh, my apologies, Lady Olivia.” Her gaze swiveled back to Livie, an apologetic expression plastered across her face. “I didn’t mean to offend, I just quite forgot myself.”

  “It’s quite understandable.” Livie smiled and stepped into the room. “If it’s any consolation, I’ve thought about throwing things at that thick head of his since I met him. Many times, in fact.”

  “You have?” The girl gulped.

  “Most definitely,” Livie replied with a nod. “He does have a tendency to try to boss others around. Although I may end up just clubbing him on the head with my cane. It’s always at the ready, you see.”

  Charlotte smiled at her, eyeing her cane, but in interest, not pity. “A cane would have been far more satisfying than cordial.”

  “Undoubtedly,” Livie agreed.

  “I’m still here, you both know,” Sebastian grumbled.

  “Oh, we are aware.” Livie glanced over at him. “Now, I intend to have a chat with your sister, so please refrain from interrupting. You’ve already made a royal mess of the situation, so do let me see if I can rectify it.”

  Behind her, she heard Charlotte’s muffled laughter. She turned back to the girl. “Why twenty-one when you wish to attend the medical school? Why not now?”

  “They believe women should have some life experience first before taking on the arduous study of becoming a doctor.”

  “The only sensible thing about the darn place,” Sebastian muttered, somewhat under his breath, though still clearly audible.

  “Sebastian, I’ve warned you,” she chastised him, to which he narrowed his eyes but closed his mouth. Livie returned her attention to Charlotte. “Well, being presented to Society and going about in my world will give you a great deal of life experience. In fact, my aunt is patroness to many surgeons in London and I’m sure she’d be happy to introduce you to some, and you may even be allowed to attend and watch some of their surgeries as my youngest brother Justin has done.”

  Charlotte’s eyes seemed to bulge out of her head
. “I could? But surely no male surgeon would talk with me, let alone allow a woman to observe a surgery…would they?”

  “They will if my aunt tells them to,” Livie said. “Trust me, she isn’t called the Dragon Duchess for no reason.”

  “They will? I could only dream of such a thing as talking with surgeons and seeing them operate. How marvelous that would be.”

  “It certainly would,” Livie agreed.

  “God, don’t encourage her,” Sebastian said from where he was still patting dry his clothing. “I will not have my sister working for a living.”

  “You don’t really have a say in it,” Livie said. “It is her life, Sebastian. You must let her live it how she chooses.”

  He was silent for several seconds and then turned to Charlotte. “You really want to go to this medical school for women and learn to be a doctor?”

  “With all my heart,” Charlotte solemnly declared.

  “Then go and be presented to Society—”

  “I’ve already told you I will not!”

  “Let me finish.” He held up a hand for her silence. “Be presented and learn how to go about in Society, attending balls and the like, and do so properly until you are twenty-one. Then, if you still want to be a doctor—”

  “I most certainly will!”

  “Then I will ensure you get a place at that medical school and I will pay for your full tuition,” Sebastian continued. “Hell, I’ll even buy you a building after you graduate where you can set up your practice.”

  “But three years?” Charlotte exclaimed. “That’s a very long time to be swanning about, attending balls and the like.”

  “It would be only a few events each week during the season. The rest of the time would be your own. You’d still have time to help your father at his practice and bury your nose in those textbooks.” Sebastian shrugged. “’Tis a small price to pay for your dream coming true, is it not? Especially as you already must wait three years before you can even look at applying to the school.”

  “Perhaps,” she allowed. “But do I have your word you will not force me to marry one of those gentlemen during the three years?” The girl’s eyes narrowed on her brother. “For I know that is your purpose behind this whole plan.”

  “And what is so wrong with wanting to see my sister live a life of luxury, without a care in the world?”

  “I know all you have ever wanted is the best for me,” Charlotte said softly as she walked over and picked up his hand. “And I love you for it. But that is not the life I wish to live. However, I will do what you ask and go about in Society, and I will even make you proud. All I ask is that you do not force me to marry.”

  “I won’t force you,” he conceded after a moment. “And if you really cannot find a place in that world within the three years, then I will happily keep my promise about supporting you in your medical journey. As much as I might question your choice.”

  There was complete silence for a moment as they all processed his words.

  “In that case, I shall agree to your proposal,” Charlotte said, then she turned to Livie. “So, it would seem I am to meet the duchess then, yes?”

  “You certainly will,” Livie said. “I shall collect you Monday morning, and be sure to wear your best dress. And I do mean best dress. You shall need to make an excellent first impression with Aunt Demelza. And then I will take you to my modiste after and order you a new wardrobe.”

  “And how much extra am I meant to pay for this wardrobe?” Sebastian asked, crossing his hands over his chest and looking at her with wariness.

  Livie smiled. “Oh, there’s no need for you to worry about that part, I assure you, I know you are well able to afford it.”

  “That doesn’t fill me with the greatest confidence.”

  With a shrug of her shoulders Livie had the audacity to wink at him. “You’ll be paying a small fortune, of course, but you do want to launch her into Society and a wardrobe fit for a princess is exactly what she, and Aunt Demelza, will require. You’re well aware of how my world works, and it’s all about appearances, unfortunately.”

  “Indeed, I am,” Sebastian said. “Tell the dressmaker to invoice the bill to the Duke of Dalkeith.”

  “Your half brother, the new duke?” Livie had no idea the two men had anything to do with the other, let alone had some sort of arrangement in place relating to finances. “I didn’t realize the two of you were on speaking terms…”

  “After our father’s death, he and I came to an understanding.” He shrugged, looking for all the world as if this was a rather usual occurrence. “When I don’t wish my name to be linked to any transactions, I have the invoice billed to him, and he will in turn forward them on to me.”

  “Oh…” Livie got the sense there was a great deal more to that story than he was saying, but she didn’t wish to press him for further details, at least not here.

  “Obviously, I have no need to remind you both of the utmost importance in keeping my name out of any conversations.” His eyes turned cold, hard, and serious. “And be on your best behavior when meeting the duchess, Charlotte. You must make a good impression on her.”

  Charlotte sighed. “Meaning, I shall have to act all demure and say nary a word.”

  “Goodness, no!” Livie exclaimed, liking the girl already. Charlotte was honest and open, and so completely opposite to her half brother. In fact, if it wasn’t for their strikingly similar eyes, she wouldn’t have realized they were at all related. “My aunt can’t stand those sorts of debutants. Be yourself, speak your truth, and she will like you greatly. Of course she will grumble and groan about her arduous task of turning you into a proper lady, but underneath she will be delighting in your candor. And do mention your aspirations of being a doctor. She will criticize them, but she’ll be impressed, too.”

  “Your godmother sounds…complicated?”

  Sebastian barked in laughter while Livie cringed slightly.

  “That’s a very tame word to describe my aunt,” Livie allowed.

  “I’ll say,” Sebastian seconded. “She’s the most feared bloody woman in Society. And the only one I’ve enjoyed having a conversation with, apart from Livie.”

  “You’ve had a conversation with my aunt?” She couldn’t imagine Demelza agreeing to speak with the Bastard of Baker Street. The fact that he’d thrown in he enjoyed conversations with Livie, too, sent an unexpected wave of pleasure through her.

  “Many in fact.” Sebastian shrugged. “She’s the only lady with enough clout and lack of fear to speak with me without worrying over the consequences. Your aunt and I have had many interesting conversations over the years. In fact, I’m invited to her ball in a fortnight.”

  “She’s invited you to her ball?” Demelza’s annual ball was the ball to receive an invitation to, and subsequently invitations were highly selective and even more highly sought after. Clearly her aunt did enjoy speaking with Sebastian if she had invited him to her ball. “If you are on such good terms with my aunt, why did you not ask her yourself to sponsor Charlotte?”

  “I don’t know if I’d say we’re on such good terms. I think it more the case she delights in doing things others cannot, such as speaking with me without fear of ruin, and she does enjoy my bluntness when we speak. But I couldn’t ask her to sponsor Charlotte, as she cannot know we are related.” Sebastian’s deep voice rumbled across the room and Livie felt like sighing, the timbre of his voice sending a little thrill of anticipation through her. “Do remember that, Charlotte.” He turned to face his sister, his expression suddenly fierce. “No one must know you are my half sister. No one. Do you understand?”

  Charlotte nodded. “Of course, I know. You’ve been ramming on about that fact to me my entire life. I’m not likely to forget it, even if I don’t entirely understand your concern.”

  “Our mother was killed because she was related to me!” he r
oared. “I will not have the same happen to you.” He stalked over to the window and stood rigidly facing out into the street, his fists clenching by his side.

  Livie glanced at Charlotte. The girl was looking both furious and sad at the same time. But then a loud clatter of dishes echoed loudly from the hallway, breaking the terse atmosphere.

  “That will be Mrs. Mayton, I’m afraid,” Charlotte declared with a sigh as she headed for the door. “She’s slightly clumsy when it comes to the dishes and is always dropping them. If you will both excuse me for a moment.” She paused at the door to look back at Seb, who hadn’t budged an inch.

  “Of course,” Livie replied.

  With a nod and what looked to be an eye roll of frustration directed at Sebastian, the girl turned and left the room, leaving Livie alone with him.

  She stood there for a moment watching him. He was standing there, with his back to her, looking very much like a statute. Obviously, his mother’s death was still a raw wound for him, even after all this time.

  She knew the feeling exactly.

  “We all must live with the burdens of the past, I’m afraid.” Before she could lose her nerve, she walked up behind him and placed her free hand gently on his back. “People like to say it gets easier with time, but it doesn’t.”

  “It certainly doesn’t.” He glanced down at her. “I was harsh with Charlotte.”

  There was such a look of torture on his face, Livie couldn’t help but lift her hand and brush it softly across his cheek. “You are only trying to protect her, and part of her knows that. Most have no idea what it’s like to be responsible for the death of a loved one. It is a heavy burden to bear.”

  His hand reached up and grasped her own, holding it still against him. Then he turned his head into her hand and kissed her palm.

  It felt like lightning had hit her.