Scandals of Lustful Ladies: A Historical Regency Romance Collection

by Meghan Sloan

  “You’re Cassandra Seton, aren’t you?” The woman drew herself up to her full height, almost as tall as Cassandra, and pulled her shoulders back. “Daughter of Ernest Seton?”

  She looked familiar, but Cassandra couldn’t really place her. They must have nodded in passing before, but her name wasn’t materialising. She frowned.

  “I am. And you are…?”

  “Who I am is not important,” the woman shot back. “I want you to stay away from Gabriel Tattershall.”

  She might as well have slapped her. Cassandra stared. Alice gasped, looking at Cassandra and then at the woman. Her companion, hovering a little further back, still had her eyes cast to the ground but her cheeks were reddening.

  “I beg your pardon, ma’am?”

  “Gabriel is not yours. He’s mine.” The woman lifted her chin and gave Cassandra a defiant glare. “I won’t have another woman encroaching herself upon him.”

  Cassandra was aware that her aunt was staring at her. Of course she would know who Gabriel was. Now she would be under the impression that her niece was carrying out an affair with a rake. Along with several other people; it was a busy afternoon, and everyone was going about their business. But those who were close by slowed to stare at them, a lot of them with blatant curiosity. This would certainly get tongues wagging, and the woman didn’t seem to care she was making a scene.

  Cassandra just wanted to sink through the ground. Instead, she straightened herself up and fixed the other woman with a cool glare.

  “You seem to be under the impression that I am actually in a courtship of some sort with Mr. Tattershall, or something more nefarious. We’ve barely made an acquaintance, so I don’t know why you’re assuming that we’ve had anything beyond a few passing words.”

  “That’s not what I’ve heard,” the woman snapped. “You were up at his family estate last week. Why else would a woman like you go there?”

  “Because I was a friend’s companion. And I saw the family, not Mr. Tattershall.”

  The other woman snorted.

  “Like I’m going to believe that!”

  Cassandra could be brash and obnoxious when she needed to be, but she never did it in public. Patrons at Seton’s encountered the sharp side of her tongue if something happened that required a scolding, but Cassandra was self-aware and she would never do it in public. This woman seemed to be cut from an entirely different cloth.

  “Who are you, exactly? Because I believe when someone comes up to me with salacious claims I should be permitted to know their name.”

  “My name is Jessica Gibson,” she said very proudly. “I’m going to be Gabriel’s wife.”

  So this was Jessica Gibson. Now Cassandra recognised her. Beautiful as she was, the young woman was very forgettable. And because of her attitude, Cassandra would have put her out of her mind if they had been in the same room.

  This was the woman who Gabriel had taken to bed? While she couldn’t fault him for choosing beauty, Cassandra could fault him for selecting a woman who didn’t seem to think the same way as him about an affair.

  Why are you faulting him about anything at all? It’s not your place.

  “Oh, I see.” Cassandra folded her arms. “You’re going to be Mr. Tattershall’s wife.”

  “I am.”

  “Does Mr. Tattershall know about this arrangement? Because from what I’ve heard, he would happily never see you again.”

  Jessica snorted and patted her carefully arranged curls.

  “That’s what he says to everyone to make them think about something else. We were going to get engaged before he was disowned. We’re still talking about it, but lately he’s been pulling away from me. Now I know why.” She turned her angry, blazing eyes onto Cassandra. “He had another woman waiting for him.”

  “And you think it’s me?”

  Cassandra couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing. It was either that or burst into tears. She was so emotionally and physically worn out that the tears had been threatening for most of the day. Now she was in the middle of the street with complete strangers openly staring at her, thinking that she had started having a salacious affair with a known rake. The false allegations wouldn’t make a difference; people would still think that she was a fallen woman.

  Laughing felt a better option than crying. Especially with such ludicrous accusations.

  From the outraged look on her face, Jessica didn’t appreciate it. She bared her teeth.

  “Don’t you dare laugh at me!” she cried, making her companion flinch.

  “I can and I will.” Cassandra stopped laughing enough to take a step towards the other woman, noting how Jessica shuffled back. “You think I would encroach on a man who is already promised to someone else? Who is known for seducing a woman just by a crook of his finger? I didn’t know Mr. Tattershall at all before two weeks ago, and I am merely a nodding acquaintance.”

  She stepped towards Jessica again, noting that Jessica was still moving away, a look of uncertainty flashing across her face. Good, she was understanding now.

  “Someone has been winding you up. I don’t know who’s been telling you these things, but you need to stop before you make more of an embarrassment of yourself.”

  As it was, more people were stopping to stare at them. It wasn’t often something like this happened in public view, and they were like a hungry gallery at the theatre. Cassandra just wanted to get away as quickly as possible; this was just humiliating.

  Jessica recovered quickly and squared her shoulders.

  “I don’t care what it looks like. I know what I was told,” she jabbed a finger at Cassandra, almost hitting her in the face. “I want you to back away and leave Gabriel alone.”

  Cassandra grabbed her hand, which had Jessica falter. Then Cassandra pushed the offending hand away.

  “Don’t you wave your finger in my face thinking you have a right for anything,” Cassandra hissed. She could feel herself shaking in her anger. “I think you’ve been misled. A lot. You can tell whoever told you this that they need to check things before telling anyone else about it. Also, if you want Gabriel Tattershall, you can have him. I’m not interested in becoming another woman he’s seduced into bed because he was bored.”

  That hurt to say, but it was right. If Gabriel ever made a move at her, Cassandra would know what he was thinking. She would be seen as a means to an end, not as someone he desired for himself. Cassandra didn’t like how that felt in her stomach, which was turning into a knot.

  And standing here arguing with a woman who was under the impression that her non-existent status was being threatened wasn’t helping her at all. Cassandra took a step back and took Alice’s arm.

  “Now, if you don’t mind, my aunt and I are heading home. We’ve got a lot to do today.”

  “I didn’t say you could leave!” Jessica shrieked.

  That had people across the street jumping. Cassandra heard one woman gasp and declare that it was a disgrace. But she fixed her cool gaze on Jessica before turning away.

  “You’re not my mother, and you do not have any control over me. Now go home. You’re causing a scene. You wouldn’t want your family to clip your wings further, would you?”

  And with that, she walked away. Alice hurried alongside her even as they heard Jessica shouting after them. The woman was just shameless. Cassandra wondered how she could think confronting another woman in public was even a good thing.

  Hopefully, once word got back to her family, the girl would find out the hard way what she did was a bad thing. Cassandra just wanted to go home and hide.

  “What on earth was going on there?” Alice asked.

  Cassandra stared straight ahead as she walked.

  “I have absolutely no idea.”

  Chapter 14

  “Are you serious?” Emily gasped. “She actually told you to stay away from Gabriel?”

  “She did.” Cassandra braced herself as the carriage went around the corner, almost toppling her over. “She w
as under the impression that I was his mistress. I have no idea where she got that from, as I’ve never been around the man long enough for a rumour like that to happen.”

  Emily snorted.

  “It’s probably her way of trying to shame you into backing away. Apparently, it’s a regular occurrence.”

  “Has she done this before, then?”

  “From what I gather. I’ve never been privy to them, thankfully. But her brothers come into the Barrington Arms regularly.” Emily adjusted the stitching of her glove to make it straight on her arm. “Whenever their sister is mentioned, even in passing, both roll their eyes and sigh. She’s well-known due to her beauty, her outspoken ability when she’s the centre of attention and her single-minded determination, but her family are not too impressed with her behaviour.”

  Cassandra wouldn’t be either, if she were related to Jessica. From the few moments she’d got the day before, she had the impression that Jessica was a spoiled little girl who was used to getting her own way. Her parents must have had their hands full with her growing up.

  Cassandra could understand if one child was particularly spoiled - she had been spoiled when she was a little girl due to being the only child - but not every child stayed entitled. And from the way Jessica had been, she was very used to getting her own way. It wouldn’t be a surprise to Cassandra if she did cause these public scenes on a regular basis.

  As long as she didn’t do it with Cassandra on the receiving end, Cassandra didn’t care what the girl did. Or said. She hadn’t committed to anything with Gabriel Tattershall and it was unlikely that it would ever happen.

  Unlikely? It would never happen. And Cassandra hated how her stomach knotted with that.

  Emily shifted on her seat as the carriage took another sharp turn. They had been at Cassandra’s home and were now heading over to The Barrington Arms to have dinner with Emily’s family. Cassandra had suggested going in to see how Norman was beforehand, and Emily had agreed.

  Her friend was just as concerned about Norman’s welfare; there was a great amount of fondness between the two of them. Cassandra found it very sweet. Emily could overstep with her remarks in public - she helped out at her father’s business, so that was no surprise - but there was a huge, generous heart inside her.

  “Do you have a new driver or something?” Emily complained as she righted herself. “I don’t think I’ve been this knocked about in a carriage before.”

  “We have a temporary driver. Victor’s off sick at the moment, so we have someone standing in until he’s well again.” Cassandra gritted her teeth as her elbow knocked against the side. “I’ll be having a word with him later. I don’t know who taught him to drive, but he’s certainly not confidence-inspiring.”

  “I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks we’ve got an idiot in charge of the horses.”

  “The horses will get their own back, I’m sure. They have a habit of doing that.” Cassandra adjusted her bonnet, undoing the bow and then doing it up again. “Anyway, Miss Gibson…”

  “I thought you didn’t want to discuss her beyond what you said.”

  “I lied. Sort of. I’m just curious,” Cassandra paused her tying as the carriage jostled in the road, and then resumed doing up the bow. “I thought Miss Gibson said she was the one who got taken advantage of. I heard she was declaring that Mr. Tattershall had seduced her.”

  “That’s what she’s been telling people. Her brothers don’t believe, from what I gathered. Neither do her parents, although they were furious with Gabriel as well,” Emily sat forward. “Did you know that Gabriel was in the Barrington Arms with Mr. Gibson a short while ago? I believe it was about the same time we found out Mr. Montgomery had passed away. Father wouldn’t let me stay nearby to listen in, but I heard some of it.”

  “I thought you were meant to be working, not eavesdropping.”

  “Eavesdropping’s a lot more interesting. Anyway, Gabriel Tattershall was telling Mr. Gibson to keep his daughter away as he wanted nothing to do with her.”

  Cassandra stared.

  “He really did that?”

  “Yes. Gabriel said he wished nothing more with Miss Gibson, and she would just not listen to him. She had been coming up to his cottage and trying to converse with him, but he would send her away each time.” Emily’s eyes gleamed, “Apparently, Mr. Gibson was going to take her away from Ipswich to live elsewhere. I think the south coast was mentioned. They have a place in Brighton.”

  “If he was going to do that, why hasn’t she gone already?”

  “No idea. I’m sure she’ll be away from here soon.”

  “I hope so,” Cassandra grunted. She settled back even as the carriage lurched. “I don’t have time for chits like her. I’ve got more important things to worry about.”

  “Like wondering how you’re going to be around Gabriel Tattershall without falling into his arms,” Emily said wryly.

  Cassandra groaned. Even though Emily was of the same opinion as the day before, that Cassandra and Gabriel were a bad idea overall, her friend hadn’t stopped with teasing comments and passing suggestions. Cassandra wanted to swat her with her purse. There was teasing, and then there was what Emily was doing.

  “I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t said anything now,” she grumbled.

  “I’ll keep my mouth shut about it then,” Emily shrugged. “All I’m going to do is remind you that Gabriel Tattershall is not the person you should associate with. A nodding acquaintance is fine, but anything more than that is asking for trouble. We both know it’ll be bad to do anything further.”

  Cassandra knew that. But it didn’t make her feel any better. It didn’t help that when she had attempted to have a sleep in the afternoon the day before, her thoughts were filled with Gabriel. She had dreamed that Gabriel was in the bed with her, touching her body where every touch made her body tingle. He kissed her mouth, then her neck, and then her breasts, his hands drifting down further…

  Do you really want to relive a fantasy in front of your friend?

  Cassandra attempted to wipe out her dream from the day before - and last night - but it simply sat back and waited. It was as if it was preparing to pounce at the least expected moment. Cassandra had never been on guard from her own thoughts before, and she didn’t like it.

  If there was a possibility to get Gabriel Tattershall out of her life, she would take it. That would be difficult if he was Percy’s brother. Even knowing that she was meant to be in early courtship with another man didn’t make Cassandra feel any better. He was becoming an all-consuming thought.

  And Cassandra didn’t like that.

  They arrived at Emily’s home, Cassandra alighting first. The footman who had accompanied them looked like he had been on an equally uncomfortable journey, while the driver sat in his seat looking very pleased with himself. He certainly wasn’t going to be pleased when Cassandra showed her father the bruises. There was a line between being inexperienced and needing time to learn and just being arrogant about the way things were handled.

  Linking arms with Emily, Cassandra headed over to Montgomery’s. She rarely went inside, mostly due to the fact Ernest wouldn’t be happy about her venturing into a rival business. But Cassandra had been curious before, and she was impressed with what she saw. Thomas Montgomery knew exactly what was needed.

  She had wondered if Norman was going to take on the ownership. It was his now, after all. But there had also been talk of Norman selling and going back to his place on the Norfolk coast. Cassandra wouldn’t blame him if he did; Norman wasn’t one for gambling and he liked to be in his own little world.