Scandals of Lustful Ladies: A Historical Regency Romance Collection

by Meghan Sloan

  “First, considering Mr. Tattershall openly despises you, I don’t think you’ll be Mrs. Tattershall anytime soon. Second, you don’t need to make me keep away, as I’ll be doing that on my own. Third, what makes you think your move out of Ipswich is a temporary thing? I hear it’s going to be on a more permanent basis after harassing people in the middle of the street.”

  “I’ll talk my father round,” Jessica lifted her chin. “I’m good at that.”

  She was faltering, Cassandra could see. Cassandra wasn’t about to stand for this chit talking down to her, thinking that she had a higher standing. No one had a higher standing if they treated others in such a foul way.

  “Hopefully, your father will stand firm against that. I know your brothers have been highly ashamed of your behaviour. And I hope your father tells you that your open desire for a man who was cast out because of actions that you helped with is pathetic. He’ll have you carted away from Suffolk for good if you keep on fighting.”

  As she talked, Cassandra was aware of the anger building in Jessica. The other woman’s nostrils flared and her lip curled in a snarl. She was clearly not used to being talked to in such a way. More than likely she thought her steadfast opinions meant more than anything else and that people would have to accept it. Cassandra wondered how long she had managed to get away with it regarding her own family.

  “If only I could get rid of you like that,” Jessica hissed.

  “Don’t threaten people, Miss Gibson. Someone might turn it around you on you.”

  “That sounded more of a threat.”

  Cassandra stepped towards her, Jessica stepping back. Another step and she would be toppling off the terrace. She was teetering on the edge. Cassandra stared her down. It was like dealing with one of her father’s patrons at Seton’s, only none of them had behaved like petulant children who didn’t seem to realise that their desires were not coming back because they snapped their fingers.

  “I don’t stand for childish little girls who think they’re better than everyone else, Miss Gibson. Now, you leave me alone, or I’ll be mentioning to your parents what you’ve just said to me. I’m going back inside. Do not follow me or approach me, or I’ll seek out whoever brought you here. I’m sure they’d be delighted to hear what I have to say.”

  Even in the dark, Cassandra could see Jessica’s cheeks darkening as red as her dress.

  “They won’t believe you.”

  Cassandra gave her sickly sweet smile, one where others knew they were close to pushing her too far. Once that was crossed once, nobody wanted to experience it again.

  “Do you want to test that out, Miss Gibson? I dare you.”

  Then she turned and walked back inside. She had taken more than enough air. The hot press of people was going to be preferable to being outside with Jessica Gibson.

  Chapter 16

  “Look, Father, just go home,” Cassandra huffed, scowling at her father as he slumped behind his desk.

  Ernest glared at her even as he mopped his brow.

  “I’m fine, Cassie. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  Then he started coughing. Cassie’s heart tightened. They had been to Thomas Montgomery’s funeral and it had started to rain. Ernest had been looking pale before, but now he was white as a sheet, coughing like mad and sweating. He was clearly unwell, but Ernest refused to go home. He hadn’t even changed out of his mourning clothes.

  Cassandra was in despair. She had headed home and then to Seton’s while she did her errands, only to find the staff concerned about their employer and her father slumped in his chair looking like he had just passed out.

  “Of course I need to worry about you,” she protested. “You’ve been coughing like mad and you look like you’re about to collapse.”

  “It’s just a slight chill from the rain. Nothing more.”

  Cassandra glanced at Alice, her aunt standing near the door. She was just as worried, but she was letting Cassandra lead this. Ernest could make his meek sister back down, but not his daughter.

  “It’s more than that and you know it. You need to go home and rest, Father. I don’t want to have you passing out here.”

  Ernest grunted and reached for his glass. His hand was shaking as he picked it up.

  “You worry too much,” he muttered.

  “With good reason,” Cassandra shot back. “Your health hasn’t been good lately. I don’t want to see you here when you’re clearly not well enough to deal with your own affairs.”

  “Cassie’s right, Ernest,” Alice added. “You do need to rest.”

  Ernest growled and glared at his sister before turning the angry look onto Cassandra.

  “I’m not about to be told what to do by two women.”

  “Father, why are you fighting this?”

  “Because there’s nothing wrong with me. You’re just fussing over me too much.” Ernest’s body shook, “Women always get hysterical around funerals.”

  Then he started coughing violently, almost hitting his head on the desk as he bent over clutching at his chest. Cassandra almost burst into tears. Her father’s health really hadn’t been good since they’d heard the news of the senior Montgomery. It was as if he was refusing to pay attention to his health.

  “Oh, for goodness sake.” Cassandra went to the door and looked out into the hall where Lewis was waiting. “Lewis, get the carriage ready. Then help Mr. Seton home. He needs to go straight to bed.”

  “Yes, Miss Seton.”

  Lewis hurried off. Ernest growled.

  “Cassie, you’re not my mother. I know my limitations. Stop fussing so much.”

  That resulted in another bout of coughing, one that left Ernest red and breathless. This was more than just a simple cold. It didn’t help that his clothes were barely dry, either. Cassandra beckoned her aunt to join her and they rounded the desk on either side of Ernest.

  “Would you like to say that again without coughing up your lungs?” Cassandra said snidely.

  Ernest glared at her, his face blotching red, white and green. Then he looked away and sighed heavily.

  “Fine. I’ll go home. But just for today. There’s a lot of paperwork still to do. It won’t get done on its own.”

  “I can do it.” Cassandra took her father’s arm, while Alice took the other. They lifted him to his feet and led him around the desk. “I know what needs to be done, and whatever needs your signature I can bring to you later. Just look after yourself and get as much sleep as you can.”

  “And possibly a hot bath as well,” Alice added as they walked him to the door. “You’ll feel better after one of those.”

  Ernest looked from his sister to his daughter and back again.

  “You two are determined on this, aren’t you?”

  “Of course we are.” Cassandra tugged her father into motion again, “Now, come on. Stop stalling. We’re not going to let you stay because you’re delaying us.”

  Ernest grumbled even as he allowed them to walk him into the hall.

  “There are days when I wish I hadn’t raised you to be so headstrong.”

  “Who would look after you then?”

  Ernest sighed and started coughing again. They went through a side passage that the patrons weren’t allowed down, and out through a side door into the alley alongside Seton’s. Lewis was already there with the carriage, holding the door open as Ernest was helped into the carriage. Cassandra shut the door and signalled to the driver.

  “Get Father home, Robbins. And call for the physician. Don’t call him off because Father said so. I want to know he’s going to be all right.”

  “Yes, Miss Cassie.”

  Robins flicked the reins and the horses started off, pulling the carriage out of the alleyway. Cassandra felt some weight slide of her shoulders as the carriage moved out of sight. At least Father would be able to recover at home. He wasn’t well enough to be at work, and he knew it. It was just his pride getting in the way.

  Men and their pride. They thought
they knew everything and they were the ones who really caused all the trouble. If only someone would drop something from a great height to knock some sense into the men in her life.

  Cassandra turned to Alice.

  “Why don’t you go and get some lunch, Alice? It’s nearly eleven-thirty.”

  “Are you sure, Cassie?”

  “I’m sure. I’ve got to get the papers sorted.”

  “All right,” Alice hesitated. “Do you want me to bring something for you as well?”

  “If you like. I’m not very hungry right now, but I’ll appreciate some food later.” Cassandra cast Lewis a sly glance. “Would you mind escorting my aunt, Lewis? I want to make sure she isn’t accosted.”

  “Yes, Miss Cassie.” Lewis glanced at Alice, who was now blushing bright red. “I’ll look after Miss Alice.”

  Alice shot Cassandra a glare before dropping her gaze and hurrying towards the street, Lewis following behind. Cassandra almost burst out laughing at the sight and went back inside, still grinning at how her aunt had reacted. When she was around the servant, Alice was like a young woman in the first flush of love.

  It was clear the feeling was mutual, and Cassandra had wondered many times how long it would be until they finally decided to do something about it. However, it seemed that both were also aware of their social standing, and that was getting in the way.

  Maybe she should do something about it. Urge them together more and see if they could resist temptation then. But Cassandra shook herself. She shouldn’t be so silly. Just because her love life was a mess didn’t mean she had to try and make everyone else around her happy.

  And she needed to take a big step back from her love life, or lack of one. It was not fair to court Percy when she didn’t love him as she should. It might have come in time, but Cassandra knew it would always be muted in comparison to what she felt for his older brother. Gabriel would always have a special place in her heart.

  This Cassandra found ridiculous. They had barely interacted beyond sharp words for each other, and yet the attraction was there and it was intense. How was it possible to fall in love with a man just from that and while knowing his past?

  Are you saying that you’re in love with Gabriel Tattershall?

  I am. And it’s not filling me with joy as it should.

  Cassandra sighed, her mood dipping. She had heard of women falling for men completely unsuitable and she had scoffed at them. Women should know better. You couldn’t fall in love with just a few very short meetings. Now she had become one of those women.

  It was distracting her. She needed to focus. Seton’s needed her. Ernest may not have wanted to admit it freely, but Cassandra was the driving force behind everything. She made sure it was all in order; the patrons were respected and respectful towards the staff, and she kept on top of the paperwork. Ernest may like to think he was the boss, and he was in name, but it was his daughter who did everything.

  Gabriel was not about to distract her. Cassandra had business to attend to. Having brief moments away to spend time with Percy was nice, and Cassandra would like to continue that as a friend, if that were possible, and she spent a lot of time with Emily, but that was it. There was no room in her life for love. Not when it turned her inside-out and Cassandra didn’t know what to do.

  If she had fallen for a respectable man - like Percy - would she be feeling this conflicted? Probably not. She would still be capable. But it was this unpredictable, intense feeling that had her off-balance. Cassandra did not like it. She would prefer to be alone and safe than falling for someone she had no business falling for.

  Not to mention the fact she was sure he was up to something. Gabriel Tattershall always had an ulterior motive, and he was certainly planning something. And it was involving Montgomery’s. Was he really trying to buy the place? He didn’t have any money, unless he had put some aside.

  Unless Norman had come to some sort of agreement, and Cassandra wouldn’t be surprised if he had done that. Norman wanted to sell the place. He understood the love and devotion his father had put into it, but he wasn’t the same way inclined. He preferred to be with his painting and sculpting. The man was the epitome of an artist. Cassandra even had a small painting of his that he had done of the Norfolk coast. It really was beautiful. Norman would be wasting his talent being in charge of his father’s business.

  If that was the case, why was Gabriel hanging around Seton’s? Was he thinking of trying to buy her father out? Or was he looking at the competition? Seeing what ways he could sabotage the place? Cassandra wouldn’t put it past him.

  If that was the case, had he set his sights on Cassandra? Because if he had, Cassandra was not going to let him win. She would never let anything take her away from Seton’s, not even a rake like Gabriel Tattershall. He could beg anything from her and she would not budge. Seton’s was her life, and Cassandra was going to keep it in the family in whatever way she could. No one was having Seton’s. Not her money-hungry family, and certainly not Gabriel Tattershall.

  Cassandra settled into her father’s chair and began to go through the papers. Ernest had told her that she wouldn’t understand a thing on the pages and not to worry about her pretty little head over the details. That had been seven years ago, and Ernest was eating his words. Cassandra had a sharper mind than he’d anticipated. She could watch and listen and take everything in, which is what she had done with her father. So Cassandra knew how things were run, how it was all laid out, and how it could be improved.

  Her father had now softened to her working so much with him, even though he would occasionally talk about Cassandra settling down and devoting time to her own family. Cassandra had simply countered that if she ended up starting a family of her own, she was still going to be at Seton’s. No one was going to keep her away from something she loved doing.

  Marriage was simply becoming an accessory now. If any suitor objected to what she did, then Cassandra walked away. She had done that several times in the past, and she would do it again. Even if the Tattershall brothers asked her to stop, Cassandra wouldn’t. Nobody would keep her away.

  It was just taking a while for people to realise that.

  She was bent over the papers, her head pounding from the tiny writing one of her father’s investors loved to use, when the door opened. Cassandra sighed and looked up, ready to scold the servant who’d entered their employer’s office without knocking.

  Only to jump to her feet when she saw Gabriel enter the room. Her heart began racing and she felt a tightening in her belly spreading downwards as she took in his lean, graceful form. He was wearing a simple but fine-looking suit in dark blue, the trousers looking very fitting around his thighs. His hair looked freshly washed, his jaw clean-shaven and smooth. And he was watching her with a solemn, heated expression that made Cassandra feel shivers down her spine.

  What on earth was he doing here? How did he get in without anyone noticing? Cassandra managed to find her voice.

  “Do you have a habit of entering private rooms without knocking?”

  “Only when I know I’m not going to be permitted in.”

  Gabriel leaned on the door, closing it behind him. Cassandra thought about calling out, just to bring her servants running, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. This was highly inappropriate, and she should be telling Gabriel to leave immediately. Yet she couldn’t.

  Cassandra came around the desk, flexing her hands before clasping them behind her. She had a sudden itching temptation to reach out and touch him, to see if he was as solid as she remembered from the day before.