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Sebastian blew on his fingernails. ‘I am, for all you like to forget it, the head of our family. It is my business when my cousin decides to recklessly endanger her reputation.’
‘That is rich coming from…from a confirmed fornicator.’ Henri crossed her arms and refused to look at Robert. If Robert had wanted to marry her, he had had ample opportunity to ask her. All this morning in the carriage. She would have refused without question, but it would have been out in the open. She didn’t want to have a husband because society dictated that she had to have one. She didn’t want a husband at all. She wanted a friend and…a lover. She wanted someone who would be there for her always and who thought she was special.
Instead he was being forced into it by Sebastian of all people. Blackmailed. Henri’s blood ran cold. Sebastian’s debts. He didn’t care who paid as long as it wasn’t him.
‘Is this about money?’ she whispered.
‘It is different for a man.’ Sebastian put a hand on Henri’s shoulder, but she shrugged it off. ‘Come, Henrietta, what am I supposed to do? Turn a blind eye to your misdemeanours? Allow you to become the subject of common gossip?’
‘A joke is a joke, Sebastian.’ Henri hated the cold dread that filled her. Sebastian could not be serious about ruining her if she failed to marry Robert Montemorcy. She pushed the panic away and attempted to hang on to rational thought. ‘You are not going to tell anyone, Sebastian. Mr Montemorcy is a gentleman. He will keep quiet as well. You are simply seeking to create a storm in a teacup because your own marriage plans went awry and you need money. Your debts are there because you gamble.’
‘Your cousin is not joking.’ Robert gave Sebastian a deadly glance. ‘He intends to use the information to discredit me within the business community.’
‘And that would harm your business?’ Henri thought of the hundreds of workers who depended on Robert. And all his plans. He created jobs for people. Sebastian wanted to take all that away.
Robert gave a shrug. ‘Men do business for all sorts of reasons. But a big enough scandal could hurt.’
‘I would never dream of joking about such matters.’ Sebastian held up his hands. ‘It was your choice to be with Robert Montemorcy. You made your bed, Henrietta, now have the good grace to lie in it. Marriage or else banishment from polite society. You like being good, accepted and helping people, Henrietta. You would be desperately unhappy being bad and wicked. It goes against your nature. You told me to find a way to pay my debts and I have. You, or rather Montemorcy, will pay.’
Henri stared at her cousin in open-mouthed horror. She’d considered him spoilt before, but she had never realised the depths of his depravity. She put her hand to her head and tried to think clearly. Marriage to Robert was not the answer. And she refused to allow Sebastian leave to ruin her life.
‘Robert! Mr Montemorcy, explain why it is impossible for us to marry. Sebastian, you are acting exactly like you accused Robert of acting. You did not like it then. Why should I like it now?’
‘And quite frankly,’ Sebastian continued as if she had not spoken, ‘I do not care whom you marry as long as you do marry.’
‘Cawburn, you go too far!’ Robert said in a furious voice. ‘You will stay within the bounds of propriety. We agreed. Henri is not to be bullied. I will not have Henri forced against her will. I take all the blame for the situation. We’re engaged and if—’
‘Are you saying that my guardian dishonoured Lady Thorndike, Lord Cawburn?’ Sophie asked. ‘When?’
‘I draw a veil over the particulars, Miss Ravel, as you are unmarried.’ Sebastian inclined his head. ‘Thankfully, Mr Montemorcy showed a particle of common sense. It pains me that my cousin fails to grasp the gravity of the situation.’
Henri crossed her arms and silently consigned Sebastian to the darkest corner of hell. ‘All the times I smoothed the ruffled feathers and made certain no outraged husbands followed you. You are the most despicable type of hypocrite, Sebastian English! You will not get a halfpenny farthing from me ever.’
‘But I thought marriage was supposed to be the making of people.’ Sebastian batted his eyelids. ‘I believe it would have been the argument you used with me if I had chosen to dishonour Miss Ravel in that fashion.’
Henri reached out and slapped his face.
‘Ouch, that hurt!’
‘And that is for a good many other things as well.’
‘Cawburn, I will speak with Lady Thorndike in private,’ Robert said, stepping between Sebastian and her. ‘Violence is not going to solve anything.’
